We are honored to welcome Rabbi Jennifer Weiner as our Interim Rabbi beginning July 1, 2025. With warmth, wisdom, and a deep commitment to community, Rabbi Weiner brings over two decades of experience guiding congregations through times of growth, healing, and transition.
Ordained in 1996 by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), Rabbi Weiner also holds a Master’s in Jewish Educational Leadership and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) in recognition of 25 years of service to the Jewish people. She is a proud graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University.
Most recently, Rabbi Weiner has served as an Intentional Interim Rabbi through the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), specializing in supporting congregations during times of change. In Baltimore, she led the historic merger of Har Sinai and Oheb Shalom congregations, helping them transition successfully to new settled clergy. She then served Temple Emanu-El in Honolulu, Hawai’i – at the time, the only URJ congregation in the islands – where she bridged the congregation’s past and future with care and vision.
Rabbi Weiner’s rabbinate is deeply rooted in Jewish learning, social justice, and spiritual presence. A lifelong activist, she served as a rabbinic legislative assistant at the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C., and continues to advocate for human rights, interfaith dialogue, and community partnership. She is a founding member of the Women’s Interfaith Ministerial group of Prince William County and has received multiple awards for her service, including the Prince William County Human Rights Award and ARZA’s Prize in Educational Programming about Israel.
In addition to congregational leadership, Rabbi Weiner has proudly served our country in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Candidate Corps and as a police chaplain in Northern Virginia. She is known for her calm presence, thoughtful systems leadership, and ability to help organizations find clarity, stability, and renewed purpose.
Rabbi Weiner is joined by her husband, Jeffrey Sachs, their two children, Aaron and Micah, and two beloved dogs, Ruby and Oliver. She is excited to get to know the Beth El community – sharing in life’s sacred moments, exploring Jewish learning together, and helping guide our congregation with compassion and care during this season of transition.
We are thrilled to have Cantor Jason Kaufman serving Beth El Hebrew Congregation, where he has brought soulful music, deep Jewish commitment, and spirited leadership since 2013.
A gifted vocalist and passionate spiritual leader, Cantor Kaufman is known for his ability to blend tradition with creativity, using music to bring people closer to Jewish life and to one another. His annual concerts have not only uplifted the community, but also raised funds for causes including the URJ Racial Justice Campaign, HIAS, and Beth El’s Civic Engagement Campaign.
Cantor Kaufman’s service to the Jewish people has taken him from New York to New Orleans, Chicago, and even Melbourne, Australia. His early training included a cantorial internship at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ synagogue.
In addition to his congregational work, Cantor Kaufman is a respected national leader, currently serving as Vice President of Organizational Relationships for the American Conference of Cantors, and as Vice Chair of the URJ Commission on Social Action.
His commitment to justice continues to guide his work in both the synagogue and the wider Reform movement and Jewish world.
A dedicated runner and avid traveler, Cantor Kaufman brings the same energy to his personal passions as he does to his cantorate.
Cantor Kaufman has run 14 marathons, including the Chicago Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, and the Walt Disney World Marathon. He holds the distinction of being a six-time Dopey Challenge Finisher at World Disney World, which entails completing a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Full marathon (totaling 48.6 miles) over the course of 4 days.
He lives in Alexandria with his husband, Alexandria City Councilman Kirk McPike. He is excited to continue enriching the spiritual life of Beth El through music, connection, and purpose.
Education & Ordination
Selected Awards & Recognition
Professional & Community Involvement
Rabbi Brett Isserow served as Senior Rabbi of Beth El Hebrew Congregation from 2001 until his retirement in 2018. Now Rabbi Emeritus, he continues to be an enduring presence in the life of the congregation he considers home.
Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Rabbi Isserow’s path to the rabbinate began not in childhood, but as a deeply personal journey in adulthood. Originally trained and working as a Chartered Accountant, he reconnected with Judaism through involvement in a Reform congregation, where his growing love for Jewish life and learning led him to pursue rabbinic ordination. He was ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion after studying in both Jerusalem and Cincinnati, where he also met his wife, Jinny.
Before coming to Beth El, Rabbi Isserow served for eleven years as Assistant and then Associate Rabbi at The Temple in Atlanta. His rabbinate has been marked by a deep love for the Jewish people, a strong commitment to building sacred community, and a gift for pastoral care and teaching.
At Beth El, Rabbi Isserow fostered a spirit of warmth, meaning, and inclusivity. He also played an active role in the broader community through interfaith work, hospital ethics committees, and Jewish communal leadership.
Rabbi Isserow and Jinny are the proud parents of Anna and Jesse. His enduring answer to the call to serve the Jewish people remains a heartfelt and unwavering “Yes!”
Education & Ordination
Professional & Community Involvement
Liz Bayer serves as Executive Director of Beth El Hebrew Congregation, bringing extensive experience in non-profit management, synagogue leadership, and design operations. She is known for her strengths in strategic planning, community engagement, and building secure, welcoming spaces.
Liz began her career in retail, holding leadership roles at Crate & Barrel stores in Minnesota, Chicago, and Virginia, including seven years as Store Manager. She later served as Executive Director of Congregation Adat Reyim for seven years, where she also oversaw the religious school and led initiatives such as the Create A Jewish Legacy Endowment Fund and a full communications system overhaul.
A former lay leader, Liz held multiple board roles at Adat Reyim, including President and Preschool Chair. As Preschool Chair, she developed and implemented a business plan that transformed the preschool into a successful revenue source.
Liz has secured over $1 million in Homeland Security grants and $200,000 in state funding to improve synagogue safety and infrastructure. She also co-founded 202 Consulting, a DC-based firm specializing in nonprofit growth and leveraging third party relationships for business advocacy. Her work included serving as lead consultant to the Congressional Commission on the American Museum of Women’s History, authoring a major fundraising study that supported the museum’s approval by Congress.
In 2024, Liz graduated from the FBI Citizens Academy, deepening her understanding of public safety and community resilience.
She lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, with her husband, Jeremy. They are proud parents of Karley and Ethan, and share their home with two Portuguese Water Dogs and a Sun Conure.
Education
Professional & Community Involvement
Dan Swartz serves as the Education Director at Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia. He brings to the role a lifelong love of Jewish music and community, having grown up at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie, Illinois, where he later became a religious school teacher (3rd, 4th, and 7th grades), music teacher and shaliach tzibur. Today, he continues to share that passion by writing Jewish music and playing guitar with the children at Beth El.
Dan’s professional background spans both Jewish and secular education. Before entering synagogue education, he spent over two decades in public education, serving as curriculum coordinator, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent in the northern suburbs of Illinois. He is known for his leadership in curriculum development, educational equity, and community engagement.
Dan is currently pursuing an Executive Master’s in Jewish Education through Hebrew Union College’s EMA program. He is also deeply committed to diversity and educational leadership, as reflected in his involvement with several statewide and national organizations.
Dan lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Marsha, and their daughters, Sophie and Emily. Their home is also shared with two beloved rescue dogs, Lily and Rosie.
Education
Professional & Community Involvement
