Our Rabbi
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Rabbi Elisa Goldberg directed Chaplaincy Services at Jewish Family and Children's Service (JFCS) for fourteen years where she dedicated herself to creating an inclusive Jewish community that provided for the spiritual needs of the underserved. She led all aspects of the chaplaincy program, including finances and operations, supervision of the many professional, volunteer, and para-chaplains, spiritual counseling of individuals and groups, and the creation of a unique rabbinic internship in community-based chaplaincy. In addition, Rabbi Elisa conceptualized and developed JFCS’ LGBTQ Initiative and chaired several community-wide conferences on Jewish Women.
Concurrently, Rabbi Elisa was the first woman to serve as President of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia and led the revitalization of the organization. Rabbi Elisa is also a member of the Religious Leader’s Council of Philadelphia, which includes the leadership of over thirty religious communities. |
She authored a guidebook on spirituality and recovery with Drexel University and consults with the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities on the integration of spiritually informed care.
For Rabbi Elisa, the most sacred moments occur in the encounter with another person – teaching Torah, building sacred community, and bringing healing to the world. She has honed the art of pastoral presence through almost two decades of chaplaincy, fourteen years as a Spiritual Director and hundreds of holy moments at the side of another. This past year, Rabbi Elisa served as Interim Rabbi at Kol Tzedek, a progressive urban congregation.
Rabbi Elisa shares her home with her partner Steve and daughter Jesse. She has been a student of meditation since high school, an occasional artist, a passionate cook and a lover of beauty. As she moves through the world encountering both the magnificence of creation and the human ability to emerge from darkness, Rabbi Elisa often finds herself echoing the words of the Torah: “Ma Nora Ha Makom Hazeh (How wondrous is this place).”
For Rabbi Elisa, the most sacred moments occur in the encounter with another person – teaching Torah, building sacred community, and bringing healing to the world. She has honed the art of pastoral presence through almost two decades of chaplaincy, fourteen years as a Spiritual Director and hundreds of holy moments at the side of another. This past year, Rabbi Elisa served as Interim Rabbi at Kol Tzedek, a progressive urban congregation.
Rabbi Elisa shares her home with her partner Steve and daughter Jesse. She has been a student of meditation since high school, an occasional artist, a passionate cook and a lover of beauty. As she moves through the world encountering both the magnificence of creation and the human ability to emerge from darkness, Rabbi Elisa often finds herself echoing the words of the Torah: “Ma Nora Ha Makom Hazeh (How wondrous is this place).”
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Our Cantor
Cantor Judy Merrick was born in Haifa, Israel and has been playing the guitar and performing since the age of 13. After serving in the Israeli Army, she went on to study at Tel-Aviv University where she earned a degree in theatre arts. Cantor Merrick is also a certified Israeli Dance instructor and she holds an Interior Design certification from NY School of Interior Design as well.
Cantor Merrick was certified by the Cantor Assembly as a Hazzan in March 2010. After moving to Huntington Bay 15 years ago, she performed throughout the New York metropolitan area, leading Shabbat and holiday services and Israeli celebrations. She has also been teaching music in many different synagogues and temples, and given workshops for Jewish educators. |
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Our Educational Director
Dalia Rosenthal has been a Jewish educator for over thirty years, devoting countless hours to the community and to synagogues in Nassau and Sufflok counties. She leads Friday night services at the Carillon Nursing Home and has been the creative consultant for the Salute to Israel Day Parade in New York City. She received the UJA Federation award for devotion and dedication to Jewish education for SAJES, and has served as chairperson of the Suffolk County Principals’ Council. Just about everybody in the Jewish community knows Dalia and deeply appreciates the work she has done on so many fronts. She is truly one –of-a-kind, dedicated and inspiring, a mini tornado.
