About Rabbi

Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich was born in Brooklyn, New York and is a graduate of Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv where he was also admitted to the University's Advanced Talmudic Institute. During this time, the Rabbi became the first undergraduate in the university's history to teach an accredited course. In 1992, Rabbi Flanzraich received a dual ordination from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and Yeshivat Sha’ar Ephraim. The Rabbi has been the Senior Rabbi of Beth Sholom Synagogue since 1998 and over this time has been a part in instituting a Kosher Food Bank for the needy, a summer work program for Jewish teens, providing help for the homeless with the Out of the Cold program, re-imagined how afternoon Hebrew School delivers education and, with Cantor Moses, redesigned our Shabbat morning experience with “Shabbat Beth Sholom” and the music of our world-class Ruach Singers.

Rabbi Flanzraich is a past President of the Toronto Board of Rabbis, past President of the Rabbinical Assembly - Ontario Region, and the current chair of Israel Bond's International Rabbinic Cabinet. He authored a book on Jewish fundamentalism called, "The Small Still Voice”, has been seen on TVO’ s Interfaith programming and as a guest on CTS’s “Passages”, and is a frequently requested speaker to Christian and Muslim groups throughout the country. Additionally, Rabbi Flanzraich is a member of the Zacharias Frankel Rabbinical College’s teaching staff in Berlin, Germany. 

Rabbi Flanzraich is proud to note that he is the only rabbi in over 3500 years of Jewish history to have Bar Mitzvah’d an NHL 50 goal scorer: Zach Hyman proudly stood on our Bimah as a Bar Mitzvah in 2005.

Despite living in Toronto for more than 30 years, he remains an ardent and passionate New York Islanders fan. Our Rabbi is married to Lisa, and they adore their four beautiful children: Cody, Ari, Talia and Joseph. Evan y”h is lovingly remembered by them all.