Rabbi Kraines was raised in West Hollywood, California. He was a Telluride Scholar at Cornell University before joining Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem in the fall of 1973.
After his marriage to Nechama in 1976 he studied in its Kollel and in the Mir Yeshivah before receiving smichah and becoming a Magid Shiur in Yeshivas Ohr Somayach of Zichron Yaakov.
In 1983, Rabbi and Nechama returned to the United States to become one of the founding directors of Jewish Learning Exchange (J.L.E.), Ohr Somayach’s outreach branch in North America and also served as a magid shiur in Ohr Somayach Monsey, NY.
Subsequently, he served as Assistant Rabbi in BSBI Congregation, Charleston, South Carolina and Principal of Emuna Primary School of Mexico City, Mexico.
In 1992 the Kraines family took up their present position as Rav of Ohr Somayach Sandton. Over the years he as also served as Mashgiach of Ohr Somayach Yeshivah & Kollel and the founding director of the Maayan Bina Women’s Seminary. In 2001 he was appointed Principal of Shaarei Torah School, a position he held unil 2014. He was awarded Master’s degree in Education cum laude from the University of South Africa in 2007.
Rabbi Kraines also served on the Executive Committee of the South African Rabbinical Association and on the Rabbinical Board of Shaarei Torah Schools.
Rabbi Kraines passed away during Chanukah 5780 (December 2020) – filling his 65 years to the max.
You can learn more about his life and his impact through his eulogies, his teachings and the articles in the media about him.
The family appreciates any stories you have about him and would love to hear from you. You can share your story in writing here, or if you are more comfortable by phone, feel free to email message@rabbikraines.com and request a callback
