2025 YIR: Congregation Ariel Taps Rabbi Fink to Lead

It’s been an exciting spring for Dunwoody’s Congregation Ariel, which celebrated in May its three-plus decade anniversary and the renaming of the Beis Midrash in honor of Rabbi Binyomin and Morah Dena Freidman.

Concurrently after a global, 18-month search, the congregation hired Rabbi Pinchas Fink to succeed founding Rabbi Friedman, who retired at the end of July after more than 30 years of service.

Synagogue President Josh Bakhshi, stated, “Rabbi Fink was chosen from over 20 applicants. He got high marks and enthusiasm from across our culturally and religiously diverse community, which includes Torah scholars, those who are newly observant and those who have always been so, Russian speaking, South African, Israeli and other Sephardic Jews. That we achieved 85 percent consensus among these groups is a blessing we did not expect. That is a tribute to Rabbi Fink.”

“Rabbi Fink checked all our boxes. We are confident that he will take our established community to the next level,” said Elaine Brasch.

Both Rabbi and Rebbetzin Naomi Fink grew up in Highland Park, N.J., where their families are long-time friends. Rabbi Fink studied in Yeshivas in Wisconsin, New Jersey, and ultimately, in the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva, spending 10 years learning in the Beis Medrash and Kollel and ultimately received his Semicha (rabbinic ordination). He began his rabbinic career while in Chofetz Chaim serving as a rabbinic intern at the Jewish Heritage Center, and then as interim rabbi at Kesser Torah, both in Queens, N.Y.

Rabbi Fink said, “We are privileged to follow in the visionary footsteps of the Friedmans, whose leadership and dedication shaped Ariel into the vibrant community it is today. As we look ahead, we are excited to lead Ariel into its next chapter. Ariel is a shul and a community that we feel truly blessed to be part of, and we are confident that it will continue to grow, thrive, and inspire.”