Rabbi Amiel Tuvia Monson, Rabbi in Residence
Rabbi Joshua L. Segal, Visiting Rabbi
Rabbi Segal is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Betenu, Amherst, NH, where he served for 30-years, ending in 2013. He is at least the 4th generation of Segal-family rabbis.
Rabbi Segal was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, OH. He also holds a doctorate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Engineering. He made most of his living as an engineer, working from 1973 to 2007 for the Mitre Corporation.
Since 2022, he has been the “Visiting Rabbi” of Beth Shalom, serving the community for the High Holy days.
In retirement, he has become a known expert in the field of Jewish Cemeteries, having published many books on the subject. His best known is A field Guide to Visiting a Jewish Cemetery. His entire bibliography can be found on the web at CemeteryJewish.com.
He is also well known in the world of skiing. In addition to being active as a Ski Patroller, he was also a certified Alpine Ski Instructor for 40 years and offers an on-slope course titled, Skiing Using the Terminology of Jewish Mysticism.
Joshua Segal has two grown children and is married to Karen Satz.
Dr. Chanan Markowitz, Rabbi Emeritus
Dr. Chanan Markowitz is the rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth Shalom and the immediate past president of the Capital District Board of Rabbis. A native of Buffalo, he joined our synagogue on July 1, 2007 after serving for a number of years as “rabino,” the community rabbi in Campinas, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Rabbi emeritus Markowitz earned his doctorate from The Chicago Theological Seminary, which is affiliated with the University of Chicago. He holds rabbinical ordinations from Rabbi Dr. Moses Jacob Burack, Chancellor of Ner Israel Yeshiva Rabbinical College of Toronto, Canada and the late Rabbi Nison Lipa Alpert, Rosh Kollel L’Horrah at The Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Markowitz is also a trained Cantor. His late father, Hazzan Moshe Markowitz, served for 27 years as Cantor at Ahavas Achim Synagogue in Buffalo, NY.
Dr. Markowitz was the Founding Dean and Professor of Instituto de Bioethica do Brasil (The Brazilian Institute of Medical Ethics) and Sociedade de Maimonides do Brasil (The Maimonides Society of Brazil).
Rabbi emeritus Markowitz is warm, compassionate, and experienced. He is a wonderful speaker and preacher who easily helped us to laugh, cry, and learn. He was readily available for counseling, ritual support, and any other consultation or conversation. His beautiful and strong cantorial voice has enriched the beauty of our Shabbat and Holiday services. He devoted personal attention to the needs and the inspiration of each family and individual, reaching out to people of all ages with warmth and love. He was well respected and a much sought lecturer in the capital district Jewish community as well as in numerous interfaith settings.
Rabbi emeritus Markowitz encouraged both Jewish and interfaith couples, families and singles to worship and join our synagogue, including families with children. Rabbi emeritus Markowitz was available to tutor children as well as adults in our synagogue. A customized instruction plan was jointly developed to meet educational objectives.
Rabbi emeritus Markowitz held his popular periodic adult education classes and lectures on contemporary Jewish perspectives and issues in Jewish medical ethics and on many other fascinating topics on a weekly basis.
We wish Rabbi emeritus Markowitz best wishes on his retirement in Chicago.