About Our Shul

Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky

Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky has served as the Rabbi of Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park since 1994, and Dean of Ida Crown Jewish Academy since 1995. A native Chicagoan, he was ordained and received a Masters degree in Religious Education in 1981 from the Hebrew Theological College, a Masters degree in Educational Administration from Loyola University in 1982, and a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York University, in 1989. 

Currently serving as co-president of the Religious Zionists of America, co-Chair of JUF’s Rabbinic Action Committee and Chairman of the Kashruth Commission of the Chicago Rabbinical Council, Rabbi Matanky is also a past president of the Rabbinical Council of America and the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Rabbi Matanky is the associate editor of the new RCA siddur, “Avodat HaLev,” (2018), the editor of a forthcoming Koren Siddur for the House of Mourning, and the author of numerous articles including his most recent “To Represent and to Inspire: The Role of a Sheliach Tzibbur,” in Ennoble and Enable: Essays in Honor of Richard M. Joel (2018).

Rabbi Matanky is married to Margaret (Novick), and the father of seven children, Yaakov, z”l, Chani (Rabbi Yehuda) Isenberg, Raanana (Reuven) Stein, Shoshana (Benjamin) Neikrug, Yitzchak (Aviva), Avi (Sarah) and Elisheva (Sammy) Gershon; and the grandfather of nineteen.

Rabbi Aaron Liebtag

Rabbi Aaron Leibtag serves as Associate Rabbi of Congregation KINS.   Previously, Rabbi Leibtag was the Rabbi of Congregation Kehillath Jacob Beth Samuel (KJBS) in Lincolnwood/Peterson Park for 12 years. 

Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Rabbi Leibtag attended Yeshivat Shaalvim, received Semicha from Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Seminary of Yeshiva University while simultaneously earning a Masters of Education from the Azrieli School of Education and Administration.  He served as Rabbinic Intern at Congregation AABJ&D in West Orange and at Keter Torah in Teaneck.  Following his position in Teaneck, Rabbi Leibtag was selected to be part of the first cohort of Kollel Fellows  at the Yeshiva University Torah Mitzion Kollel in Chicago, where he spent time both learning and teaching throughout the community. 

In August 2009, Rabbi Leibtag assumed the position of Rabbi at KJBS in Peterson Park and Lincolnwood.  In his position, he oversaw education and programming for both youths and adults and worked to create a vibrant and energetic atmosphere through the various shiurim, programs and events he facilitated in the Shul.  Rabbi Leibtag is also a Middle School Gemara Rebbe and 8th Grade Boys Advisor at Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School where he oversees the Talmud and Dinim curriculums and is involved with the spiritual and Ruach programming for the entire middle school.  Rabbi Leibtag is the recipient of the ATT Hartman Educator of the Year award and maintains close relationships with his students long after they have left his classroom.  Rabbi Leibtag is a member of the RCA Executive Committee; Treasurer of the cRc (Chicago Rabbinical Council) and sits on the Geirus Commision of the cRc.   

Ayelet (nee Feinberg) is a native of Queens, attended Stern College, received her RN degree from Beth Israel School of Nursing and is a Kallah teacher.  They have an open home and enjoy hosting Friday night tisches, youth onegs, teen learning and much more.  They have 6 children: Akiva (16), Naftali (14), Sruli (14), Daniel (12), Azi (8) and Miriam (5).  

Rabbi Noach Goldstein

Rabbi Noach Goldstein is our Assistant Rabbi and the most recent addition to the K.I.N.S. Rabbinic Team.

Prior to joining K.I.N.S., Rabbi Goldstein served as the Rosh Beit Midrash of the YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago. Before that, Rabbi Goldstein was a also fellow in the Bella and Harry Wexner Kollel Elyon at Yeshiva University, while serving first as Resident Scholar and then as Assistant Rabbi at The Jewish Center on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. He also taught a weekly Talmud shiur to students in the Columbia/Barnard Hillel for several years.

Rabbi Goldstein received his ordination from Yeshiva University’s affiliate, the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an M.A. in Medieval Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, a B.A. from Yeshiva College and studied for two years in Yeshivat Har Etzion. He has published a number of articles on Jewish law and edited several volumes of Talmudic scholarship, two of which as editor-in-chief. In addition to his role at K.I.N.S., Rabbi Goldstein is also the 11th grade rebbe at Fasman Yeshiva High School.

K.I.N.S. is very fortunate to have Rabbi Goldstein, his wife, Alexis, and their four children as members of our ever-growing community.