CLERGY AND SENIOR STAFF
ETHAN WITKOVSKY | RABBI
ewitkovsky@tbhbe.org
On July 5, 2022, Rabbi Ethan Witkovsky became the third Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El. Rabbi Witkovsky was a Rabbi at Park Avenue Synagogue, where, in addition to his pulpit and pastoral duties, he grew the youth department (along with Hallie Chandler), created avenues of connection for Millennials and Gen Z, generated new adult education initiatives, and did his best to bring a deep understanding of Jewish tradition to the project of bettering the lives of others. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where, in addition to ordination, he earned a Master’s degree in Talmud and Rabbinic Literature. He is a member of the Religious Leadership Advisory Board at the Jewish Theological Seminary and a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations. He grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and after graduating from Oberlin College with a BA in Classics, Jewish Studies and Ultimate Frisbee, he studied at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. He and his wife Erin are blessed with children ages 5 and 2.
LILLI SHVARTSMANN | ASSISTANT RABBI
lshvartsmann@tbhbe.org
Rabbi Lilli Shvartsmann is a passionate relationship builder, skilled Jewish educator, and a compassionate listener. She joins the Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Community after being ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in May 2024, where she received a Master's Degree in Jewish Studies. While in Rabbinical school, Rabbi Shvartsmann served as a Rabbinic Intern at TBH-BE as well as at Congregation Beth El in South Orange, New Jersey. Rabbi Shvartsmann helped foster egalitarian Jewish communities at Binghamton University and among college interns in Washington D.C. She spent time working at Ramah Nyack, Ramah Wisconsin, and leading three USY on Wheels trips. Rabbi Shvartsmann is a Los Angeles native and loves to cook, bake, and take her dog Mona on walks. Rabbi Shvartsmann is excited to be joining the clergy team at TBH-BE! She and her husband Miles look forward to getting to know the TBH-BE community!
EUGENE ROSNER | CANTOR
erosner@tbhbe.org
Hazzan Eugene Rosner has served as Cantor of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El since 1990, sharing with the congregants his enthusiasm, talent and passion for Jewish choral music through his beautiful chanting and singing as well as his directing the synagogue’s choir. You will also find him leading Friday night Shabbat services, preparing students for their Bar/Bat/Gil Mitzvah, teaching younger students about the joys of Jewish singing, and recording and producing CDs of Jewish music for the pleasure of our congregants.
In recognition of his music programming, Cantor Rosner received numerous Solomon Schechter awards from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. He graduated from the Cantor’s Institute at The Jewish Theological Seminary with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sacred Music and a Diploma of Hazzan. In 2022, he received his Doctorate in Music, honoris causa, from the Seminary. He received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Queens College, CUNY.
In his spare time, he is an accomplished amateur astronomer, having observed all 110 Messier objects in space and 304 out of 400 Herschel deep-sky objects. For over 30 years, he has been composing chess problems and has had five of his problems published in the 1983–85 and 2016–2018 FIDE Albums, each, a collection of the best chess problems composed in a three-year period. He served as editor of the U.S. Problem Bulletin from 1984 to 1990, captained the U.S. team twice in the World Chess Composition Tournament, and is an International Judge of the FIDE for Chess Compositions.
Cantor Rosner invites everyone to add their voice to the sounds of prayer and celebration at TBH-BE. He, along with his wife Amy and their children Morey and Elana, looks forward to meeting you.
NEIL S. COOPER | RABBI EMERITUS
ncooper@tbhbe.org
The congregation of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El was privileged to have Rabbi Neil Cooper as our spiritual leader from 1991 to 2022. Together, we built a strong and vibrant synagogue community. The attendance at weekly Shabbat services and the depth and variety of adult education programs are a testament to Rabbi Cooper's presence and efforts. He is energized and excited about the possibilities he recognizes regarding the changes in the American Jewish community. While he was passionately committed to helping TBH-BE change with the times, he was also dedicated to preserving its fidelity to Jewish tradition and meaningful Jewish living. Prior to coming to TBH-BE, Rabbi Cooper served as Rabbi of Temple Beth Ahm in Aberdeen, New Jersey and as Director of Camp Ramah in Canada. He was ordained in 1979 at The Jewish Theological Seminary, where he also received his Masters Degree in Rabbinics. He also earned a Masters Degree in Social Work from Columbia University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
He is the recipient of the TBH-BE distinguished service honor on the 20th anniversary of his rabbinic leadership, the Rabbi Maz Arzt Distinguished Rabbinic Service Award, and Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa), both presented by the Jewish Theological Seminary.
KENNETH KRIVITZKY | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
kkrivitzky@tbhbe.org
Ken Krivitzky serves as the Executive Director of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El, where he ensures that all the events and operations run smoothly. Behind the scenes, Ken is passionate about improving the world around him. To that end, you will find him around the community with a smile and a friendly word, engaging others. At TBH-BE, he is dedicated to enhancing the family experience.
Prior to coming to TBH-BE, Ken was the Director of Hillel at Towson University for eight years, where he transformed the Hillel by increasing membership and creating a cadre of student leaders. As an active experiential educator, he led hundreds of Jewish students on alternative breaks and Taglit-Birthright trips.
Ken is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and has taken graduate courses in Student Affairs. He is a member of the North American Association of Synagogue Executives.
Ken and his wife, Lauren, who is a pediatric neuropsychologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, have two daughters, Sophia and Amelia. He is an avid reader and a rabid Jets fan!
LISA RICHMAN | RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DIRECTOR
lrichman@tbhbe.org
Lisa Richman has been a professional Jewish educator in the Philadelphia area for over five decades. She taught at the Perelman Jewish Day School - Stern Center, from 1976 through 2018. Lisa also taught and then became the Education Director at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. She has been consistently involved with Temple Beth Hillel Beth El’s Religious School for many years. She holds a Masters in Education from Temple University, a Bachelors in Hebrew Literature from Gratz College, and an Ed.D. in Jewish Studies and Education Leadership from Gratz College.
Lisa has been a member of TBH-BE for over thirty years. She and her daughters have celebrated almost every life cycle event with the TBH-BE community, including her own Aufruf in 2016, prior to marrying Jeff Marmon. Both of Lisa’s daughters went through Magic Moments and the ECC, and over the years, they have spent time in Israel with TBH-BE, school, youth groups and on their own.
Lisa has given workshops in person and virtually for educators in North America and Israel, and she has mentored Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies student teachers for many years. Her special interests include family education, Israel education, integrating technology in Judaic studies, Hebrew improvisation games and combining formal and informal education.
HALLIE CHANDLER | ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
hchandler@tbhbe.org
Hallie Chandler joined the Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El team in August 2019 as the Director of Community Engagement after receiving her master's degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Before receiving her master's, she worked as the Director of Youth Programming and Engagement at Rabbi Judah Nadich High School at Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan.
Hallie has served the Jewish community as Synagogue Educator at Temple Emunah in Massachusetts. She co-led the Tremont Street Shul Partnership Minyan in Cambridge, was a graduate intern at Prizmah, the National Foundation for Jewish Day Schools in North America, and worked at Ramah for eight years in different capacities, including counselor, unit head and coordinator of the Amitei Ramah Fellowship.
Hallie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, after spending her junior year studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.
She believes synagogue education is imperative as it gives direction and support to every lifecycle event one may encounter. She is committed to community connectedness through intergenerational education and experiences, building bridges from generation to generation, story to story, as she hopes every individual has a narrative they are passionate about.
Hallie Chandler is currently living in Merion Station with her husband, Danny. Together they love traveling, hosting meals, and live by the motto: “never miss a simcha!” They hope to share many simchas with the TBH-BE community.