Congregation Beth Shalom

About Us

Clergy : Carl Wolkin, Senior Rabbi

Rabbi Carl Wolkin graduated Columbia University in 1968 with a BA in Classics and received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1973.

After teaching at the Hebrew High School of Temple Israel of Great Neck, he served as the Associate Rabbi of the congregation from 1972-1980.

Since 1980, Rabbi Wolkin has served as the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Shalom, Northbrook, Illinois. During this time he has served as the President of the Northbrook Clergy Association and the Chicago Region of the Rabbinical Assembly. He continues to serve as the President of the Community Mikvah of the Conservative Movement, and is on the Rabbinic Advisory Council of the Chicagoland Jewish High School.

In 2004, Rabbi Wolkin was in the first group of graduates of the Center for Rabbinic Enrichment of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. This group of North American Rabbis completed a three year program of study at the Institute in Jerusalem and in the U.S.

Rabbi Wolkin currently serves as the president of the Chicago Board of Rabbis and is also a member of the JUF Board.

Rabbi Wolkin is married to Judy and they have two children, Joshua and David.

Clergy : Aaron Melman, Rabbi

Rabbi Aaron Melman has been a rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, IL for nine years. He is originally from Toronto where he graduated York University with BA in Judaic Studies. He attended the Jewish Theological Seminary where he received his ordination in May 2002. While at JTS, Rabbi Melman taught Hebrew School at Or Zarua, a Conservative synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and served as a student chaplain with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).

Rabbi Melman is involved in the community through the Northbrook Clergy Association, serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Center for Jewish Genetic Disorders, and is the current President of the Chicago Region of Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Melman also serves as the only Chaplain to the Northbrook Fire Department.

Rabbi Melman is married to Elisa Rotman and they have one son, Jordan and a daughter Hannah. He enjoys golf, hockey, camping and SCUBA diving

Clergy : Steven Stoehr, Hazzan

Hazzan Steven Stoehr is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He continued his studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary's Cantors Institute, attaining his Sacred Music Degree and Diploma of Hazzan in 1988.

Hazzan Stoehr arrived in Northbrook, Ill., at Congregation Beth Shalom, to serve his first full-time pulpit twenty-one years ago and has served the Jewish community on many levels.

Hazzan Stoehr has been called upon by various arms of the Conservative Movement to perform throughout the United States and has been a featured lecturer as well. For the Cantors' Assembly he has served as President of the Midwest Region, member of the Ethics Committee and co-chair of the 1994, 1997 and 2006 National Conventions. In relationship to his dedicated efforts, the Jewish Theological Seminary's H. L. Miller Cantorial School has been endowed by his friend and congregant Harvey L. Miller. In 2002 he was granted the Hazzan David Putterman Award by the Jewish Theological Seminary for excellence in his career. In 1998 Hazzan Stoehr produced an international concert on Ellis Island and sang in Carnegie Hall as part of the Assembly's Jubilee Celebration. He currently sits on the board of trustees for the Chicagoland Jewish High Shcool.

Through Hazzan Stoehr's leadership and foresight his community has established several watershed programs. He had aided his synagogue in developing their own Chevre Kaddishe and Chesed Community which attends to those who have been touched by illness or loss. Tangentially he has edited several educational booklets for our community, primarily in the realm of mourning rites and traditions. As well, Hazzan Stoehr has helped to formulate a new approach to Friday Night Shabbat services with our own CBS ShabbaTone experience.

His first cantorial album, A Mosaic of the Spirit, was released in 1999 and his second, An Audience of One, a High Holiday recording of prayers, in 2002. He is honored that a selection from each has been chosen for the prestigious United Synagogue/Cantors Assembly joint CD project. He is presently awaiting the approval of the publishing of his first book.

Steven and his family reside in Northbrook.