Meet the Mahloket Matters Fellows

Penina is a rabbi and educator and has been part of the leadership team in the education department at B’nai Israel Congregation in Rockville, MD for the last 5 years. She will assume the role of Talmud Torah Director this summer. A recent graduate of the MTEI fellowship for educational leaders, Penina enjoys

Rabbi Charles L. Arian is the rabbi of Kehilat Shalom synagogue in Montgomery Village, Maryland. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Washington, DC, and his Master’s degree and Rabbinic Ordination at Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati , OH. He earned a

Rabbi Joshua Cahan works with schools to strengthen their Tefilah culture and leadership. He served for 11 years as Tefilah Chair and Rabbinics Faculty at the Leffell School in Westchester, NY, and 8 summers as the Director of the Northwoods Kollel at Ramah Wisconsin. He holds Rabbinic Ordination

Rabbi Ben Herman grew up in a traditional Jewish family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated with a BA and Comprehensive Honors in History, Hebrew, and Jewish Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. He is married to Karina.

Abby Jacobson was born on a cattle ranch in central Florida, outside the small town of Davenport – at the last census, there were 1,200 people and 8,000 head of cattle in Davenport. She received a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the George Washington University in 2002.

Mordecai Miller was born to Rabbi Meyer and Shulamith Miller in Greenwich, Connecticut. He grew up in Durban, South Africa and received his BA from the University of Natal, majoring in Philosophy and Hebrew. He attended HUC-JIR in Cincinnati, Ohio and received ordination (MAHL) in 1974.

Louis Polisson was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2018, where he also earned an MA in Jewish Thought focusing on Kabbalah and Hasidut. He currently serves as the rabbi of Congregation Or Atid of Wayland, Massachusetts, and is also a student and teacher of Jewish traditions.

Rabbi Miriam Green Potok will be beginning her first year teaching Jewish Studies at de Toledo High School in Los Angeles this fall. She is entering the world of day school education after serving as Spiritual Counselor and Spiritual Program Manager at Beit T’Shuvah, a Jewish addiction rehab in Los Angeles.

Rabbi Hazzan Marcia Tilchin is the founder and spiritual leader of the Jewish Collaborative of Orange County, an organization that builds and strengthens community through innovative program collaboration with local and national non-profits.

Rabbi Cara Weinstein Rosenthal currently serves as the Associate Rabbi at Temple Beth Sholom in Roslyn Heights. At TBS, Rabbi Rosenthal is deeply engaged in social action and social justice education, as well as family education and community-building.

Rabbi Neil Zuckerman came to Park Avenue Synagogue in 2010 as Director of Congregational Education and joined the clergy team as Rabbi in 2014. He previously served as Rabbi of Temple Israel Center in White Plains from 1999-2009 and as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac.