Rabbis Shira Milgrom and Tom Weiner lead Congregation Kol Ami through a unique rabbinic partnership. The rabbinic partnership is a living model of empowerment – of sharing responsibility for the creation and sustenance of Jewish community. This model gives our congregation the full service and attention of two “senior” rabbis. Between them, Rabbis Weiner and Milgrom share over 50 years of experience in the pulpit and in Jewish education.
Rabbi Shira Milgrom
Rabbi Shira Milgrom reflects a generation of rabbis who passionately create extraordinary encounters with Jewish texts, rituals and traditions that merge the intimate and personal with the grand vision of Judaism and the Jewish people. She is one of the rabbis of Congregation Kol Ami – a member of a unique and innovative rabbinic partnership.
Rabbi Milgrom has traveled throughout North America bringing Jews closer to the words of Torah and Jewish self-expression. She is a graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and has academic training in a wide range of learning. Rabbi Milgrom is the author of articles on Jewish spirituality, education and healing. She has been the keynote speaker in major American conferences ranging from young leadership, women and feminism to issues facing the aging and the elderly. She is also the editor of a unique Siddur (prayer book) now used in settings across the continent. Rabbi Milgrom brings a remarkable vitality and creativity to Jewish learning settings.
Rabbi Milgrom is married to Dr. David Elcott and they are the parents of four children, and ten grandchildren.
Rabbi Tom Weiner
Rabbi Tom Weiner was born and raised in Boston, MA. He received his BA from Brandeis University, graduating with honors in 1978. He was awarded his rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College in 1984, completing as well a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters. Rabbi Weiner earned his Master of Science in clinical Social Work from Columbia University in 1983. On his 25th year as a rabbi, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the Hebrew Union College.
From 1984 until 1997, Rabbi Weiner served as Assistant and then Associate Rabbi of Central Synagogue in Manhattan. During his tenure there he created a wide array of youth and young adult programs, many of which were modeled nationally in the Reform Movement. In 1993 he worked to create programming for adults in their 20s and early 30s through social interaction, study and service. Hundreds of young adults attended seders, programs, Israel trips and social gatherings. It continues today in many iterations at Reform synagogues.
Here at Kol Ami , Rabbi Weiner, always encouraging original thinking, teaches extensively in our religious school, high school and adult education programs. Along with Cantor Mendelson he oversees Kol Ami’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah program. Rabbi Weiner has led numerous adult and youth trips to Israel, as well as Cuba, Costa Rica, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa and Eastern Europe, imbuing the tours with his interests in history and archaeology.
Rabbi Weiner has actively supported and engaged with the Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C. for the last 25 years, based deeply in his belief in Judaism’s core teaching is that, “Our world can and should be a better place than it is, and that we Jews and all human beings have the responsibility and the capacity to make that happen.”
Through his rabbinic partnership with Rabbi Milgrom and their collaboration with Cantor Mendelson, Rabbi Weiner oversees and directs our full and rich program of activities. Rabbi Weiner lives in White Plains with his daughter and their dog, Summer.
Cantor Daniel Mendelson
Since July of 2020, Daniel Mendelson has served as senior cantor of Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY. A graduate of the Cantors Assembly’s Cantorial Intern Program, and the son of two distinguished cantors, Daniel was introduced to Jewish music and opera from a young age. His repertoire runs the gamut from cantorial, to opera, to Broadway, to good old fashioned rock n’ roll. Before arriving at Kol Ami, Daniel served as Cantor of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David in Rockville Centre, New York for 8 years, where he brought engaging musical programming and innovative worship to that community.
Daniel has performed all over the United States and in Europe. Daniel’s discography includes “Birthday of the World Part I” with Leonard Nimoy narrating, “Hazzonos” with Frank London, hailed as “… jazz album of the year” by Wired Magazine, “Further Definitions of the Days of Awe” with The Afro- Semitic Experience and “Yontef! A Celebration of the Yamim Noraim, The High Holidays”. Since 2018, Daniel has become a regularly featured national anthem performer at Citi Field for the New York Mets, as well as an anthem performer for Madison Square Garden. Over the last few years, Daniel has been exploring and composing Jewish liturgical music. His own musical setting was selected in a nationwide contest to compose a melody for the first official Jewish prayer for the United States Armed Forces. This Song of Service has been offered at congregations around the country. In February of 2022, the United Nations invited Daniel to offer the memorial prayer for International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In January of 2023, Daniel made his Carnegie Hall solo debut as part of a program entitled We Are Here: Songs of the Holocaust. Daniel was honored to share the stage with Harvey Fierstein, Chita Rivera, Shoshanah Bean and other Broadway/Pop/Cantorial performers as well as religious dignitaries.
Daniel is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, where he received a BFA in Film/Video Directing. Even as a filmmaker, the vocal arts haven’t escaped his work. In his short film, “Rehearsing,” Daniel starred as a neurotic opera singer trying to make his way. “Rehearsing” was nominated for Best Film and Best Director at the annual Dusty Awards. Daniel’s feature-length documentary, “Voice Teacher,” about eccentric voice coach, Donald Neil Roberts z”l, premiered at the Syracuse International Film Festival and has since screened at the Louisville Film Festival and the “World Eye” Jewish Film Festival in Ashkelon, Israel.
Daniel lives in Westchester with his wife, Cantor Amanda Kleinman and their three children.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: CantorDanny@NYKolAmi.org
(914) 949-4717 X130