Our Team

Rabbi Akiva Homnick

Founder & President

Rabbi Homnick comes from a distinguished rabbinical family, which not only embodies the deep moral principals of the Torah, but also one of public service to the community. His late father, Rabbi Dr. Moshe Homnick, was an accomplished Torah Scholar, whose brilliance and erudition were well known in Jewish circles in both America and Israel. In addition, he was a well-known psychologist, who was able to search the innermost depths of the human soul while helping people navigate life’s most difficult journeys. It was in this environment that Rabbi Homnick developed his lifelong commitment to public service and helping his fellow man shoulder the burdens of life.

Rabbi Homnick is an ordained Rabbi as well as a New York State Chaplain. He studied for many years in Mesivta Tifereth Yerushalayim where he developed a close connection with his Rebbi, the sainted Rosh Hayisheva and world-renowned Torah Scholar, Rabbi David Feinstein Z”L. There he learned how to look at everything from a Torah/Halacha perspective, as well as the importance of treating every individual with respect and compassion regardless of their circumstance.

In that connection, the main focus of his communal efforts has been in assisting incarcerated individuals from the community, both during their incarceration and after their release. Rabbi Homnick came to the realization that supporting individuals and families post-incarceration, was critical to their reentry and reintegration into the community. Often such individuals and families emerge from their ordeal emotionally shattered and financially destitute, and have few communal resources available to them. Rabbi Homnick has taken it upon himself to support such individuals and families in every way, raising funds as well as community awareness for this important need.

As the demand for his services grew, however, it became clear to Rabbi Homnick that in order to continue his work in assisting such individuals and families, he could not shoulder this burden alone but needed community involvement on a broader scale. Rabbi Homnick, therefore, decided to establish Pidyon Shvuyai Yisroel PSY, to engage the community and gain their support for this important cause.

It is worth noting, that Rabbi Homnick, in addition to his Rabbinical background, also brings considerable managerial and business experience to this endeavor, having held both management and sales positions for over 20 years. He thus brings a unique combination of commitment, competence and experience to his roles as President & CEO of PSY, ensuring that PSY will enjoy continued success in meeting it’s goals.

Rabbi Pinchus Carlebach

Program Director

Email
rpc@psyfree.org

Tel
212-888-3835 ext. 102

Rabbi Carlebach is a sixth-generation rabbi and a scion of the illustrious Carlebach family. The Carlebach family, dating back to its roots in pre-war Germany, has been serving Jewish communities around the world for over two centuries. Rabbi Carlebach,who is an accomplished Rabbinical scholar in his own right, spent many years studying in some of the most prestigious Talmudical academies in the world, including the Mirrer Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, and Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey. He has become a sought-after inspirational speaker and cantor and is proficient in the musical and liturgical style of his late cousin, the world-renowned Rabbi, composer and singer, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

In that connection, he has led religious services in various City, State and Federal correctional facilities. He has also gained familiarity with the formidable challenges faced by incarcerated individuals and their families, before, during and after incarceration. In particular, the non-recidivist, first-time offender, faces a unique set of challenges by virtue of their unfamiliarity with the prison system. They must quickly learn a whole new set of rules and mores, written and unwritten, and adapt to an environment radically different from the outside world. Their survival, in every sense, is greatly dependent on outside support from family and community. Rabbi Carlebach, therefore, believed that the establishment of an organization such as PSY was critical, in order to assist such individuals and their families.

Furthermore, Rabbi Carlebach became familiar early on with the horrors of incarceration from his own father, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach1, who was Dean of Students at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, and is a noted author, lecturer and educator. Rabbi Carlebach (senior) is a holocaust survivor and related to the family the travail he endured during the Holocaust, suffering four years of internment in nine different concentration camps. Growing up in such an environment gave Rabbi Carlebach and his siblings heightened sensitivity and empathy to the ordeal of incarceration.

In addition to the above, Rabbi Carlebach was also a practicing attorney for over 25 years and has significant organizational and managerial skills. Those skills will be indispensable in the development, implementation and operation of the programs and services offered by PSY.

Daniel Kratka

Board Member

Daniel Kratka has worked for more than 20 years in the criminal justice system. He began his career working as an Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, prosecuting both felony street crimes and financial offenses.

In 2004, Daniel was hired to run the criminal defense practice of the well known New York City, law firm, Wilens and Baker, PC. In 2009, he was made a partner in the firm. He represents individuals under investigation or facing criminal prosecution in the state and federal courts of New York and New Jersey. In addition, he represents clients appealing convictions and sentences throughout the country. He is a member of the New York Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys and has worked extensively to shorten the prison terms of inmates under the newly passed First Step Act. He has extensive contacts in the court and prison system, which he hopes to utilize for clients of Pidyon Shvei Yisroel. Daniel lives in Manhattan with his wife and children. He served as the Chairman of the Board of his synagogue and is active in local politics in his community.

Israel Tannenbaum

Board Member

Israel has over 15 years of experience serving not-for-profit clients in a range of subsectors, Throughout his career, Israel has maintained a specialized focus on the Exempt Organizations sector, and has helped numerous organizations achieve their charitable goals and mission.

Israel is a Partner at Withum Smith & Brown, PC, where he provides tax advisory services such as research, planning, and compliance to a diverse group of tax-exempt clients. He is also a frequent author for leading industry publications and has presented at numerous regional and national conferences including the AICPA National Not-For-Profit Industry Conference, and the New York State Society of CPAs annual exempt organizations conference.

Israel received his BBA in Accounting, with honors, from Baruch College.