Rabbi Danny Burkeman
Rabbi Danny (he/him) is the Senior Rabbi at Temple Shir Tikva. In his own words he is committed “to making Judaism relevant in the modern world,” believing that it offers many answers to the major problems affecting society today. In his rabbinic work he has looked for ways to engage people with their Judaism in new and creative ways.
In 2019 Rabbi Danny was a recipient of the CJP’s Chai in the Hub Award for Jewish leaders under 40. He also recently completed an UpStart fellowship for communal intrapreuners and he was a member of the inaugural cohort of the UJA Federation of New York’s Rabbinic Fellowship for Visionary Leaders. He is a regular contributor to the MetroWest Daily News, EJewish Philanthropy, and the Union for Reform Judaism blog. For several years he had a podcast Two Minutes of Torah, which was included in a list of the Top Seven Jewish podcasts.
Outside of the Synagogue Rabbi Danny is married to Micol, a Jewish educator, and together they are the proud parents of Gabby and Benny. While most of his time outside of the synagogue is spent with his family he still finds opportunities to follow sports (pretty much all sports). Since moving here he has adopted all of the Boston sports teams as his own, although his heart still belongs to his beloved Liverpool Football Club first and foremost. He is a big fan of the British TV series Doctor Who, and he would be happy to talk to you about it at length.
Cantor Hollis Suzanne Schachner
Cantor Hollis Suzanne Schachner (she/her) has been delighted to serve on the clergy team of Temple Shir Tikva since July 2001. She believes in the power of music to strengthen community in prayer, friendship, and across differences, and sees her leadership role as empowering the congregation to raise up its own voice. She is passionate about learning and teaching Torah, advocating for social justice, and is a dedicated pastoral counselor. Cantor Hollis is especially excited about exploring new pathways to deeper connections through meditation, Mussar, Jewish yoga, and the contemplative offerings of the TST Center for Jewish Spirituality.
Cantor Hollis grew up in Miami, Florida, where she was a musical theatre major at the New World School of the Arts and studied in the jazz and vocal performance departments of the University of Miami, where her crowning achievement was fronting a Joni Mitchell Ensemble before graduating with double majors in Music and Judaic Studies. She was then the Cantorial Soloist at Temple Israel of Greater Miami where her voice was heard weekly throughout South Florida on a live Shabbat radio broadcast. During her studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion she served Temple B’nai Israel of Woodbury, Connecticut for three years until her ordination in May, 2001.
Cantor Hollis is a founding board member of the organization “Uprooted: A Jewish Communal Response to Fertility Journeys,” a member of the second Clergy Leadership Program cohort of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and was trained by Manchim: Advanced Certification in Mussar Facilitation program of The Mussar Institute.
Cantor Hollis is still a musical theatre nerd who also loves throwing pottery, cooking for crowds, reading in coffeeshops, travelling and camping. She and her husband Cantor Jeffrey Stock are the proud parents of Gavriel and Liat who are blessed to have had the gift of growing up as children of Temple Shir Tikva.
Rabbi Lisa Eiduson
Rabbi Lisa Eiduson, EdD (she/her) has cherished her work as a congregational rabbi since 1992. Prior to joining the clergy team at Temple Shir Tikva, she served for 8 years as rabbi of Congregation B’nai Torah in Sudbury MA. From 2003-2015, she was Rabbi/Educator at Temple Beth Avodah of Newton Centre, MA. Rabbi Lisa also served congregations in Cincinnati and Beachwood, Ohio as well as Buffalo, New York.
Rabbi Lisa was a summa cum laude, phi beta kappa graduate of Boston University, where she completed her undergraduate work for distinction with Elie Wiesel. She went on to receive a Masters degree and rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. In May 2019, Rabbi Lisa received a doctorate in Organizational Leadership Studies, writing her dissertation on shared leadership among a synagogue professional team. Rabbi Eiduson has been an adjunct instructor at Xavier University, the University at Buffalo, and Brandeis University’s International Business School, where she helped prepare MBA students from all over the world for travel to Israel as part of a class on Israel’s economy, start-up culture, and business sector. She is a 20-year regular member of Boston Children’s Hospital IRB (Institutional Review Board), the body that reviews and approves all of the Hospital’s research studies, in accordance with the ethics surrounding children, and the laws governing the protection of human subjects in medical research.
In addition to her rabbinic roles at Temple Shir Tikva, Rabbi Lisa holds faculty teaching appointments at Boston College, Northeastern University and Emerson College. She loves formal and informal learning and teaching, and believes deeply in the synagogue as the central address for Jewish education, social justice and community. She is passionate about Israel. Rabbi Lisa takes great pride in being a Reform rabbi, and is eager to partner with the superb professionals, lay leaders, adults, teens, and children at Temple Shir Tikva.
Rabbi Lisa is married to Rabbi Joseph Eiduson, and they have two adult daughters, Rosie and Carly, and Bailey, their Chocolate Labrador retriever.
Rabbi Herman J. Blumberg
In 1986, after more than ten years of leadership as a day school headmaster and Jewish Communal Relations professional, Rabbi Blumberg returned to congregational life by assuming the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Shir Tikva.
During his 19-year tenure, Shir Tikva’s membership, congregant participation and new programs grew significantly, making Shir Tikva more than a place of worship. The synagogue developed into an inviting and welcoming environment where Jews of all ages could gather in search of knowledge, spirituality and community. Under Rabbi Blumberg’s guidance, Shir Tikva became a Reform congregation that embraced Jewish tradition and sacred teachings viewed through modern and post-modern lenses. Rabbi Blumberg retired from his post at Temple Shir Tikva in July, 2005.
Currently Rabbi Blumberg is a member of the Religious Services and Palliative Care staff at Hebrew Senior Life. His work focuses on counseling patients and families who are facing serious illness and end of life concerns. Rabbi Blumberg is also a spiritual care coordinator at the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, Newton, Massachusetts, and a member of a Community Ethics Committee, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, which deliberates on significant bio-medical ethical questions.
Rabbi Blumberg and his wife Paula have three grown children, several grandchildren and reside in Newton.
Dan Brosgol
Dan Brosgol joined Temple Shir Tikva as Executive Director in September of 2023. In that role, he serves as a strategic partner to clergy, temple leadership, the President, and Board of Directors, leads and manages all aspects of temple administration, provides financial management and oversight, oversees building maintenance and operations, supports the Early Learning Center and Religious School business operation, and promotes congregational engagement.
Prior to coming to Shir Tikva, Dan served in leadership positions at The Rashi School, Kesher Newton, and Hebrew College, in addition to working as a department head for the Town of Bedford. Dan was also honored in the first Chai in the Hub Cohort in 2013, participated in the Boston PresenTense Fellowship in Social Entrepreneurship in 2011, and is pursuing a doctorate in education at Northeastern University. Dan has also been a writer for JewishBoston.com since its launch, serves on the Bedford Select Board, and sits on the board for an array of non-profit organizations.
Dan lives in Bedford with his wife and five children.
Alison Weikel
Alison Weikel (she/her) joined Temple Shir Tikva in 2018 as our Director of Education and is responsible for meaningful and engaging learning programs for our Kindergarten through 12th grade children and teens. Alison’s commitment to Jewish education is based on the idea that Judaism, Jewish community, and Jewish learning can offer us something we cannot get anywhere else. She believes strongly in listening to children and teens and to their parents, providing flexibility, support, and solutions to difficult situations.
Alison’s background includes undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania as well as certificates from the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute and the University of Cincinnati in Jewish educational leadership. She is one of the 2014 National winners of the Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Alison came to us from The Valley Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio where she was Director of Education for almost 10 years.
Before entering Jewish education, Alison spent several years in public education in Pennsylvania, New York and Germany. She is a strong believer in ongoing professional development and mentoring of teachers and has presented and published on several topics including reflective practice, innovation, teacher inquiry, and practitioner research.
Alison lives in Carlisle with her husband, Rob. They have two college-aged children, Josh and Maddie. When she is not at TST, Alison loves to garden, cook, and read, and she’d love to talk to you about any of those interests!
Articles by Alison:
Stephanie Lerner
Stephanie Lerner (she/her) joined the ELC in July 2020 after more than 17 years as a teacher in the field of early childhood education. During her tenure as a teacher, Stephanie has had experience working in classrooms of all ages, from infants to pre-kindergarten. Her background includes an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Development and Education from the University of Connecticut, and a M.Ed from Lesley University in Integrated Teaching Through the Arts. She has studied the Reggio approach to early childhood education in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and spent a summer teaching preschool in Taichung, Taiwan.
Stephanie is passionate about the Reggio Emilia inspired philosophy of education, in which teachers and parents work as partners in their children’s education. She understands the importance of creating an environment with parents and teachers that will inspire creativity, curiosity and foster a sense of wonder in children. She finds great joy in working with teachers to design rich provocations and invitations for learning that will allow children to engage deeply in the world around them.
Stephanie lives in Framingham with her husband, Abraham, and two young children, Gabrielle and Micah. She is delighted that she and her family have found a home here as part of the Temple Shir Tikva community.
Articles by Stephanie:
Talia Hirsh
Jenna Friedman
Jenna Friedman (she/her) is thrilled to be stepping into a new role on the Education Team after eight years as the Director of Youth Engagement here at Temple Shir Tikva. In this role, Jenna will continue to build on the relationships and programs she has established in her first eight years, while also taking a more creative role in the visioning and designing of our K-12 Education programs. As Assistant Director of Education, Jenna will continue to serve as the coordinator for our Madrichim (teen classroom leadership) Program and an educator in AISH (our teen learning program), while also mentoring our new youth professional and helping her manage and execute all K-12 social and TSTeen programming.
Prior to her work at Shir Tikva, Jenna earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Film Studies from Tufts University. Jenna credits her deep passion for youth professional work to her summers as a Jewish sleepaway camp counselor, and her deep love for education to the formative teachers she was lucky enough to have in her school years. Alongside her work at Shir Tikva, Jenna is currently working towards an Executive Masters degree in Jewish Educational Leadership through Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. Jenna and her partner live in Boston, Massachusetts, and are constantly trying to convince each other to adopt a dog.
Articles by Jenna:
Marissa Brockman
Marissa (she/her) joins the TST team after spending several years in the professional Jewish camp world. As the Director of Community Engagement at TST, Marissa works collaboratively with board members, committee chairs, congregants, and the clergy team to develop and execute creative and engaging programs for our community. She brings her Jewish programming experience, relationship building skills and love for organizing with her.
Renata Feinstein
Renata Feinstein grew up in Los Angeles, California and made the move to Boston for school four years ago (still getting used to winters but she loves snow!). Renata recently graduated from Boston University (go terriers!), where she studied Education & Human Development with a minor in Linguistics. During her four years at BU, she also worked as an assistant teacher at a preschool and childcare center and taught religious school at Temple Isaiah in Lexington. Renata has also spent a total of 19 summers attending and working at URJ Camp Newman in California, where she was a camper and worked with all ages as a counselor and unit head. In her role, Renata will be responsible for a variety for youth and teen engagement opportunities, primarily focusing on social and social action programs. She will also be spending Summer 2026 at URJ Crane Lake Camp in her capacity as a CLASP Fellow. Renata loves reading, crafting, traveling, and exploring her new New England home, and she is excited to learn about all of your interests and passions!
Karen Edwards
Karen Edwards has been part of the TST team since April 2006 and calls Natick, MA home. When she’s not working with our clergy and community members, she loves to garden, volunteer, host Shabbat meals, and learn Torah. She has a daughter, Rivka, who lives in Brooklyn.
Christina Loftus
Christina Loftus has been in the role of Office Manager for almost six years. She lives in Wellesley with her two children, Brooke and Lincoln. Before coming to TST, Christina graduated from Ohio Wesleyan and has held a real estate license, working with residential clients and non-profits. Christina is the president of the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club, working to raise $200,000 a year for grants and services for the community.
John Legg
John Legg (he/him) is the Building Manager at Temple Shir Tikva, having started as an IT intern in June 2021. He graduated from Framingham State University with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. He loves to tackle challenges that come from the audio-visual needs of Temple Shir Tikva. Alongside Richard Kaye, he has steadily improved the quality of the live-streaming offerings of Temple Shir Tikva. John is excited to be presented with new interesting challenges that need to be researched and solved, such as improvements to the office phone system. He lives in Hudson with his dog Sparky and gecko Gizmo. Outside of work, John enjoys fishing, listening to jazz records on his victor talking machine, cooking, and spending time with friends.
Janice Wood
Janice has more than 20 years of experience in the field of education, having taught children with diverse abilities and needs in both public and private school settings. Janice earned her Master’s degree in Education from Cambridge College and is thrilled to be joining the ELC team in an administrative role.
Logan Schulman
Logan Schulman (he/him) serves as the Communications and Events Associate at Temple Shir Tikva. His role focuses on facilitating effective internal and external communications and ensuring that the temple’s messaging is both clear and engaging. Logan graduated from UMass Amherst with a BA in Communications and a minor in Business. He has previously held the position of Youth Group President at Temple Shir Tikva, where he gained valuable experience in community leadership and engagement.
Logan is an avid hockey fan and enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, and snowboarding. He also enjoys trying new restaurants and socializing with friends. Logan is dedicated to contributing positively to the temple community and enhancing its outreach efforts.
Adam Bernstein
Adam Bernstein (he/him) is thrilled to be joining the Temple Shir Tikva team in the role of Music Director. He grew up attending Temple Emunah in nearby Lexington, and can’t wait to apply his music knowledge to give back to the Jewish community. As an experienced pianist, singer, educator, and arranger, he looks forward to leading the temple’s choir, accompanying shabbat services on piano, and otherwise enriching the TST experience however he can!
Adam graduated from Tufts University in 2024 with a BA in Music, Sound, and Culture and a Computer Science minor. While there, he assistant-directed the internationally-recognized a cappella group the Beelzebubs and performed in various groups ranging from jazz ensembles to student bands and musical theater pits. Currently, he directs and sings with multiple choirs, teaches private piano/voice lessons, runs a summer camp called The A Cappella Workshop, and plays and sings in a local band called Sunnydaze.
When Adam isn’t making music (which is rare), you might find him out for a run in Cambridge, grabbing ice cream at JP Licks, or attending a Vulfpeck or Couch concert!
Julio Machado