Our Clergy
Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz
203-542-7150 • rabbimitch@templesholom.com
Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz (Rabbi Mitch) became part of the Temple Sholom family as an Assistant Rabbi in 1995, and was promoted to Associate Rabbi three years later. In 2001, he succeeded Rabbi Hillel Silverman z'l as Senior Rabbi. Rabbi Mitch is a scholar, teacher, community activist and preacher, and is recognized as one of the prominent religious leaders in the Greenwich area and beyond. A frequent guest speaker at synagogues and churches, study groups, community institutions and universities, he is a charismatic personality who engages individuals and stimulates hearts and minds. His teachings can be found in Greenwich Time, Greenwich Sentinel, Greenwich Jewish News and in other local and national publications.
Rabbi Mitch is a noted authority within the Conservative movement on how to create a welcoming environment for Interfaith families in congregations. An author of numerous popular and scholarly articles, he has also written the “Introduction to the Jewish Faith” and the Encyclopedia of Judaism for publisher Facts on File. Rabbi Mitch is the Co-Founder of The Sholom Center for Interfaith Learning & Fellowship, and has served as the President of the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy several times. He has also been a member of the Rabbinical Assembly Executive Committee and has served on the Rabbinical Assembly's Financial and Development Committees.
Rabbi Mitch was born in Boston and raised in Palo Alto, California. He earned a BA in History at UCLA, a Master of Hebrew Letters from the University of Judaism and a second MA degree in Jewish Studies and Rabbinic Ordination with a concentration in Rabbinic Literature and Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Mitch is blessed with his wife of more than 35 years, Roseanne, and four children.
Contact Rabbi Mitch at rabbimitch@templesholom.com if you would like to be added to the distribution list for Rabbi's weekly teaching.
Rabbi Gisel Baler
203-542-7157 • rabbigisel@templesholom.com
Rabbi Gisel Baler joined Temple Sholom as the Assistant Rabbi in July of 2024. Becoming a Rabbi has been a lifelong quest for Rabbi Gisel, who was ordained in May at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and received her MA in The Hebrew Bible and Its Interpretation. Originally from Argentina and Israel, Rabbi Gisel and her family came to the United States and moved to Durham, NC where she worked as a teacher and as director of Judaic Studies at a Jewish Day School. She has also spent many summers working at Camp Ramah Darom, was the Jewish Life Director at JTS, and has run High Holiday and Shabbat services and served as a Rabbinic Intern for the United Synagogue of Hoboken. Additionally, she holds a BA in Public Relations, a BA in Jewish Studies and was a Hebrew and Jewish Studies Teacher in Argentina. Rabbi Gisel recently moved to Greenwich and is married to Ricky Baler (a pediatrician) with four wonderful sons, Gus, Guido, Sebi and Tommy. In her free time, she loves to cook, sing, hike and spend time with family. Rabbi Gisel looks forward to getting to know you and further build connection and community within Temple Sholom.
Ezra Konigsberg, Assistant Cantor/Ritual Director
203-542-7151 • ezra.konigsberg@templesholom.com
Ezra Konigsberg celebrated his 25th year at Temple Sholom in 2022. In addition to assisting with services, he serves as the primary Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutor and also teaches Hebrew in the Temple Sholom Learning Center. Ezra was born in New York City and raised in Connecticut by a family of cantors. He was educated at Solomon Schechter Day School in Woodbridge, CT, and earned his BA in English from Southern Connecticut State University. Ezra and his wife Robin play an active role in many synagogue programs. They currently live in Westchester with their daughter, Hannah, and son, Max.
Mikhal Weiner, Chazan Rishon/Cantorial Soloist
Mikhal Weiner is an Israeli-born essayist, journalist, and musician living and creating in Brooklyn, NY. As a Cantorial Soloist and musician she performs and writes both religious and secular music. Mikhal graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2014 with a B.Mus in composition and conducting. Being Jewish is a core part of her identity; it is the prism through which she views the world. Raised in a conservative, egalitarian Jewish household, she is passionate about exploring the connections between Jewish traditions and modern thought. Mikhal's mother is a Cantor and, as a result, some of her most powerful memories took place in synagogue settings—chanting Torah or Haftarah, studying texts, doing social justice work, and more. She has worked extensively in Jewish education, both as a teacher and as an administrator, across Israel as well as in Boston and New York.
Ella Joy Meir, Cantorial Soloist
Ella Joy Meir is an Israeli musician, residing and working in Brooklyn, NY. Ella is a musician of all trades and works in a range of roles — from performing as a singer and pianist to composing and producing music in multiple genres. These days she works as a contributing composer for the Facebook Sound Collection, recording and producing dozens of tracks in a range of styles, as well as composing and performing for a number of other sound libraries. Her work for Facebook has been used in a number of viral videos, garnering hundreds of millions of views. Ella has worked with Israeli-Jewish band Banot, creating arrangements for an extensive repertoire of beloved Israeli and American songs. She has also worked with Mikhal Weiner on multiple occasions at Temple Sholom to craft a beautiful and unique spiritual and musical experience for the Temple Sholom congregation.
Daniel Frankel, Cantorial Soloist
Dan is no stranger to Temple Sholom as he first began singing as part of our High Holiday choir in 2013. He entered the role of Cantorial Soloist in 2021 and he has quickly become an integral component of our life cycle events alongside our clergy team. Dan has been a long-time member of Temple Israel of Great Neck and was an active part of their theatre group, the Temple Israel Players. In college, he was on the Leadership Council for Hillel of Memphis and was also President of his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi). Dan is currently the Director of Junior Golf at the Metropolitan PGA and is also their resident National Anthem singer performing at many special events. Over the years, he has also been a competitor, coach and chairman of golf for the Maccabiah Games. Dan currently lives in Roslyn Heights, NY, with his wife Nicole, and their identical twin daughters, Lily and Aria.
Rabbi Hillel E. Silverman z'l, Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Hillel E. Silverman z'l was born in Hartford, CT. He was the son of the late Rabbi and Mrs. Morris Silverman. Rabbi Silverman graduated from Yale University. He was ordained a rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in 1949, and in 1952 achieved a Doctorate in Bible Studies. In 1974 he received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from the University of Judaism. Rabbi Silverman served as Senior Rabbi of Temple Sholom from 1981-2001, when he announced his retirement.
In addition to his pulpit duties, Rabbi Silverman was a recognized author and lecturer. During his tenure in Greenwich he served on the Board of Directors of the Greenwich UJA/Federation, Jewish Family Services, Greenwich Emergency Medical Service and other local civic agencies. He also served as president of the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy.
