Director: Rabbi Howard Siegel Rabbi Siegel received a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Minnesota (1970), a Bachelor of Hebrew Literature from the University of Judaism in Los Angeles (1974), and a Master of Arts in Judaica (1976) and rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York (1978). He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) by JTS in 2005. Rabbi Siegel's professional accomplishments include serving as a pulpit rabbi in Vancouver, BC, Minneapolis, MN, and Houston, TX. He was also the founding director of the Solomon Schechter Day School of St. Louis in 1981. During a hiatus from congregational work, Rabbi Siegel worked as a Hospice chaplain for a large HMO in Minneapolis. He has staffed and directed Jewish summer camps, served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, and began his career teaching speech and English in a Portland, Oregon public high school. Rabbi Siegel's honors include: The Rae & Edmund Hecht Houston Jewish Community Rabbinic Award, Congressional Recognition for Work with Hunger & Homelessness, Hennepin County (MN) Award of Distinction for Work with Hunger and the Lillian M. Lowenfield Prize in Practical Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Associate Director: Susan Fischman Susan Fischman assisted Rabbi Siegel with the task of taking an idea and making it a reality. A native of Houston, Susan has spent many years actively involved in a number of Jewish organizations. Most recently, Susan served on the boards of Congregation Brith Shalom and the Brith Shalom Sisterhood. She also maintains an active involvement with Hadassah. Susan received a degree in Political Science from the University of Houston.