Support our 2024 Year of Hope Capital Campaign!

The time has come to replace our worn-down Sanctuary carpet, as well as repair the weakened floorboards beneath it, and to make other vital infrastructure repairs.

Click here to learn more about this targeted campaign to restore our sacred space.

Professional Team

Rabbi

Rabbi Dr. Meir Y. Soloveichik
msoloveichik@shearithisrael.org
212-873-0300 x206

Rabbi Dr. Soloveichik joined the Shearith Israel family in 2013 and is our tenth minister since the American Revolution.  From the very start of his tenure, Rabbi Soloveichik’s sermons, public events, and classes have drawn enthusiastic crowds, and our beloved congregation has grown and flourished under his leadership.  Passionate about Shearith Israel’s tradition and values, his ambition is to chart a future worthy of our congregation’s extraordinary history.  Rabbi Soloveichik simultaneously showcases our unique traditions while also championing the unity of klal yisrael, all Jewish people, a value that Shearith Israel has always embraced.  He is staunchly committed to strong outreach, community building, and higher Jewish education for men and women.

After graduating from Yeshiva College, Rabbi Soloveichik obtained his Rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.  He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton in Religion and currently serves as the Director of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University.  His wife, Layaliza, is an Assistant U. S. attorney, and together they are the proud parents of six beautiful children.  In addition to meeting the demands of a full-time pastor and dedicated father, Rabbi Soloveichik manages to consume vast quantities of sushi, watch The Simpsons, and continue his elusive search for the perfect homburg.

Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Dr. Marc D. Angel
mdangel@jewishideas.org

Rabbi Angel began serving Shearith Israel in 1969. He currently directs the institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals, which fosters an intellectually vibrant, compassionate and inclu­sive Orthodox Judaism. The author and editor of twenty-seven books, he is co-founder of the Inter­national Rabbinic Fellowship, a worldwide association of Modern Orthodox rabbis.

Executive Director

Barbara Reiss
breiss@shearithisrael.org
212-873-0300 x215

Barbara, a longtime Upper West Sider, received her BA at Barnard College, a Master’s Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics (LSE) and Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University. Prior to joining Shearith Israel as Executive Director, Barbara served as President of Corporate Family Network (CFN), a highly regarded human resources consultancy. She is also a Past President of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), New York Region, where she has served on the board for many years.

Deputy Executive Director

Bonnie Barest
bbarest@shearithisrael.org
212-873-0300 x209

Bonnie joined Shearith Israel in 2020 after having worked as a media executive in advertising agencies. She has an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Science from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bonnie also has a fulfilling volunteer career working with UJA Federation of New York for over 30+ years. Currently, she serves on the board of the UJA NY Professional Women and the Planned Giving Committee. Bonnie also is a Wexner Heritage Fellow.

Hazzan

Rabbi Ira L. Rohde
irohde@shearithisrael.org
212-873-0300 x 217

Rabbi Rohde has served as Hazzan of Congregation Shearith Israel since 1990. He received Rabbinic Ordination and a Cantorial diploma from Yeshiva University and pursued Jewish, music and general studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University. Rabbi Rohde also teaches Bar and Bat Mitzvah students as well as serving as the Congregation’s in-house Mashgiah.

Shamash/Assistant Hazzan

Rev. Zachariah Edinger
zedinger@shearithisrael.org
212-873-0300 ext. 216

For Funeral Arrangements: 917-584-3787.

Rev. Edinger has been Shamash of Shearith Israel since 2011.  He is a graduate of Fordham Law School and Queens College (CUNY). Prior to becoming Sexton, he was an Administrative Hearing Officer for the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Zachary grew up in Shearith Israel and is the grandson of the late Judah Guedalia, who was Sexton of our congregation for 40 years.  In fact, Zachary is now the fourth member of the Guedalia family to serve Shearith Israel as Sexton.

 

Rabbinic Intern

Baruch-Lev Kelman
bkelman@shearithisrael.org

Baruch-Lev Kelman is a student of rabbinics and Jewish history at Yeshiva University. Raised in a mixed Yemenite, Italo-Turkish, and Ashkenazic family, Baruch-Lev grew up with customs and melodies of Western & Eastern Sephardic Jewry. He is the grandson of noted Ladino writer Matilda Koen-Sarano. Educated at Yeshivat Maale Adumim, Yeshiva College, and the University of Urbino, Baruch-Lev’s academic interests include the Jerusalem Temple and rabbinic culture in Renaissance Italy. He also enjoys technical drafting, high adventure, and fencing.


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2 West 70th Street
New York, NY 10023
212-873-0300
info@shearithisrael.org
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