Rabbi Menachem Andrusier

Chabad of Manchester – Manchester, VT

Rabbi Menachem Andrusier and his wife Faygie are the co-directors of Chabad of Manchester, VT. They work to provide for the spiritual and material needs of all Jews living in and visiting the beautiful Shires of Vermont and Bennington County. Let’s make the world a brighter place by increasing in acts of goodness and kindness!

Contact: Rabbi Andrusier can be reached at mma770@gmail.com, ManchesterJewishLife.com, or 518-506-8678.

 Cantor Scott Buckner

Israel Congregation of Manchester (ICM) – Manchester, VT

Cantor Scott Buckner was engaged by Israel Congregation of Manchester (ICM) in June, 2017 as its spiritual leader. An ordained cantor, he has energized ICM’s worship services, special events and milestone celebrations with upbeat, creative and deeply spiritual music that has engaged congregants and the community at large. Prior to moving to Vermont, Cantor Buckner had a 23-year tenure as Cantor of Adath Jeshurun Congregation (AJC) in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a 1,200 family congregation where he was responsible for music, religious and spiritual life, Jewish education, and congregational leadership. Upon his departure in 2017, he was honored by AJC as Cantor Emeritus; as a tribute to his musical legacy, AJC sponsored the recording of a CD that showcased Cantor Buckner and
the AJC choir.

Cantor Buckner has served as President of the Hillel Board of Directors at the University of Minnesota and sat on the Ethics Committee of the Cantors Assembly and will soon be installed on their Executive Council. Cantor Buckner was also a reviewer for “Siddur Lev Shalem”, a recent-edition prayer book published by The Rabbinical Assembly. He and his wife Marcy love the outdoors and have embraced the Vermont lifestyle as they enjoy cross-country skiing, biking, running, hiking and golf. More importantly, they enjoy visiting their four adult children as often as they can.

 Rabbi David Fainsilber

Jewish Community of Greater Stowe – Stowe, VT

Rabbi David Fainsilber and his family joined the JCOGS community in 2013. He and his wife Alison Link and their sons, Adar, Yonah, and Hersh, live in the greater Stowe area, and have brought a surge of energy and spirit to JCOGS. The Jewish center has — and will continue to — benefit greatly from having a full-time rabbi who is an active, engaged member of the greater community. You may spot Rabbi David and his family snowshoeing the Notch, biking on the Lamoille Rail Trail, or schmoozing at the farmers’ market. Rabbi David enhances JCOGS with his love of music, focus on family and youth, and warm, pastoral presence. Along with weekly musical Shabbat services, he offers a regular Torah study and other adult-education classes, and has been instrumental in the expansion of our Religious School and year-round family programs. Rabbi David’s religious education spans both Canada and the United States. He grew up in Montreal and earned an honors degree in religious studies from the University of British Columbia. He was ordained in 2014 at the pluralistic Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Newton, Mass.

Seth Daniel Riemer

Congregation Beth El- Bennington, VT

Seth Riemer grew up in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Austria.  He earned an A.B. in History and Literature from Harvard and a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Cornell.  A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, which later awarded him an honorary D.Div., he serves as Rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Bennington.  He has also served congregations in Ohio and Connecticut and is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Torah in Wethersfield, Connecticut.   His congregational work involves civic engagement in the areas of Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Muslim dialogue.  Dr. Riemer taught Religious Studies, English, History and Theater at the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in Stamford, Connecticut, served as adjunct professor in several universities and community colleges, and taught online and in Israel.  Seth worked as a professional editor and published articles and his doctoral dissertation on French and English drama.  He writes fiction, drama and poetry, has a blog (“Jewish 24-7”), composes songs, practices tai chi and meditates.  He is a dual Israeli-U.S. citizen. olamhaba18@gmail.com

 Rabbi Jarah Greenfield

Rabbi Jarah Greenfield is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Rabbi Greenfield officiates a full range of lifecycle events for those who seek to mark significant milestones within a framework of Jewish culture, custom, and tradition. She welcomes the opportunity to work with a variety of people, including those who identify as Jewish, interfaith, secular, multiracial, straight, and LGBTQI. She can be reached at rabbijgreenfield@gmail.com.

  Rabbi Amita Jarmon

Brattleboro Area Jewish Community – Brattleboro, VT

Rabbi Jarmon grew up in Amherst, MA, and feels that she is “coming home” after many years of travel and numerous employment experiences. She spent a year in Israel after high school and fell in love with the land and the people, returning several years later to become an Israeli citizen, studying physical therapy at Tel Aviv University. She worked for over a decade as a physical therapist in Philadelphia and Western Massachusetts before attending the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and becoming the full-time rabbi at a synagogue in coastal Maine. 

Rabbi Hopes to Bring Vibrancy of Jewish Community to Brattleboro

To contact BAJC, please go to info@bajcvermont.org.

 Rabbi Mark Melamut

Upper Valley Jewish Community – Hanover, New Hampshire

Rabbi Mark Melamut joined the Upper Valley Jewish Community in August of 2018. Prior to this he was rabbi for ten years at Congregation B’nai Emunah, an egalitarian and conservative congregation in San Francisco. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, he attended Jewish summer camp at Henry S. Jacob’s Camp in Utica, Mississippi. Mark studied business at Washington University, in St. Louis, Missouri. With a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in religious studies, he moved to Burlington, Vermont, and worked at the U.S. Immigration administrative office doing accounting work. The Green Mountains fed his soul for a few years before he decided to pursue a Master of Religious Studies at the Yale Divinity School. Mark then journeyed to Israel for a couple years to gain experience and study, first in Arad at the World Union for Jewish Students (WUJS) and then in Jerusalem at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, before entering rabbinical school. While at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Mark studied in Israel for two more years, including at Hebrew University. He earned his Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and rabbinic ordination in 2008.

The best way to get in touch with Rabbi Mark is by emailing him at rabbi@uvjc.org.
If you, a friend or family member would enjoy, or need a visit with our Rabbi Melamut, please let us know. All inquiries are completely confidential.

 Rabbi Yitzchok Raskin and Rabbi Eliyahu Junik

Chabad of Vermont – Burlington, VT

Rabbi Yitzchok Raskin and Rabbi Eliyahu Junik at Chabad of Vermont. Services provided include synagogue services, Torah classes, Shabbat and holiday dinners, holiday celebrations and awareness programs, Gan Yeladim Preschool, Chabad Hebrew School, and Camp Gan Israel Day Camp. They can be reached at chabad@chabadvt.org, www.chabadvt.org, (802) 658-5770, and (802) 658-7612.

 Rabbi Jan Salzman

Congregation Ruach haMaqom – Burlington, VT

Rabbi Jan Salzman founder of Congregation Ruach haMaqom in Burlington received smicha (ordination) through ALEPH, a seminary of Jewish Renewal, which is a non-denominational and neo-chassidic movement. She has lived in Vermont since 1978. Rabbi Jan Salzman was ordained in 2010 by ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. She served as the Assistant Rabbi and Cantor for 6 years at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington, Vermont. She was blessed to have been a student of Reb Zalman. She serves in the capacity of Treasurer on the Board of OHALAH, an international professional Association of Renewal Rabbis, Cantors and Rabbinic Pastors. She is on the board of Living Tree Alliance located in Moretown, Vermont, which is an ecologically-oriented community that offers co-housing, farming, and educational opportunities. She has lived in Vermont for over 35 years, is married to her rebbitzmon, Loredo Sola, and has two grown children and a grandchild. She can be reached at (802) 356-1668.

  Rabbi Aaron Philmus

Ohavi Zedek Synagogue – Burlington, VT

Cantor Steve Zeidenberg

Ohavi Zedek Synagogue - Burlington, VT

Steve, a native of Toronto, Canada, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from York University there. A graduate of the H.L. Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), he was formally invested as Hazzan and earned a Masters degree in Sacred Music. He also completed 400 hours of chaplaincy training through the Center for Pastoral Education at JTS and worked as a chaplain intern for older adults.
Steve is looking forward to working as part of a collaborative clergy team and engaging congregants by tapping into his vast repertoire of congregational melodies, both contemporary and traditional. He has a longstanding passion for leyning Torah, Haftorah and Megillot, but takes even more pride in empowering congregants of all ages with these and other core synagogue skills. His clinical pastoral education will enable him to be a compassionate presence for OZers in need, and he enjoys teaching and interacting with children.

Email Cantor Steve

 Rabbi Danielle Stillman

Middlebury College – Middlebury, VT

Danielle Stillman works as the Rabbi and Associate Chaplain at Middlebury College. In her rabbinic role she advises the Hillel student org, leads services for major Jewish holidays, and acts as a resource and educator for all things Jewish on campus. As a chaplain she works with all students to create opportunities for multi-faith encounters, contemplative practice, and pastoral counseling. She is passionate about deep listening, dialogue, foodways, and the intersection of spirituality and the outdoors. She received a BA from Oberlin College, an MTS from Harvard Divinity School, and a Master in Hebrew Letters and Rabbinic Ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

 Rabbi Zalman Wilhelm

Chabad at University of Vermont – Burlington, VT

Rabbi Zalman Wilhelm is the Rabbi at Chabad at University of Vermont. His services include serving Jewish college students, parents and alumni, Shabbat and holiday dinners and celebrations, Torah classes and kosher dining. He can be reached at chabad@uvm.edu or (802) 658-5770.

Sarit Katzew

Middlebury Havurah

Sarit Katzew serves as Director of Education and Program & Outreach Coordinator. She runs Havurah’s Hebrew School, B-Mitzvah Program, Adult Education and officiates various ritual offerings. She is deeply invested in her work, students and community and is involved in almost everything Havurah has to offer (as the only staff member - working closely with lay leaders). 

Sarit joined Havurah’s leadership team in June 2015 with an extensive and diverse Jewish background. She also serves a high holy day pulpit at a small congregation in Binghamton, N.Y., and has been their Cantorial soloist since 2013. Her bachelor’s degree is from Binghamton University where she majored in Creative Writing with a concentration in Holocaust Poetry.

Sarit also holds an Executive Masters Degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and recently received certification from the ICenter’s program: IFellows Master’s Concentration in Israel Education. She has taught a Service Leaders Fellowship for Hillel students at Middlebury College and does independent Education Consulting for Jewish Communities of various kinds.

Sarit is passionate about creating unique Jewish learning experiences for all ages and helping Havurah community members connect with content that inspires them.

HHEDdirector@gmail.com 

Rabbi Carol Harris-Shapiro

Barre, Vermont