Meet Our Staff

Rabbi Martin P. Beifield Jr.
Sophia and Nathan Gumenick Senior Rabbi
rabbi@bethahabah.org
Rabbi Martin P. Beifield Jr. began his rabbinical career in 1975 as the Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia, the oldest Ashkenazic synagogue in North America. He served Temple Beth Or, in Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1978 to 1987, helping the congregation begin many new programs in the areas of outreach to intermarried couples, social involvement in the community, and adult education. Rabbi Beifield was active communally in interfaith work, at North Carolina State University, and Planned Parenthood, and was appointed to the UAHC’s original Outreach Commission and the CCAR’s Committee on Justice and Peace. He did graduate work in American History towards a doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and, under the auspices of the Jewish Chautuaqua Society, has taught courses in Bible and Judaism at Shaw Divinity School and Meredith College.

In 1987, Rabbi Beifield became Rabbi of Keneseth Israel in Allentown, focusing on greatly expanding the congregation’s youth and family programming. He regularly taught a course at Muhlenberg College on the “Holocaust and Its Impact”, served on the Social Action Commission of Reform Judaism, and was a founding board member of the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding at Muhlenberg College and chair of its Program Committee.

As only the fifth senior rabbi in the Congregation’s last one hundred years and only the tenth in the Congregation’s history, Rabbi Beifield has overseen the rapid expansion of Beth Ahabah’s programmatic and educational activities, beginning Introduction to Judaism and Adult Bar / Bat Mitzvah classes, regular Torah Study, a family Shabbaton, and a Shabbat study retreat. Rabbi Beifield serves on the Board of the Jewish Family Service, the Richmond Community Jewish Federation, and RISC (Richmonders Involved in Seeking Change), an interfaith and interracial organization working for social justice.

Cantor Annie L. Bornstein
Cantor/Music Director
cantor@bethahabah.org
Cantor Annie Bornstein received Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees in Voice from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. She also earned a Masters in Sacred Music from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City and was invested into the Cantorate in 1989. Subsequently, Cantor Bornstein spent two years as a special status student in the Rabbinic program at Hebrew Union College in New York City. Previous to her Cantorial studies, Cantor Bornstein was an Adjunct Professor of Voice with Hunter College and was the mezzo soloist with the Lincoln Arts Vocal Ensemble of Lincoln Center. Cantor Bornstein appeared in leading roles with numerous Opera companies including the Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Greater Miami Opera, Virginia Opera, Aspen Opera, St. Petersburg Opera and the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center.

Cantor Bornstein has sung in a number of premiere performances, most notably the American premiere of the complete LULU with the Santa Fe Opera, Ralph Vaughan Williams' SIR JOHN IN LOVE with the Bronx Opera and the New York premiere of the Thomas Pasatieri's SIGNOR DELUSO at the Manhattan Theater Club. Cantor Bornstein was the inspiration for the character of ELKE in Davis Schiff's GIMPEL THE FOOL, a role that she subsequently created at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. The critical acclaim coupled with audience enthusiasm brought forth the establishment of the JEWISH OPERA AT THE Y series in which Cantor Bornstein sang the role of Bathsheba in Ezra Laderman's AND DAVID WEPT. As well, she sang the role of Nahma in Jack Gottlieb's "AFTER THE FLOOD" and was the mezzo soloist for the New York premiere of Sam Adler's "EVER SINCE BABYLON" presented at Central Synagogue in New York City. Cantor Bornstein may be heard on the recently released Transcontinental Music Recording of Yamim Noraim. This 6 CD set of High Holy Day music is the first of its kind in the history of the Reform Movement.

Cantor Bornstein is the recipient of the Paul Kwartin Award for Excellence in Vocal Artistry, the Rabbi Steven Pearce Award in Human Relations and the Rabbi Alan Smith Prize for excellence in Rabbinic Texts. The recipient of scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, Cantor Bornstein received full subsidy for cantorial investiture from Congregation Emanu-El in New York City and has graced its pulpit as well as that of Central Synagogue in Rockville Center, New York and Temple Judea in West Palm Beach, Florida. Cantor Bornstein served 7 years as Cantor of Temple Emeth in Teaneck, New Jersey and 10 years as Cantor of Congregation Kol Ami/The Jewish Community Center in White Plains, NY.

At Congregation Kol Ami, Cantor Bornstein established a Children’s Choir and started the KAYRS (Kol Ami Youth Recital Series) where young artists were able to develop their performance skills. As well, the Cantor initiated an Adult Volunteer Choir.

The Cantor also developed and sang in the Annual William Petschek Cantorial Concert, a significant fundraiser for the Temple. In order to involve young families in worship, the Cantor created the Family Worship Committee that prepared “family friendly services” for the holidays.

Cantor Bornstein has been a member of the Board of the American Conference of Cantors and has served on the Joint Cantorial Placement Commission of the ACC.

Cantor Annie Bornstein served three years as the first Cantor in the history of Temple Emanu-El in Dallas, Texas and was called to Congregation Beth Ahabah in July 2006.

Russell M. Finer
Executive Director
russ@bethahabah.org

Russell M. Finer, FSA, is the Executive Director of Congregation Beth Ahabah after having served in similar capacities at Congregation Shirat Hayam of the North Shore in Swampscott, Massachusetts and Temple Beth El in Springfield, Massachusetts for nearly 25 years. Russ credits his long tenure to viewing the synagogue as his own business and devoting his “all” to ensuring its success. He earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts and has completed course work toward a Masters in Public Administration at Northeastern University. A longtime coach of youth baseball and basketball, Russ is also actively involved in many civic and religious organizations. Interacting with congregants, colleagues and agencies on so many different levels is his favorite part of synagogue life.

Russ has been married to Pam for 31 years and they are the proud parents of Rachel,who is pursuing a Master's Degree at the Harvard School of Divinity in Cambridge, MA and Daniel, a former Legislative Aide for the Washington, DC office of Congressman Steve Cohen of Memphis, TN who is now working in the AmeriCorps Program in Biloxi, MS.

Ramona Brand

Education Director

ramona@bethahabah.org

Ramona Brand has worked professionally as an educator since 1983, working in public, Jewish, and Theater Arts Education. Prior to serving as Beth Ahabah's Education Director, Ramona worked as the Principal of the Jewish Cultural School in Ann Arbor and the Director of Education at Wild Swan Theater, a family theater company. Her goal at Beth Ahabah is to bring the creativity of her theater arts background and her passion for Jewish education together to fashion an exciting and creative atmosphere for the Religious School; "creativity with content" is her personal motto.

Ramona has four children, Alan, Hannah, Ryan, and Sofia. Alan attends Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and the rest live and attend school in Richmond.

Natan Berenshteyn
Accompanist
Choir Director

Dr. Jack D. Spiro
Rabbi Emeritus

Frances T. Goldman
Cantor Emeritus

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