Adeena Penner

President & Founder

​​

Rebbetzin Adeena Penner is the President and co-founder of Kesher Families. Her son came out to her in 2010 at the age of 15, plunging their family into a new reality with no roadmap. Having successfully navigated this dynamic, Adeena has been speaking publicly about her family’s journey. Both before and since Kesher Families was founded in 2022, Rebbetzin Penner and her husband have been meeting privately with families in similar situations, offering them much needed support and helping them navigate their unique circumstances.​​

​

Rebbetzin Penner works to educate and sensitize the Orthodox community to the needs of families of individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. She and her husband have presented at synagogues and schools across the United States and Canada, for organizations including Nefesh and Ohel, and at multiple conferences for rabbis and rebbetzins.

 

She served alongside Rabbi Penner as the Rebbetzin of the Young Israel of Holliswood, Queens for 20 years, and continues to maintain her ties to and involvement with the community. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Stern College and Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from NYU. Adeena worked for 15 years in the field of occupational therapy at the New York City Board of Education, the Chush School in Williamsburg, and Camp HASC. Rebbetzin Penner is a valued resource for many in the Jewish community navigating personal and family challenges.