Our Rabbi and Cantor

Rabbi Chava E. Koster, the first woman from the Netherlands to be ordained a rabbi, is The Village Temple's rabbi. Prior to this, she was Associate Rabbi at Temple B'nai Abraham in Livingston, New Jersey. Rabbi Koster studied at the Academy for Jewish Religion and was ordained in 1997. She was awarded her "Doctoraal" degree in English Historical Linguistics by the University of Amsterdam in 1986 and a Masters Degree in Jewish Studies and Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1993. She also earned a fellowship at the Melton Center for Research in Jewish Education in New York that same year.

Commitment to community outreach and Jewish education have been the dominant themes in Rabbi Koster's work. She is a representative to the United Nations International Clergy Committee and the American Jewish Committee. As past Director of Columbia University's Uriel Weinreich Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture, Rabbi Koster is a leading voice in the promulgation of Eastern European Culture. She has been a member of the Dutch Committee for Interfaith Affairs and is a lifetime member of the Spiro Institute, London, UK.

As a spiritual leader, Rabbi Koster believes that for a congregation to become a truly spiritual community, the emphasis needs to be on learning, spiritual growth and social action coupled with warmth and caring because the vibrancy, excitement and ownership of these elements will enable all members, regardless of their knowledge and observance, to be inspired to find even greater depths of meaning within Judaism.

In May, 2008, Rabbi Koster was one of 18 Rabbi's selected nationwide to participate in the Star Foundations new initiative, "From Good to Great." STAR Rabbis: From Good to Great is the first initiative to explore excellence in leadership with rabbis who have at least 10 years experience. We are very proud of our Rabbi for being selected to participate in the Star Foundation's pretigious program.

Cantor Faith Steinsnyder was born in Philadelphia, raised in Miami, and received her training in Indiana and New York.  Her mentors and coaches include Hazzanim Jacob Mendelson, Moshe Ganchoff and Max Wohlberg.  She was the first woman invited to teach traditional cantorial repertoire at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and at New York’s Academy for Jewish Religion.  She currently serves on the faculties of the H. L. Miller Cantorial School of JTS, and the School of Sacred Music of HUC-JIR. 

Cantor Steinsnyder has served Conservative and Reform congregations from Maryland to Massachusetts.  She recently received a Doctor of Music, honoris causa, from HUC-JIR.  She has appeared in cantorial concerts across North America, the Netherlands, Poland and Curacao, and has performed operatic roles with companies in the New York City area.  She is a member of the Mantua Singers, an a cappella ensemble dedicated to Jewish music, conducted by Matthew Lazar, and she teaches voice each summer at the North American Jewish Choral Festival.

Voted among the top ten Jewish female singers by Moment Magazine and Jewish Women Magazine, her recordings include Nishmat Chayim and Made in America, by Michael Isaacson,The Birthday of the World, with the Western Wind Vocal Ensemble and Leonard Nimoy, and the title role in Stephen Richards’ opera, The Ballad of Ruth, with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.  The New York Times praised her performance at Carnegie Hall and her recordings with the Western Wind as “stunning”.  Current projects include a recording of duets with husband, Cantor David Perper. Faith is honored and thrilled to be here at The Village Temple.  She loves teaching, and she welcomes each opportunity to prepare Torah readers and prayer leaders of all ages!