Rabbi Vanessa Harper is passionate about facilitating creative, joyful, and meaningful Jewish learning and living for people of all ages. Currently the Director of Jewish Studies at the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, she has served as a Jewish educator for preschoolers through adults in various capacities over the last twenty years, including most recently as Rabbi and Senior Director of Adult Learning at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA. Rabbi Harper was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 2021, where she also received a Masters in Hebrew Literature and numerous recognitions for leadership and academic achievement. She is the author of Loaves of Torah: Exploring the Jewish Year through Challah; a book based upon her long-time education project @lechlechallah, which uses challah as an artistic medium for interpreting and teaching Torah and the Jewish calendar. Rabbi Harper is married to Cantor Josh Rosenberg, and is proud to be a member of the Anshe Emet community.
David Schwartz has worn many kippot at Anshe Emet: Youth services leader, Religious School teacher, Bernard Zell teacher, Shireinu singer, YAD co-chair, Az Yashir committee member, Religious School parent for Shira, Torah reader in the Sanctuary, and Rose Crown member (that’s where he met and married Miriam). David also is the Education Director at Har Zion, where he teaches an online adult ed class that many Anshe Emet people come to — ask him about it!
Rav. Jonathan Posner is the rabbi of the Anna & Fred Doppelt Base Andersonville, part of Silverstein Base Chicago, and a proud Chicagoan. Ordained by JTS in New York, Rav Jonathan returned to Chicago in 2021 to grow the Base community. Jonathan’s rabbinate is built upon delicious food, a love of Torah, and a commitment to radical hospitality to serve Jews of all stripes. Prior to Base, he has worked with Congregation Rodfei Zedek in Hyde Park, Mishkan Chicago, the Park Slope Jewish Center, and BBYO. Rav Jonathan has also studied under Rabbi Benay Lappe of SVARA, a queer-oriented, “traditionally radical” yeshiva based in Chicago. Rav Jonathan and his family are enthusiastic members of the AES community.
