SENIOR RABBI

Rabbi Shai Finkelstein

A native of Israel, Rabbi Finkelstein was ordained by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and received certification by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, the eminent former Chief Rabbi of Israel.  He more recently received a higher ordination by the Association of Rabbinic Judges in Jerusalem, which certifies him to serve as a judge in an Israeli Monetary Court of Law.  Rabbi Finkelstein has been in Memphis since 2000 and has served as the Rosh Kollel of the Kollel Torah MiTzion housed at the Margolin Hebrew Academy /Feinstone Yeshiva of the South.  He has also served as the Adult Jewish Education Director at the MHA/HYOS.

Since 2004, Rabbi Finkelstein has also been a lecturer at the Bornblum Judaic Studies Program at the University of Memphis.  He teaches, as well, at the Florence Melton Adult Mini School at the Memphis Jewish Community Center (MJCC).  In addition to serving as Senior Rabbi of Baron Hirsch, Rabbi Finkelstein is a member of the Vaad Ha’Kashrut and Vaad Hachinuch.  He serves on the board of the Margolin Hebrew Academy/Feinstone Yeshiva of the South, Memphis Jewish Federation and the United Way of the Mid-South.

Rabbi Finkelstein and his wife, Bilha, have four children, Noga, Edya, David and Hadas.

CANTOR

Ricky Kampf

Cantor Ricky Kampf has been associated with Baron Hirsch since 1989.  In his first years, he served the congregation as the assistant Shalich Tzibur and Executive Director.  He received his cantorial degree from the Belz School of Jewish Music, and currently serves as the congregation’s Cantor.

Cantor Ricky’s melodious voice is a highlight of all of our Shabbat and holiday services.  His Kabbalat Shabbat service every Friday night fills the synagogue with excitement and energy, and his holiday work with both our Men’s and Boys’ Choirs make the High Holy Days very meaningful.  He also is a master Bar Mitzvah teacher, who has taught torah reading and davening to countless boys throughout the city.

PRESIDENT

Irvin Skopp

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

David Fleischhacker

David Fleischhacker was appointed to the position of Executive Director in August 2003.  He received his M.B.A from Baruch College in New York, and his B.S. from Yeshiva University. A native Memphian, Mr. Fleischhacker has many fond memories of Baron Hirsch, especially of the years he attended Camp Darom. Starting as a camper at a young age, he grew to serve the camp in many different capacities, including being its Director for several seasons.

Prior to his return to Memphis, Mr. Fleischhacker was a lay leader of Congregation Etz Chaim of Kew Gardens Hills, one of the fastest growing young Orthodox shuls in the area. He served as an officer for eight years, and was President during the campaign and construction of the synagogue’s facilities.  Along with his wife, Chany, the Fleischhackers were honored twice by Congregation Etz Chaim. They were the Guests of Honor at the synagogue’s annual Journal Dinner in 1996, and were honored again with a special award at the Journal Dinner in June 2003.

GROSSMAN SCHOLARS

Yael & Emanuel Elstein

Both Yael and Emanuel were born in America, and their parents made Aliya when they were young.  Yael was born in Detroit, and grew up in Jerusalem from age 3.  She spent a year of her national service as a shlicha in Milwaukee.

Emanuel also grew up in Jerusalem after his parents made Aliya from New York.  He attended High School in Efrat, and then went to Hesder Yeshiva in Otniel.  He was a tank commander in the army, and after he finished Yeshiva he went on Shlichut through Torah Mitzion to Silver Spring.

Yael and Emanuel met at a Torah MiTzion conference in St. Louis, married and moved back to Jerusalem.  Emanuel has been working in the World Bnei Akiva, in charge of screening and placing shlichim. Yael is a certified paramedic and has been working in an emergency medical center.  They have three children – Shlomo, Tzvi and Hodaya.

SENIOR RABBI, EMERITUS

Rabbi Rafael G. Grossman
Rabbi Grossman served Baron Hirsch and the Memphis community for more than a quarter of a century.  He led the congregation through a difficult transition from its edifice on Vollintine in mid-town Memphis to the eventual construction of the present magnificent synagogue. The Rabbi established programs for people of all ages which included the South’s only sleep-away camp under Orthodox auspices, Camp Darom; the Southern Traditional singles, with its national weekend celebration; the adult education program which offers more than twenty classes per week, most taught by the Rabbi and highlighted with varied lectures featuring foremost lecturers and scholars in World Jewry. In 1998, the Rabbi established the annual Conference on Medical Ethics. Rabbi’s weekly lectures on Israel cover numerous religious subjects thereby establishing Baron Hirsch as the synagogue with one of the most extensive programs of Torah learning in the South. Rabbi Grossman’s leadership for the sale of Israel Bonds has afforded Baron Hirsch the distinct honor of selling more bonds per capita than any other congregation in the United States. His last pilgrimage to Israel raised the number of those joining him throughout the years to more than eight hundred.

Rabbi Grossman was the first Rabbi outside the New York area to be elected President of the Rabbinical Council of America. He now serves as Honorary President and chairman of the Rabbinical Council International. He is the author of Binah: The Modern Quest for Torah Understanding, a six-part series with Volumes II and III soon to appear. His scholarly papers have appeared in numerous journals and volumes, and his weekly column, “Thinking Aloud,” in the JEWISH PRESS and on numerous websites is now read by approximately 500,000 people, making him today’s most read Jewish columnist in the world. In December 1998, Rabbi Grossman was elected Chairman of the board for the Religious Zionist of America.