Clergy – Larchmont Temple

Rabbi Jeffrey Sirkman

Senior Rabbi

Rabbi Jeffrey J. Sirkman is the Senior Rabbi of Larchmont Temple, serving the congregation for over 30 years.

Connecting to congregants by celebrating the gifts each person brings, Rabbi Sirkman fosters a face-to-face faith—building sacred relationships one person at a time. Reaching out to all—affirming that every person who seeks can find a place within the Jewish family. At the core of his leadership, Covenant remains the mission that gives meaning to Temple membership and Jewish life.

Cantor

Cantor Katie Oringel is excited to join the Larchmont Temple family. She is passionate about building community through Jewish music and experiences. Her love of learning is matched only by her love of teaching. She works to help people feel a stronger connection to and comfort with Jewish tradition. She has a creative and innovative spirit. This pairs well with a deep respect for the 3000 year history of our people. She can’t wait to partner with the amazing LT clergy.

She joins Larchmont Temple after serving Temple B’nai Israel in Clearwater, FL (cantor) and Temple Sinai in Toronto, ON (cantor/youth director). While in Toronto, she developed an innovative B’nai Mitzvah program. Recent B’nai Mitzvah served as mentors to upcoming B’nai Mitzvah for a peer-to-peer learning model. The program focused on youth building community. She is extremely proud of Lech L’cha, Temple Sinai’s teen travel experiences. Students explored their Jewish identity while in Canada, the United States and Israel. Her passion for meaningful prayer led to Sh’ma Koleinu: Hear Our Voices. This High Holiday prayer experience utilized the voices of the community through song, words, art, instrument and drama.

Rabbi

Rabbi Leora J. Frankel strives to create joyful Jewish experiences, re-imagining how ancient traditions can add meaning to modern life and connect us more deeply to the Divine, each other, and our own best selves. Rabbi Frankel is especially passionate about family education and engagement, seeking to empower families to blaze their own spiritual trails while remaining rooted in Judaism’s 4,000 year old tradition.

She joins the Larchmont Temple team after serving Community Synagogue of Rye for the past nine years where she created many innovative programs, including a High Holiday Family Worship experience, an Ethical Parenting series and their popular Shabbat on the Beach services. Rabbi Frankel received the prestigious Young Pioneer Award from the Jewish Education Project and was selected to be a Rabbis Without Borders Rabbinic Fellow.

Cantor Emerita

914.837.0240

Cantor Fredda Mendelson believes that tikun olam (repairing the world) can happen one person at a time and it’s something that everyone can and should participate in. She began serving Larchmont Temple in 1999 and served as full time cantor until 2013 when she became Cantor Emerita. She cherishes her time in Larchmont and is proud to remain part of the Larchmont Temple community. Since retiring she has become co-chair of the Debbie Friedman School of Music Alumni Association, member of the Alumni Leadership Council and treasurer of Kol Hazzanim, the cantors of Westchester county and beyond. Cantor Mendelson was ordained from HUC-JIR in 1996 where she received a Master of Sacred Music. She received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education at Ohio State University and a Master of Music from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, She studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and the American Opera Center of Juilliard during her twenty-five year international opera career.

Cantor Mendelson lives in White Plains with her husband and teacher Cantor Jack Mendelson. They are the proud parents of Cantor Daniel Mendelson (Cantor Amanda Kleinman) and the grandparents of Jed, Rex and Ernie Mendelson. Cantor Mendelson can be reached at fmendelson@larchmonttemple.org or her cell: 914 837 0240.

Lily Goldstein

Rabbinic Intern

Lily Goldstein is thrilled to be “coming home” to Larchmont Temple. A proud graduate of LT’s Academy and Confirmation, and former LarFTY board member, she looks forward to teaching Kesher students and families, working with b’nei mitzvah students, and being part of Shabbat worship and adult education.

Lily is entering her fourth year of rabbinical school at HUC-JIR. Before HUC, she spent 10 summers at Camp Modin, was heavily involved in LT teen programming, campus Hillel and was a youth and family educator at Central Synagogue in NYC. Since rabbinical school, Lily spent a summer at Crane Lake Camp, taught religious school for all ages, served as the Rabbinical Intern at the Community Synagogue of Rye, and, most recently, completed a unit of chaplaincy training at Lenox Hill Hospital. All of these rich experiences have continued to inspire her love of Jewish life in all its forms – whether in a field, a classroom, a Zoom box, a sanctuary, or even a hospital room, Lily loves bringing people together for learning and connection.

Lily grew up in Mamaroneck and graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and American Studies. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner Jacob and their pup Saul. She relaxes by reading fun novels and cooking up various permutations of pasta and cheese. She looks forward to learning and praying together and is especially excited to get to know (or reconnect with!) you. Rabbinic Intern, Lily Goldstein can be reached at lgoldstein@larchmonttemple.org.