As of July 1, Rabbi Ilana Schachter will be the new Associate Rabbi for Temple Sinai of Roslyn. Schachter will be replacing Rabbi Alex Kress, who is moving to California to become the Reform Senior Educator at Hillel on the UCLA campus.
Rabbi Schachter brings a wealth of rabbinic experience to Temple Sinai, most recently as director of community building at Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan. She has also served as Hillel Rabbi at both Loyola Marymount University and the University of Pennsylvania. Schachter received her bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and Judaic Studies with Honors from Brown University. She earned a master’s in Hebrew Literature as well as rabbinic ordination at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where she was awarded fellowships in global justice, executive training, interdenominational learning and professional development. She served as Rabbinic Intern at major Los Angeles area congregations and is the author of numerous articles on Jewish life and learning.
Most recently, Rabbi Schachter was selected to participate in the exclusive Clergy Leadership Incubator, a two-year program that focuses on visionary leadership and innovative practice. The CLI program integrates the best thinking and practice in the field of synagogue transformation with the organizational tool kit developed by adaptive leadership, a discipline developed at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
“I am so looking forward to joining the clergy team of Temple Sinai and to serve a dynamic, vibrant community that shares my passion for Jewish learning, worship and social justice,” Schachter said. “In the coming months, I hope to connect with people individually, to hear the unique stories that make up our community, and to share more about myself with the members of Temple Sinai.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Rabbi Schachter to our community and look forward to her spiritual leadership,” Senior Rabbi Michael A. White said. “The entire team is inspired by Rabbi Schachter’s warmth, intellect, energy, engaging teaching and humor.”
Schachter will be relocating to Roslyn with her husband John Feuerstein and her children, Jacob and Aviva. Temple Sinai is a reform congregation located at 425 Roslyn Rd. in Roslyn Heights. For more information about Temple Sinai or its programs contact Alison Stamm, executive director at 516-621-6800 or visit mysinai.org.
—Submitted by Temple Sinai of Roslyn
