Our Leadership Team

Sarah Alexander
Rabbi, Hazzan, and Spiritual Leader

Rabbi Hazzan Sarah Alexander, a proud Chicago native, lives in Skokie with her husband and two children. She is deeply grateful to serve as the Spiritual Leader of Congregation Kol Emeth, where she is passionate about helping the community grow in learning, connection, and Jewish life.

A member of the International Federation of Rabbis, Rabbi Alexander is a dedicated student of Gemara and classical Jewish texts and is currently completing her third Daf Yomi cycle. She also enjoys exploring the intersection of Torah, modern Jewish thought, and contemporary science. Teaching is one of her greatest passions, and she strives to make worship, Torah study, and Jewish learning engaging, accessible, inclusive, and spiritually meaningful for people of every background and level of experience.

Rabbi Alexander has been a member of the Cantors Assembly, the world's largest organization of professional cantors, since 2004. As a Hazzan, she believes deeply in the power of music and participatory prayer to elevate the soul, strengthen community, and bring people closer to God.

Committed to opening the doors of traditional Jewish prayer to everyone, Rabbi Alexander developed a complete series of transliterated siddurim, carefully paginated to match the standard Conservative prayerbooks. Originally created as a keruv (outreach) project, these free resources are now used in congregations across five continents. She has recently published a fully transliterated High Holiday machzor, available free of charge alongside the siddurim. All of these books are available at https://tinyurl.com/siddurfiles.

She began her professional career as Hazzan Sheni at Ezra Habonim – the Niles Township Jewish Congregation, where she also directed the Religious School. She later served as the sole clergy (Kol Bo) at Congregation Shirat Shalom in Elgin, leading worship, delivering sermons, teaching children and adults, and providing pastoral leadership. She subsequently joined CJE SeniorLife, where she led Shabbat and holiday services, taught classes, offered pastoral care, and created customized siddurim for residents of the Gidwitz and Lieberman communities.

Rabbi Alexander has been privileged to study with many outstanding rabbanim throughout her journey. She especially honors the memory of her beloved mentor, Hazzan Rabbi Shlomo Shuster z"l, whose wisdom, kindness, and unwavering devotion to God and the Jewish people continue to inspire her.

She looks forward to welcoming you to Kol Emeth and invites you to connect with her in person, by phone, or by email.

rabbialexander@kolemethskokie.org

Ronald C. Roth
President

Ron was born in the West Rogers Park neighborhood and raised in the Northwest suburbs. After graduating from Streamwood High School, Ron went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and zoology from Western Illinois University. Upon graduation, he enrolled at Worsham College of Mortuary Science and began his career in funeral service in 1988.

Ron is an active member of Congregation Kol Emeth, where he serves on numerous committees. He has also served as President of his Homeowners Association for over 25 years. His passion for music has led him to ringing handbells in a local handbell choir since 1992.

president@kolemethskokie.org

Barry Schechter
Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Barry Schechter was born in London, England. Following Yeshiva studies at Etz Chaim in London and Gateshead Talmudical Academy he was ordained as a Rabbi. He has master's degrees in economics from Cambridge University and Essex University in England and did graduate work at Northwestern University. Serving Congregation Kol Emeth since 1981, first as Cantor and then Rabbi.

Rabbi Schechter has also become well-known for his programs on Jewish humor. These have been given at synagogues in the Chicago area, Milwaukee and New York, as well as Hadassah groups, YIVO, public libraries, the Universities of Chicago, Hartford, Reading (England) and the Jewish organization Gesher in Berlin. His popular Cable TV series Yiddish and Laughter won a Telly Award in 1999.

rabbischechter@kolemethskokie.org