Jewish. Spiritual. Expression.

Rabbi Jonathan Aaron believes that the synagogue is the center of Jewish spiritual expression. He teaches that each of us has a spark inside—a ruach chochmah, a spirit of wisdom that manifests in distinctive spiritual expressions. For some, that expression comes through rigorous study of Torah and the commentaries. For others, it is through meditation,  yoga, and looking at Judaism through an Eastern lens. Still others prefer prayer in a service, some with or some without traditional Jewish liturgy. Then there are those who express themselves through the arts: music, movement, fine art, theater or poetry. Finally, there are Jews who connect through cultural expression by cooking, discussing Jewish books, or  engaging with nature. His vision for Temple Emanuel is one where every member has access to express their unique spirit and connection to Judaism.

Rabbi Aaron’s deepest Jewish spiritual connections occur through artistic creativity. He believes that the creative expression of Torah study is found in the ongoing conversation between us and the generations who came before us, in order to find contemporary meaning of the ancient texts of our people. As part of his journey through Jewish spiritual expression, Rabbi Aaron composes liturgical poetry and blessings and has written full-length plays (and many shpiels). Rabbi Aaron also composes Jewish liturgical music, the temple’s yearly theme anthems, and regularly leads spiritual prayer services—like Shabbat Unplugged, and Shabbat Morning @ Emanuel—on guitar with Cantor Lizzie Weiss. You can find his compositions and recorded music on Spotify, iTunes, and Temple Emanuel’s YouTube channel.

 Since 1996, Rabbi Aaron has served as Temple Emanuel’s assistant, associate, and senior rabbi (since 2016). He was also the synagogue’s director of education and the head of its day school for nearly a decade. He was ordained at Hebrew Union College, where he earned master’s degrees in both Hebrew Letters and Jewish Education, and received a Doctor of Divinity degree. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emerson College in Boston. He has served as a police chaplain in Beverly Hills and currently serves on the board of the Maple Counseling Center. He is married to Michelle, who teaches Yoga at the synagogue), and they have two daughters.

Cantor Lizzie Weiss uses the power of music to engage congregants and support them in making spiritual connections. Music is her medium for teaching Torah. She celebrates the significance of nostalgic traditional music alongside relevant contemporary melodies.

With training in Clinical Pastoral Education, she values time spent with congregants in the hospital, in mourning, and celebrating simchas. From officiating life cycle events, to nurturing young singers, to experiencing milestones with people of all ages, her life at Temple Emanuel is filled with learning, music, and community engagement.

Cantor Weiss grew up at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills and was always involved in all things music. From intergenerational productions at the Emanuel Arts Center, to Junior Cantors, to the High Holy Day Professional Choir, Cantor Weiss developed her Jewish identity with her experiences in Jewish living at Temple Emanuel, Camp Swig/Newman and all under the wing of her Uncle Rabbi Kenneth J. Weiss, and her brother Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss.

After graduating from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in drama, Cantor Weiss moved to New York and was cast in the Broadway National Tour of Disney’s High School Musical. After a few years on the road, Cantor Weiss landed back in Los Angeles, and entered cantorial school at the Academy for Jewish Religion, under the mentorship of Cantor Nathan Lam and Cantor Perryne Anker. Cantor Weiss received her cantorial ordination in May 2015.

When not on the Temple Emanuel bima, Cantor Weiss can be found singing in Jewish and secular concerts, alike, throughout Los Angeles.

Rabbi Liora Alban, our Associate Rabbi, enjoys teaching Judaism through various artistic and other creative lenses. She enriches others’ lives by helping them find meaning, joy, and beauty in Judaism. 

A California native and an alumnus of NFTY SoCal, Rabbi Alban attended Gindling Hilltop Camp, URJ Camp Newman, and NFTY in Israel. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. While she was an undergraduate student, she participated in Berkeley Hillel and directed Kol Hadov, the university’s only Jewish a cappella group. Once graduating, she moved to Jerusalem to begin rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College. 

As one of the very first women rabbis, Rabbi Geller transformed Jewish life by bringing women out of the private sphere and into the very center of religious and communal life. Twice named one of Newsweek’s 50 Most Influential Rabbis in America, Rabbi Geller’s spirituality is infused with a focus on social justice. She has raised our consciousness through her leadership on an array of social issues both locally (notably in the areas of violence against women, Muslim-Jewish dialogue, and gun violence) and internationally (Women of the Wall in Israel).

As Rabbi Emerita, she is pioneering initiatives that strive to empower the Baby Boomer generation and beyond. She is a founder of ChaiVilliageLA, the first faith-based Village of older adults seeking to find meaning, insight, resources and support as they age in place. Through these efforts, in combination with a book she is co-authoring with her husband, Richard Siegel, Getting Good at Getting Older: A Jewish Catalog for a New Age, we are finding value in the intergenerational connections of our community and ways of celebrating the divinity present in all stages of our lives.