Our Team

Rabbi Daniel Gropper is the Rabbi of the Community Synagogue of Rye in Rye, NY. Ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, he previously served congregations in New York, California, and Massachusetts. He holds a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and in Jewish Education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Jewish Education. His long-time passion for education led him to create programs such as J-Life and Chavurah at the synagogue. He has served as faculty and as a member of the Board of Trustees at URJ Eisner/Crane Lake Camps. Rabbi Gropper also served as a vice-chair of the URJ’s National Youth Commission and Commission for Lifelong Learning.

Rabbi Julia Appel is passionate about building Jewish community that meets the challenges of the 21st century — in which Jewish identity is a choice, not an obligation. Rabbi Appel spearheads Clal’s Jewish community training programs in innovation and entrepreneurship. Since 2022, she has developed and led The Belonging Project, which enables Jewish communal institutions to measure and improve the culture of belonging among their community members. Thirty congregations and over 5000 congregational survey respondents have participated so far, including some of the largest congregations in North America. Read More

Rabbi Nissan Antine is the Senior Rabbi of Beth Sholom Congregation in Potomac, MD. He graduated, summa cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University with a B.A. in Philosophy and Religion and received ordination from YCT Rabbinical School. Before entering rabbinical school, Rabbi Antine studied in various yeshivot in America and Israel and was a fellow of the Torah Metzion Kollel in Cleveland, Ohio. He is currently the president of the International Rabbinic Fellowship. Rabbi Antine is very passionate about making the messages of Judaism relevant to Jews across the religious spectrum.