Rabbi Aaron Braun To Be Spiritual Leader of Northbrook Community Synagogue Starting July 1

Rabbi Aaron Braun will become the spiritual leader of Northbrook Community Synagogue, located at 2548 Jasper Court in Northbrook on July 1, 2012. The synagogue is planning a Welcome Dinner on Sunday, August 26, 2012. Details will be available by calling the synagogue office at 847-509-9204.

Rabbi Braun said that he and his wife, Marina, and their children, Aidan and Lillian, look forward to being a part of the NCS family and hope to build meaningful, lasting relationships for many years to come.

Rabbi Braun received semicha (ordination) from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York City, after studying for four and a half years in New York and two years at Yeshivat Bat Ayin in Gush Etzion, Israel.

A native of Champaign, Illinois, Rabbi Braun has a deep connection to Illinois and the Midwest. He is a proud Illini at the University of Illinois in Champaign where graduated with a B.A. in Jewish Studies with a Minor in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois.

Prior to joining N.C.S., Rabbi Braun served as the Director of the Jewish Youth Encounter Program at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in New York. He specialized in finding creative ways of promoting Judaism to otherwise unaffiliated area youth and officiated at many life-cycle events for the local community. He also engaged the congregants of the H.I.R. by teaching a regular gemara shiu (Talmud Class.) Along with teaching at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Rabbi Braun has been a guest lecturer at The Ramaz School in Manhattan. Embracing his Chicago roots, Rabbi Braun served as a Rabbinic Intern at Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, under the guidance of Rabbi Asher Lopatin. Additionally, Rabbi Aaron Braun is a trained and certified shochet.

An avid Cubs fan and golfer, Rabbi Braun also loves snowboarding, playing chess and gourmet cooking. When he is not serving the community, Rabbi Braun enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife Marina receive much nachas (pleasure) from their children.