Kollel Faculty

KOLLEL FACULTY

Jacqueline Eber is a Sustainability Educator and Consultant with over 25 years of experience at the intersection of industry, academia, and civil society. She has given numerous talks in the community and has taught at the university level since 2016.  Jackie is a TEVA certified Jewish Environmental Educator and a founding member of Rochester Area Interfaith Climate Action (www.RAICA.net).  She has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an MBA from the University of Rochester, and a Ph. D. in Sustainability from the Rochester Institute for Technology. 

Athene Goldstein is a Torah and Haftarah Teacher in the community. 

Amy Kahn  worked for 44 years as a professional environmental scientist and educator, much of that time for the State of NY. As a retiree she volunteers as a docent and trail guide at Ganondagan SHS, has served as Conservation Chair for Rochester Birding Association for 11 years and comments on project impacts and legislation working to find ways to produce green energy while preserving biodiversity. She has worked to minimize her carbon footprint and to garden with native plants to attract pollinators. One constant in her work is helping people stay hopeful and spiritually connected to the earth as they do this work together. Amy received her MS in Environmental and Forest Ecology from SUNY CESF.

Dr. Joseph Kelly retired from full-time teaching after 37 years. For 11 years, he was Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at St. Bernard’s Seminary on Lake Avenue in Rochester and then served for 26 years as Professor of Religious Studies at Nazareth College. Now he devotes his time to teaching Adult Education courses in Scripture and Religious Studies in various parishes and congregations in the Rochester and Upstate areas.

David Orange is a Jewish spiritual leader and passionate educator serving the Jewish, and non-Jewish community of Rochester. David has been a member of Temple B'rith Kodesh for over 30 years. He serves Jewish Senior Life as Worship Leader and provides the Jewish residents of St. John's Meadows and St. John's Home with spiritual care, life-cycle observances, and study.

Rabbi Drorah Setel, JD is the Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El. She is best known as the co-author, with Debbie Friedman, of the Mi Shebeirach prayer sung in congregations worldwide.

Sharon Shafir was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. She worked as an aide to Knesset Members and was the Spokesperson for a multi-cultural county municipality in Northern Israel; formerly taught a Melton graduate course as well as Hebrew for adults in various local venues. Sharon earned her B.A. in Middle East History and Political Science at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and her M.Sc. in Communication at Cornell University. She is an independent policy communication consultant and an advocate for early childhood special education programs.

Gene Spiro has happily served on the TBK religious school and Kollel faculty for many years.  She teaches Hebrew and music.  She is also a member of the TBK volunteer choirs and a substitute soloist.

Herb Skerker is a retired Secondary Social Studies and Special Education teacher and administrator. Currently, Herb is the Director of The Rochester Kollel.

Juleen Squires is a member of Temple B’rith Kodesh and has been playing Mah Jongg since 1999.  She has taught the game to a variety of people over the years.

Rabbi Peter Stein, MAHL, is the Senior Rabbi at Temple B’rith Kodesh. He came to Rochester after serving Temple Sinai in Cranston, RI and Rodef Shalom Congregation in Pittsburgh, PA. His rabbinate is defined by a love of teaching and learning.

Rabbi Rochelle Tulik is the Associate Rabbi and Director of Education at Temple B’rith Kodesh. She was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2009.  She also holds an MA in Hebrew Letters and an MA in Jewish Education from HUC-JIR.  Her undergraduate studies were at the University of California at San Diego, where she crafted an Independent Studies Major in Modern Israeli Society and Israeli Culture.