Meet Our Clergy

Rabbi Arthur Weiner

(201) 262-7691 – Ext. 212
rabbi@jccparamus.org

Rabbi Arthur Weiner arrived in Paramus in August of 1996 to serve as our Rabbi.  He began his 30th year of service to our community on August 1, 2025. Ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1989, he served as the Rabbi of the Heska Amuna Synagogue in Knoxville Tennessee for seven years before relocating to Bergen County. While in Knoxville, he was honored by the Council of Jewish Federations and the Southeast Region of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for his efforts on behalf of the Jewish community.

Rabbi Weiner also served as a former Chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve from 1984-1991.

In addition to his many synagogue responsibilities, Rabbi Weiner is a past officer of the New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly, the North Jersey Board of Rabbis, and served on the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.  He is also the former Chairman of the Bergen County Jewish Learning Project.  Rabbi Weiner is a certified Mesader Gittin, (certified Jewish divorce specialist), one of only 36 Rabbis throughout the Conservative movement authorized to facilitate Jewish divorce by the Joint Bet Din of the Rabbinical Assembly.

Rabbi Weiner has been honored by our synagogue, the Israel Bonds Development Corporation, the State of Israel, and the Borough of Paramus, NJ for his outstanding work on behalf of the synagogue, and local community.

Rabbi Weiner is married to Dr. Shira Weiner, a professor of Biomechanics and Ergonomics at New York University, and a professor of Physical Therapy at Touro College in NYC.  They are the proud parents of Sam, daughter-in-law Marianna and their daughters Rina and Adira and son Emet; Danit and son-in-law Josh and their daughters, Ava, Maya, and Aria; and Aviva, son-in-law Pinchas and their daughter, Olive.

Cantor David Krasner

Cantor David Krasner began as our part-time Cantor in October 2023 and has seamlessly integrated himself into our community. We love having his family join us on Shabbat and holidays. He has many years of cantorial experience and has served congregations in New York and New Jersey.

Cantor Krasner was initially profiled in the Jewish Week in 2007 as “The Doogie Howser Chazzan” when he was just 16. In that same year, The Jewish Star also wrote about his cantorial beginnings.

Cantor Krasner is well known for his lyrical tenor voice, vibrant timbre, and energetic and emotional representation of the prayer texts. He has performed at various cantorial concerts and weddings, and even sang his bride down the aisle; that video has well over one million views on YouTube! Cantor Krasner has studied voice with Dan Richard for nearly 13 years.

Cantor Krasner brings the gift of participation to our shul, combining congregational singing with the classical cantorial recitative for an uplifting spiritual and metaphysical experience. He encourages involvement and uses the congregation as his choir.

Cantor Krasner is a graduate of Yeshiva Darchei Torah and studied Talmudic studies in-depth at Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid for two years after high school. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition (with honors) from CUNY Queens College and is ordained by the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America.

Cantor Krasner is married to Sheri Krasner, a fashion design graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology of NYC and they have three young daughters: Samuella, Ariella, and Mikella.

Cantor Emeritus Sam Weiss

(201) 262-7691 – Ext. 211
cantor.sw@jccparamus.org

The Jewish Community Center of Paramus / Congregation Beth Tikvah calendar is always brimming with social, recreational, educational and communal activity.  But of course, we are first and foremost a synagogue—a place of prayer and inspiration.  I am proud to have served a congregation that values the traditional liturgy and Torah Reading, from the daily Minyan to the High Holidays.

As the old adage says, “Those who sing pray twice.” Some of us enjoy taking prayer and inspiration to an even higher level by leading the congregation in services. The singing of our Hebrew School students enriches our Shabbat and Holiday celebrations.  With the benefit of a curriculum that emphasizes Hebrew reading competence as well as familiarity with the prayers, the boys and girls eagerly look forward to becoming B’nai Mitzvah students to participate in the Services as much as they can.

Rabbi Avram Kogen

(201) 262-7691

Rabbi Avram Kogen regularly spends Shabbat in Paramus, serving as Torah reader at the JCCP/CBT since 2010.  Prior to his ordination at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, he earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree there.  He also holds a B.A. from Columbia University and an M.A. from its affiliate, Teachers College.  He spent one of his undergraduate years as an overseas student at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Since 1990, Rabbi Kogen has worked in the field of insurance and financial consulting, where he has earned the industry designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC).  Concurrently, he has pursued a variety of Judaic projects.  Besides his involvement at the JCCP/CBT, he taught workshops for the New Jersey region of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and he taught for five years at the Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies.  JCCP/CBT members with long memories might remember that Rabbi Kogen also served here as the tutor for Bar- and Bat-Mitzvah students in the year before Cantor Weiss joined our community.

Rabbi Kogen, who grew up on the Upper West Side of New York City, is the proud father of three children who were active members of USY and who continue their involvement in the Jewish community as young adults.

Rabbi Kogen worked for many summers at the Ramah camps, in roles as diverse as counselor, librarian, division head, program director, and business manager.  During the school year, he taught at synagogue and community religious schools, and later at day schools within the Solomon Schechter network.

In the 1980s, Rabbi Kogen worked as a congregational rabbi in Conservative synagogues in Pensacola, Florida and in York, Pennsylvania.  He is particularly proud of his Adult Education work, as well as his participation in community initiatives such as Pensacola’s Interfaith Council and the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition.

Rabbi Kogen enjoys his involvement at the JCCP/CBT, warming to the challenge of preparing and chanting each week’s Torah portion in accurate Hebrew.  He tutors our Bar/Bat Mitzvah students, providing excellent individualized instruction to all.  Rabbi Kogen values the friendships that he has made here at the Kiddush luncheons and in other informal settings.  He also embraces the opportunity to explore advanced topics in Judaism with those who wish to dig beneath the surface and to grow in their Jewish knowledge and practice.