Faculty & Staff

The faculty and staff of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism are dedicated to creating the best and most effective educational and intellectual experiences for our professional students and adult learners. Part-time faculty provide additional depth and academic rigor to our professional and public programs.

STAFF – IISHJ in North America

Adam Chalom

Rabbi Adam Chalom - Dean, North America:

Rabbi Chalom was ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2001, and received his PhD in Near Eastern Studies - Hebrew and Jewish Cultural Studies concentration from the University of Michigan. In addition to his work with the Institute, Rabbi Chalom is the rabbi of Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation in north suburban Chicago, Illinois. Contact Rabbi Chalom at info@iishj.org or 847-602-4500.

Miriam Jerris

Rabbi Miriam Jerris - Associate Professor of Professional Development.

Rabbi Jerris holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies and Masters Degrees in Near Eastern Studies and Humanistic and Clinical Psychology. She was ordained with the second rabbinic class of the IISHJ in North America. Rabbi Jerris also serves as the Rabbi of the Society for Humanistic Judaism.

Jeremy Owens

Jeremy Owens - Executive Assistant, North America:

Contact Jeremy at info@iishj.org or 847-383-6330.

STAFF – Tmura-IISHJ in Israel

Sivan Maas

Rabbi Sivan Malkin Maas - Dean, Israel:

Rabbi Maas became the first Israeli ordained by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2003. She then began Tmura-IISHJ: the Institute for Training Secular Humanistic Rabbis and Jewish Leadership (click here) in Israel, which graduated its first class of secular Israeli rabbis in December 2006. Contact Rabbi Maas at info@iishj.org.

STAFF – Tmura-IISHJ in Israel

Judith Seid

Yaakov Malkin – Provost – Tmura-IISHJ:

Professor Malkin is a prolific author and articulator (in English and Hebrew) of the values and beliefs of Secular Humanistic Judaism. In addition to his work with the Institute and its Israeli rabbinic program, Professor Malkin teaches aesthetics and rhetoric at Tel Aviv University and the academic director of Meitar: The College of Judaism as Culture in Jerusalem.