Elie Kaunfer

Elie Kaunfer (b. 1973)^[1][2] is an American rabbi who serves as president and CEO of Yeshivat Hadar in Manhattan.^[3] Kaunfer has been named as a leading American rabbi by The Forward and Newsweek.^[4][5]

Career

Kaunfer received a doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America; his dissertation concerned Jewish liturgy. Kaunfer was a co-founder and served as the executive director of Mechon Hadar (Hadar Institute), also known as Yeshivat Hadar. He was also a co-founder of the independent minyan Kehilat Hadar affiliated with the institute. Additionally, he served as a fellow at the Avi Chai Foundation. Aside from his rabbinic role at Hadar, Kaunfer worked in journalism and banking.^[6]

Publications

Kaunfer authored a book (with a preface by Jonathan Sarna) on the rise of independent Jewish congregations and their contribution to building Jewish communities:^[7]

• Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us about Building Vibrant Jewish Communities (Jewish Lights, 2010).

Other publications include:

• Kaunfer, E. (2019) Applying Jewish Wisdom to Philanthropy: The Case of Aggripas and the Sages, Journal of Jewish Education 85(4), 349-361.

See also

• Shai Held
• Ethan Tucker

References

1. "Elie Kaunfer, Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us About Building Vibrant Jewish Communities". de gruyter.
2. "How Ayanna Pressley shifted on Israel, Rand Paul holds up iron dome funding in senate". jewishinsider.com. Jewish Insider. September 2021.
3. "Chilean Miner Rescue, Celebration Gives New Meaning to Old Prayers". huffingtonpost.com. Huffington Post. October 19, 2010.
4. "Rabbi Elie Kaunfer". glose.com. Glose.
5. "50 influential rabbis". newsweek.com. Newsweek.
6. "Elie Kaunfer". forward.com. The Forward.
7. "The Jew Revolution: Rabbi Elie Kaunfer's Empowered Judaism Challenges the Institution". jewishjournal.com. Jewish Journal. April 26, 2010.