Our Leadership
Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz
Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz is the founding rabbi of Congregation Shaare Tefillah. The Schiowitz family moved to Teaneck in the summer of 2003 in order to lead this shul that was hosted in the Offenbacher home. Under Rabbi Schiowitz’s leadership, Shaare Tefillah has grown its membership exponentially, has moved into a permanent building, and has developed as a supportive, cohesive, and growth-oriented community.
Rabbi Schiowitz also teaches at the Ramaz Upper School where he serves as Talmud Department Chair as well as the Director of Judaic Studies and Religious Life. You can view many of his video lessons on the RamazTorah YouTube channel. He also published a series of teacher guides to teaching Talmud called "Madrikh La-Moreh", as well as a series of student workbooks called "Talmud LaTalmid", both available at OUPress and Amazon.
Rabbi Schiowitz studied at Yeshivat Kerem BeYavneh and at Yeshiva University. After earning a BS in Accounting and passing the CPA test, Rabbi Schiowitz completed smicha as a participant in the Wexner Smicha Honors Program. He then earned an MS in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School and studied for four years in YU’s post-smicha Kollel Elyon.
Rabbi Schiowitz is the author of Sefer Shiurei HaRav al Meseches Challah Ve’Inyanei Mitzvos Hateluyos Ba’aretz as well as Pri Etz Chaim, published by the Mesorah Commision of the Orthodox Union.
You can see many of his video divrei Torah and shiurim here.
Rabbi Neil Lauer
Rabbi Neil Lauer received rabbinic ordination from RIETS, an M.A. in medieval Jewish philosophy from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and an M.S. in secondary Jewish education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration.
He is the author of The Tripod: A New Perspective on the Shalosh Regalim.
Rabbi Lauer and his wife Janet have lived in Teaneck since 1998. They are the proud parents of Chezkie, Yaakov, Michal, Shani, and Shmuel.
In his spare time, Rabbi Lauer owns and runs a suspender-manufacturing company in Brooklyn.