About us

Rabbi Alan G. Ciner, founding Rabbi of the New Synagogue of Palm Beach, has had a distinguished career in the pulpit rabbinate, during which time, as noted by Rabbi Nosson Sherman, general editor, Artscroll Mesorah Publications, "Rabbi Ciner played a critical role in transforming the vision of the Schottenstein Talmud into a reality." Rabbi Ciner has been a regular lecturer at The Ohio State University as well as an interactive speaker throughout the United States, highlighting the theme, "Judaism’s Response to a World of Modernity." Leslie H. Wexner, Chairman of the Wexner Heritage Foundation, has said, "Drawing upon his intellect, Rabbi Ciner is an extraordinary teacher who combines Biblical and Talmudic texts to assist people in creating a new paradigm for living."

In 2002 S. Daniel Abraham called upon Rabbi Ciner to join with him in establishing the New Synagogue of Palm Beach. In 2004, Dr. Bernard Lander, Founder and President of Touro College appointed Rabbi Ciner Vice President of Touro College to serve as CEO of Touro College South, a newly established branch of the college. Touro College, established in 1971, is America’s largest and fastest-growing independent institution of higher and professional education under Jewish auspices, with more then 17,500 students enrolled in Touro’s undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs at more than 27 locations throughout the world.
Rabbi Gabriel Ohayon, Executive Director of the New Synagogue of Palm Beach, has been a leader of the Boca Raton Synagogue since 1991 when he joined the Board of Directors. He served as President of the Synagogue from 1994 through 1995, and was one of the founding members of its Sephardic Minyan, which numbers well over 150 participants.

Gabriel received his ordination and studied in Mirrer Yeshiva, in Brooklyn, NY; a Teacher's Certificate from Toronto Hebrew Teacher's Seminary; and a Bachelor of Commerce degree in International Business and Trade from Ryerson University, in Toronto. He also completed a Seminar in International Trade at the University of Miami. Gabriel was honored in December of 2006 with other Mir alumni by the Mir Yeshiva.
Henry Shimansky has served as a Cantor for the High Holidays and Shabbat Services for the past 25 years in congregations including the New Synagogue of Palm Beach, the Palm Beach Orthodox Synagogue, Boca Raton Synagogue, and Congregation Ahavath Torah of Englewood, New Jersey. Cantor Shimansky’s style of prayer is extremely spiritual, encourages congregational participation, and incorporates well known traditional and Israeli melodies and nigunim. Cantor Shimansky, additionally, has created instructional Audio CD’s for every Haftorah, the Megillot, Shabbat Tefillot/Zemirot, and Classical High Holiday and Yom Tov/Hallel melodies. He has received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Yeshiva University and a Master of Science from New York University.
Reuven Blank, President of the New Synagogue of Palm Beach, is a stockbroker with Morgan Keegan & Co in Palm Beach, FL. He is a graduate of Salisbury School and St Lawrence University. Reuven and his wife Natalie have two children and five grandchildren. Reuven was the youngest ever Israel Bond chairman in the US when he was chairman of the State of Israel Bonds for Fairfield County, CT, in 1970
S. Daniel Abraham, founder of the New Synagogue of Palm Beach, is a leading American Entrepreneur, a pioneer in both the pharmaceutical business and the diet foods business, and a dedicated philanthropist devoted to many worthy causes including Middle East Peace. Mr. Abraham has very strong ties to Israel which he expresses through deep personal involvement and through philanthropy. In the course of his work with Israel, he became convinced that its greatest need was peace with its neighbors.

In a courageous and single minded way, he ventured out to discover for himself the obstacles to peace and the benefits of it. He is a close friend of many top leaders in Israel and throughout the Middle East and through that personal channel is able to work tirelessly to help bring an end to the Middle East conflict. Mr. Abraham founded the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation and remains its Chairman and inspirational leader. He has traveled throughout the Middle East many times with the message of peace and with the willingness to invest in making that peace happen.

Mr. Abraham and his wife Ewa reside in Palm Beach, Florida with their daughter Sarah and son Sam. Mr. Abraham also has four lovely, grown daughters, twenty-four grandchildren and a great-grandchild who reside in the United States, Israel and England.