Rabbi Jason Kleiman
Before becoming the rabbinic couple for Pinner United Synagogue, Rabbi Jason and Rebbetzen Elise Kleiman served the Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue in Leeds for 20 years. Before moving to Leeds, they had been the rabbinic couple in several other synagogues including Reading Hebrew Congregation, Catford & Bromley United Synagogue and Clayhall United Synagogue (now Cranbrook United Synagogue).
Leeds – born Rabbi Kleiman holds a BA (Hons) degree from Leeds University in Theology and Religious Studies and received his Semicha from the late Emeritus Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l when he graduated from Jews’ College in 1997. In Leeds, Rabbi Kleiman was the School Chaplain and Rabbinic Governor both to the Leeds Jewish Free School and Brodetsky Jewish Primary School as well as Director of Education to the Leeds Jewish Education Authority. He was also Jewish Chaplain to the Leeds Hospitals NHS Trust and Hon Chaplain to the 22nd North Leeds (Hillel) Scouts. For more than 30 years, Rabbi Kleiman has empowered and co-ordinated teams of rabbis, outreach workers, youth directors, lay leaders and other volunteers to build community through pastoral, educational and youth provision. He has also been involved in interfaith work and was co-founder and a former executive member of both the East London Three Faiths Forum and the Leeds Branch of the Council of Christians and Jews.
He is a music lover, both in terms of listening to it and playing it (he plays guitar and piano) and won a national competition in the early 1980s for his knowledge of The Beatles!
Rebbetzen Elise Kleiman
Before becoming the rabbinic couple for Pinner United Synagogue, Rabbi Jason and Rebbetzen Elise Kleiman served the Beth Hamidrash Hagadol Synagogue in Leeds for 20 years. Before moving to Leeds, they had been the rabbinic couple in several other synagogues including Reading Hebrew Congregation, Catford & Bromley United Synagogue and Clayhall United Synagogue (now Cranbrook United Synagogue).
A graduate in Business and Finance, Hull – born Rebbetzen Kleiman has previously worked as an accountant for Smith & Nephew pharmaceuticals and as a civil servant for The Intervention Board. Alongside her husband, Rebbetzen Kleiman has created friendly and sociable environments in the communities she has served, both in shul and in the rabbinic home where all visitors have received the warmest of welcomes. Together with Rabbi Kleiman in Leeds, Rebbetzen Kleiman ran the community cheder for the Leeds Jewish Education Authority, having previously taught at the Brodetsky and Menorah primary schools. She loves country walks and solving puzzles such as Sudoku.
Karen Kinsley
Karen lives in Pinner with her husband, two sons and two dogs. She is a qualified primary school teacher and having worked in many schools for eight years, moved on to supporting volunteers in schools, becoming the volunteer coordinator at JW3 when it opened in 2013.
Since 2018 Karen has been the Welfare Coordinator at Pinner Shul, focussing on ensuring that there is support for isolated, lonely or unwell members of our community and coordinating a wonderful team of befrienders and volunteers.
Karen is also deeply involved in supporting community initiatives such as the pop-up cafe on Thursday mornings (Chat & Share) both online and in person at the shul.
Karen thoroughly enjoys getting to know the members of our wonderful community and looks forward to meeting you all.
Carolyn Abrahams
Carolyn has been the Community Administrator for Pinner Synagogue since 2007, during which time she has seen many changes in many ways.
Carolyn is married to Joel and they have recently celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary, together with their two children, a daughter who works in finance and a son who is studying at Nottingham University.
Carolyn lives in Eastcote and has three dogs – she can often be seen walking in Roxbourne Park or her favourite place, Black Park in Iver.
When not working for the shul, her hobbies include, swimming, going to Zumba and baking.
E: admin@pinnershul.org
T: 020 8868 7204, Option 1
Florin Amariei
Florin was born and raised in Romania and studied Theology at the University Emanuel in Oradia, Romania. He married Otilia in 2004 and lived in Milan, Italy for 12 years, before moving to London in 2016 to live in Hatch End
In 2017, they moved to Pinner and discovered a small church where their members have big hearts and are very friendly – they chose Florin to be their minister. In 2019, Florin also started to work as a caretaker for Pinner Synagogue and was promoted to Senior Caretaker in 2021, where together with his assistant James, he works tirelessly for the Pinner Community.
Rabbi Yaakov Grunewald
Rabbi Grunewald was appointed Rabbi of Pinner Synagogue in April 1976, having previously served as Assistant Minister at St Johns Wood Synagogue.
During his period of leadership, the Pinner Community grew from being a very small, affiliated community to becoming a major shul within the family of the United Synagogue.
Throughout these years, Rabbi Grunewald conducted regular shiurim in Halachah and Talmud, as well as teaching hundreds of children and encouraging them to take part in the service. He also taught Bible Commentaries to degree students at Jews’ College as well as Hebrew Grammar and Religious Knowledge to advanced pupils at the Hasmonean and Menorah High Schools.
For many years, Rabbi Grunewald was a member of the Chief Rabbi’s cabinet and a member of the executive of the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue.
Rabbi Grunewald led our community for 35 years until his retirement in 2010 and although he now lives in Jerusalem, he has returned to Pinner on many occasions and is still in regular contact with many of our members.