Our Educators
Rabbi Phyllis Sommer, Director of Congregational Learning
Rabbi Phyllis Sommer served Am Shalom as Associate Rabbi since 2003, and became Director of Congregational Learning in 2014. She is a native of Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2003, and in addition to Am Shalom has served congregations in New Iberia, Louisiana and Billings, Montana.
Rabbi Phyllis is passionate about Jewish life and learning... and baking... and technology... and reading... and quilting... and posting regular (!) updates on Facebook... and pretty much everything! She spends part of every summer on faculty at Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute, where she also leads a well-attended spring quilting retreat for adults. She has blogged the Exodus at rabbiphyllis.blogspot.com, and the ins-and-outs of balancing her life as Rabbi, wife, and mother of four as Ima On and Off the Bima: Real-Life Jewish Parenting and Living (imabima.blogspot.com).
Rabbi Anne Persin, Associate Director of Education
Rabbi Anne Persin joined Am Shalom as Associate Director of Education in 2017. She has been teaching Hebrew School and tutoring B'nai Mitzvah students with Am Shalom since 2013. Rabbi Persin was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2003, and has previously served as a Rabbi, Education Consultant and more at a variety of different congregations.
Rabbi Persin is an amazing teacher and educator who we are proud to add to our team at Am Shalom. Nothing excites her more than when she sees the lightbulb go off over someone’s head or when someone is truly transformed by a new understanding from information that she was able to share with them! She has a passion for Judaism and Am Shalom and aids in running our religious school, our redesigned 6th grade curriculum, Hebrew School and more!
Email Rabbi Persin or call her at 847.835.4800 ext. 304
Kadi House, Director of Youth Engagement
Kadi House moved to Chicago from her native Los Angeles in 2014, after a year spent teaching English in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Her passions for Jewish identity formation and youth education have grown year after year through her involvement at Temple Menorah (Redondo Beach, CA) and her summers on staff at URJ Camps Newman and Kalsman. Kadi graduated with a B.A. in Psychology in 2012 from UCLA. Kadi is so excited to bring her love of music and creativity to the Am Shalom community, where she is now very much at home.
Email Kadi or call her at 847.835.4800 ext. 303
Danny Marsh, Youth Programs Associate
Danny moved to Chicago from Indianapolis in June 2019 after spending two years living in Indianapolis working for Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity as an Educational Leadership Consultant. An Arizona native, his passion for helping students discover who they are and realize their potential stem from his involvement in various non-profit organizations and camps such as Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, the Swift Youth Foundation and Camp Daisy and Harry Stein. Danny graduated from Arizona State University in 2016 with a B.S in Family and Human Development and is thrilled to be a part of the Am Shalom community! In his spare time, you can find Danny at the gym, watching TedTalks, and enjoying all things NBA related (go Suns!).
Email Danny or call him at 847.835.4800 ext. 201
Am Shalom is proud to be a member of the Union for Reform Judaism.