Iconic Williamsburg: Rav Shimon Brenner

Rav Shimon Brenner was born to his parents, Reb Menachem Mendel and Esther Brenner, in Snatyn, Ukraine, in the year 1903, and in 1906 the family came to America. When he was ten years of age, his mother was very dissatisfied with the lack of Yiddishkeit in America. She told her husband, “Either we are going back to Europe or we go to Eretz Yisrael." They decided on Eretz Yisroel, then ruled by the Ottoman Turks. 

Life in the old Yishuv

In Eretz Yisrael, the family lived in utter and dire poverty. "We had to eat the orange peels for food," he later related. He enrolled in the Yeshiva Etz Chaim, headed by Rav Tikuchinsky, in Yerushalayim. He soon distinguished himself as a great masmid in the Yeshiva. He also learned how to become a ba'al tokeah and Chazan—qualities that would stand him good stead during his years of Rabbonus in America. Hir brother was also enrolled in Etz Chaim, and was a classmate of Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach, zt”l, later a cousin through marriage of Rav Brenner. 

In 1922, Chaya Sarah Porush, the daughter of Rav Menachem Mendel Porush, head of the Shochtim in Yerushalayim was in shidduchim. They sought the “best bachur in Etz Chaim” and Shimon was soon engaged to her. They were married on Rosh Chodesh Elul, 1922. 

In August 1930, out of money, but with an American visa that he had continually renewed all the years that he was in Eretz Yisroel, he returned to America. Rav Isser Zalman gave his brachah before their departure that the children should remain Torah observant. At the port of Yaffo, the Porush relatives cried, fearing that the Brenner’s would be corrupted by America. They arrived in America shortly before Rosh Hashana of 1930—beginning a new chapter in their life. 

Chevra Beth Yisroel—Ainslie Street

During his American years, he was the Rav of Chevra Beth Yisroel, and became active in Agudas Harabanim. He was also the menahel of Vaad Harabanim of Williamsburg. At one point his cousin, Rav Chaim Yehuda Leib Aurbach (the father of Rav Shlomo Zalman) visited America, and Rav Shimon took him around to elected officials. Rav Aurbach was, like Rav Shimon, married into the Porush family.

Eventually Rav Shimon returned to Eretz Yisroel where he lived out his years learning Torah and sharing his wisdom, surrounded by many children and grandchildren, passing away at an old age leaving behind a legacy of Torah scholarship, askonus, and a long tenure of Rabbonus in old Williamsburg.