Marissa has her B.S. in Early Childhood/Childhood Education with a concentration in mathematics from Pace University and is currently working towards her master’s in education at Columbia University’s Teachers College. In her spare time, Marissa enjoys exploring the city, reading, playing tennis and watching movies.
Ann-Marie Antoine worked at the Rockefeller University Child and Family Center for 23 years before joining the ECC. She obtained an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education and a bachelor’s degree in Childhood Study. She has spent her career fostering the growth and development of young children. Ann-Marie is deeply passionate about supporting and observing the developmental milestones of young children and is in awe of the wonder and excitement children possess. Ann-Marie is a proud mother and grandmother and cherishes spending time with her 2-year-old grandson.
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch is the senior rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City. With a fiery voice, a listening heart and a brilliant mind, Rabbi Hirsch articulates a clear vision for the survival and success of American Judaism while tending compassionately to the needs of his growing congregation.
Internationally recognized for his leadership in Jewish affairs, Rabbi Hirsch is frequently cited in the media. In 2024, The Jerusalem Post named him among “The 50 Most Influential Jews of the Year.” City & State praised him as “the borough’s most influential voice” for Manhattan’s more than 300,000 Jews and The New York Observer named him among “New York’s Most Influential Religious Leaders.” His sermons are regularly broadcast on JBS-TV and he is the host of the bi-weekly podcast “In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch.”
The son of Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch z’’l and Bella Hirsch z’’l, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch grew up in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area before moving to Israel for his high school years. From 1977 to 1980, he served as a tank commander in the Israel Defense Forces.
Rabbi Hirsch earned his LL.B Honors law degree from the London School of Economics and is a member of the New York State Bar. He received his ordination at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City, where he was granted numerous awards for academic excellence.
Prior to his arrival at Stephen Wise, he served for 12 years as executive director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA), the Israel arm of the North American Reform movement.
Rabbi Hirsch has served on numerous boards of national and international bodies, including the Jewish Agency for Israel, the World Zionist Organization, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He is currently an officer of the New York Board of Rabbis, and a member of the Partnership of Faith, an interfaith body of New York religious leaders, and New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ Black-Jewish Clergy Roundtable.
An accomplished teacher and public speaker, Rabbi Hirsch is also the author of “The Lilac Tree: A Rabbi’s Reflections on Love, Courage, and History” and the co-author of the acclaimed “One People Two Worlds: A Reform Rabbi and an Orthodox Rabbi Explore the Issues that Divide Them.”
Rabbi Hirsch can be reached at (212) 877-4050, ext. 226, or by emailing his assistant at rabbiassistant@swfs.org.
Edgar De La Vega is Stephen Wise’s live stream technician, videographer and editor. Born and raised in East Harlem, earned his bachelor’s in multimedia studies from Lehman College and has been working with video for a decade. When he’s not behind the bimah recording Shabbat or b’nai mitzvah services, Edgar is working on new designs for his clothing label, Lousy NY.
Cantor Daniel A. Singer serves Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan, where he has built a reputation as one of America’s most renowned Reform cantors. In addition to performing with the world’s leading cantors and popular Jewish artists, he developed a revolutionary new vision of worship and programming that helped to revitalize the historic Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.
Cantor Singer previously served the pulpits of Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, Temple Adas Israel of Sag Harbor, and Temple Beth El of Bloomfield Hills Michigan.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in music and mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, a master’s in vocal performance from the University of Michigan, a master’s in performing arts administration from NYU Steinhardt, and a master’s in sacred music and his cantorial ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.
Originally from Superior, Wisconsin, Cantor Singer grew up immersed in the folk music scene and is as comfortable singing grand opera as he is singing Broadway, Yiddish theater, pop, jazz, folk, and a variety of styles of children’s music. An accomplished recording artist, multi-faceted guitarist, pianist and composer of new music for the synagogue and stage, he is also a voice actor with national credits for radio, television, and animated feature films.
He performs internationally and produces parodies and viral videos with the award-winning Jewish pop acapella group, Six13. He publishes articles regularly to his blog on Times of Israel and has been featured in PBS documentaries including “Sabbath” by Martin Doblmeier and “The Jewish Americans” by David Grubin.
Cantor Singer lives in Manhattan with his beautiful wife Lauren and his two adorable little boys, Aiden and Ariel. When he is not working, he enjoys reading, writing, RV road trips, camping, and relaxing with his family.
Rabbi Samantha Natov grew up in Dundas, Ontario. She holds a bachelor’s from McGill University and a master’s in musicology and ethnomusicology from the University of Virginia. Following her time as a cantorial soloist in Toronto, Rabbi Natov came to New York to earn her degree in sacred music from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. After working as a cantor at congregations in New Jersey and Brooklyn, she decided to become a rabbi. Rabbi Natov was ordained by HUC-JIR in 2015 and joined Stephen Wise Free Synagogue a few months later in July 2015.
As associate rabbi at Stephen Wise, she oversees the congregation’s adult education programming and social justice work.
