Our Staff

Howard J. Goldsmith, Rabbi

As senior rabbi of Congregation Emanu-El of Westchester, Rabbi Goldsmith takes an intensely personal approach to Jewish leadership. He believes that each of us is on a personal Jewish Journey and that we best actualize our Jewish selves in a warm, supportive, non-judgmental community. As such he continually fosters a breadth and depth of worship experiences, programs, educational opportunities and social action initiatives in partnership with fellow clergy, staff, lay-leadership, congregants, and community members. These allow each member of the congregation to forge a personally meaningful Jewish path.

Rabbi Goldsmith currently serves as the Presdient of the Westchester Board of Rabbis where he heads the Westchester 2040 initiative to develop a joint rabbinic vision for the future of the Westchester Jewish Community. He also proudly serves as a Chaplain for the Westchester County Police Department. He was a fellow in UJA-Federation of New York’s Rabbinic Fellowship for Visionary Leaders. The No Pay No Way campaign of Port Chester’s Don Bosco Center awarded him their Economic Justice Award. He is also active with AJC and a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

Rabbi Goldsmith was born and raised in the New York area. He graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Marketing. After a few years of human resources consulting work with Sibson & Company, Howard attended Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC) from which he received rabbinic ordination in May 2007. While at HUC he served a wide range of communities including: Eisner Camp, the Laramie Jewish Community Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, the Israel Religious Action Center, Syracuse University Hillel and Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. HUC awarded him the Aaron & Margery Levenstein Prize in Human Relations, the Sarah & Samuel Chernick Memorial Prize in Halakhic Literature, and the Temple Emanu-El (Dallas) Prize in Liturgy & Spirituality.

After ordination, Rabbi Goldsmith served as the Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York where he was involved in all areas of synagogue life. In addition to regular pulpit and life-cycle responsibilities, he led Emanu-El’s first ever family trips to Israel, brought Emanu-El to the cutting edge of programming for those in their 20s and 30s, helped to reinvigorate the Religious School and developed new models for family worship. During this time Rabbi Goldsmith was a member of Synagogue 3000’s Emergent Sacred Communities Working Group with other dynamic young rabbinic leaders from all different streams of Judaism. He served as a Rabbinic Advisor and Maven for Lab/Shul - Storahtelling, a Torah through arts organization. Rabbi Goldsmith co-chaired Cornell Hillel’s Jewish Student Life Advisory Council.

Rabbi Goldsmith’s hobbies include cycling, hiking, skiing, cooking, wine, listening to music and kayaking. He and his wife, Rabbi Jennifer Goldsmith, live in New Rochelle, New York with their children Lev and Talia. Contact Rabbi Goldsmith at hgoldsmith@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x13.

Naomi Fabes, Director of Education 
Hailing from the Lone Star State, Naomi earned her B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education at the University of Texas at Austin, where she was also involved in Jewish campus life and Israel activism. She moved to Manhattan to pursue an M.A. in Jewish Education from The Jewish Theological Seminary, with a concentration in Experiential Education. While in school, Naomi taught in multiple religious schools, served as the Education Intern at Baruch College Hillel, spent  summers as a ropes course instructor at Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, and taught as an assistant teacher in Jewish early childhood programs.

In July 2014, Naomi began as a Full-Time Educator at Central Synagogue where she redesigned the religious school’s K-2nd grade curriculum, played an integral role in the development and expansion of the Family Engagement department, and founded Camp Central, the synagogue’s early childhood summer camp.

During her free time, Naomi can be found dancing along to live music, gardening, doing puzzles, exploring the beautiful outdoors and enjoying the culinary experience that is New York City. She lives on the Upper East Side with her husband, Sherman, and their dog, Mallomar. Contact Naomi at nfabes@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x15.

Meredith Stone, Cantor
Cantor Meredith Stone brings her magnificent voice to all of our worship experiences. She has been with the congregation since 1985. During her long tenure Cantor Stone has made many special contributions to the life of the congregation in addition to her usual duties of leading worship, teaching and directing choirs. These include the creation of a vibrant women’s study group with annual retreats, creative initiatives in worship, and years of innovative musical programs. A graduate of Brown University, she received a Master’s Degree in voice from the University of Southern California and a Master’s of Sacred Music Degree from Hebrew Union College, where she was also ordained as Cantor. In 2011 Cantor Stone was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Hebrew Union College.

Cantor Stone is an accomplished soprano with a broad range of professional credits as soloist in opera and oratorio. Among them are her operatic debut with the Baltimore Opera in The Magic Flute, and Mahler’s Second Symphony with the Anchorage Symphony. She received fellowships to the Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals and was a prizewinner in several vocal competitions including the Bel Canto Foundation National Opera Competition.

Cantor Stone is a member of the American Conference of Cantors, the School of Sacred Music Alumni Association, and Kol Hazzanim, a consortium of colleagues in Westchester, NY.   She can be heard on several recordings of Jewish music including Evening, Morning and Noon: The Sacred Music of Jack Gottlieb. She lives in New York City with her husband, Martin and has two daughters, Mirit and Lila. Contact Cantor Stone at mstone@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x19.

Jane Dubro, Youth Activities and Program Director

Jane Dubro has been our Director of Youth Activities and an educator for our 7 - 9th graders for the last 24 years.  Jane majored in Psychology and minored in Holocaust studies at SUNY Stony Brook. She has done work with Facing History and Ourselves, Hillel, UJA, and NYU Jewish Culture Foundation. She serves on the Education Committee of the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center. Jane is very proud of our Youth Group program’s emphasis on social action. As an educator she is constantly challenging her own teaching style to enhance her students’ learning experience. As Program Director, she engages our entire community in meaningful and engaging Jewish experiences. Jane lives in New Rochelle with her husband, Alan. Contact Jane at jdubro@c-e-w.org  914-967-4382 x21.

Abbie Levitt, Temple Administrator        
alevitt@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x18

Tal Drori, Religious School Administrator and Event Coordinator
tdrori@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x12

Denise Eisler, Senior Accountant 
deisler@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x14

Enrique Torres, Director of Facilities
etorres@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x26

Dan O'Connor, Administrative Assistant
doconnor@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x11

EMERITI

Daniel S. Wolk, Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Daniel S. Wolk was our congregation leader from 1967 to 2010. A graduate of Brown University and The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), he emulates his father, Rabbi Samuel Wolk, who served in Albany, New York, in a tradition of dynamic and committed leadership. Warm, friendly and approachable, Rabbi Wolk is an ardent traveler, amateur archaeologist and author. His commitment to both the congregation and community is testified to by his tenure in our pulpit and as a teacher of Old Testament Bible at The School of The Holy Child since 1973, where he has been honored on numerous occasions. Rabbi Wolk is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR). Contact Rabbi Wolk.

Marcie Aiuvalasit, Religious Educator Emerita
Marcie Aiuvalasit was educated in a “Classical Reform” congregation on Long Island. From the time she can remember, she has always wanted to be a teacher. As a student at Adelphi University, she began teaching religious school and has never stopped. She earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Education from Boston College and taught in two Reform congregations in the Boston area. Wherever she found herself, she found a temple in which to apply her talents at teaching. Marcie came to Congregation Emanu-El in 1987, as our Director of Religious Education. Her dynamic spirit, love of Judaism and commitment to community has enabled her to establish an outstanding educational experience for our children. Marcie has a certificate as a Family Educator from the Board of Jewish Education and completed the two year Leadership Institute conducted by Hebrew Union College and The Jewish Theological Seminary. She is an active member of the National Association of Temple Educators (NATE). Contact Marcie at maiuvalasit@c-e-w.org or 914-967-4382 x12.