Rabbi Ilana Schwartzman
Rabbi Ilana is thrilled to have joined the BHSS community. She spent the last 8 years serving Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Rabbi of Temple Beth Zion in Buffalo, New York. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and went on to study Hebrew at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Israel. She was ordained in 2007 from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Rabbi Ilana is a third-generation rabbi. Her grandfather Rabbi Sylvan Schwartzman (z”l) was at the forefront of Reform Jewish education and her father Rabbi Joel Schwartzman has served as an Air Force chaplain and a congregational rabbi.
Rabbi Ilana has lived in places far and wide, including Germany, Greece, Israel and many states within the U.S. She, her husband Art, and daughter are happy to be setting down roots in the BHSS community.
Rabbi Ilana views the contemporary synagogue as a home for prayer, spirituality, social action, study, leadership and engagement and is devoted to these pursuits in her rabbinate. In addition to a love for Judaism and Jewish texts, she has a great love for people and their stories. Her joy lies in the interplay between intellectual Judaism and personal relationships. She also believes that music is a powerful vehicle through which we can connect to each other and God.
To reach Rabbi Schwartzman, email the main office at [email protected]
View Rabbi Ilana’s High Holiday Sermons for 5782 by clicking on the titles: Erev Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Morning Kol Nidre – Erev Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Morning
Cantorial Soloist Kathryn Kitt
This year, we welcome Cantorial Soloist Kathryn Kitt to enhance and co-lead our High Holy Day services!
Kathryn Kitt is a classically trained lyric soprano who holds degrees from Bennington College and SUNY Purchase, where she earned her Master’s in Opera Studies.
She has performed in opera houses, synagogues, and sacred institutions for many years, sharing her passion for music in both artistic and spiritual settings. In recent years, Kathryn has brought her musical and organizational talents to Jewish communal life, where she has deepened her skills in songleading, conducting, and cantorial singing at Temple Tikvah in New Hyde Park.
Kathryn is thrilled to continue her journey as the High Holy Day cantorial soloist by being with us this year at Beth Haverim Shir Shalom. She looks forward to a religious and spiritual experience with the congregation. Kathryn lives in Bedford, NY, with her three musically inclined children. Their car rides often turn into four-part harmony sing-alongs, making even the longest drives a joyful experience.