בס“ד
July 15, 2026 / 1 Av 5786

Shalom Friends,

It is with a heart full of gratitude and deep excitement that I write to you as I begin my tenure as your Rabbi and Hazzan (Cantor) at the Lake Success Jewish Center. I am incredibly thankful for the warm welcome and trust the leadership has extended to me and my family, and I look forward to building a vibrant and soulful future with all of you.

My immediate goals as your Rabbi and Hazzan are to make your congregational experience meaningful, friendly, and spiritually enriching while respecting and raising up the traditions that have been fostered over the years at LSJC. Through innovative initiatives and educational offerings, we will attract new members to the shul as we seek to
re-establish LSJC as a beacon for egalitarian, modern conservative Judaism.

As a current resident of Great Neck, living on Long Island for much of my life, I have developed deep connections and friendships and led services and programs connecting with thousands of people in our area. Through our dynamic services and programming, we will expand our reach, providing for many families and individuals who may currently be unaffiliated. 

Drawing on Kabbalah קַבָּלָה, Chassidut חֲסִידוּת, and existentialist foundations, I approach Torah תּוֹרָה as an ongoing encounter where ancient wisdom provides the vocabulary for contemporary ethical questions. My passion for music serves as a foundation of my approaches to Jewish learning and to leading embracing and joyful services. As a product of my mother's creative and artistic Ashkenazi roots and father's Iraqi Mizrachi heritage, I have been exposed to and integrated many sides of the Jewish prism, shaping me, my theology, and what I can provide our community. To learn more about me and my background, visit my bio page here.

I look forward to connecting with each of you and introducing you to my family, including my incredible wife, Dr. Emily Shamash, who is a gifted educator and relationship builder, along with our children, Ella, Maya, and Ethan. We view our role as a family for the community, modeling a life of warmth, mitzvot, and hospitality. Together, we look forward to fostering an inclusive environment, a harmonization of tradition and modernity where every person feels a sense of belonging.

I am eager to meet each of you, to hear about your lives, and to share in both your happiness and your moments of need. Let’s walk together through this new beginning with prayers for peace, growth, and deep connection.

בְּשִׁירִים וּתְפִלּוֹת לְשָׁלוֹם

With songs and prayers for peace,

Rav Brian Baruch Shamash

P.S. I hope to see you this Shabbat morning, July 18, 2026, at 10 am, at our Steppingstone Shabbat, July 24, 2026, and at other future Friday programs, services, and study sessions. 

Photo: The Shamash Family at Ella’s graduation from North Great Neck High School in 2025 (from left to right: Ethan, Emily, Ella, Brian and Maya)