Our Staff

Rabbi Shara Siegfeld - Director of Lifelong Learning

Rabbi Shara is the Director of Lifelong Learning, which includes the oversight of our magnificent school, the Einhorn Center for Jewish Education. She has been an inspiring force here at Beth Emeth since May 2013. A Jewish educator with many years of experience teaching in various local Jewish institutions, she is both knowledgeable and passionate about Judaism and brings great enthusiasm to her position. For 15 years prior to starting at Beth Emeth, she taught middle school Judaics, implemented new curriculum, and mentored teaching staff at the Bet Shraga Hebrew Academy, Jewish Day School, where she joined the faculty while still in college. She taught 4th grade at Congregation Ohav Shalom and Temple Israel, where she was the Director of the Midrasha High School Program, as well as taught high school Hebrew, local Jewish history and a preparatory course for Hebrew SAT 2 exams. During the summer of 2012, she was the Director of the Hebrew Immersion Cafe at Camp Ramah New England. From the summer of 2013 until Covid struck, Shara spent summers as the Director of Education at Camp Ramah.

Shara holds a B.A. in Jewish Philosophy from the University at Albany, an Executive Masters in Jewish Educational Leadership with a concentration in Israel Education from the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, a Masters Certificate in Israel Education from The George Washington University, and Rabbinic Ordination from the Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary.

A native of the Albany community, Shara is the daughter of Mel and Jane Waldman. She and her husband, David, reside in Loudonville and are the parents of four children and an incredibly loving dog, Ellie.

Email Shara or call 518.436.9761 x231

Debbie Schaffer - Director of Communications
Debbie began working at Congregation Beth Emeth as a Religious School teacher in 2008. A few years later she added Bulletin Editor to her responsibilities. In 2019 Debbie began working in the office as the Administrative Assistant to Kathy, our Executive Director.

She enjoyed being around the Beth Emeth family so much that she grew in her role and is now responsible for the design, production and distribution of all Congregation Beth Emeth printed materials. She will also oversee our social media accounts, website and congregational emails.

Debbie is married to Adam and they have raised their three daughters from Consecration to Consecration at Congregation Beth Emeth.

 DSchaffer@BethEmethAlbany.org or call 518.436.9761 x222

Rebecca Mohr
 Rebecca is the Executive Assistant to the Clergy. She has lived in Albany her entire life (from the JCC, to Albany High School and to SCCC) and as such is very passionate about the community and local events. She has made downtown her home with her partner and their four legged babies and is excited to meet others that are eager to discover everything that’s going on nearby and support the local community. She has an ASD in Nutrition – while she doesn’t use her degree professionally she knows many ways to use Passover leftovers!

Rebecca's e-mail is RMohr@BethEmethAlbany.org or call 518.436.9761 x224. 

Debbie Cohen is the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director.

She spent the last 5 years working  for the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center. Debbie will be the first face that you see in the front office. She will be responsible for greeting visitors, sending thank you and acknowledgment notes and answering questions from congregants and visitors.

She can be reached at x221.

Steve Squires

Steve is our Building Supervisor.  His e-mail is SSquires@BethEmethAlbany.org. In an emergency, Steve can be reached at 518.229.1284.