In-Person

Arielle (she/her) served as a rabbinic intern here at Rodeph Sholom in the summer of 2023 through the Tisch Fellowship. She was ordained in May, 2024 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and joined CRS as Assistant Rabbi in July.

Arielle’s Jewish journey started as a child growing up in the Conservative movement before she found her home within the Reform movement. While at HUC-JIR, Arielle served as rabbinic intern at Columbia-Barnard Hillel, Congregation B’nai Shalom in Bristol, TN, and as a rabbinic fellow with the Center for Small Town Jewish Life in Maine. Arielle has taught adults and youth across the world, including with the Union for Reform Judaism, Jewish Learning Collaborative, and as a visiting instructor at Colby College. She is passionate about integrating Judaism and visual art, a topic explored in her rabbinic thesis, an illustrated exploration of the Song of Songs and its medieval commentary. In addition to her rabbinic studies, Arielle also holds a BFA in Studio Art from New York University.

Stefano Iacono (he/him), our new Assistant Cantor, was ordained as Cantor from HUC-JIR’s Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music in New York City in May 2021. Cantor Iacono (pronounced ya-ko-no) brings his deep sense of Jewish spirituality to the CRS community. His goal, as he puts it: “To enhance prayer and foster learning. To share in celebration and mourning. To connect with one another as we seek connection with God. To make distance feel close.”

For the past four years, Stefano served as Student Cantor of Congregation Gates of Heaven in Schenectady, NY, leading services and teaching in their religious school. An alumnus of the Weitzman-JDC-HUC-JIR Fellowship for Global Jewish Leaders, he traveled to India in 2019 where he found a centuries-long legacy of Jewish community and thought anew about global Jewish peoplehood. Cantor Iacono composes Hebrew texts to various musical genres and traditions, his way of celebrating the diversity of Jewish expression in worship and ritual. A native of San Antonio, Stefano lives in Brooklyn with his husband, Alex and their conure, Gandhi.

Deborah Goldberg (she/her) was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, OH in May 2021. She was thrilled to join Congregation Rodeph Sholom in July of 2021 as our assistant rabbi. Deborah attended Washington University in St. Louis, MO, where she studied history and political science, graduating with college honors in 2013. She grew up in the Chicagoland area and spent her summers as a camper, staff member, and unit head in Wisconsin at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute, the Reform Movement’s first summer camp. Deborah returned to camp for two summers during rabbinical school to serve as the summer program director. Before starting her studies at HUC-JIR, she served as an Eisendrath Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, DC, and as the teen programs coordinator at the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs in Chicago, IL. While in school, Deborah served communities in Columbus and Sandusky, OH, as well as Grand Forks, ND. She is the proud recipient of the Rabbi Morris H. Youngerman Memorial Prize for best sermon delivered during the academic year 2019-2020.

Deborah is proud to work with Sholom 20s & 30s, our community building initiative for 20s and 30s in NYC. At Sholom 20s & 30s, we celebrate Shabbat and Jewish holidays, connect to Jewish wisdom, and meet old and new friends. Deborah also leads our Discovering Judaism course, our introduction to Judaism class for anyone looking to learn more about Judaism and Jewish life. She loves sharing her love of Jewish learning with students! She is passionate about building Jewish communities that are warm and inclusive, that enrich people’s lives with meaningful Jewish engagement, and that help people feel connected to Judaism and each other.

When she isn’t working or reading for fun, you can find Deborah exploring museums, trying new restaurants, or petting as many dogs as she possibly can.

Justin Callis (he/him), our Cantorial Intern, is a fourth-year student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. He is the recipient of the Reuben Peretz Abelson Prize for dedication to Yiddish Song, the Temple Israel of Boston Cantorial Prize, and the Lee Gura Memorial Prize for Aptitude in Synagogue Choral Music.

A native of West Hartford, CT, he was an active participant in his home congregation of Congregation Beth Israel. Justin earned a Bachelor of Science in Theatre and English and a Certificate in Music Theatre from Northwestern University in 2011. While in Chicago, IL, he was an active participant in its religious music scene, having worked there as a teaching artist, music director, and composer. He also worked extensively with youth of all ages and backgrounds.

Justin then served as the student cantor for East End Temple in New York City and Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, DC. For Justin, becoming a cantor has been a lifelong calling. He told the Washington Jewish Week (July 27, 2021), “I’ve always had the experience of, whenever I walk into a synagogue, someone always asks me, ‘Are you a cantor? You should be a cantor!’”

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Rabbi Robert N. Levine, DD, led Congregation Rodeph Sholom for three decades, its tenth Senior Rabbi from 1991 to 2021. An inspiring teacher, speaker, counselor, and frequent guest of local and national media, he has been beloved by congregants and community alike.

Rabbi Levine was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1977 and received his Doctor of Divinity Degree in March 2002. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Columbia College.

Rabbi Levine is the author of three books. What God Can Do For You Now: For Seekers Who Want to Believe; Where Are You When I Need You? Befriending God When Life Hurts; and There Is No Messiah and You’re It: The Stunning Transformation of Judaism’s Most Provocative Idea.

Especially active in communal affairs, he is a past President of the New York Board of Rabbis, as well as having served as Vice-President and Chairman of its Interfaith Committee. He was Chair of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue with the Archdiocese of New York, the publications committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and is a member of the Commission of Religious Leaders of New York City, the American Jewish Committee, and Synergy/UJA Federation. He served on the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Clergy Advocacy Board and the Muslim Jewish Advisory Council.

Among his many awards are the New York Board of Rabbis’ Maria and Joel Finkle Prize for Rabbi of the Year; the International Humanitarian Award by the World Union for Progressive Judaism alongside Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister of Israel; the Westy Award from the West Side Spirit; the Champion of Choice from NARAL; the All Stars Project Bridge Building Award for Leadership in Community Relations; and he was inducted into the Manhattan Jewish Hall of Fame in 2020 by the Manhattan Jewish Historical Initiative.

Rabbi Levine and his wife Gina are blessed with three children, their spouses, and grandchildren.

Cantor Sam Rosen grew up in Sugar Land, Texas, and completed Bachelor’s degrees in Music (Ethnomusicology) and Jewish Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, he moved to New York City and earned a Master’s degree in Jewish History at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (2015) and was ordained as a cantor by the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at HUC-JIR in May 2022. An avid home cook, Sam loves sharing recipes and culinary creations with friends and family near and far. Since August 2022 he has served as Cantor at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST), the LGBTQ synagogue of New York City.

Kirsten Agresta Copely is an international award-winning harpist and composer who has made music in four continents for heads of state (U.S. President Obama, Mexican President Felipé Calderon), in blockbuster movie soundtracks (Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian), alongside Billboard 100 artists (Lady Gaga, Beyoncé), on late night television (Saturday Night Live), and on the most recognized world stages as a classical artist. Copely served as the Associate Professor of Harp at Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music (2017-2021) and Affiliated Artist at Sarah Lawrence College (2003-2014). A Voting Member of The Recording Academy (NARAS), member of ASCAP and the World Harp Congress Board of Directors, she holds degrees from Indiana University (B.M. & M.M.). 

Sam Chung was born in Seoul and raised in Vancouver. Sam received his Bachelor in Classical Cello Performance at MSM in May of 2021 with a commencement award (Hugo Kortschak Award) for outstanding achievement in chamber music. An avid string quartet player, Sam has performed at the WQXR Radio station Midday Special concert (Elysian String Quartet) and also the opening of the MET museum’s art gallery opening concert. Most recently, he returned to Manhattan School of Music with a shared studio of David Geber and Philippe Muller under President’s award scholarship for Masters in Classical Cello Performance. Meanwhile his newly established String Quartet, ‘Dyllis String Quartet’ was accepted into the prestigious International Mozart Competition Salzburg 15th edition and participated in the Robert Mann String Quartet Seminar.  

Cantor Jonathan Comisar’s eclectic music background includes Eastman School of Music (pre-college), Oberlin Conservatory (piano) and a Masters in classical composition from the Manhattan School of Music. Comisar is an ordained Cantor with a Masters in Sacred Music from the Hebrew Union College Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music and currently serves as spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Torah in Florham Park, NJ. He is a highly esteemed and sought after composer of Jewish themed music and has received numerous commissions and artist residencies from synagogues and Jewish organizations throughout North America. Cantor Jonathan Comisar has served on the faculty of the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music since 2009, teaching classes on music theory, arranging, and composition.  He brings a unique spark of musical creativity to his coaching/mentorship of cantorial students, teaching and encouraging them to bring all of their musical talents to their future congregations.  

J. David Williams was born in the small Tennessee town of Paris and was exposed to music from the very beginning owing to the fact that his mother is a church musician, choir director, and singer. After high school, he attended Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, Memphis State University, and received his Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. He then moved to New York City and studied organ at The Juilliard School for a Master’s degree, then later at Manhattan School of Music for a Doctoral degree. Mr. Williams has held numerous church positions including Associate Organist at The Riverside Church, and temple positions including Music Director and Soloist at Progressive Temple Beth Ahavath Sholom. Presently, he is the Music Director at Congregation Rodeph Sholom and Director of Music at The Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York. 

Corey Schutzer, bass, can currently be heard on Broadway in the Tony-nominated production, New York, New York, having played in numerous productions prior. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Corey now performs and records regularly with the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and has held a chair for the past 8 seasons of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The highlight of his week is performing in Erev Shabbat services every Friday at Congregation Rodeph Sholom.

John Hadfield (Drums/percussion) As a composer and percussionist, John Hadfield’s dedication to music has taken him from his native Missouri to concert halls and clubs across the world. He has released three albums of his own compositions—John Hadfield’s Paris Quartet, The Eye of Gordon and Displaced and has composed for many projects, including Heard By Others, a duo project with Lenny Pickett, Believers a trio with Brad Shepik and Sam Minaie, For James  a duo with Ron Blake, as well as the feature-length documentary After Spring. In 2019 he composed and performed in Apologue 2047, a multimedia performance art piece directed by Zhang Yimo which explored themes of the relationships of humans and technology.  John’s ability to cross genres has allowed him to appear with a broad range of artists such as Kinan Azmeh’s City Band, Nguyen Le’s STREAMS Quartet, the Saturday Night Live Band on NBC, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Silk Road Ensemble. He has collaborated on more than 100 recordings, including the GRAMMY award winner Yo-Yo Ma and Friends, Songs of Joy and Peace.  

Elana Arian is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and prayer leader, and is one of the leading voices in contemporary Jewish music today. Elana’s music is part of Jewish life across the globe, and her compositions are sung in spiritual communities, summer camps, and synagogues from Louisville to London, from Chicago to the Czech Republic, and everywhere in between. Elana serves proudly on the faculty of Hava Nashira, the Wexner Heritage Foundation, Shirei Chagiga, and as an instructor at the Hebrew Union Collegein New York, where she teaches in the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. 

Elana has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Tanglewood, and perhaps most memorably, five separate appearances at the (Obama) White House. She lives in New York with her wife, Julia, and their two daughters, Maya and Acadia.