Rabbi Shmuel Braun is a teacher, mentor and lecturer, especially known for his ability to take the loftiest concepts in Jewish mysticism and connect them to everyday life in a way that students from any background and level of knowledge can appreciate.
Having grown up Modern Orthodox in Woodmere, L.I., Rabbi Braun then spent many years studying at the Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore, in the Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem by Reb Meir Soloveitchik z”l, and also in institutions affiliated with Yeshiva University, Munkatch, and Chabad. These Jewish learning opportunities together with his devotion and passion for the humanities facilitated his developing a unique, progressive and inclusive style that engages all people with diverse backgrounds and beliefs.
Rabbi Braun sends out “Today’s Heavenward Gaze”, a daily WhatsApp message, fusing the profound thought of Kabbalah, Chassidism, Philosophy, Literature, Poetry and even Pop Culture in order to elevate the lives of hundreds of listeners with meaning, thoughtful insight and inspiration. With a deep passion for connecting with those longing for Jewish identity, community and meaning, Rabbi Braun is Rabbi of Congregation Lev Le’Daas, a Modern-Orthodox Chassidic Shtiebel in Teaneck, NJ, alongside his wife and family.
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