Rabbi Ben-Zion Lanxner was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel. He then moved to Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium where he was reared in a Chassidic Orthodox environment, (his family is from the Belz Chassidic Lineage).
At a very young age he began his training in the Eastern European Traditional Yeshiva & Cantorial school. He studied at the Rambam Talmudic School and the Wilrijch Chassidic Yeshiva in Antwerp.
Since childhood, Rabbi Lanxner possessed a beautiful and powerful voice. He started his career as a soloist in the Great Orthodox Synagogue in Brussels at the age of seven, where he often sang duets during the Yamim Noraim with the very famous and world renown Cantor Bergman, a frequent Israeli guest of the Synagogue. At age 16, Rabbi Lanxner received the honor to co-officiate, for his first time, at the Great Orthodox Synagogue in Brussels.
Rabbi Lanxner studied Hazzanut with the world-renowned Cantor Yehoshuah Lerer, a prodigy from the school of Cantor-Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Rivlin in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Lanxner obtained his Rabbinical Ordination (Smicha) from the Rabbinic Centre & Beit Din in Brussels, Belgium, and served his first Congregation as the Rabbi/Hazzan of the Orthodox Beth Israel Congregation in Brussels, Belgium for ten years.
Rabbi Lanxner was also invested as a Hazzan by the Cantors Assembly of America.
His first American position was Tiferet Israel Congregation in Dallas, Texas. Followed by 16 years as Cantor, Choir & Educational Director at Beth Ahm Congregation in West Bloomfield, Michigan and 16 years as the Rabbi and Hazzan, at Congregation B’nai David, in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Since July 2015, Rabbi Ben-Zion Lanxner has enjoyed his current post, that of Mara D’Atra as our Rabbi & Hazzan at Congregation Agudath Jacob.
Rabbi Ben-Zion Lanxner is a skilled & dynamic pulpit Rabbi with many years of experience leading congregations. Always seeking to develop new & attractive ways to engage the congregants in the study, practice and love of Judaism.
Rabbi Ben-Zion is a fan of the inspirational melodies of the late Reb Shlomo Carlebach z”l, and has performed in concerts all over the world. While leading a handful of congregational tours of Israel, Rabbi Lanxner had the wonderful privilege to lead Carlebach Kabbalat Shabbat services at both the Conservative Agron Synagogue in Jerusalem and at the Mizrachi Synagogue in Nataniya.
(Rooted in ancient traditional & Chassidic Jewish practices, Reb Shlomo Carlebach z”l created a new approach to liturgy which organically leads to new forms of religious and spiritual expressions).
Rabbi Lanxner is extremely knowledgeable in Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism. He is an avid learner and teacher of the ancient Jewish meditation of Hit’bodedut/ Dveikut of Reb Nachman of Bratzlav z”l. He too enjoys learning from the modern-day popular Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh of Jerusalem. Rabbi Lanxner often incorporates these deep, meaningful insights, taken from ancient Kabbalah, into his weekly Torah classes and Dvar Torah sermons.
Rabbi Lanxner has a genuine dedication to Hazzanut. He has the ability to make people “feel” the words from the Siddur, through his passionate interpretation of the Hebrew liturgy. His delightfully catchy melodies always spontaneously “recharge” the congregation to fully participate. He aims to “awaken” that special “Holy Spark” (the “Pintele Yid”) which is deeply rooted inside each and every one of us.
Rabbi Lanxner is committed to helping create a Synagogue community dedicated to making everyone feel welcomed and supported. A Synagogue community that offers opportunities to Jews of all ages, backgrounds and observance levels, to enhance and to deepened their connection to Jewish life, to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel.
All of this combined with his warm leadership, produces a higher level of spiritual connection, satisfaction, and enlightenment for the congregant at Agudath Jacob. The Congregation has attracted and experienced a pleasant steady flow of new comers, whom have become active and dedicated members.
Rabbi Lanxner is a member of the Rabbinical & the Cantors Assembly of America.
Rabbi Lanxner plays the guitar and is fluent in many languages: Hebrew, English, French & Yiddish. His favorite hobbies are oil painting, reading, composing, and cooking.
Rabbi Lanxner has two children, his late daughter, Jennifer (Tiferet Chaya) zt”l (Michigan) and David (Florida) and six grand children.
Rabbi Lanxner is married to his wife Susan who holds a Master Degree in Jewish Education from the University of Judaism (Los Angeles, CA) and is a popular Bar/Bat Mitzvah teacher.