High Holy Days

High Holy Day Leaders

Rabbi Cynthia Minster

Rabbi Minster earned a BA in Peace & Justice Studies from Wellesley College (2000), and an MA in Rabbinical Studies from the Academy for Jewish Religion, California, where she was also ordained (2022). Her thesis title was “Internal Growth, Human Relationships, and Reaching Towards God: The Concurrent Development of Ethics & Mysticism in Early Modern Jewish Texts.” Her work breaks new ground in explaining how mysticism forms the philosophical basis for the development of ethics. This exploration creates a clear basis for a modern, progressive approach to Judaism.

Cantor Star Trompetor, Soloist

Cantor Star A. Trompeter was ordained as a Cantor in 2010 from HUC–JIR, New York, Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.  She also received her Master of Sacred Music from HUC–JIR, her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and her Bachelor of Arts in Music and French Language and Literature from the University of Virginia. She has served as the Cantor at Temple Israel in Columbus, OH, as the Senior Cantor at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua, NY, and she most recently served as Senior Cantor for Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, TX. Cantor Trompeter is very excited to be joining the Temple Israel of Alameda community for High Holy Days this coming season.

Dr. Jenn Levine, Ed.D., School Director of Temple Israel's Religious School

Dr. Jenn has been a Jewish Educator for 20 years. She began her career in family education in Ann Arbor, MI. She moved with her family to California in 2008 and continued working in Jewish education focusing on Hebrew, and Judaics from grades kindergarten through twelfth grade. Ms. Jenn, as she is also known, has been one of our Hebrew teachers for the last 8 years. For the last 5 years, her children Jacob and/or Miriam Levine joined her on Thursdays to teach Hebrew. She is passionate about Jewish education and creates an inclusive, engaging, and unconventional classroom environment for her students.

Melita Silberstein, Early Childhood Service Leader

Melita Silberstein is a singer/songwriter, folk musician, children’s performer, and ceremonial song leader based out of Berkeley, CA. She is the founding member of Octopretzel, a popular Bay Area band for kids, and has also recorded and/or co-produced a number of CDs in the realms of both singer-songwriter contemporary folk as well as children’s music.