Past clergy

Throughout its 152-year history, Temple Sholom has been blessed with just a handful of rabbinical leaders. This stability of leadership has contributed to Temple Sholom’s ability to remain dedicated to a core set of values, with each rabbi passing onto the next leader the temple’s commitment to social justice, plurality, equality, and a history of interpreting Judaism through a modern-day lens. 

1867-1870: Rabbi Adolph Ollendorf z"l was the founding rabbi when, in 1867, a group of 32 Orthodox German immigrants established what was then known as North Chicago Hebrew Congregation, the first Jewish house of worship on Chicago’s Northside.  
 

1870-1898: Determined to practice their traditional faith in a new country, the congregation soon embraces the Jewish Reform movement, dedicated to combining ethical monotheism with modern sensibilities of pluralism and tolerance for others. 

Rabbi Aaron Norden z"l, a proponent of the movement, succeeds Rabbi Ollendorf. Adopting the prayer book Minhag America, Rabbi Norden leads the congregation in the expansion of a movement that will grow and evolve the next century and a half. 
 

1898-1936: After retiring from his rabbinical duties in 1898, Rabbi Norden is elected to the Illinois state legislature. Meanwhile, Rabbi Abram Hirshberg z"l succeeds Rabbi Norden and continues to advance the synagogue’s reputation as a spiritual, educational and cultural home to Reform Judaism on Chicago’s Northside. Rabbi Hirshberg’s tenure at the congregation would last 38 years and would be the only pulpit of his career. Among his many career-defining aspects of his career, in 1912, Rabbi Hirshberg became a founding member of Chicago Anti-Defamation League, deepening the congregation’s commitment to values of social justice and defense of immigration.  
 

1936-1974: Rabbi Hirschberg retires and is succeeded by Rabbi Louis Binstock z"l. Devoted to the classical Reform tradition of ethical and progressive Judaism, yet with a mandate to increase membership, Rabbi Binstock institutes a series of changes, including introducing the Union Prayer Book, replacing Friday night services with Sunday morning worship, dispensing with aliyot, incorporating orchestral and vocal musical accompaniment and expands the religious school curriculum. 
 

1974-1997: Following Rabbi Binstock’s death, Rabbi Frederick C. Schwartz z"l is appointed as senior rabbi. Embracing Reform Judaism’s new traditionalism and renewed pride in Jewish ethnicity, he guides the congregation toward stronger ties with the greater Jewish Community. Friday night Shabbat services are re-established with readings from Gates of Prayer. Services include more Hebrew language and greater member participation. Continuing education programs are established for adults and Temple Sholom takes the unprecedented steps of expanding the high school program through 12th grade.

1987-Current: In another instance of Temple Sholom’s progressivism, the synagogue hires Chicago’s first female Jewish clergy when Cantor Aviva Katzman joins Temple Sholom. Cantor Katzman’s mission was to create “a deep, lifetime connection with young people through music, so they feel at home and involved with the synagogue.” Cantor Katzman remains an active member of Temple Sholom’s clergy, serving as Cantor Emerita. 

1997-2012: Succeeding Rabbi Schwartz is Rabbi Aaron Petuchowski who emphasized pastoral relationships with congregants and collaboration with other members of the temple clergy. Expressing a mission to “open the building’s 18 doors,” Rabbi Petuchowski celebrates interfaith marriages and families and the LGBTQ community. A new Reform prayer book, Mishkan T’Filah, is adopted. 

2012-2019: Rabbi Edwin Goldberg becomes Temple Sholom’s seventh senior rabbi, and he brings the principles of relational Judaism to embrace, inspire and make temple members feel at home. His mission is to help the congregation meet the challenges of the 21st century and ensure it continues to grow in strength and influence the lives of its members and the community.  

Rabbi Goldberg presided over the creation of Mishkan HaNafesh, a High Holy Day prayer book for Reform Jews in America. While here, he also discovered that Temple Sholom was instrumental in bringing his mother out of Nazi Germany. 

2020-Current: In April of 2020, Temple Sholom went within its own ranks and named Rabbi Shoshanah Conover, a 14-year veteran of the synagogue and at the time an Associate Rabbi, its eighth Senior Rabbi in Temple Sholom’s 152-year-old history. Strongly dedicated to social justice, Torah and Talmudic teaching, and an ability to forge deep, personal relationships with all congregants, Senior Rabbi Conover brings a wisdom, passion, and sense of equality to the synagogue. She has already initiated several programs to make Temple Sholom an even more inclusive, diverse, sacred community to all who looking to find justice, peace, and plurality in the modern-day Reform Movement.