Our Rabbi & Staff

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Meet The Rabbi

Rabbi David Cohen-Henriquez

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Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, Rabbi David Cohen–Henriquez brings a diverse, multicultural perspective and passion for Jewish education and spiritual guidance. Rabbi David was ordained at the Hebrew College Rabbinical School in Boston, focused on a multi-denominational approach to Judaism. He has served in communities in New Hampshire, Panama, Los Angeles, Massachusetts, and Florida.

As a child he attended a Traditional Jewish Day School (Albert Einstein Institute) while also belonging to a Reform congregation (Kol Shearith Israel). This experience gave him the view of the spectrum of what is Jewish observance and feeling comfortable with all the manifestations of Klal Israel, ultimately settling for the path of the Conservative movement.

Rabbi David’s vision is to create engaging opportunities for Jews of all venues to express the values of Judaism in every area of their lives, drawing upon the wisdom of the Torah and our conversation with our tradition. He is dedicated to fostering a creative, participatory, and genuine embrace of Jewish religious learning and living. He enjoys meeting people, allowing them to explore their inner selves, and helping them navigate their personal path in life.

He is fluent in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hebrew) and in his free time he enjoys reading diverse types of genres, especially graphic novels, and watching British detective shows. He is married to the love of his life, Cynthia, and they have three children, a dog and a cat.

Meet Our Staff

David Wesson,
Coordinator of Education & Musical Engagement

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David Wesson graduated from Hebrew College with a Masters of Jewish Studies in 2006, focusing on Jewish Philosophy and Thought. During that time, he taught at the Prozdor Hebrew High School, where he developed and taught classes such as “Wrestlers with Faith” and “The Universal Search.” Following graduation, he taught Jewish Studies at the Rashi School, Boston’s Reform Jewish Day School, before moving to Gloucester, MA, where he served as the Director of Congregational Learning for four years. It was during his time in Gloucester that he honed his Jewish song leading skills. In 2015, he trained to become a Clinical Chaplain, and for nearly nine years, he has served as an Interfaith Hospice Chaplain. Throughout, he has maintained his connection to the Jewish world, particularly through music. He served as Rosh Ruach at the Cohen Hillel Academy, Director of Musical Programming at Temple Sinai in Marblehead (with Rabbi David Cohen-Henriquez), and most recently, for the past five years, at Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills in Milton.

He is eager to return to the classroom as the Director of Judaics at the JCDS and to contribute to revitalizing the Shir Chadash religious school and community! He is thrilled to collaborate once again with Rabbi David and to be in a city that has always held a special place in his heart. Additionally, his daughter, Talia, will be joining him in New Orleans as a freshman at Tulane.

He has already made connections with many of you on his recent residency at Shir Chadash. He looks forward to meeting more of you, and becoming a vital part of the Shir Chadash community. He is excited to share his love of Jewish learning and music with you all!

Click here to learn more about our amazing Religious School and Educational Programming.

Ricardo Totah,
Executive Director

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Ricardo comes to us from Mexico but is originally from Argentina. He holds dual degrees in Business Management and Industrial Engineering from Buenos Aires National University. He has since worked in industry, primarily in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Throughout his career, he has held different roles in business, sales, and operations management.

Ricardo also has many years of experience in Jewish community leadership. For over twenty years, he has served on the Executive Board of Comunidad Bet-El. Bet-El is the main Conservative synagogue in Mexico City, serving over 1100 families. During that time, Ricardo held numerous roles, including a term as President, eight years as Treasurer, and most recently as an Advisor. He also oversaw a major capital campaign and building project.

Ricardo has a long and successful record of strategic planning, cost reduction, and collaborative work across different industries. Additionally, Ricardo brings extensive experience in synagogue administration and financial matters. He is a tremendous asset to our congregation and to the wider Jewish community.