Rabbis

Avi has served as a hazzan for more than eighteen years. His posts have included Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento, Temple Beth Sholom in Las Vegas, and …

Joey Angel-Field received his bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from California State University at Long Beach, culminating a lifelong interest in interfaith dialogue.  He has worked in …

Rabbi Rachel Axelrad was ordained at AJRCA in 2020. She joined Desert Outreach Synagogue (DOS) as Associate Rabbi in 2021, working with her close friend and colleague, …

He worked for Bay Area Addiction and Recovery Treatment (BAART) as a Methadone Counselor in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and also trained as an inter-faith …

A Summa Cum Laude graduate in Computer Science and Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, David Baron also received a Masters degree in Computer Science …

Rabbi Birdie Becker has been a Jewish educator and performer for over 40 years. Rabbi of Temple Emanuel, Pueblo, she works with numerous congregations throughout Colorado and …

Position: Rabbi Julia Watts Belser is Associate Professor of Jewish Studies in the Theology Department at Georgetown University. She is the author of Power, Ethics, and Ecology …

Position: Rabbi

Cantor/Educator 30 years Rabbi at Jewish Home for the Aging in Encinitas, CA 6 years

Position: Rabbi Cantor Educator

R. Bennett Blum, M.D. is a rabbi and an internationally acclaimed physician specializing in both forensic and geriatric psychiatry.

Thesis Title: ALL THE POWDERS OF THE MERCHANTS: A Mimesis of Experience Reflected in Composition -- A Translation and Introductory Exegesis of S.Y. Agnon's Kisui HaDam (Bad …

Position: Community Rabbi

Thesis Title: *STEPS TOWARD DANCE AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (2008)

After working as an associate rabbi at Temple of the Arts and as a rabbi at Sun City Jewish Congregation, I became Associate Dean of Placement and …

Thesis Title: *JUDAISM AND GAMBLING: A Personal Narrative of Teshuvah To Help Create Awareness (2010)

Rabbi Meredith Cahn came to the rabbinate through a career in public health, looking at health as comprising all aspects of one's humanity, including spirituality.

Rabbi Cantor Jennie Chabon graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Anthropology and receive her Master of Sacred Music and Investiture from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

What an incredible journey! Born in Montreal, Canada, and living in Los Angeles near her children and grandchildren, Rabbi Corinne Heather Copnick entered AJR-CA’s rabbinic program at …

Thesis Title: *SPANDEX HIDES MORE THAN JUST A COVENANT: How Superheroes of Modernity Reflect Jewish Identity And Values (2016)

Florence is currently an Executive Editor and has been a contributing writer since 2004 for Jlife magazine, an Orange County Jewish publication. She enjoys the opportunity to …

Thesis Title: *LEARNING TO BE JEWISH IN UGANDA (2009)

Rabbi Diane Elliot serves as a ritual leader, wisdom teacher, and spiritual director in San Francisco’s East Bay. Before studying for the rabbinate, she enjoyed a 25-year …

After careers in law, social work and psychotherapy (all in England) and two years of study at Yakar in Jerusalem, I entered AJR,Ca in 2003.

Avivah Erlick serves as the Jewish Chaplain for the Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, California.

Position: School Rabbi

Thesis Title: **SYNAGOGUE MANAGEMENT: Filling the Holes with Holiness (2009) Email: rabbistevefinley@gmail.com

Rabbi Robin Foonberg began her career as a Jewish Professional 20 years ago as a Religious School teacher at Temple Beth David in Westminster, CA.

Shira Freidlin received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and TV from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She holds a Master of Arts in …

She has worked her entire adult life in Jewish education and in a variety of organizations within the Jewish community as a teacher, educational director and head …

Rabbi Eliyahu is founding Rabbi of Zimrat Yah in Santa Barbara, California. He is a botanist and wildlife biologist working on habitat restoration.

Position: Rabbi / Spiritual Leader

Position: Rabbi/Cantor/Educator

Rabbi Cantor Marcelo Gindlin has published several scholarly papers in the field of music therapy and has presented at international conferences and seminars.

Joshua is a native of New York and a graduate of the University of Southern California, Joshua received a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) and East Asian …

Thesis Title: LOST OBJECTS AND FOUND SUBJECTS: TALMUD STUDY AS AN INTERPERSONAL, NEURO-INTEGRATIVE SPIRITUAL PRACTICE (2012) Abstract: When we engage with a text of the Talmud in …

Rabbi Ilana Goldhaber-Gordon took an unusual path to the rabbinate. She holds a Phd in biochemistry from MIT, has studied Talmud at the highest levels, was educated …

Thesis Title: *ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA: A Survey of Jewish Thought (2007) Email: marksgoodman@yahoo.com  

Thesis Title: *JEWISH YEARNING FOR ZION: How the Biblical Hebrew Language Laid the Groundwork for A Unified Expression of Yearning for Zion (2013) Email: dovgottesfeld@gmail.com

Email: RabbiGreene@aol.com   Article – In remembrance of Rabbi Guy “Hillel” Greene

Position: Rabbi Cantor Thesis Title: *PATHWAYS INTO PRAYER: A Siddur With Commentary (2016) *CREATING A SYNAGOGUE PRAYER BOOK (2004) Email: rabbijudyg@gmail.com

Born & raised in Israel. Served two year in the Israeli Defense Forces. Married for 45 years, three sons, and four grandkids.

Position: Rabbi Served as Rabbi/Chaplain at Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging: 2000-2014 Specializations Baby Naming Ceremonies Bereavement Counseling Corporate Chaplaincy Dedications & New Home Blessings …

Thesis Title *JEWISH REGENERATION AFTER THE SHOAH: The Midrashic Process And The Search For A Post-Shoah Theology (2011) Email: Tiknet18@sbcglobal.net    

Jamie Hyams received her BA in History from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon and her BFA in Textile History from California College for the Arts …

Rabbi Rabbi Emerita, Congregation Emeth, Morgan Hill, CA Executive Director, Interfaith Activities, Morgan Hiil-Gilroy, CA Community Rabbi, Santa Cruz County, CA

A fellow of the CLAL Rabbis Without Borders program, Rabbi Kantrowitz served thousands of unaffiliated Jews in New Mexico from 2004 until 2015.

Position: Rabbi Thesis Title *EDIBLE JUDASIM: Using Nature Imagery in the Torah for Homiletical and Pedagogical Practice (2016) Email: bill@shalominstitute.com  

Position: At JCHS: Jewish Studies Teacher and Dean of the 11th and 12th grades. At TBH: Rabbi

Jules King received  his BS in Management from Franklin  Pierce  University  in New Hampshire.  He also graduated Wayne State University, School of Mortuary Science  and has practiced …

Email: juliekozlow56@gmail.com  

Rabbi Allison Lawton is a graduate of the Academy for Jewish Religion, California. Rabbi Lawton completed her undergraduate and graduate work at Pepperdine University.

San Francisco native and graduate of UCLA, American Jewish University (MAEd). Mom of two great teenagers. Cantorial work in Los Angeles since 1995.

I made Aliyah in 2012 and divide my time between Fullerton, CA and Israel.

Deborah Lynn Lewis graduated from Gratz College with a BA in Jewish Studies.  She is a member of Congregation Bnai Brith (CBB) in Santa Barbara and credits …

Spiritual Leader (Cantor/Rabbi) of Valley Outreach Synagogue since 1996

Four years of organizing congregations around a vision and building community initiatives

Rabbi Jeffrey Lipschultz has been the Rabbi at Beth Judah Temple in Wildwood, NJ since 2008. Beth Judah is a historic synagogue on the Jersey Shore.

Rabbi Janet Madden Ph.D is a four-time fellowship recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities and a graduate of Kol Zimra Sacred Chant and a certified …

Ordained in 2003 by AJR-CA and Aleph Renewal seminaries, Alicia Magal lived and worked in Israel for 7 years, returned to the US married and with two …

Position: Rabbi

Position: Rabbi

Rabbi Janice Mehring is Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Ohr Tzafon, a URJ affiliated synagogue in Atascadero, CA.  She is a lecturer at American Jewish University in Los …

Rabbi Michael serves as Campus Rabbi and Hillel director at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

Cynthia Jane Minster graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in Peace & Justice Studies.  Her career took her from a public health consultancy firm to labor …

Rabbi Mintz is the Rabbi Emerita of Congregation P'nai Tikvah, now a part of Temple Sinai, located in Las Vegas, Nevada

Position: Rabbi, Spiritual Care Counselor

Amiel Monson graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a BA in Comparative Religion and a certificate in Jewish Studies.  He went on to …

Michal, a proud Israeli, Irish, British Lepracohen, graduated with a BA in Education from Te Hergana Waka, Victoria University, New Zealand, and an MBA in International Education …

Position: Rabbi Email: crmummert@hotmail.com Thesis Title: B’REISHEIT: Every End is a New Beginning (2015)

Position: Rabbi Thesis Title: SONG OF SONGS, A JEWISH WOMAN’S GUIDE TO SEX, LOVE AND HAPPINESS: A New Interpretation (2014) Email: LilianaNanus@aol.com  

Position: Senior Chaplain/Rabbi

Position: Rabbi

In addition to serving part-time at congregation Heichal Baoranim/Temple in the Pines in Flagstaff, AZ, I am the first designated Jewish contact for Jewish Services & Programs …

Rabbi Robin Podolsky is the Los Angeles Program Manager for At The Well, a non-profit agency enhancing the spiritual wellbeing of women and non-binary people through Jewish …

Cantor Samuel B. Radwine graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.A. in Instumetal Music Education and wen on to teach within the Bethany, Illinois public …

Position: Rabbi Email: rabbirensin@gmail.com Thesis Title ILLUMINATIONS OF THE AMIDAH: The First Three Brachot (2015)

Position: Rabbi and Cantor

I am Co-Founder, Clergy, and Educator for Or Echad and HomeShul. Or Echad is a non-profit religious organization that provides services to several areas of Southern and …

Position: Rabbi

Position: Rabbi Thesis Title: RECOVERY REFLECTIONS IN TEHILLIM (2007) Email: rebmdr@gmail.com

Chaplain Adam B. Ruditsky, BCC holds a degree in Composing and Arranging from Dick Grove School of Music in LA (1982), and attended two Christian liberal arts …

Rabbi Larry Seidman is a transdenominational rabbi serving the Jewish communities of Southern California. Based in Orange County, he is a frequent participant in interfaith activities, and …

Community Rabbi in Orange County

Founder of The Open Temple centered in Venice, CA, Lori seeks to take her experience from her broad background in the arts and academia, and serve unaffiliated …

Position: Rabbi

Rabbi Arinna Shelby is a community rabbi who teaches adult education on a variety of Jewish topics, officiates at life cycle events, and provides pastoral counseling. She …

Position: Rabbi

Position: Rabbi   Thesis Title *STIRRINGS OF THE SOUL: Hitorerut Hanefesh (2006) Email: paulshleffar@gmail.com  

Graduated AJRCA 2009, Ordained as Cantor Worked as Cantor at Temple Emanu-El, San Jose, CA, 2006-2016

PhD Anatomy, UCLA, on faculty for several years Medical School UCLA Anesthesiology Residency UCLA

Since 2019, Rabbi Mindie Snyder has served Sun Health Senior Living Communities in Greater Phoenix, AZ as rabbi and chaplain, providing spiritual care, facilitating innovative special needs groups, …

Rabbi Arthur Stern is the rabbi and spiritual leader of Temple Israel. He earned an MBA and a master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology, a Doctorate in Psychology, …

I was ordained by AJRCA in 2007. Since then, I have been working as the community rabbi in Desert Hot Springs, CA, doing monthly Shabbat services as …

Batshir is the Senior Jewish Educator at the JCC in San Francisco where she feels privileged to lead community members and staff in learning, playing, and discovering …

Position: Teacher

Position: Rabbi Thesis Title: FROM HUMILITY TO HALLELUJAH (AND BACK AGAIN) (2005)

History of over 35 years in academic administration and teaching;research interest in Jewish Alaska - will have an exhibit at the Alaska Jewish Museum on The Miracle …

Position: Rabbi/Chaplain

Rabbi Cheri is the new spiritual leader of Temple Emanu-El, having previously served as founder and spiritual leader of San Diego Outreach Synagogue, an independent “without walls” …

Position: Rabbi, Director of Israel Programs, Dir. of Ed.

Upon ordination, Rabbi Mel Young looks forward to supporting a synagogue in its many roles, engage in Jewish education, and never be far away from aiding those …

Rebeccah has worked in synagogues, camps, and other organizations for over twenty years in various capacities and across the country, including Temple Ahavat Shalom, Hillel at CSUN, …

I am a member at IKAR and am on the Avelilut committee.