Rabbi Alan Turetz
Spiritual Leader

Blessed with knowledge, eloquence, and a beautiful voice, Rabbi Turetz has enriched Temple Emeth as its spiritual leader since 1977. He grew up in a deeply traditional home, imbued with Jewish spirituality. His maternal and paternal grandfathers were renowned rabbis and scholars, both in Europe as well as the United States.

He received his master’s degree in Hebrew Literature from Adelphi University, graduating as valedictorian of his class. He was ordained, with honors, by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

During his more than thirty years on the bimah at Temple Emeth, Rabbi Turetz has been an inspirational and highly esteemed leader of Boston’s Jewish community. He has served as president of both the New England Region of the Rabbinical Assembly and the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, as Rabbi for the New England Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, and has chaired the New England Rabbinic Cabinet for Israel Bonds.

His incomparable sermons and mellifluous voice, whether for Shabbat or holiday services, are not to be missed.

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Rabbi Navah Levine
Director of Congregational Engagement & Ritual Life

Rabbi Levine joined the Temple Emeth team in July 2010, as our first Director of Congregational Engagement and Ritual Life. In this role, Rabbi Levine aims to foster opportunities for individuals to delve more deeply into their own spiritual journeys and explorations, and to enrich connections within our community. Efforts toward these goals include leading weekly Torah study and discussion; facilitating weekday and Shabbat minyanim; developing a monthly, alternative Shabbat morning service; cultivating the Chesed Committee and family havurah; and other efforts to further engage our members and to attract new members to our community.

A graduate of Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Rabbi Levine received her Rabbinic Ordination and a master’s degree in Judaic Studies. She received a BA in Economics and Political Science from Yale University.

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Cantor Michael McCloskey
Cantor-Educator

Since 2007, Cantor Michael McCloskey has been working with all segments of the Temple Emeth community as Cantor-Educator. Cantor Michael, as he is affectionately known, sings with a lyric tenor voice. He facilitates daily minyan, serves as Chazzan for Shabbat and holiday services, and conducts adult learning programs. His sincerity and teaching skills facilitate a strong connection to Temple youth – he is a frequent visitor to the nursery and religious schools, tutors B’nei Mitzvah students, organizes an annual USY-led Shabbat morning service and leads youth programs of a ritual or educational nature.

Cantor Michael received his master’s degree in Jewish Education and Cantorial Ordination from Hebrew College, where he was awarded an academic prize in Judaics and Hazzanut. He is an avid student of Jewish text and Hebraic musical traditions. Prior to coming to Temple Emeth, he served as a cantorial soloist-educator, and taught at Prozdor of Hebrew College.

Gennady Konnikov
Music Director

Gennady Konnikov has been Temple Emeth’s “maestro” since 1987. He is at the center of all the Temple’s musical enterprises, including accompanying Shabbat and holiday services, and founding and directing the Temple’s choir, Shirei Emet.

Gennady was educated in Russia, where his father was a chazzan in the Moscow Synagogue. He received a master’s degree from the Moscow Conservatory and a diploma from the Gnesin College of Music, also in Moscow. Gennady taught piano, solfeggio, and choral singing in Russia and the United States, and his compositions for piano, voice, and choir have been performed in both countries. Before coming to Temple Emeth, he worked at the Maimonides School in Brookline, where he established a youth choir.