Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky received rabbinical ordination and a Master’s degree in Jewish history from Yeshiva University in 1989. From 1990-1996, he served as the Associate Rabbi at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, working with Rabbi Avi Weiss.

Since joining B'nai David-Judea in 1996 Rabbi Kanefsky has helped transform BDJ into a powerful force in the Los Angeles and American Orthodox community, providing leadership in critical directions, from women's participation to Israel activism to care for the homeless. He is a major leader in the effort to build bridges to the larger Jewish community. He has served as President of the interdenominational Southern California Board of Rabbis and continues to pioneer in the fundamental activities of Tikkun Olam (a.k.a. repairing the world), from assisting victims of Hurricane Katrina by organizing a troop of congregants to Louisiana, to engaging in activism on behalf of the victims of the genocide in Darfur, to hosting monthly lunches for our community’s homeless. In addition to many other honors, Rabbi Kanefsky was recently named one of the 50 most influential Rabbis in America, and one of the top 25 pulpit Rabbis by Newsweek magazine.

In addition to his work on this website's blog, Rabbi Kanefsky also blogs regularly at "morethodoxy"

Rav Yosef, as he is known to congregants, is beloved for his compassion, his wisdom, and his open mind. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Amram Hassan was born in Gibraltar into a life of shul service. His grandfather was a president and parnas of a shul there, and his father was a board member and teen committee chair for many years after the family moved to Canada in 1965. Amram left home to attend Sephardic Yeshiva in New York when he was 14, then returned to Canada six years later to continue studying. In 1979, he moved to Israel to try life on Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, where he met his California-native wife, Elana. In 1983, now with a daughter, Chava, the family moved to Long Beach, where they lived until 1995. While in Long Beach, they were blessed with another daughter and a son, Deena and Natan. Amram and Elana founded the Young Israel of Long Beach, and Amram not only served as Gabbai there, but also, later, as shul President.

In 1995 the Hassans moved to Los Angeles so that their children could have the Jewish education Amram and Elana wanted. They did some shul-hopping, but once they heard BDJ’s previous Rabbi, the beloved Rabbi Philip Schroit, z”l, speak about Israel, they knew they had found their spiritual home. After one year, Amram was nominated to the Board of Directors, and shortly after, he became Executive Director. He has been with the shul since 1995.

Amram is known for humbly keeping BDJ a thriving, dynamic model of what a shul should be. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

David Diamond was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he attended Akiba Hebrew Academy. He went on to college at NYU and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the movie business. In 1990, he and his best friend and fellow Akiba graduate, David Weissman, began a screenwriting partnership that continues to this day. In 1996, David married Audrey Kraus, also an Akiba graduate. They moved to a duplex on Lapeer Drive and were immediately taken with the vision of Rabbi Kanefsky, the spirited davening, and the openness and warm hospitality at B'nai David Judea.

David and Audrey quickly became involved in the shul. Audrey served as chair of B'nai David's Tikkun Olam committee and as a board and executive committee member. David served on various committees -- as a board member, executive committee member, and currently as shul president.

David and Audrey have three children, Hannah (10), Harry (7) and Benjamin (4). They are very proud to be a part of a shul that is constantly striving to make an impact on the lives of its members, on the larger Jewish community, and beyond...

David is prized at BDJ for his hard work and light touch. You can reach David at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it