Our Professional Staff : Rabbi Steven Kane

Rabbi Steven Kane has brought to our synagogue original and deeply felt expressions to connect our community and help it express its joy and its sadness, as well as its connection to G-d. By using approaches that are strongly grounded in tradition, yet also creative in responding to the needs of our times, Rabbi Kane has developed rituals and observances that allow our congregation to express our feelings as individuals and as a community in a special, meaningful way. Steven Kane has been rabbi at Congregation Sons of Israel since 1993. Prior to that, he served Congregation Beth El-Kesser Israel in New Haven, Connecticut. He was ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1985, at which time he also received a Masters Degree in Judaic Studies. Rabbi Kane also holds a Bachelor of Hebrew Literature from the University of Judaism and a BA from Washington University in St. Louis. Rabbi Kane has served on the faculty of various institutions, including The Jewish Theological Seminary as a preceptor in Talmud; Quinnipiac College in Hamden, Connecticut; and the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York City. In addition, he has served as assistant to the librarian at JTS, overseeing the rare book and manuscript room and is currently president of the Rabbinical Assembly, Lower Hudson Valley Region. Rabbi Kane also sits on the Westchester Federations' Rabbinical Roundtable, the Ossining Ministerial Association and the Ossining Food Pantry. He continues to teach at the Academy for Jewish Religion, inspiring a new generation of Jewish leaders. Rabbi Kane has brought both traditional and innovative elements of Jewish prayer and worship to aspects of modern life and thus imbued them with meaning and a spirituality that speaks to Congregation Sons of Israel. Rabbi Kane hails from the “holy city” of Chicago and is an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and of baseball in general. His greatest love, however, is for his wife Judy and their three wonderful children Arielle, Tamar and Elan. Click here to e-mail Rabbi Kane

Our Professional Staff : Cantor Jeffrey Shiovitz

Jeffrey Shiovitz is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He is a 1981 graduate of the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and past president of the Cantors Institute Alumni Association. He is chairman of publications for the Cantors Assembly and past chairman of its Westchester/Rockland Region. Hazzan Shiovitz has served Congregation Sons of Israel since 1988. A popular lecturer on the subject of Jewish music and musicology, Cantor Shiovitz is the editor of seven books about Jewish music. B'kol Echad: In One Voice, the official songbook of the Conservative Movement, has been reprinted 28 times; 900,000 copies are currently in print worldwide. Roni V’Simchi: Rejoice and Sing, Holidays in Song is a collection of holiday songs published by the Jewish Theological Seminary. His publication, Israel at 50: A Program and Resource Guide, was published by the Cantors Assembly in 1998, the same year that Aytz Hayim Hi, A Seder for Tu B’Shevat was published by the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism. He is the co-editor with Robert Kieval of Derech HaShatz: The Hazzan’s Manual published in 2001 by the Cantors Assembly. Cantor Shiovitz is currently working on Zamru Lo: The Next Generation, a three volume series of congregational melodies. Volume 1, "Congregational Melodies for Shabbat," was published in 2004 to glowing reviews and Volume 2, "Melodies for the High Holidays," was published in 2006. He is busy working on Volume 3, "Melodies of Hallel, Shalosh Regalim and Weekdays."  He is considered the foremost authority on congregational song in the United States today. Cantor Shiovitz has served as Chair of the Cantors Assembly conventions in 1999 and 2004. Cantor Shiovitz is especially proud to have received the prestigious Solomon Schechter Award from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for his work with the Seniors Program at Congregation Sons of Israel. In 1992, he was named USY Alumnus of the Year. Cantor Shiovitz has served as member of the faculty of the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York since 1994. Cantor Shiovitz is surrounded by his loving family: his wife, Robyn, and his four children, Rachel, David, Sarah and Talia. Click here to e-mail Cantor Shiovitz

Our Professional Staff : Educational Director Roni Shapiro

Roni has been the Educational Director of CSI for the past 19 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from the University of Texas and has Master's degrees in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and in Administration from Columbia University. She also received a certificate to be a principal of Solomon Schechter through the Jewish Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to CSI, she was the assistant educational director at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Her sons, Eitan, Ari and Lior all attended our Nursery School and go school at the Solomon Schechter of Westchester. She works at Camp Ramah during the summer and travels to Israel every year.  Click here to e-mail Roni

Our Professional Staff : Executive Director Marge Wise

Marge Wise’s love affair with “all things Jewish” brought her to CSI in July 2000, with many years of synagogue experience “under her belt”. As a very young bride, she was the Rebbetzin, working side by side with her husband (until his passing in 1996) to build the Yonkers synagogue with which she is still involved. A product of the Conservative movement and of USY, Marge’s educational background includes graduating from Queens College as a Hebrew Major, and taking a Masters’ Program at Iona College in Pastoral Counseling. In addition to her synagogue work, Marge served the Jewish community as President, for four years, of the Hudson Valley Branch (then called the Westchester-Rockland Branch) of Women’s League for Conservative Judaism (1984-88) and also served on the National Board of WLCJ. Marge has taught Hebrew and Jewish studies to adults and children, including preparing them for their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. She also taught in the English Studies department of SAR Academy in Riverdale. In 1990, Marge purchased the Jewish Quarter, a full-service Judaica store, in partnership with her mother. She built up the business and managed it for ten years. After her mother’s passing in 1999, Marge decided to sell. She then put her years of working in the Jewish community “to the test” by joining the professional staff of CSI as its Executive Director. Marge is very proud of and devoted to her family: daughter Sara, son-in-law Yossi and grandchildren Meira, Akiva and Shifra; her son Josh, daughter-in-law Jen and grandsons Avichai and Yomi. Marge’s hobbies are writing – her work has appeared in the New York Times, Westchester Jewish Chronicle and Westchester Jewish Life – and shopping, but her favorite way to spend an afternoon is playing with her grandchildren! Click here to e-mail Marge