Alumni

Rabbis

Binyamin Biber – Rabbi of Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism in Washington D.C. Ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2001, Rabbi Biber also has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan and many years of experience as a teacher, counselor and community organizer.

Adam Chalom - Rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in Highland Park, Illinois, and Dean for North America of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism (IISHJ). Ordained by the IISHJ in 2001, Rabbi Chalom also holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan. He is the author of a three-volume, 50-session adult education curriculum, Introduction to Secular Humanistic Judaism.

Greg Epstein - Humanist Chaplain of Harvard University. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2005, Rabbi Epstein also holds an MA (Judaic Studies) from the University of Michigan and a Master’s Degree of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. He is the author of Good Without God: What a Billion Non-Religious People Do Believe.

Eva Goldfinger – Rabbi at Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Toronto. Ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2005, Rabbi Goldfinger also holds a Master’s Degree in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College, Boston, and is a practicing psychotherapist. She is the author of Basic Ideas of Secular Human.istic Judaism and the director of the Canadian Division of the IISHJ.

Miriam Jerris – Rabbi of the Society for Humanistic Judaism. Ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2001, Rabbi Jerris also holds Master’s Degrees in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan and in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology from the Center for Humanistic Studies, and a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from the Union Institute.

Tamara Kolton – Rabbi of The Birmingham Temple in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The first rabbi ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 1999, Rabbi Kolton also holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from the Center for Humanistic Studies and a Ph.D. in Rabbinic Studies from the Union Institute.

Jodi Kornfeld - founder and Rabbi of Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community in Deerfield, Illinois. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2009, she received her M.A. in Jewish Studies from Spertus College in Chicago, where she is currently a doctoral candidate. Rabbi Kornfeld also holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

Karen Levy – Rabbi of Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in Toronto. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2009, Rabbi Levy holds an MA in Jewish Studies from York University. She is also the editor of The Early Modern European Roots of Secular Humanistic Judaism.

Sivan Maas – Dean for Israel of the IISHJ. Ordained by the IISHJ in 2003, Rabbi Maas directs “Tmura-IISHJ,” training secular Rabbis in Israel. She also is a graduate of the Kerem Teacher Training Institute for Humanist Jewish Education and holds an MA from the Schechter College of Jerusalem of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Maas is also the director of “The Secular Library.”

Judith Seid – Founder and leader of Tri-Valley Cultural Jews in Northern California. Ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2003, Rabbi Seid also holds a Master’s Degree in Jewish Communal Studies from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and is the author of God-Optional Judaism: Alter.natives for Cultural Jews Who Love Their History, Heritage and Community.


LEADERS/MADRIKHIM/MADRIKHOT/VEGVAYZERS

Lois Alpern
Kol Haskalah: A Humanistic Jewish Congregation (SHJ) – N. Carolina
Susan Averbach
Kol Hadash (SHJ) - Northern California
Jerald Bain
Oraynu (SHJ) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Barbara H. Brandt
CSJO
Leonard Cherlin
Long Island Havurah for Secular Humanistic Judaism (CSJO) – New York
M. Bonnie Cousens
Birmingham Temple (SHJ) – suburban Detroit, MI
Roberta E. Feinstein
Jewish Secular Community (CSJO) - suburban Cleveland, OH
Ruth Duskin Feldman
Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation (SHJ) – suburban Chicago, IL
Julie E. Gales
Jewish Cultural Society (CSJO) - Ann Arbor, MI
Dennis P. Geller
Kahal B'raira: Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) – suburban Boston, MA
Peter Gilbert
Oraynu (SHJ) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Deborah H. Godden
Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) - Washington, DC
Rosalie Gottfried
Orange County Society for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) – southern California
Elaine Kamienny
Kahal B'raira (SHJ) – suburban Boston, MA
Edward J. Klein
Queens Community for Cultural Judaism (CSJO); Long Island Havurah for Secular Humanistic Judaism (CSJO) – New York
Karen Knecht
Pacific Community of Cultural Jews (SHJ/CSJO) – southern California
Barbara Kopitz
Birmingham Temple (SHJ) – suburban Detroit, MI
Martin L. Kotch
Birmingham Temple (SHJ); Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) Sarasota, FL
Susan Levine
Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound (SHJ) - Seattle, WA
Janis Levin-Gorelick
CSJO
Harold Londer
Or Emet:: Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) – Minneapolis, MN
Laura Miller
Red Herring Club (CSJO) – London, England
Betty Pelletz
Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) - Sarasota, FL
Michael J. Prival
Machar: The Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) - Washington, DC.
Sondra Schwartz
Kahal B'raira (SHJ) Boston, MA
Rhea Clair Bolasny Seagull
Jewish Cultural School & Society (CSJO) West Orange, NJ
Paul G. Shane
Jewish Children's Folkshul of Philadelphia (CSJO); Philadelphia Secular Jewish Organization (CSJO) – Philadelphia, PA
Jack B. Silver
Or Adam (SHJ), Chandler (Phoenix) AZ
Barry A. Swan
Beth Haskalah (Rochester NY), SHJ, CSJO, Workman's Circle,
Roberta E. Varble
Jewish Secular Community (CSJO) - suburban Cleveland, OH
Mark W. Weber
Jewish Secular Community (CSJO) - suburban Cleveland, OH
Alyce Wright
Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Beverly L. Zarnow
Kahal Am : The Humanistic Jewish Community of San Diego (SHJ) – San Diego, CA