Rabbi S. Robert Morais received ordination from Hebrew Union College’s Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati Ohio. Rabbi Morais is currently serves as the Rabbi for Temple Anshe Hesed of Erie PA. He has served congregations and Jewish institutions in Rochester NY, West Bloomfield MI and Ottawa Canada. Rabbi Morais is married to Korlyn Morais and combined they have 7 young adult children.
Jessie Thorpe Rhoades has been the cantorial soloist at Temple Anshe Hesed since 2018. When not singing at the synagogue, Jessie is a full-time mental health therapist.
Rabbi Samuel M. Stahl is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, Texas, where he was Senior Rabbi for 26 years. In 2003, he was the Theologian-in-Residence at Chautauqua, where he is now an Associate in the Department of Religion.
Andy Symons lives in Williamsville, a suburb of Buffalo. He is a family doctor and teaches at the University at Buffalo medical school. Jewish/Hebrew music has been a passion since he was a child and is his steadfast connection to the Jewish community.
Rabbi Elle Muhlbaum serves as a member of the inaugural clergy team of Congregation Mishkan Or in Beachwood, Ohio, having served at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple since 2020. Ordained in 2016 by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Muhlbaum is a proud alumna of The Ohio State University. Rabbi Muhlbaum loves intersectional Torah study, creative and innovative ritual, pursuing social justice, and engaging in the miracles of Jewish community.
Cantor Vladimir Lapin is the inaugural holder of the Cantor Sarah J. Sager Chair in Cantorial Music at Congregation Mishkan Or in Beachwood, OH (a new community founded in July 2024 as part of a unification between Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple and The Temple-Tifereth Israel). As part of the clergy team, Cantor Lapin leads weekly, holiday and lifecycle services, engages in adult Torah study, oversees the b’nei mitzvah program, offers continuing education lessons to children and adults, and offers pastoral support and care to the community. Beyond the sanctuary, Cantor Lapin is actively involved in community outreach, contributing to various educational, musical and cultural initiatives in Cleveland and beyond.
Senior Rabbi, Brent Phillip Gutmann is a graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati in 2013, he previously served congregations in West Bloomfield, Michigan and Auckland, New Zealand before assuming leadership of Temple Beth Zion in Buffalo in 2022. Rabbi Gutmann’s arrival led to a renaissance at Temple Beth Zion with the establishment of the Blum Jewish Education Project (blumproject.org) dedicated to combating antisemitism, a $12.8M capital campaign to restore the temple’s historic sanctuary at 805 Delaware Ave., and a resurgence of religious and cultural programing for all ages.
This will be the first visit for Rabbi Gutmann, his wife and four daughters to Chautauqua.
Cantor Susan Lewis-Friedman was previously a performer onstage in opera, musical theater, concert, and even hosted her own show in the infamous NY piano bar, THE DUPLEX. She loves teaching people to find their voices and connect to Judaism through music, participating in leading services, choirs, Purim Shpiels, and many other events. She received her Cantorial Ordination from the Hebrew Union College-JIR in New York, NY in 2015, and has served congregations in Suburban Chicago before receiving the incredible honor of serving as Cantor to Temple Beth Zion in Buffalo, NY. She is married to the love of her life, Ross Friedman, and they have 2 amazing kids, Abigail and Zev, and they all just moved to Buffalo NY!
Cantor Jodi Sufrin and Cantor Roy Einhorn were ordained in 1983, the first cantorial couple to graduate together from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. Following their ordination, they moved to the Boston area where Cantor Einhorn accepted the position at Temple Israel of Boston.
Cantor Sufrin became the cantor of Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, a suburb of Boston. They received Honorary Doctorates in 2008 and retired in 2020. They were blessed to spend their entire careers serving these two vibrant congregations.
They are the proud parents of two daughters and sons-in-law, and delighted to have five grandchildren.
Rabbi Frank Muller is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Ohev Beth Shalom in Youngstown, OH, where he served as spiritual leader for 25 years. Before that he led congregations in Roanoke, VA and St. Louis, MO. He currently serves as Rabbinic Scholar at Temple Shalom in Naples, FL, where he and his wife Darlene reside
Cantor Kathryn Wolfe Sebo is delighted to be celebrating Shabbat at Chautauqua alongside Rabbi Frank Muller. She has served the Cleveland community since 1999 and just began her 25th year as the cantor at The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood, Ohio. (Now known as Congregation Mishkan Or). She and her husband, Rommie, reside in Pepper Pike and their greatest joy is being called “Bubbie” and “Papa Rom” by Archer, Warren, Cal and Jade.
Rabbi Cookie Lea Olshein is the Resident Rabbinic Scholar at Congregation Ner Tamid in Henderson/Las Vegas, Nevada. A member of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s National Campaign Leadership Team, which allows her to pursue her passion for Jewish social justice work, Rabbi Olshein is also a Board Member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, representing more than 2,200 Reform Rabbis. Rabbi Olshein looks forward to teaching for the Adult Special Studies Department during Weeks 6 and 7 … and meeting you this summer!
Cantorial Soloist Susan Goldberg Schwartz is a lifelong Jewish educator and spiritual leader and has spent the past 30+ years serving the Buffalo Jewish community, working with young families, children, teens, college students and adults of all ages. She recently retired from the Buffalo Jewish Federation and is excited to see what’s next. Susan is happily married to Steven (her biggest fan) and is Gramma to Liora and Zev (her favorite people).
Rabbi Elyse Goldstein is founding Rabbi of City Shul in Toronto, and before that was the Rabbinic Director of Kolel: The Adult Centre for Liberal Jewish Learning where she served as its principal teacher for twenty years. She is the author/editor of four books on women and Judaism. She’s been the guest Rabbi at Chautauqua’s Hebrew Congregation for many summers and a past Everett Jewish Life Center speaker and loves it!
Cantorial Soloist Susan Goldberg Schwartz is a lifelong Jewish educator and spiritual leader and has spent the past 30+ years serving the Buffalo Jewish community, working with young families, children, teens, college students and adults of all ages. She recently retired from the Buffalo Jewish Federation and is excited to see what’s next. Susan is happily married to Steven (her biggest fan) and is Gramma to Liora and Zev (her favorite people).
Rabbi Aaron Meyer is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanuel of South Hills in the suburbs of Pittsburgh PA. Ordained at HUC-JIR in 2011, Aaron is passionate about building inclusive, engaged community; is married to Rabbi Emily Meyer and is the father of Evelyn and Eli; and enjoys running as a hobby. He was last at Chautauqua as part of the Abrahamic Program for Young Adults in the summer of 2009.
Cantor Kalix Jacobson (they/them) was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in May of 2023, and joined the team at Temple Emanuel of South Hills in Pittsburgh, PA that July. They are a songwriter of 20 years, an historian of LGBTQ+ and Jewish history in the 19th and 20th centuries, culminating with the rise of a group of women called the Hazentes, and they are passionate about spreading Jewish values and wisdom to anyone, Jewish or otherwise. They are honored to be part of the Chautauqua experience this year!