[citation needed] He grew up as a sixth generation Brooklynite and attended the Lubavitch Yeshiva Central School System, where he received a BA in rabbinical studies.
He then founded a modern orthodox style Chabad synagogue, the Rhinebeck Jewish Center, along with his wife Tzivie, where they head numerous programs that benefit the community on a daily basis.
[15][16] He also made headlines when he taught newly elected senator Kirsten Gillibrand about orthodox Jews not shaking hands of the opposite gender.
Aside from Kosher lectures at the school, he hosts numerous events throughout the year catered to the students to provide a Jewish flavor to accompany their CIA experience.
He contends that "[c]ooking, sharing, and enjoying food... creates a dwelling place for God within us and allows us to elevate the spark of godliness within the physical world.