Rabbi Rochelle Robins, ACPE Certified Educator
President and Dean of Clinical Education
Rabbi Robins served as Vice President, Dean of the Chaplaincy School, and held a variety of leadership positions at the Academy for Jewish Religion California. She is the recipient of scholarships and awards including: the Joshua Venture Fellowship for Young Jewish Social Entrepreneurs, the Dr. Martin A. Cohen Prize in East European Literature, the Lewis and Minnie Raphael Award for Outstanding Service to a Small Congregation and the Irving Kalsman Scholarship Fund in Hospital Chaplaincy. She has published in the field of Jewish Pastoral Care, Jewish Women’s Commentaries, intersectionality, and Transdenominational Judaism. Rabbi Robins also served as co-founder and Executive Director of Bat Kol: A Feminist House of Study, Jerusalem’s first international progressive women’s yeshivah (school of religious studies). Rabbi Rochelle Robins was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, New York. She received her Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters/Literature from the Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles, California, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Rabbi Robins is a Certified Educator with the ACPE. She began her CPE training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia before completing her supervisory training at The Center for Urban Chaplaincy in San Diego. She and Cantor Jonathan Friedmann are the Co-Founders of Ezzree Institute.
Cantor Jonathan L. Friedmann, Ph.D.
Vice President, Academic Dean, and Director of Programs
In addition to his work at Ezzree Institute, Cantor Jonathan L. Friedmann, Ph.D. serves as Admissions Director and Associate Professor at the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism. He is also President of the Western States Jewish History Association, Director of the Jewish Museum of the American West, Community Leader of Adat Chaverim - Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Los Angeles, and Creator & Co-host of Amusing Jews, an interview show celebrating Jewish contributors and contributions to American popular culture. He previously served as Professor of Jewish Music History, Dean of the Master of Jewish Studies Program, and Director of Institutional Research at the Academy for Jewish Religion California (AJRCA). Dr. Friedmann received B.A. and M.A. degrees in Religious Studies from California State University, Long Beach, Cantorial Ordination and a Masters in Jewish Sacred Music from AJRCA, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from the joint program of North-West University, South Africa, and Greenwich School of Theology, UK. He is the author or editor of over thirty books on music, history, biblical studies, and religion & popular culture, including Goliath as Gentle Giant: Sympathetic Portrayals in Popular Culture; Torah, Service, Deeds: Jewish Ethics in Transdenominational Perspectives; Voices in the Wilderness: Emerging Roles of Israeli Clergywomen; and Musical Aesthetics: An Introduction to Concepts, Theories, and Functions.
Rabbi Susan Freeman, ACPE Certified Educator
Director of Clinical Pastoral Education
Rabbi Susan Freeman, a Chaplain and ACPE Certified Educator, currently serves at Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) and is a Director in the Center for Jewish Care (CJC), which is dedicated to assisting and addressing the needs of San Diego’s Jewish community. She previously taught Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Sharp HealthCare and VITAS Hospice in San Diego. Originally from Denver, CO, Susan earned an M.A. in Hebrew Literature and Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Rabbi Freeman has been involved in hospice, hospital, and home health chaplaincy since 2003. Prior to chaplaincy, she worked as a congregational rabbi, education director, High Holiday cantor, writer, and dancer. Rabbi Freeman’s publications include To Dwell in Your House: Vignettes and Spiritual Reflections on Caregiving at Home; Torah in Motion: Creating Dance Midrash (co-author JoAnne Tucker); and Teaching Jewish Virtues: Sacred Sources and Arts Activities.
Revital Somekh-Goldreich, MJS
Professor of Sacred Literature, History, and Art Expression
Revital Somekh-Goldreich is an award-winning artist and educator. For decades, she has been using arts and culture in many forms as critical tools for studying scripture and history. Turning classrooms into interpreting communities and lessons into experiential adventures, she empowers students to co-create meaning across disciplines and faith lines. In addition to fostering knowledge, her methodologies ground and strengthen communication and leadership skills. In 2025, she expects to complete her Ph.D. at the Theological University of Apeldoorn (Netherlands). The topic of her dissertation is visual text embodiment as a form of practical theology, exploring the co-creation of meaning and art with and for congregations.
Victor Gabriel, Ph.D.
Buddhist and Interreligious Relations Advisor and Faculty Member
Victor Gabriel’s career has been marked by a commitment to integrating interreligious contemplative principles with psychological and organizational practices. He earned a graduate degree from Curtin University, Australia in psychology, master’s degree from a Naropa University, and a Ph.D. from University of the West in Buddhist Studies. He studied with Fr. Bede Griffiths and Rebbe Zalman Schacter-Shalomi z"l and is deeply formed by their approaches to deep interreligious dialogue. He is currently a visiting professor at five universities. He is a retired Assistant and Tenured Professor in the Department of Buddhist Chaplaincy at UWest, from 2010-2024. His tenure included two terms as Chair of the department. In addition, he is a member of the Compassionate Trio which facilitates art and contemplation workshops. From 1994 to 2000, he served as a psychotherapist for the Singapore Military. He has been a dedicated lay Buddhist minister in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition since 2000. His Tibetan Buddhist ordination was also graciously blessed by Reb Zalman.
Deborah Gitell
Marketing and Media Advisor
Deborah Gitell has worked in the media and marketing industry for decades. Deborah has vast experience in all facets of marketing including online advertising, social media, experiential and event marketing. She is currently a Director of Client Partnership at Wilkins Media, a global outdoor media company.
Rabbi Faith Tessler
Accreditation Consultant and Faculty Member
Rabbi Faith Tessler is a Reform rabbi serving the unaffiliated of Los Angeles. Ordained by the Academy for Jewish Religion California (AJRCA) in 2007, she spent 15 years as a pulpit rabbi for the Desert Hot Springs community, where she officiated at Shabbat and holiday observances as well as various lifecycle events. In addition, she served AJRCA for 15 years as their Director of Internships and Placement. Faith takes great pleasure in connecting with people to help them deepen their religious expression and foster their spiritual growth.
Accreditation
Ezzree Institute’s CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) program is provisionally accredited by ACPE (Association of Clinical Pastoral Education). The Institute is exploring academic accreditation through ATS (Association of Theological Schools).