Clergy & Staff

Rabbi Michael Hess Webber

rabbimichael@columbiajewish.org

Rabbi Michael Hess Webber (she/her) is a 2021 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.

Before coming to CJC, Michael’s career has centered primarily around the mentorship of Jewish teens and young adults. She spent five years working with BBYO as a Chapter Advisor and another three as the Youth Director at Oseh Shalom Congregation in Laurel MD – where she developed the congregation’s teen leadership program called TeenConnect. Michael also worked at Whole Community Inclusion at the Jewish Learning Venture – an organization that engages people with cognitive and physical differences and their families, supporting their ability to access full and rich Jewish educational and community experiences. There she co-led the Reta Emerson Fellowship – Jewish Learning Venture’s education initiative through which teen madrichim are trained to assist children with disabilities who are experiencing difficulty in congregational classroom settings.

From 2011-2013, Mikey lived in Israel on Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael, where she worked in the fish ponds and then as a traveling pizza maker.  It is during this time in Israel that she developed a deeply complex and nuanced relationship with the place and the people. Since her time on the kibbutz, as the political climate has grown more polarized, she has become passionate about raising up the humanity and diverse narratives that too often get forgotten in conversations about Israel/Palestine. This passion has led to her completion, in May 2018, of a Master’s Concentration in Israel Education through the iCenter in Chicago and her completion of the 2018-2019 T’ruah Israel Fellowship.

In Baltimore, she was a member of JUFJ’s inaugural Baltimore cohort of Jeremiah Fellows – an opportunity for her to explore how Jewish values and Jewish tradition can support the goals of economic and social justice for all people living in our city. She is also an Imagining Justice in Baltimore Fellow at the Institute for Islamic Jewish and Christian Studies and serves on the Clergy Task force of Jewish Women International (JWI) – the leading Jewish organization working to empower women and girls by ensuring and protecting their safety, health, rights, and economic security.

In her free time, Rabbi Michael spends a lot of time in the dirt as an avid gardener. She loves going on walks in the woods and painting. Her dream is to one day write and illustrate a children’s book. She also spends a lot of time with her wonderful husband, Scott and their cats, Reuben and Ziggy.

Cantor Steve Hummel

cantorsteve@columbiajewish.org

Cantor Steve Hummel joined CJC in July of 2023, bringing over two decades of experience as a leader and teacher of Jewish of prayer and education.  Before coming to CJC, Cantor Steve served Temple Sinai of Glendale, in Glendale, California as their cantor and prior to that, he served The Santa Monica Synagogue, in Santa Monica, California as their cantor.

With his dynamic worship style, Cantor Steve skillfully accompanies himself on acoustic guitar, helping to make our worship uplifting and spiritual.  Blending traditional and contemporary melodies, his music creates a harmonious, engaging, and inclusive worship experience for our diverse congregation.

Cantor Steve leads our adult choir and teaches music to children in our religious school, conveying his love of Jewish music to members of all generations. Cantor Steve has officiated at over 350 b’nei mitzvah during his career and he leads our b’nei mitzvah training program. His guidance helps to ensure that each 13-year-old is prepared to shine on the bimah in the presence of family and friends on their special day. 

Throughout his career, Cantor Steve has officiated at baby namings, weddings, and funerals.  He has taught adult education classes and developed curricula for teaching Hebrew. Cantor Steve’s multifaceted contributions reflect his deep commitment to the spiritual growth and education of our congregation and the Jewish community.

 

Robin-Rosenfeld

Executive Director, Robin Rosenfeld

robin@columbiajewish.org

Robin Rosenfeld joined CJC in 2012. She grew up in Allentown, PA and earned her Bachelors Degree from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her career took her to several Jewish organizations, including Jewish Community Centers in Rockville, MD; Fairfax, VA; Clifton, NJ; Wayne, NJ; Omaha, NE; and Rockland County, NY. Her roles escalated from Youth Director to Program Director to Director of Operations. She loved being a part of these communities and providing leadership to vibrant experiences for members.

Robin has also enjoyed being a Director of Jewish Day Camps and Director of Operations for Camp Pinemere (which she had attended as a girl!) and Camp JRF (now Camp Havaya) in the Poconos, and she speaks nostalgically of the fun of ensuring day-to-day smooth running of these special experiences for children. She also brings valuable graphic design skills.

CJC attracted her because of the opportunity she will have to manage operations, which is her strength, to be a part of a diverse and established congregational community and to support members’ simchas.

She also is happy to be near family and friends with whom she enjoys the TERPS, the Phillies and her young puppy Jack.

Stacey Freedman, Director of Youth and Family Engagement

youth@columbiajewish.org

Stacey Freedman has been a CJC congregant since 2007, served on the CJC Board from 2020-2024, and as Board Secretary from 2021-2024. She is excited for the opportunity to work with young children, get to better know the CJC community, and help the congregation grow.

Way back when, Stacey spent her junior high and high school summers working at the Owings Mills’ JCC Noah’s Ark Camp where she worked with preschool children. After graduating from Towson State University, with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education, she taught 2-year-olds at the JCC, before teaching 3rd grade and then preK in public school and day care settings. Wanting to change focus, Stacey has worked in children’s services in libraries for over 30 years, working in both Howard and Carroll Counties, earning her MLS from University of Maryland, College Park in 1998.

Currently, Stacey is the Children’s Services Supervisor aka Children’s Librarian at Howard County Library System’s Miller Branch (come visit and say “hi!”). In her free time, Stacey loves reading (especially romances) and teaching/playing mah jongg. Along with her husband Ivan, daughter Sophie, and dog Chocolate, she is a big Washington Capitals fan. Although, with Sophie in school in Boston, she may need to start rooting for the Bruins, too.

 

Emily Dalton, Educational Director, B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School

byachad.omjs@gmail.com

Emily has a masters in education, achieved National Board Certification in Teaching, and has 15 years of experience in public education. She took on the role as the education director of B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School in the summer of 2023. With her two children as a part of the B’Yachad community, Emily has dedicated her time and energy toward building an engaging program rooted in Jewish values and growing the B’Yachad community.

Brittany Figuerido, Communications and Office Assistant

cantorsteve@columbiajewish.org

Interfaith Coordinator, Irma Bensinger

interfaith@columbiajewish.org

Through engagement, we at CJC seek to better understand those of different faiths, as well as to foster understanding of our own faith. Through collaboration, we seek to share Judaism’s core principles of Tikkun Olam (“repairing the world”), and Chesed (“acts of lovingkindness”) with the broader faith community. The CJC Interfaith Coordinator will engage with the faith community in Howard County to enhance the work of our synagogue and explore opportunities to partner with other faith-based organizations.  

Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Sonya Starr

Read Rabbi Starr’s Past Sermons

Contact Rabbi Sonya

Cantor Emeritus, Jan Morrison

Contact Cantor Jan

Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Martin Siegel, z’l