Rabbi Jacob Benzaquen was born in the U.K. to a Sephardic family that traces its roots back to Toledo, Spain.  Rabbi Jacob Benzaquen is ordained with two Yoreh Yoreh Semichot in 1988 by the Kol YaaKov Torah Center in Monsey, N.Y., and by Rav Nosson Glueck of Israel.  Subsequently Rabbi Benzaquen was accepted to Yeshiva University on a full scholarship where he tied third in his class on his undergraduate exit exam.  He has a B.A. from Yeshiva University, N.Y., an M.A. from New York University, N.Y. and an M.A. from the University of Judaism and was ordained in 2006 by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, CA. 

Rabbi Benzaquen also holds a First Degree in Talmudic Law and was appointed to the Talmud faculty as lecturer while at the University of Judaism and taught at the Hillel of California State University in Northridge , CA.   Benzaquen is also the cofounder and founder of the Jewish Rock bands Shemesh and Teiku. He has pursued special interests in Jewish Meditation, Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism. Rabbi Benzaquen is also one of the first Cerebotix pilots in the world.

Before joining Congregation Temple Emanu-El, Benzaquen served as rabbinic intern at Shomrei Torah Synagogue, a 700 family congregation in West Hills, at the celebrated Pelham Parkway Jewish Center in the Bronx, N.Y., where he was awarded the Bronx JCC 2000 Rabbinic Achievement award.  Rabbi Benzaquen is energized about the future for  Congregation Emanuel where membership has grown by over 50%.