Rabbi Kenneth Carr joined Congregation Or Ami as our Rabbi on July 1, 2001. His emphasis on warm and participatory services, lifelong learning, and strengthening community creates a stimulating environment for all congregants. He previously served as Associate Rabbi at a congregation in Los Altos Hills, California. Following his undergraduate studies at Harvard, he earned a Masters Degree in Jewish Education while pursuing his rabbinical training. He received a Wexner Foundation Graduate Fellowship for leadership, as well as awards in sermon delivery and academic achievement. As a student rabbi, he served small congregations in Alberta and North Dakota, and coordinated programming for high school and college youth from across the country. Rabbi Carr was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1996. When he is not at the synagogue, he enjoys hiking, baseball, skiing, and relaxing with his wife Rebecca, and their children Aryeh and Hanna.
Cantor Jordan Franzel
Cantor Jordan Franzel has been serving Congregation Or Ami since July 2002. He received his Master of Sacred Music from HebrewUnionCollege - Jewish Institute of Religion - School of Sacred Music and was invested as a Cantor in 1996. Prior to his pulpit in Pennsylvania, Cantor Franzel served Central Synagogue in New York City (1998-2002) and the Touro Synagogue in New Orleans, Louisiana (1996 -1998). Cantor Franzel has been on the faculty of the URJ east coast Kallah and has taught at Hava Nashira, a retreat for Jewish songleaders and musicians. Jordan has written for Torat Chayim, the weekly URJ Torah commentary, has contributed to Ten Minutes of Torah, has served on the editorial board for the Union Songbook, Shireinu and the complete Shireinu, and has several compositions of Jewish liturgical music published, including his settings of Psalm 95 and Psalm 96. Cantor Franzel can be heard on CD's: "Soul On Fire," and "Labor of Love," the two CD's of Danny Maseng's liturgical music. Jordan can also be heard on the CD "Beignet Yisrael," and the soon to be released second CD of Beignet Yisrael's New Orleans inspired Jewish music. In addition to performing with two ensembles of Jewish music, "Beignet Yisraeil" and "Soul on Fire", Jordan plays concerts with his brother Rabbi Ethan Franzel in their group, "Sage and Spirit." Cantor Franzel is a member of the American Conference of Cantors and is a fellow of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.
Joining our Or Ami family in the summer of 1999, Gloria Becker has elevated our educational programming in content, structure and relevance. She has been actively involved in Jewish education since 1980. Formerly, she served for three years as a teacher and assistant principal at a synagogue in Bucks County.
“A” level license from the Greater Philadelphia Board of License of Teachers and Principals of Jewish Schools, 2003
Principal's License from the National Board of License for Teachers and Principals of Jewish Schools in North America, 2007
Member of the National Association of Temple Educators, 2003
Reform Jewish Educator, 2006
MAJEd, Gratz College, 2003, valedictorian
Teacher Training Consultant, Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education
Adjunct Instructor in Education, Gratz College
Gloria and her partner, Ruth, reside in Roxborough.
Carole Lukoff joined the faculty of Or Ami's Nursery School and Kindergarten in September 1992. Four years later, she assumed additional responsibilities as Nursery School Assistant Director. Carole has been serving as Director since July 2007. After graduating from Temple University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Carole taught in the School District of Philadelphia and in a center which served as a demonstration school project in the city of Philadelphia and the garment center industry. Carole is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Area Nursery School Directors' Council, and the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education (ACAJE) Directors' Council. Carole and her husband, Joel, are long-time members of Congregation Or Ami. Their two sons, Brian and Eric, celebrated B'nei Mitzvah and Confirmation at Or Ami.
Cindi Drake joined the faculty at Or Ami Nursery School as an assistant teacher in a three year old class in September 1994.The following year, she assumed the position of Lead Teacher in a two year old class. Cindi remained Lead Teacher until 2007 when she assumed her current position as Nursery School Assistant Director.During summer 2007, Cindi served as Or Ami Camp Director.Initially graduating from CUNY with a degree in Anthropology and field work at the LostCityFieldSchoolMuseum in Nevada, Cindi switched gears and obtained certification as a Nursery/Kindergarten teacher.She also holds certifications in Adult Literacy Education and Mediation.Cindi has sat on a number of synagogue committees, including the Nursery School Committee, first as a teacher representative and now as Assistant Director. Cindi and her husband, Tom, have two children, Austin and Livia.
Melissa Lowdermilk, Synagogue Administrator
Melissa (Missy) Lowdermilk joined the Congregation Or Ami team in June 2007 after serving as the administrator of TempleSholom in Broomall for more than ten years.She is a Senior member of NATA, the National Association of Temple Administrators, a branch of the Reform movement, having passed a series of exams in a variety of synagogue management areas as well as Jewish history, customs and ritual observance.Missy serves on the NATA membership committee and is an active participant in regional NATA monthly meetings.A proud graduate of PennState’s College of Human Development, Missy has been able to combine her love of Judaism, her background in psychology, and her administrative skills into one great career choice.In her spare time, Missy volunteers as costumer for the Players Club of Swarthmore and enjoys reading, knitting, and theater.She lives in Wallingford with her husband, Dave.They have two children, Brian and Rachel.
Rabbi Seymour Prystowsky, Ph.D., Rabbi Emeritus
After serving two years as a Chaplain (Captain) in the U.S. Army, Rabbi Prystowsky came to Congregation Or Ami in Lafayette Hill in 1963 where he served as the spiritual leader for 38 years until his retirement in 2001.He is now Rabbi Emeritus and has a limited practice as a marital and family therapist for both congregants and non-congregants. Rabbi Prystowsky’s undergraduate degree is from HunterCollege in New York; his rabbinical ordination is from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York; where he also received his Doctor of Divinity degree (honorus causa).His Ph.D. is from DropsieCollege in Philadelphia, and his certification as a family therapist is from the Department of Family Psychiatry of the Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, Philadelphia. Dr. Prystowsky has published articles in a number of periodicals and has lectured on both psychology and religion before many groups.He was an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at ChestnutHillCollege.He served as a family therapist at both the Horsham Clinic and EugeniaHospital.He was chosen a few years ago by the Central Conference of American Rabbis to be the “Hotline Rabbi” – to counsel by phone rabbis and spouses of the CCAR, both nationally and internationally.He served pro bono in that capacity until his retirement. Rabbi Prystowsky is a charter member of the AmericanFamilyTherapyAcademy, a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley Association of Reform Rabbis and is currently on the Board of the National Association of Retired Reform Rabbis.Rabbi Prystowsky and his wife Cochava travel extensively and have been to almost 40 countries.They have been to Israel over 25 times. Rabbi Prystowsky and Cochava, an artist, have two children and two grandchildren.
Send mail to webmaster@or-ami.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Rabbi Kenneth Carr joined Congregation Or Ami as our Rabbi on July 1, 2001. His emphasis on warm and participatory services, lifelong learning, and strengthening community creates a stimulating environment for all congregants. He previously served as Associate Rabbi at a congregation in Los Altos Hills, California. Following his undergraduate studies at Harvard, he earned a Masters Degree in Jewish Education while pursuing his rabbinical training. He received a Wexner Foundation Graduate Fellowship for leadership, as well as awards in sermon delivery and academic achievement. As a student rabbi, he served small congregations in Alberta and North Dakota, and coordinated programming for high school and college youth from across the country. Rabbi Carr was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1996. When he is not at the synagogue, he enjoys hiking, baseball, skiing, and relaxing with his wife Rebecca, and their children Aryeh and Hanna. 
Joining our Or Ami family in the summer of 1999, Gloria Becker has elevated our educational programming in content, structure and relevance. She has been actively involved in Jewish education since 1980. Formerly, she served for three years as a teacher and assistant principal at a synagogue in Bucks County. .JPG)
Carole Lukoff joined the faculty of Or Ami's Nursery School and Kindergarten in September 1992. Four years later, she assumed additional responsibilities as Nursery School Assistant Director. Carole has been serving as Director since July 2007. After graduating from Temple University with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Carole taught in the School District of Philadelphia and in a center which served as a demonstration school project in the city of Philadelphia and the garment center industry. Carole is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Area Nursery School Directors' Council, and the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education (ACAJE) Directors' Council. Carole and her husband, Joel, are long-time members of Congregation Or Ami. Their two sons, Brian and Eric, celebrated B'nei Mitzvah and Confirmation at Or Ami. 
Cindi Drake joined the faculty at Or Ami Nursery School as an assistant teacher in a three year old class in September 1994.
Melissa (Missy) Lowdermilk joined the 
After serving two years as a Chaplain (Captain) in the U.S. Army, Rabbi Prystowsky came to Congregation Or Ami in Lafayette Hill in 1963 where he served as the spiritual leader for 38 years until his retirement in 2001.