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Rabbi Michael Fel

Originally from Miami, Florida, Rabbi Fel earned a bachelor's degree in Business from the University of Miami. He went on to receive his ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary where he learned as a Schusterman Rabbinic Fellow and earned a Master's Degree in Midrash and Scriptural Interpretation from the Graduate School.

Rabbi Fel loves connecting with people and building relationships between different segments of the Jewish community. During his 8 years at Temple Emunah, Rabbi Fel produced over 200 Shabbat videos garnering over 85,000 views allowing congregants to connect to the shul, created the Inclusion Committee to raise awareness about inclusion, earning Temple Emunah recognition as one of the original Ruderman Synagogue Inclusion Program congregations, established Emunah Explorers, a day-time programming initiative connecting retirees, stay-at-home-parents, and others through daytrips, lunches, and social programs, and developed the Next Dor Corps program, encouraging post-b’nei mitzvah students to stay involved by reading Torah, leading religious services, and volunteering in communal programs.

Rabbi Fel enjoys cooking, woodworking, creating and playing percussion instruments, exploring the outdoors, and speaking Spanish (his family is from Argentina). 

He is married to Shayna (past NERUSY president), and together they rear three adorable kids: Nadav, Eliana, and Lior.

Ask Me About:
>>Adult Education
>>Life-cycle events
>>"Spiritual check-ins"

Email Rabbi Fel

Cantor Dr. Brian J. Mayer
Hazzan

Cantor Dr. Brian Mayer, Cantor of Temple Emanu-El since 1989, was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1988 and earned his Doctor of Sacred Music degree from JTS in 1998. He has established a Temple music department that includes three choirs, The Shabbat Chai Band and a klezmer band. With these ensembles, he produced the Temple’s first CD recording, Kolot Emanu-El. In 2002, he was featured in an ABC-TV documentary, “To God’s Ear,” which was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 2009, he was the Artistic Director of the award winning Shining Through Broken Glass: A Kristallnacht Concert, which featured Leonard Nimoy. He is a 21 year veteran conductor for HaZamir, The International Jewish Teen Choir. He has conducted HaZamir at Carnegie Hall, The Metropolitan Opera House, David Geffen Hall and Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 1992, he founded the Temple Emanu-El Torah Tutor Program which engages over 20 post Bar/Bat Mitzvah teens as mentors and tutors. He is a recognized scholar of Hazzanut (cantorial music), and is an adjunct Associate Professor of Jewish Music at Hebrew College. Prior to his appointment at Hebrew College, he taught for 14 years at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York as Assistant Professor of Hazzanut.

Cantor Mayer is married to Cantor Lynn Torgove, and is the proud father of four red-headed musicians, David, Raphael, Daniel and Jonah.

Ask Me About:
>>Learning how to chant Torah
>>Arts Emanu-El Programs
>>B'nei Mitzvah Program

Email Cantor Mayer

Rabbi Wayne M. Franklin
Senior Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Wayne Franklin, Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El from 1981-2019, is a native of Wharton, Texas. He is a 1965 graduate of Yeshiva University and was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1970. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the Seminary in 1996. In addition to his pastoral duties, leading services and teaching aspects of Judaism to people of all ages, he has served as chair of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of RI and has chaired the Rhode Island Interfaith Commemoration of the Holocaust for thirty-four years. He is a member of the Miriam Hospital's Ethics Committee and its Jewish Traditions Advisory Committee. He chaired the Mayor's Task Force Youth Engagement and has been a leader in various interfaith endeavors, including the Rhode Island Rabbis and Priests Dialogue and The Abrahamic Accord. He currently co-chairs the RI Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Group. He was a member of the Providence Faith, Community, and Law Enforcement Leaders Dialogue Group, which worked to build understanding and trust among members of the law enforcement community, the faith community and the community at large. He serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the National Council of Synagogues, a multi-denominational Jewish group which engages in interfaith dialogue with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Council of Churches. In addition to his leadership at Temple Emanu-El, he maintains contact with a group of African Jews in Abuja, Nigeria. He was the first recipient of the Jewish Federation’s Tilles Award. In 2003, he received the Jewish Federation's Never Again Award, and in 2004, he received the NCCJ Interfaith Leadership Award. In 2017, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Providence College. In 2018, he received the Joseph W. Ress Community Service Award, presented by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, and has been named the recipient of the Honorary Chairs’ Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities.

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Rabbi Alvan H. Kaunfer
Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Alvan H. Kaunfer is a Rabbi Emeritus at Temple Emanu-El, after serving the Temple and Jewish Community for 33 years. Rabbi Kaunfer continues his special interest in education by teaching a weekly Parashah class, Hebrew group, and continuing his research in midrash. In addition, Rabbi Kaunfer serves as an educational consultant to a number of schools. Rabbi Kaunfer was also the founding Director of the Alperin Schechter Day School in Providence. He is a graduate of Brandeis University , Teachers’ College of Columbia University, and he was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, from which institution he also holds a Doctoral degree in Education. Rabbi Kaunfer has published articles on education and on midrash in several professional journals and books.  Rabbi Kaunfer is married to Marcia Lapidus Kaunfer and he has two sons, Elie and Oren and six grandchildren.