Our Clergy
IRA Rosenfeld
Rabbi Ira brings a unique and refreshing perspective to the rabbinate through positivity and humor, engaging people of all ages from children to seniors.
He received his ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion-CA, a transdenominational seminary, where he had the opportunity to study with world-renown rabbis and scholars from all of the Jewish movements. Rabbi Ira served as Rabbi, Educator, and Program Director of the Historic Hollywood Temple Beth El where he was proud to be the spiritual leader of a shul with such deep roots in the Los Angeles community. He has also worked as the Pulpit Rabbi for Temple Ner Shalom in San Luis Obispo. At Congregation Beth Shalom in Santa Clarita, he was both Rabbi and Administrator. He served as the Interim Rabbi and Director of Adult Education at Temple Ramat Tzion in Northridge. In addition, he has worked as an educator at religious schools in various synagogues throughout Southern California.
In his first career, Rabbi Ira was a drummer, playing all genres of music. He then became a comic and performed in comedy clubs across the US and Canada. Rabbi Ira has also worked as an actor where he performed on TV, film, and stage. As well, he’s been featured in several national commercials. His well-rounded Jewish and performance experience allows him to bring to you and your family the best of what Judaism has to offer; a relevant form of Judaism meant to reach individuals and families of today. The most valuable message Rabbi Ira personifies is how to stay focused on all our blessings, while acknowledging the realities of suffering and injustice. When you are with Rabbi Ira, you will feel a renewed sense of connection with your Judaism, yourself, your family, and the world around you.
ALAN LACHTMAN
Rabbi Emeritus Alan Lachtman has been at the helm of Temple Beth David
since 1976.
He and his wife, Ellen, serve the congregation with warmth, dedication and a spirit of inclusion. Rabbi Lachtman is a Retired Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserves and has a degree in Marriage,
Family and Child Therapy. He teaches at the University of Judaism, American Jewish Committee and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and served as United States Army Chaplain for 29 years. And Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles honored Rabbi Lachtman with a Doctorate of Divinity in 1999.
Rabbi Lachtman says, “I hope that as we pass the baton and leadership roles to the next generation, they take part of the message, part of the values, part of the goals and dreams that were worked hard for and help to shape the future. We always look back, but we are not limited by the previous generation. I wasn’t limited by the previous generation,
although we had to fight to make our changes. Each generation puts its own stamp, its own mark, and its own emphasis on the coming generations.
I hope that the legacy we leave behind is a building block for the future.”
JOEY ANGEL-FIELD
Rabbi Joey Angel-Field received his bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from California State University at Long Beach, culminating a lifelong interest in interfaith dialogue.
Ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California. Joey is proud to serve Temple Beth David of the San Gabriel Valley, the congregation in which he grew up. From his youth as a ba’al tekiah (shofar blower), Joey has served the TBD community by doing everything from teaching to lay-leading services to singing in choirs to coordinating holiday events to eventually serving on the board of directors and various committees. He has educated and advised in religious, Hebrew and cultural schools and communities throughout Southern California and north, all the way to Seattle. Joey is very enthusiastic about his work at Adat Chaverim, Congregation for Humanistic Judaism teaching at the cultural school and assisting Cantor Jonathan Friedman.
Rabbi Joey serves as a spiritual caregiver, bringing people together, and giving them the space to explore their inner worlds and interconnectedness. He is exploring pulpits and growing his chaplaincy portfolio.
BETH WASSERMAN ROSENFELD
Cantor Beth comes to the cantorate from the Musical Theatre world. She brings to our liturgy many years of experience, first as an actress, and now as a cantor, teacher, wife, rebbetzin, and mother.
From the minute you hear her first note, you are taken to a higher spiritual place. Cantor Beth holds a BA and MA in Voice Performance from The American University. She has performed in such classics as A Chorus Line!, West Side Story, Can Can, Kiss Me Kate, Evita, and Oliver! with Davy Jones (z”l) from The Monkees. She was also a featured singer on Carnival Cruise Lines. After moving from show biz to “shul” biz, she spent 9 years at Kehillat Israel in Pacific Palisades with Cantor Chayim Frenkel, working in various capacities, and ultimately becoming the Hazzan Sheni (Assistant Cantor). It was there that she concertized with Cantor Frenkel and many other world-renown cantors including, Nathan Lam, Alberto Mizrahi, Meir Finkelstein, Don Gurney, Joseph Gole, and Mike Stein. She also had the honor of sharing the stage with Billy Crystal, Bob Saget (z”l), Dave Koz, and the LA Jewish Symphony at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Cantor Beth was the Cantor and Religious School Director for the Montecito Community Shul, working alongside Rabbi Arthur Gross-Schaefer. As well, she served as Cantor at Beth Shir Sholom in Santa Monica, where, with their temple band The TishTones, she performed for the televised event the 47th Annual Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Before founding Or Echad, Cantor Beth worked with Rabbi Ira at Congregation Beth Shalom in Santa Clarita. She has studied hazzanut with Cantor Nathan Lam, Hazzan Jeremy Lipton, and at the Ba’al Tefilla Institute. Her exquisite voice and soulful renderings of Jewish texts bring new depth and meaning to our people’s ancient prayers and blessings.
GITAI VINSHTOK
Gitai Vinshtok grew up in Reseda, California and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in 2017.
Studying composition in college, Gitai knows the power music has to communicate feelings and connect people across boundaries. After years as a private teacher, in 2019 he began working as the Music Specialist at OurSpace LA, a program in Encino, California for children and adults with special needs and unique abilities. He is also currently a song-leader at ETTA, a program for adults with special needs. In addition to singing Gitai plays guitar, piano, drums, and bass, and hopes to spread the light of music to enrich every corner of his expanding community.
STEVE BERMAN
Steve Berman is the Choir Director and High Holiday Cantor Soloist at Temple Beth David.
Bringing with him a lifetime of choral and cantorial experience, he says
it started as a family affair.
Steve’s parents were holocaust survivors, so his first language was Yiddish. His first singing gig was at an Orthodox Synagogue as a boy soprano in an all-male acapella High Holy Day Choir. His older brother Cantor/Rabbi Sam Berman, (Z’L) was a vested Reform Cantor and later an Orthodox Rabbi.
Steve received music and voice training at the University of the Arts with a Bachelor’s in Music Performance (Voice) and another Bachelor’s in Music Education. He’s also studied opera at UCLA, USC, CSUN & CSLB.
Steve has sung in operas, operettas, musicals and with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Zimriya Chorale, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Opera and the Philadelphia New Music Ensemble.
Fluent in English, German, French, Yiddish, a little Hebrew and Japanese, Steve brings an international flair to Temple Beth David.
MIKE SIROTA
Mike Sirota is pivotal in guiding our young learners through the sacred journey of becoming B’nai Mitzvah.
With his cantorial expertise, he teaches the intricacies of reading and chanting Hebrew and instills in
them a deep understanding of the significance behind their newfound abilities. Mike’s background in working with children on the autism spectrum sets him apart. His compassionate approach and specialized training ensure that every student, regardless of their individual needs, receives the support and guidance necessary to fully participate in and embrace their Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience.
Mike Sirota brings a unique blend of education and passion to our B’nai Mitzvah program at Temple Beth David. With credentials in Early Childhood Education and Ecology from UC Berkeley, his journey into
Jewish education is marked by dedication and expertise. Additionally, he serves as a cantorial soloist, lending his captivating voice to various temples across Los Angeles, enriching spiritual experiences throughout
the Jewish community.
Mike’s steadfast commitment to Jewish education and his knack for engaging our youth make him an essential part of our temple community.
Whether leading services or guiding our B’nai Mitzvah students, his dedication is evident, positively impacting those he teaches and mentors.
MICKEY ADELMAN
Michael (Mickey) Adelman is a favorite Temple Beth David Music Soloist and leads the “Kumzitz” Shabbat sing-along on the guitar”
Over the years, Mickey grew up attending TBD including Religious School and Bar Mitzah study. He’s also sung in the choir, helped out at Religious School, led Adult Ed talks, organized social events and served as TBD President from 2016 to 2020. Mickey works as an environmental engineer at Stantec and enjoys spending time with his wife Lindy and daughter Eden.