Meredith Kahan, Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Kahan began her Jewish life at Rockdale Temple, the daughter and granddaughter of longtime members. She earned her bachelor's degree in social work at The Ohio State University, and was thrilled to return home to Cincinnati for her rabbinical education at Hebrew Union College. She served Rockdale as Rabbinic Intern during her final two years at HUC, continuing her work with the congregation’s worship, music, youth, outreach and education programs, and of course, building relationships with Rockdale members. Rabbi Kahan was ordained from HUC in 2013, after completing her thesis focused on the use of sacred music in teaching children how to pray as Jews. Immediately following ordination, she began serving as Rockdale Temple’s Assistant Rabbi & Educator.
After seven years as Associate Rabbi & Educator, Rabbi Kahan served Rockdale Temple as Acting Senior Rabbi from May 2020 to March 2021, when she was elected the tenth Senior Rabbi of the congregation. She is deeply grateful for the many years of mentorship of Rabbi Sissy Coran, z"l.
Rabbi Kahan is a life-long lover of books and music, enjoys traveling, and can be found cheering on the Buckeyes year-round! Rabbi Kahan, her husband Sean, and their children feel blessed to be part of the Rockdale Temple family.
Click here to contact Rabbi Kahan.
Erin Binder, Assistant rabbi & Educator
Rabbi Binder was ordained in May 2021 from the New York campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and also holds a Master’s degree in Jewish Education from the College-Institute. She received her undergraduate degree from The George Washington University, and has a Master’s degree in International Development from New York University.
Rabbi Binder is from Austin, Texas, but spent her high school years in Cincinnati when her father was a rabbinical student at HUC and also served as Rockdale’s student intern. A graduate of Wyoming High School, her real home as a teenager was at Rockdale Temple where she was confirmed, served on the youth group board, and worked as a madricha in the religious school.
Her journey to the rabbinate included many years in youth group, URJ summer camp, Hillel, synagogue leadership, and lots of Jewish travel around the world. Her learning at HUC was enhanced by her internship at Larchmont Temple, the Bonnie and Daniel Tisch Rabbinic Fellowship, the iFellows program of the iCenter for Israel Education, a chaplaincy internship at Mount Sinai/Beth Israel Hospital, and her leadership of the HUC Soup Kitchen. Rabbi Binder’s rabbinic thesis was entitled The Role of Women in Leadership: Case Studies from the Early Prophets.
Rabbi Binder is thrilled to be (re)joining the Rockdale Temple community.
Click here to contact Rabbi Binder.
Emily Dana, RAbbinic Intern
Emily Dana is a 4th year rabbinical student at the Cincinnati Campus of HUC-JIR. Before attending HUC, she grew up in the Chicago suburbs and graduated from Brandeis University.
She is currently a member of the Student Ministrations Committee and serves as the Secretary of the Rabbinical Student Association. Emily has just finished her first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education after completing a year as the Student Rabbi for Temple Israel in Paducah, KY.
In her spare time, Emily loves playing with her cat, Hercules, embroidering, and doing disability advocacy work. We welcome Emily to Rockdale Temple for the 2022–23/5783 year!
Click here to contact Emily.
Mark N. Goldman, D.d., Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Goldman served as the 9th Senior Rabbi at Rockdale Temple from 1986 to 2004. Ordained in 1967, Rabbi Goldman served as U.S. Army Chaplain at Fort Hood, Texas during the Vietnam War; Assistant Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, New York City; Chaplain of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; and Rabbi at Temple Sinai, Lawrence, New York. Rabbi Goldman has served on the boards of Caracole House, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and has been President of the Greater Cincinnati Board of Rabbis. Rabbi Goldman served on the Race Relations Council of Greater Cincinnati, is active in interfaith work, and received the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Spirit Award in 2004. From 2004-2013, Rabbi Goldman served the congregation of Temple Bet Yam in St. Augustine, Florida.
