Directory of Professional Staff
Senior Rabbi H. David Rose Email

Rabbi H. David Rose, a native of Toronto, Canada, was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1983.  He served pulpits in Tampa, Florida and Mercer Island, Washington before coming to Har Shalom in 2001.  He holds a Bachelors from Columbia University in Economics and a Bachelors in Talmud and a Masters of Hebrew Letters from JTS.  He has received training in issues pertaining to domestic abuse and substance abuse.  Rabbi Rose serves on the Rabbinical Assembly Membership Committee and is a member of the Chancellor's Cabinet of JTS.  Rabbi Rose especially enjoys the teaching and pastoral elements of the rabbinate.  He is married to Natalie Merkur Rose and is the father of Avi and Zev.

Rabbi Risa F. Weinstein Email

Rabbi Risa Weinstein, a graduate of the Zeigler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, was ordained in May 2007. She holds a Bachelors degree from Wellesley College in Judaic Studies and History, and a Masters in Rabbinic Studies from the University of Judaism. She has worked with college students as a rabbinic intern with KOACH, the Conservative movement’s college outreach program, and with congregants of all ages as an intern at a Long Beach, California synagogue. She also brings to Har Shalom her enthusiasm for helping others make meaningful connections to Judaism in ways that also reflect each person’s individual needs and personal interests. She is married to Jonathan Levine.


Hazzan HenriqueOzur Bass Email

Hazzan Henrique Ozur Bass was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1989, he left his native Brazil to study at the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, graduating in 1995. In addition to his studies at the JTSA, Hazzan Ozur Bass studied voice privately under Thomas Lomonaco and Thomas Cultice in New York.
Hazzan Ozur Bass came to Congregation Har Shalom in 1996 after serving several congregations in Brazil, Israel, and the United States. He is a member of the Cantors Assembly and American Society of Jewish Music. Hazzan Ozur Bass is married to Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass. They have two boys, Avichai and Kalman, and a daughter, Bayla.

Executive Director Michael L. Simmons FSA,ATz Email

Michael L. Simmons, a native of Boston, attended Northeastern University (and Boston’s Hebrew College, the University of Tel Aviv, and the Jewish Theological Seminary Machina Program) and holds a B.A in Government & Community Relations and a Masters of Public Administration (MPA). Between 1976 and 1991, he served in Senior Administration and MIS positions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Service and was an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern University Graduate School (Public Budgeting and Finance) and Lesley College Graduate School (Computers and MIS).
Michael has served as Executive Director of the West End Synagogue in Nashville, Tennessee, and Temple B’nai Aviv in Weston (Ft. Lauderdale), Florida prior to coming to Congregation Har Shalom in 1999. He serves as Vice President of the North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE), and is a Past President of the Mid-Atlantic Temple and Synagogue Administrators Association (MATSAA). Michael is certified as a Fellow in Synagogue Administration (FSA) by NAASE, and is the 4th Executive Director to be commissioned as an Amin Tzibur (ATz), “one who faithfully devotes oneself to the ministration of the community and the rebuilding of Eretz Yisrael,” by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), the North American Association of Synagogue Executives (NAASE), and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ).

Director of Early Childhood Education - Binnie Spiegel Email

Binnie Spiegel has spent over twenty-five years educating young children: working as a teacher, preschool director, teacher trainer, parent educator and educational advocate. From 2001-06, Ms. Spiegel was the Director of Early Childhood Education at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, where she supervised the Parenting Center, the preschool, kindergarten and the preschool summer camp. While at the JCC, she started the preschool inclusion program for children with special needs. Ms. Spiegel also worked as Principal of Bethesda Country Day School and Director of Early Childhood and Family Education at Kehilat Shalom in Montgomery Village. Most recently, she worked as a private educational consultant assisting parents of children with special needs to find appropriate placement for their children and providing support during IEP and Evaluation Meetings. Her goals for this year at Har Shalom are to create greater visibility and awareness in the community of Har Shalom’s outstanding preschool, and to educate the parents and the community about Har Shalom’s Reggio Emilia-inspired Judaic curriculum which is based on cutting-edge research for best practices in early childhood education.

Youth Director / USY Advisor Arielle Gould Email

Originally from Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, Arielle earned a Bachelor’s in History and a Masters in Education from The George Washington University. While attending GW, Arielle was an active member of GW Hillel, mentor for incoming freshman, and organized and planned events for the National Honors Society ( Phi Sigma Pi). Arielle has worked with children of all ages and has tutored elementary and high school students.

Director of Education - Mindy Blonder Email

Mindy returns to her position after thirteen years, spent as a Hebrew - Judaic Principal, a Day School Director, and a Hebrew High School Director, from Connecticut to California and back to D.C. She holds a Masters Degree in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary, an Education Specialist degree from George Washington University, and has begun doctoral work in Educational Leadership. She has a wide range of experience in both formal and informal Jewish Education. Mindy is also a paralegal, social worker and certified mediator. She is the mother of Ari, who is in the Confirmation Class at Har Shalom this year.

Librarian - Carol Witt Email

Carol and her husband joined Har Shalom in 1971 and Carol immediately volunteered to start a library. Since then, the library has grown from about 30 volumes to well over 10,000, including over 2,000 titles for children. Over time, as the library space grew, space was set aside for a library office, and Carol joined the staff as Har Shalom’s librarian. Har Shalom's library is not only accredited by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) but recently received awards from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for excellence in library programming and for its new on-line library catalog. The library was also granted a meritorious citation from the Jewish Book Council. A long-time member of the AJL, Carol served for several years on their Sydney Taylor Children’s Book Award Committee. Carol received a BA in Personnel Administration from the University of Maryland and then worked at the CIA in its Office of Assessment and Evaluation.