Clergy and Staff

Rabbi Naftali Hirsch, Director of Congregational Learning

Lynn Kaminski, Director of Shalom Corner Early Learning Center

Lynn (she/her) was thrilled to be selected as the first director of Shalom Corner, and she loves the staff and families in our growing program. She takes pride in the fact that all of the staff are returning to teach here this fall.  It says something very important about the positive energy and collaboration of the team at Shalom Corner!

Prior to her work at Shalom Corner, Lynn was a Kindergarten teacher in the Wellesley Public Schools for twenty-seven years. She earned her Director 1 and Director 2 licenses from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care while teaching. Lynn's passion for early education dates from her days as a babysitter and camp counselor in her hometown of Huntington, NY, to a B.A. and an M.A.T. in Child Development from Tufts University. While at Tufts, she worked at the Eliot-Pearson Laboratory School, the Tufts Educational Day Care Center, and at the Open Center for Children in Somerville. During her years in Wellesley, Lynn developed curriculum in many areas focusing on diversity and inclusion. Supporting learning through play is at the core of her educational philosophy. Returning to the foundation for life and school success, she knows that what happens at Shalom Corner is a predictor for children’s success in elementary school and beyond.

Lynn and her husband David have been Westwood residents and members of Temple Beth David for over twenty years. Their children, Shira and Meyer, are also part of the Temple Beth David family.

Click here to email Lynn.

Jen Wolf, Administrative Assistant 

Jen is very excited to be welcomed into the Temple Beth David community. She grew up in Lexington in the Reform Jewish world in NFTY and URJ Eisner Camp. As a theatre major from Goucher College, Jen has a passion for musical theatre and has acted, directed, stage managed, and designed many performances in the Boston and Baltimore areas. Prior to coming to TBD, Jen was a preschool teacher at Solomon Schechter of Greater Boston’s preschool program, Gan Shelanu, where she was in the classroom during the year as well as a lead teacher during the summer program. Jen worked as the Drama Specialist at Camp Grossman, working with kids on improvisational skills, movement, spatial awareness, and having the confidence to perform in front of peers. Jen lives with her husband, two daughters, and puppy in Medfield. Jen lends support as a teacher in Shalom Corner. 

Click here to email Jen.

Miriam Abrams, Administrative Assistant 

Miriam Abrams (she/her) grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, and spent a number of summers attending Camp Grossman, nearby in Westwood. She graduated from Smith College with a degree in Jewish Studies, where she was co-chair of the Smith College Jewish Community. Previously, Miriam worked as an Oral History Intern at the Jewish Women's Archive, and as a Research Assistant at the Hadassah Brandeis Institute, conducting research on Argentinean Yiddish theater in the early 20th century. In her free time, she enjoys reading, knitting, watching bike races, and playing musical instruments (fife, flute, tinwhistle, and ukulele).

Sarah Pollack, Rabbinic Intern

Sarah Pollack (she/her) is currently a Shanah Hey (5th year) Rabbinical Student at Hebrew College and is honored to be serving at TBD as the Rabbinic Intern this year. She grew up in Florida and now lives in Cambridge with her wife, Elana, and their son, Avri. As a child, Sarah felt a strong sense of Jewish identity but lacked formal ways to articulate her spiritual yearning. She immersed herself in Jewish life at The University of Florida (Go gators!) while pursuing a BA in Forensic Anthropology. After spending a summer in Uganda as part of a volunteer program with AJWS and a semester abroad at the University of Haifa, Sarah was eager to continue her exploration of Judaism and Jewish Peoplehood. She moved to Jerusalem, where she spent two years learning at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, first as the Social Justice Fellow, and then on the Judaism and Conflict Resolution track. As a Pardes Fellow, Sarah organized volunteer opportunities and facilitated community- building programming. Her professional journey started at Encounter Programs, Inc., where she spent the next four years exploring the ways that Jewish American professionals and lay leadership engage with Palestinians. Before enrolling at Hebrew College, Sarah worked for Honeymoon Israel as the Director of Community Engagement, empowering young Jewish families to explore their relationships to Jewish community and identity.

Rabbi Micah Citrin, Adjunct Rabbi

Originally from Albuquerque, NM and a graduate of the University of Oregon, Rabbi Micah Citrin (he/him) was ordained from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in 2005, and holds a Master’s Degree in Jewish Education from the HUC-JIR Rhea Hirsch School of Education. Rabbi Micah served as Associate Rabbi at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, CA, and Director of Community Life and Learning at Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto, CA. Rabbi Micah worked with the clergy team at Peninsula Temple Beth El for three years in San Mateo, CA as Rabbi/Educator, especially focusing on teen engagement. 

Along with Rabbi Karen, Rabbi Micah served as Co-Senior Rabbi at Temple Israel in Tulsa, OK from 2013-2016. They served together as Co-Rabbis and Co-Educators at Temple Beth David from 2016-2021. Rabbi Micah is currently a Jewish Studies teacher at Gann Academy. Rabbi Micah’s interests include running, playing guitar, singing, reading, and being outdoors. Rabbi Micah continues to offer music on the bima during Shabbat and holidays, and teach in our teen program and Shorashim. 

Michael McLaughlin, Music Director & Pianist

Michael McLaughlin wears many hats in the Boston music scene. He has been part of the
Klezmer and Jewish music world since 1995 as a performer, arranger and composer for
The Shirim Klezmer Orchestra, and Naftule's Dream, more, recently with Klezwoods and
the Yaeko Miranda Quintet, while working with many more. In the jazz/improv world,
McLaughlin is performing evocative, original music for The Tall Tale Trio, and you will
find him playing accordion with some of the most talented “roots” and Americana
musicians in Boston with Josh Lederman and the CSARS, or the jazz funk rock
instrumental group Le Prestige at some of Boston’s finest breweries. He recently released
his first solo rock album Sydney River Sky under the moniker The Myller Mayr. McLaughlin holds a D.M.A in Music Composition from the New England Conservatory (’09), a MA in Music Composition from Tufts University, and a BM from Berklee College of Music. He was a recipient of a Mass Cultural Council Artist Grant award in composition. His works have been performed by The Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Trio Capriccio and the Chameleon Arts Ensemble, and can be heard on Tzadik Records, Newport Classics, Ryko Disc and more. He directs the Tufts klezmer ensemble, The Jumbo Knish Factory where he teaches courses in musicianship and theory. Michael looks forward to joining for his ninth High Holy Days at Temple Beth David.