Named the #1 Rabbi in America by Newsweek magazine, David Wolpe is the Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California. Previously he taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, The American Jewish University in Los Angeles, Hunter College, and he currently teaches at UCLA. Rabbi Wolpe writes for many publications, including regular columns for the New York Jewish Week, beliefnet.com, as well as periodic contributions to the Jerusalem Post, The Los Angeles Times, and many others. He is an ethics columnist for Campaigns and Elections Magazine and a monthly book columnist for L.A. Jewish Journal. He has been on television numerous times, featured in series on PBS, A&E, as well as serving as a commentator on CNN and CBS This Morning. Rabbi Wolpe is the author of seven books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times. Rabbi Wolpe has a new book coming out this fall entitled Why Faith Matters, a personal faith journey and response to the new atheists.

Honors/Awards:

• Named one of hundred most influential Jews in America (Forward, 2003)
• Named one of the hundred most influential Angelinos (Los Angeles Magazine, 2006)
• Named one of the fifty most important Rabbis in America (Newsweek, 2007)
• Winner of a Rackower award for Jewish Journalism
• Winner of a Human Spirit award from the Wellness Community

A native of New York, Rabbi Brian Schuldenfrei is grateful for the good weather in Los Angeles. He is especially grateful for the wonderful community at Sinai. In addition to preaching from the pulpit, Rabbi Schuldenfrei finds spending time with the people of the community particularly rewarding. His flare for creative programming continues to receive international coverage. His essay on Conservative Judaism was published in The Encyclopedia of Religious and Spiritual Development . As a past member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Southwest Rabbinical Assembly and a current member of the United Jewish Community’s Young Leadership Cabinet, Rabbi Schuldenfrei continues to stay busy in the community.

Prior to coming to Sinai Temple, Rabbi Schuldenfrei was a distinguished student at The Jewish Theological Seminary, where he was ordained. He received his B.A., with honors, from Washington University in St. Louis. While studying for ordination, among other positions, Rabbi Schuldenfrei served as the rabbinic intern for the New York Board of Rabbis Center for Spiritual Care, Beit Tshuvah, a Jewish recovery center in Los Angeles, and CLAL - The National Center for Learning and Leadership.

Rabbi Schuldenfrei is celebrating his recent marriage to Rabbi Deborah Schuldenfrei, who also serves as a pulpit rabbi. In his spare time, Rabbi Schuldenfrei enjoys large cups of coffee, good books, and watching the New York Mets try to win the World Series.

Rabbi Ahud Sela is excited to be joining Sinai Temple. A native of New Haven, CT Rabbi Sela became an adopted Californian after attending college at UC Santa Barbara. Rabbi Sela received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, where he received a number of awards, as well as getting a Masters Degree in Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania.

As a student Rabbi Sela served communities up and down the East Coast from Fitzgerald, GA in the South to Exeter, NH in the North, and many congregations in the New York area. He was also a student leader involved in bringing innovative programs to JTS. He is very happy to be joining the diverse community at Sinai Temple and bringing new ideas and new energy to the congregation.

Aside from studying Jewish bioethics Rabbi Sela is interested in the connection between Judaism and the environment, Judaism and social justice, and the commentaries of the Chassidic masters.

On Sundays in the Fall Rabbi Sela can be found rooting for the Chicago Bears.

Rabbi Sela’s wife Alisha is a Los Angeles native and has deep roots in this community as both her father and grandfather are rabbis in the community. They have twins, Yael and Gavi.

Until he became Sinai's Emeritus, Rabbi Dershowitz served this congregation 25 years on the pulpit, teaching, administering programs and activities, and available for all life cycle events. He continues his presence at Sinai and is now available to the entire Jewish community for counseling, officiating at weddings and funerals, even as he continues his teaching at the University of Judaism and other communal activities.

A native of Southern California, Cantor Joseph Gole attended the University of Judaism, Hebrew Union College, and earned his degree in opera and voice at the University of Southern California. A product of the Conservative Movement, Cantor Gole grew up in Los Angeles and attended Adat Ari El, Los Angeles Hebrew High and Camp Ramah. He studied privately with Hazzan Allan Michelson, Hazzan Samuel Kelemer, and Jewish repertoire coach Erwin Jospe. He has been the Cantor of Sinai Temple for eighteen years. Currently, he serves as the International President of the Cantors Assembly – the largest professional organization of cantors in world with 550 members and is a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. A recipient of the regional United Synagogue Award for outstanding creative programming, Cantor Gole has served as faculty at the University of Judaism and the Baal Tephilah Institute, and has encouraged numerous young hazzanim who now occupy leading cantorial positions. He personally trains our B’nai Mitzvah students and participates in life cycle events of our congregants. A brilliant concert musician as well, he has appeared with many major ensembles, including the Pacific Palisades Orchestra, the Guild Opera Company of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Cantor Arianne Brown is thrilled to be joining the Sinai community.  A native of New Jersey, she is a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Music Education and Voice.  While attending cantorial school at the Jewish Theological Seminary, she served as the cantor of Beth El in New London, CT, a Torah reader in New York’s Park Avenue Synagogue, the conductor of the Workmen’s Circle Yiddish Chorus, and a featured performer with the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre.  Arianne is the creator of Ashira, a female trio that has performed throughout the east coast and will soon release its first recording.  Having aspired to become a cantor since the age of eight, Arianne is extremely excited to have the opportunity to share her love and passion for Judaism with all of you at Sinai Temple. 

A Los Angeles native, Howard Lesner graduated from UCLA in 1973 and from Pepperdine in 1976 with a Master of Science in School Management and Administration. His Jewish education started at Sinai Temple and continued at the University of Judaism. Howard served as a public school teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District from 1973-1979, where he taught grades K-6. He directed Camp Tikvah of Temple Beth Am for seven years and was the founding director of Sinai Temple's Camp Maoz. He also directed programming for the USY Youth Department. In 1979, Howard became principal of the Elementary Day School at Stephen S. Wise Temple assuming the role of Associate Executive Director for the Temple in 1992. In 1999, he returned to Sinai Temple to serve as Executive Director. Howard is currently on the board of directors of the Los Angeles Hebrew High School. He and his wife Michal live in Westwood.

Laurence Scheindlin is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He holds Master's degrees from UCLA and the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he was also ordained as a rabbi. Since 1977 he has led faculty, parents and students toward the advancement of education, religious life and institutional development at Sinai Akiba Academy. Under his direction Sinai Akiba Academy has grown from 170 to 700 students, developed an activities-based approach to instruction, an innovative learning support program, a culture of professional growth, and a warm parent community, engaged in major expansions and building renovations, and gained a reputation for excellence and creativity.

The school is known for its academic depth, the strength of its Hebrew language and Judaic program, and for its infusion of spiritual values in all aspects of the curriculum. Rabbi Scheindlin is a recipient of the Milken Outstanding Jewish Educator Award. He has published numerous articles, conducted workshops and taught courses on varied subjects including curriculum, school governance and administration, and in his area of unique expertise, the significance of emotions in both general and spiritual education.

Danielle Salem-Kassin has had the pleasure of returning to the Sinai Temple community. She attended Sinai Akiba Academy Day School, where she met her husband in the 4th grade. She was also confirmed at Sinai Temple. Sometime later, she returned and taught at Sinai Akiba Academy and Sinai Temple Religious School. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Comparative Religions from the University of California Riverside. She holds a double Masters Degree in Education Administration and Hebrew Letters from the University of Judaism. Danielle has visited Israel many times and has led teenage groups on tours throughout the country. Her pledge is to make the Sinai Temple Religious School the best on the Westside, offering the highest level of Jewish Education through dynamic, challenging, and interactive programs.

Growing up as a member of Sinai Temple, Tracy Schatz taught drama, music, and Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes. Her background is in Education and Psychology. For ten years she was the coordinator of the Secondary Educational Center at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute. She helped create Camp Ramah's Tikvah program, and taught drama and life-cycle courses for L.A. Hebrew High. She started out coordinating the programming and moved from that to coordinate membership and administration.  Now she's enjoying her job as Director of the Douglas Family Early Childhood Center.  Every day working with children makes her smile.  However, Her best credentials, are her four children and talented husband, Dale.

Mr. Smalberg and his family have been active members of Sinai Temple since 1979.  He has served on the Board of Directors since 2002, and has been chairman of a variety of committees for a number of years.

Currently retired, Mr. Smalberg moved to Los Angeles in 1979 to take over the management of Pacific Smelting Company, the largest zinc products producer on the West Coast.  He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from C.C.N.Y. and a Master’s Degree of Business Administration from New York University. His resume includes a tour of duty as Chairman of the Board of the Zinc Institute, and as chief operating officer of Hugo Neu & Sons, a major international steel-recycling firm