Ask
Team

Each and every member of our staff and our board is integral to making our community run. From the clergy to our education team to our communications and program heads to our board members—each role is instrumental in making IKAR what it is.

  • Clergy
  • Staff
  • Board
  • Advisory Board
  • Davening Team
  • Founders
2004 Founding Members
2004 Founding Members
Development and Finance Assistant
Eva Adler
Development and Finance Assistant
Eva Adler
Founder/CEO
Melissa Balaban
Founder/CEO
Melissa Balaban
Senior Director of Education
Rebecca Berger
Senior Director of Education
Rebecca Berger
Aaron Applebaum (Treasurer)
Aaron Applebaum (Treasurer)
Jeremy Rosenthal (Board Vice Chair)
Jeremy Rosenthal (Board Vice Chair)
Michelle Rosenthal (Board Chair)
Michelle Rosenthal (Board Chair)
Zach Lainer (Secretary)
Zach Lainer (Secretary)
Podcast and Video Coordinator
Vera Blossom
Podcast and Video Coordinator
Vera Blossom
Founders
Founders
Education Administrative Assistant
Alex Brooks
Education Administrative Assistant
Alex Brooks
Director of HR and Operations
Susan Brooks
Director of HR and Operations
Susan Brooks
Executive Assistant
Nikki Carlin
Executive Assistant
Nikki Carlin
Founder/Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Sharon Brous
Founder/Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Sharon Brous
Director of Communications and Content
Ben Cooley
Director of Communications and Content
Ben Cooley
Operations Assistant
Malik Daniels
Operations Assistant
Malik Daniels
Chief Advancement Officer
Elad Dvash-Banks
Chief Advancement Officer
Elad Dvash-Banks
Capital Campaign Manager
Alix Fischer
Capital Campaign Manager
Alix Fischer
Assistant Director of Education
Tamara Joseph
Assistant Director of Education
Tamara Joseph
Ethan Goldstine (Immediate Past Board Chair)
Ethan Goldstine (Immediate Past Board Chair)
Eric Beckman
Eric Beckman
Mark Borman
Mark Borman
Lorne Buchman
Lorne Buchman
Assistant Rabbi
Rabbi Hannah Jensen
Assistant Rabbi
Rabbi Hannah Jensen
Associate Rabbi
Rabbi Morris Panitz
Associate Rabbi
Rabbi Morris Panitz
Associate Rabbi
Rabbi Deborah Silver
Associate Rabbi
Rabbi Deborah Silver
Development Manager
Susan Ledgerwood
Development Manager
Susan Ledgerwood
Austin Douglas
Austin Douglas
Steve Byrnes
Steve Byrnes
Lauren Applebaum
Lauren Applebaum
Lisa Friedman
Lisa Friedman
Marissa Gee
Marissa Gee
Eric Greene
Eric Greene
Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali
Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali
Associate Rabbi/Director of Community Learning
Rabbi Ronit Tsadok
Associate Rabbi/Director of Community Learning
Rabbi Ronit Tsadok
Programs and TRIBE Coordinator
Morgan Mason
Programs and TRIBE Coordinator
Morgan Mason
Director of Events and Production
Ilyse Pallenberg
Director of Events and Production
Ilyse Pallenberg
Director of Membership & Community Giving
Ethan Prager
Director of Membership & Community Giving
Ethan Prager
Ross Levinson
Ross Levinson
Hazan/Music Director
Hazan Hillel Tigay
Hazan/Music Director
Hazan Hillel Tigay
Gary Greenberg
Gary Greenberg
Sean Hecht
Sean Hecht
Chair
David Nevins
Chair
David Nevins
Daniel Inlender
Daniel Inlender
Marta Kauffman
Marta Kauffman
David B. Agus
David B. Agus
Shifra Bronznick
Shifra Bronznick
Chip Edelsberg, PhD
Chip Edelsberg, PhD
Director of Early Childhood Education
Jane Rosen
Director of Early Childhood Education
Jane Rosen
Jennifer Karr
Jennifer Karr
Dr. Mark Krieger
Dr. Mark Krieger
Ella Harrington
Ella Harrington
Jaclyn Beck
Jaclyn Beck
Lee Epstein
Lee Epstein
Julia Moss
Julia Moss
Sophie Pritzker
Sophie Pritzker
Hannah Roth
Hannah Roth
Elizabeth Saiger
Elizabeth Saiger
Michael Ellenberg
Michael Ellenberg
Rabbi Gary Greenebaum
Rabbi Gary Greenebaum
Rev. Dr. Katharine R. Henderson
Rev. Dr. Katharine R. Henderson
David Hirsch
David Hirsch
Ellen Hoffman
Ellen Hoffman
Marta Kauffman
Marta Kauffman
Noah Schechter
Noah Schechter
Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug
Tzivia Schwartz-Getzug
Kathleen Levin
Kathleen Levin
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Marty Longbine
Marty Longbine
Yavilah McCoy
Yavilah McCoy
Joel Mogy
Joel Mogy
Amy Sloane-Pinel
Amy Sloane-Pinel
Ed Redlich
Ed Redlich
Clergy Executive Assistant
Ivy Sears
Clergy Executive Assistant
Ivy Sears
Database and Systems Manager
Arianna Sikorski
Database and Systems Manager
Arianna Sikorski
Director of the Jewish Emergent Network
Justin Rosen Smolen
Director of the Jewish Emergent Network
Justin Rosen Smolen
Karl Thurmond
Karl Thurmond
Adam Scott Weissman
Adam Scott Weissman
Sarah Wick
Sarah Wick
Communications and Content Associate
Jess Solomon
Communications and Content Associate
Jess Solomon
Community Engagement Coordinator
Andrea v
Community Engagement Coordinator
Andrea v
Director of Parenting and Admissions, ECC
Beth Weisman
Director of Parenting and Admissions, ECC
Beth Weisman
Steven Rubenstein
Steven Rubenstein
Miriam Greene Potok
Miriam Greene Potok
Sarah Timberman
Sarah Timberman
Melissa Balaban (CEO & Past Board Chair)
Melissa Balaban (CEO & Past Board Chair)
David Alpern (Past Board Chair)
David Alpern (Past Board Chair)
Judah Golub
Judah Golub
Jon Turteltaub
Jon Turteltaub
Yoni Fife (Past Board Chair)
Yoni Fife (Past Board Chair)
Karen Hanovice Hogan (Past Board Chair)
Karen Hanovice Hogan (Past Board Chair)
Todd Kessler (Past Board Chair)
Todd Kessler (Past Board Chair)
Fred Kramer (Past Board Chair)
Fred Kramer (Past Board Chair)
Adam Miller (Past Board Chair)
Adam Miller (Past Board Chair)
Ari Wallach
Ari Wallach
Rabbi Barbara Zacky
Rabbi Barbara Zacky
Rachel Waranch (Past Board Chair)
Rachel Waranch (Past Board Chair)
ECC Operations & Office Manager
Jenny Weston
ECC Operations & Office Manager
Jenny Weston
Director of Community Organizing
Brooke Wirtschafter
Director of Community Organizing
Brooke Wirtschafter