“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”
~ Psalms 133

Every synagogue, no matter the size, it’s geography, or its population, contain the same elements, among them a place to pray, a bimah, ark, eternal light, and Sefer Torah. What separates one temple from another is it’s people. Please get to know who we are and meet our team. Email us. We want to get to know you, too.

610-896-7485, office@bdavid.org

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Amid all the things that keep us so busy every day, how do we make space for what really matters most in life? Judaism is a millennia-old conversation about this question. My role as your rabbi is to challenge you and inspire you to grapple with it – and to help you find your own way into the ancient wisdom.

Rabbi Beth Kalisch has served Beth David since 2013, when she became one of the first female senior rabbis in the area. Rabbi Kalisch came to Beth David from New York City, where she served as the Associate Rabbi at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, and as an Adjunct Rabbi at Central Synagogue.

She was ordained by the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, where she wrote her rabbinic thesis, a study of rabbinic writings on conversion and interfaith marriage, with Rabbi David Ellenson, served small congregations from Wyoming to Mississippi to Uniontown, PA, and served as a Chaplain Intern at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She earned her B.A. with distinction in Religious Studies from Yale University, where she also performed with Yale’s Jewish a cappella group.

A passionate social justice activist, she has marched with the NAACP in Alabama, volunteered with the American Jewish World Service in El Salvador and with new Ethiopian immigrants in Israel, worked as a legislative assistant at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and was honored to break a glass as the closing speaker for Philadelphia’s rally celebrating marriage equality in Pennsylvania.

She is a current fellow with CLI, the Clergy Leadership Incubator, and was previously a CLAL Rabbis Without Borders fellow and a CLAL LEAP fellow at the Katz Center for Advanced Jewish Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She serves on the editorial board of the Reform Jewish Quarterly, and her original liturgy is published in the the Reform Movement’s Rabbi’s Manual and in Beyond Breaking the Glass: A Spiritual Guide to Your Jewish Wedding.

An avid traveler, she loves exploring new continents, neighborhoods, foods, and hiking trails. She and her husband, Larry Levine, an environmental lawyer, live with their two daughters in Center City Philadelphia.

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I live my life inspired by the words of our morning prayer, “Modeh Ani,” in which we express our gratitude to God for the chance to greet a new day and reiterate God’s faith in us to make the most of this opportunity. As your cantor, I hope to help you find your voice – both in music and meaning – to connect with one another and with Jewish tradition.

Cantor Lauren Goodlev is thrilled and honored to serve the Beth David community since 2016. She grew up nearby in Voorhees, NJ and graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with a Bachelors of Arts, in Psychology, Music, and Italian Studies, from the University of Pennsylvania. She also completed her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Miami and performed in operas in Europe and New York City.

Cantor Goodlev was ordained from the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 2016 where she was both a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a Tisch-Star Fellow. Her thesis and recital focused on “The Many Voices of the Cantor: Biblical and Contemporary Support for the Emerging Roles of the Modern Cantor.” As a student at the DFSSM, she was Co-Coordinator of the HUC-JIR Soup Kitchen and served as the Cantorial Intern at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA, Temple Beth Israel in York, PA, North Country Reform Temple in Glen Cove, NY, and Central Synagogue in New York, NY.

Here at Beth David, Cantor Goodlev has the privilege of engaging in many aspects of congregational life. She provides guidance and care during various lifecycle events, teaches learners of all ages, and enhances our music through her warmth and creativity. A pursuer of justice, she is a member of T’ruah and one the ACC representatives to the Religious Action Center’s Commission on Social Action. Cantor Goodlev is also on faculty of Camp Harlam, her summer childhood home for many years to which she credits her initial love of Jewish community.

Cantor Goodlev, her husband Eric, and their sons Sammy, Eli, and Asher are all avid Eagles fans, happily residing here in Lower Merion.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FTA

How does one juggle working in two worlds simultaneously where one world is a religious and sacred space, and the other world requires operating that sacred space as a business? That is at the core of what I do for Beth David . . . maintaining that balance and prioritizing between the two each and every day.

Prior to coming to Beth David in 2007 as its Executive Director, Jill has had 25 years of Jewish communal experience, including being a teacher, youth group advisor, program director, and board member, while also working in the for profit business world as owner/operator of a direct marketing firm.

During her time at Beth David Jill is proud to have earned her FTA, Fellow of Temple Administration, and now serves on the NATA national board (National Association of Temple Administration.) Jill has also served as president and treasurer of DVASA, Delaware Valley Association of Synagogue Administration, sat on the Kehillah of Lower Merion Council, and proudly is a member of the Board of the Friends of the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery.

Jill is a graduate of Temple University with a Bachelor of Science degree and in her spare time dotes on her dog, Ziva. Jill is a supporter and activist for animal welfare charities. Her son Marc, and daughter-in-law Isabelle, live in New York.

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DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

Learning should be serious fun

Rabbi Elisa Koppel (she/her) is delighted to join Beth David Reform Congregation as Education Director.

Prior to her position at BDRC, she has had diverse experience as a rabbi and educator, including both synagogue and organizational work, with much of that time spent in the world of informal and experiential education.  She has spent many summers at Reform Jewish summer camps in a variety of capacities, most recently on faculty at URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy.

She also is involved on a North American level in the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Women’s Rabbinic Network, and the Association of Reform Jewish Educators.

Rabbi Koppel’s passion is education, seeing her role as a rabbi, and as a teacher, as helping others of all ages to experience Judaism—and to give individuals and groups the tools they need to create and define their own Judaism.

Rabbi Koppel grew up in Westfield, NJ, where she was very active from a young age in Jewish life at Temple Emanu-El. She graduated from Brandeis University and earned her ordination, as well as 2 Master’s Degrees, from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion.

Rabbi Koppel enjoys using the world outside of the synagogue in her Jewish teaching and uses social media as a platform for Jewish expression.  She can be found on most social media platforms at @rabbiisa and is happy to connect with people there.

In her “free” time, she enjoys the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and Spelling Bee, good story telling, the Oxford Comma, the Boston Red Sox (and other New England Sports), cooking and baking, and games with friends.

Rabbi Koppel would love to be in touch with you and to sit down for coffee or lunch to get to know you!

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OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Prior to starting as Executive Clergy Assistant, Chedva has had an eclectic career spanning two decades in music, software engineering, and the hospitality industry. They attended Rowan University for jazz saxophone and piano, and have been the founder of an insurance startup and most recently worked in the data engineering department at the New York Times. Working at Beth David is uniquely fulfilling for them, given that Beth David was the first congregation that they visited when they decided to pursue the path of conversion. Chedva lives with their partner, Erica, friend Shane, and all of their collective 4 children in Penn Valley.

Outside of work, Chedva loves to play music and teach their children piano and guitar. They’re also a skater and official for Philly Roller derby, where they also serve as head of marketing. Chedva is also an avid gamer (along with the rest of their family), and maintains a lifelong love of knowledge and study.

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RELIGIOUS SCHOOL ASSISTANT

Alicia’s background spans from professional and volunteer work in the Jewish community to data analysis and research.  She attended Lower Merion High School and received a BS in Radio-Television-Film from Temple University.  After college Alicia spent some time in an ulpan program in Arad, Israel, followed by a stint in Manhattan, and then happily returned to Philadelphia. 

Alicia and her husband Steven live in Merion.  They are very proud of their two daughters who are launched and living in Philadelphia.  At home in Merion Alicia likes to bake, read, and garden. 

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FACILITIES MANAGER
Tony comes to Beth David with 20 years of facilities, janitorial and cleaning services experience. Being in the facilities maintenance business for himself for 16 years blends perfectly with the Beth David family. Being around people with families and children, along-side his wife Suzette Artis, has been a “great” employment perk.

Tony has 3 children and has been a resident of Philadelphia for 42 years. He enjoys music, singing, songwriting, sports, movies and playing his Playstation 4. The best of all is family time. Tony has risen through the ranks of Beth David and he doesn’t plan on going anywhere!

TEMPLE EDUCATOR, EMERITA

Susan joined the Beth David team in 1992 and served as Educator for twenty-five dedicated years serving our students and our adults. She brought tremendous dedication and professionalism to her role. Prior to Beth David, Susan worked as the Assistant Director at Congregation Rodeph Shalom working both the Center City and the Elkins Park Campuses.

Before moving to Philadelphia. Susan taught in religious schools in Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri and was voted Teacher of the Year several times. She has also written many curriculum strands and faculty guides, including the innovative “Educator in Residence” and “PALS — Parents as Learners System” programs. Her overall core values view Jewish education as the vital and crucial link to connecting families and congregation.

Susan is a member of Association of Reform Jewish Educators, Association for Curriculum Development, and served as an Interfaith Chaplain for many years at Abington Hospital.

In her retirement Susan plans to travel and write a book. In her spare time she enjoys yoga and photography, her two grown daughters, Tania and Rebeccah, and her six granddaughters.

Rabbi Cohen served Beth David from 1964, where he remained until becoming rabbi emeritus in 1993. Sadly, we lost him in 2021.

Rabbi Cohen was born in Houston, Texas, into a family of Reform rabbis. After graduating from the University of Texas, he was ordained at the Hebrew Union College in 1953. He was an army chaplain and served as assistant rabbi in Great Neck, NY, where he met his wife, Edna. They moved to Champaign-Urbana where Henry served a “town and gown” congregation and received a Masters Degree in the Philosophy of Education.

He initiated a bi-cultural Black-Jewish nursery school and was chairman of the Jewish Coalition for Peace. In 1974, he was part of a group of interfaith clergy who visited Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. In 1986 he and his wife visited the Soviet Union where they met with refuseniks, Soviet Jewish citizens denied permission to emigrate. Among the refuseniks they met were the parents of Beth David’s then cantor, Lilia Kazansky. The congregation campaigned for the release of David and Clara, who gained their freedom in 1987. Later, when Beth David moved to Gladwyne, Henry helped to form the Interfaith Hospitality of the Main Line.

He has written several books, including Why Judaism?, What’s Special About Judaism? and a biography of his grandfather, Kindler of Souls: Rabbi Henry Cohen of Texas. His most recent work is Charley Braunstein and Jewish Tradition, which teaches Jewish themes using characters that are a take-off of the Charles Schultz’s Charlie Brown cartoons.

Rabbi Cohen was married for more than fifty years to the late Edna Cohen, and they are survived by daughters, Shelley and Lisa, and granddaughter, Tali.

READ ABOUT RABBI HENRY COHEN IN THE NEWS. TURN TO PAGE 5.

Lilia Kazansky graced Beth David Congregation with her beautiful voice starting on 1984 and she retired after 31 years in 2015. Sadly, we lost Cantor Kazansky in March of 2017.

In 1978, Lilia emigrated from the former Soviet Union with her husband, Boris, and daughter, Miriam. In the Former Soviet Union, she received a masters degree in voice and concert piano, from the Moscow State Conservatory. In 1985 she graduated with a degree from the Hebrew Union College in New York. And, in 2010, she earned an honorary doctorate from HUC.

From her childhood, Lilia always had a special place in her heart for Jewish culture and music. As she says, “It came through the blood” from her Grandfather, who was a professional Cantor in the Ukraine. Lilia, together with her husband Boris, have performed classical repertoire, as well as folk and sacred music, in different cities of the U.S, Europe, and Russia.

Cantor Lilia is survived by husband Cantor Boris, daughters Rebecca and Miriam, and grandsons Jordan and Noah.