Clergy and Staff

Talya K. Brass (she/her)
Executive Director

Talya grew up in San Francisco and has an academic background in religious studies and biological anthropology. She was an active member of the synagogue before taking this position. She enjoys hiking, macrame, and spending time with her family.

Samantha J. Martin (she/her)
Office Manager & Youth Education Administrator

Samantha, who goes by Sam, became a part of the SF Jewish community when her daughter started preschool in 2019. She loved the community so much that, when a position opened up at Am Tikvah, she jumped at the chance to give back. She enjoys knitting, crocheting, weaving, and occasionally does things not related to yarn.

Cantor Barry Reich (he/him)
Youth Educator

Before coming to Am Tikvah, Cantor Barry served at Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame as cantor, B'nai Mitzvah and t’filah teacher, and choral director. He received his education first at the Yeshiva HaMaarav in LA and a Bachelor of Music the SF Conservatory of Music. He received his ordination as Hazzan from the Cantors Assembly of the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). Since 2006 he has worked as a chaplain for San Mateo County and in 2021 received a Doctor of Music honoris causa from JTS. Cantor Barry lives in Pacifica, has two daughters, Rona (Max) and Bonnie, and one grandson.

Nitza Agam (she/her)
Judaic Studies & Hebrew Educator

Nitza is a veteran Jewish educator at various schools and congregations in the Bay Area. She has had the pleasure of bringing her love of Hebrew, Jewish Studies, and creative, collaborative approaches to education to many communities. Nitza grew up in New Jersey and immigrated to Israel after high school. She grew up speaking Hebrew because her Israeli American parents instilled in her a love for the language and for the country. She attended Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, majored in Theatre Arts and English Literature, taught English, and participated in a theatre company in Jerusalem. She received her MA in English Literature and Comparative Literature from SF State. She met her lovely husband, Ofer, and their two children are fantastic adults who are also Jewish educators (David and Orr). As a writer and poet, Nitza’s most recent publication is an anthology of women's essays, poetry and art about creativity titled "The Lemon Tree: Artists' and Writers' Personal Journeys of Creativity." (2022) 

Jennifer M. Levine (she/her)
Hebrew Educator

This is Jenn's third year teaching Hebrew to Am Tikvah youth. She has worked in Jewish education for twenty years and has a doctorate in educational leadership with a focus on disability justice and inclusion. She has been an educator at many institutions throughout the Bay Area, including Temple Israel of Alameda, Midrasha, and JCC of the East Bay. She lives in Alameda, has two grown children, and enjoys riding her bike.

Emmanuelle Davis (she/her)
Teacher

Emmi grew up in the legacy community and is excited to teach the children of Am Tikvah School. 

Rabbi Danny Gottleib
Rabbi Emeritus

“There are many institutions in Jewish life that make use of Jews, but it is only in the synagogue that Jews are made, their souls nourished, and their identities fashioned.  The synagogue is a place of connection—to the men, women and children who become an extended family, and to the Holy One of Blessing.”                           

– Rabbi Danny Gottlieb

Rabbi Gottlieb received his ordination from the Leo Baeck College in London, England.  He is a graduate of the 4th Rabbinic Cohort of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and is a recipient of the RJE (Reform Jewish Educator) degree from the Reform Movement’s Joint Commission on Jewish Education.

Cantor Linda Semi
Cantor Emerita

Cantor Semi served one of our legacy congregations – B’nai Emunah –from June 1991 until she retired in 2017, returning even after that to conduct services, life cycle events, and tutor b’nai mitzvah students. She holds a degree in music education from Syracuse University, a certificate of completion in Cantorial Studies from the University of Judaism (incorporated into the American Jewish University in 2007), and was inducted into the Cantors Assembly in 1997.

Cantor Semi is the first female in a family of cantors and she incorporated many of her family melodies into her pulpit services. While her formal training capitalized on her soprano voice with art song and operatic aria emphasis, Cantor Semi’s style was greatly enriched from mentoring by Cantors Josef Cycowski, z’l, and Allan Michelson, z’l.