Jeremy Kalmanofsky arrived at Ansche Chesed in 2001 and has never looked back. He loves working here because, he says, despite all the prophecies of gloom about American Judaism, the Ansche Chesed community proves that traditional but heterodox Judaism can thrive.
For Rabbi Kalmanofsky, being a congregational rabbi is the perfect job. "I spend my days performing mitzvot (commandments)—praying, studying, doing acts of tzedakah (charity) and chesed (kindness), performing rituals, and helping people," he says. "What could be better?" He is especially gratified by the time he spends one-on-one with congregants, hearing what inspires them, what they believe in and hope for, what troubles them, and what keeps them going during difficult times. He is grateful to Ansche Chesed's members for inviting him to share their joys and sorrows, from births to deaths.
Rabbi Kalmanofsky was ordained in 1997 by The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he was a Wexner Graduate Fellow. He regularly publishes essays on Jewish thought and practice, and he serves on the Conservative movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards.
Natasha Hirschhorn is happy to have found her spiritual and professional home at Ansche Chesed, whose staff she joined in 2004. Her multifaceted role includes helping to lead services, coaching members who wish to learn how to be prayer leaders or Torah readers, and directing Ansche Chesed's Shirei Chesed Community Chorus.
An accomplished singer, pianist and composer, Hazzan Hirschhorn has performed at the Toronto Jewish Music Festival, the North American Jewish Choral Festival, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Strathmore, New York University, Indiana University and Drexel University, and at venues in the U.S. and Canada.
Ordained by the Academy for Jewish Religion in 1999, Hazzan Hirschhorn is a faculty member of The Jewish Theological Seminary of America’s H.L. Miller Cantorial School and Hebrew Union College’s Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. The founding conductor of two Jewish community choruses, Shir Chadash in Brooklyn and Ansche Chesed's Shirei Chesed, Hazzan Hirschhorn is also Vice President of Shalshelet: The Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical Music.
Dedicated to sharing her enthusiasm and musical knowledge with her former compatriots, whom she taught as music director of the Kiev Jewish Youth Music Theater “Yehudim” until 1992, when she came to the U.S., Hazzan Hirschhorn has taught classes on Russian-Jewish culture at the North American Jewish Choral Festival, the Havurah Institute, both the British and New York Limmud conferences, and at programs presented by COJECO (Council of Jewish Émigré Community Organizations), the central coordinating body of New York's Russian-speaking Jewish community. Through a UJA-Federation Synagogue Outreach Network grant, she developed a program for unaffiliated Russian-speaking Jewish families, which she offered at Ansche Chesed.
A native of Ukraine, Hazzan Hirschhorn studied musicology, piano and composition in the honors program at Moscow Gnesins’ Musical College and at the Kiev State Conservatory. She feels extremely fortunate to live in a country where she can freely indulge her passion for Judaism, Jewish music and educational outreach.
Hazzan Hirschhorn lives on the Upper West Side with her husband, Rabbi Shimon Hirschhorn, and their daughters, Miriam and Racheli.
Rabbi Hammerman loves creating dynamic Jewish learning experiences for students of all ages, from toddlers to older adults. She is committed to helping to build a warm, strong and engaged Jewish community at Ansche Chesed.
Rabbi Hammerman was born and raised in Toms River, NJ, and from a young age she felt at home in synagogue and could often be found “teaching” and “leading” her real and imaginary friends. Her childhood play has become her professional passion as she now works to help others feel as comfortable and welcome in synagogue as she has always felt.
Ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Rabbi Hammerman also received a degree from its Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education. Before joining Ansche Chesed, she was a student rabbi at Congregation Eitz Chaim in Monroe, NY, and Director of Student Placement at The Jewish Theological Seminary's rabbinical and cantorial schools. She has held positions at B’nai Jeshurun; the Forest Hills Jewish Center; St. Luke’s Hospital, where she served as a chaplain; and the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan.
Rabbi Hammerman lives on the Upper West Side with her husband, Rabbi Josh Rabin, and their children, Hannah, Shai and Ella.
Amy Shapiro-Kessler is a licensed social worker, educator, and nonprofit administrator, who graduated with honors from Hunter College School of Social Work and magna cum laude from SUNY Purchase with a B.S. in Psychology. Amy’s Masters degree in social work included a dual concentration in Nonprofit Management & Administration and Community Organizing, with a specialization in Children & Families. Amy earned the field practicum award for her research in the field of adoption and foster care; her work specifically focused on combining the resources of both government and private nonprofit organizations, to streamline and more efficiently serve this population. Amy has held several executive leadership positions in large non-profit organizations since 2001, and also opened a thriving daycare center in Scarsdale in 2010.
Amy’s own positive Jewish experiences led her to join youth groups, attend Jewish summer camps, and volunteer in religious school as a teenager. This deep connection to her Jewish identity led Amy to combine her skills and passion for social work non-profit administration with her love of Judaism, and resulted in a career path in synagogue leadership. She has worked as an educator and in leadership positions in synagogues and Jewish camps for over 20 years.
Prior to joining Ansche Chesed, Amy was Director of Education at Greenburgh Hebrew Center for eight years. Amy was responsible for the leadership, strategic planning and administration of the religious school, early childhood center, youth groups and post B’nei Mitzvah programming, with the mission of growing synagogue involvement and connection through prudent administration and innovative, multigenerational, inclusive programming.
Aliza is a native New Yorker who grew up loving everything Jewish: going to shul, spending summers at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, attending the Heschel School, and singing in the HaZamir Jewish youth choir. After studying psychology and education at Brandeis University, Aliza spent a year in Israel working for USY’s gap-year program (Nativ) and then returned to New York to pursue an MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). Aliza served as the Jewish and Student Life Educator at the Heschel School for six years and, most recently, on the Judaic Studies staff at the Shefa School. Aliza loves creating meaningful Jewish experiences and building relationships with students and parents. Aliza is thrilled to join the Ansche Chesed team!
Director of Administration Martin Sivorinovsky loves working at Ansche Chesed because, despite a childhood light on Jewish culture and religious observance, he is intensely curious about Judaism. He also enjoys being part of Jewish communal life and is delighted to have some colleagues who, like him, are of Russian-Jewish descent.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Martin earned a BA in exercise science from the University of California, Davis, and an MA in sports management from San Jose State University. He then worked as Associate Membership Services Director at the 92nd Street Y's May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport and as Operations Manager at LA Fitness.
Martin is a former figure-skating champion who, after dabbling in singles and pairs skating starting at the age of 10, competed in ice dancing competitions until he was 19. In 1996, he and his partner became the Open Novice Ice Dance Champions at the U.S. National Championships.
Martin enjoys weight lifting, fantasy sports and playing the bass, and he is proud to have climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. He holds licenses in personal training, real estate and various forms of first aid.
Amichai Greene comes from a very short line of Rabbis (really just one) and grew up in a religious Jewish home in Massachusetts. He spent his formative years studying in Jewish Day school as well as in Israel. He was a camper and then counselor at Camp Ramah in New England, as well as a USY leader, and private Hebrew and Judaic studies tutor for high school students outside of Boston. More recently he was a Hebrew school teacher for Congregation Bet Haverim in Atlanta, Georgia.
He graduated from Emerson College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and worked in film, television, and publishing. First as a development consultant, then in a literary agency, and finally as a book scout for a film studio. After the birth of his daughter he decided he needed to work full time in pursuit of social justice and Jewish community to help create the type of world he would like her to grow up into. Thus, bringing him to join the Ansche Chesed family.
Despite still being a Red Sox fan, Amichai happily lives in Flatbush, Brooklyn with his wife and their daughter.
Maintenance Supervisor Tony Vicioso was born in Santo Domingo and raised both there and in New York City. He assists with all aspects of the building’s operation, including creating and maintaining the schedule for the maintenance team and assisting caterers during bar/bat mitzvahs and other events. Tony lives on the Upper West Side with his wife and five children.
