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Rabbi Lindsey Healey - Pollack

Rabbi Lindsey Healey-Pollack is excited to join Congregation Or Shalom as rabbi. Rabbi Lindsey is a passionate educator, ritual facilitator and spiritual guide who seeks to foster deep connection with our authentic selves, our communities, and the Jewish tradition.
She previously served as rabbi of Congregation Kol HaNeshamah in Englewood, NJ. She also was an educator and program coordinator for the Introduction to Judaism program at Town and Village Synagogue in New York, where she taught and guided students through the process of joining the Jewish people.
 
Rabbi Lindsey was ordained in 2018 at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she also earned a Master of Arts degree in Talmud and rabbinic literature. Rabbi Healey-Pollack grew up in Houston, Texas and spent five years of her childhood living in Cairo, Egypt. She developed her passion for Jewish living and learning as an undergraduate at Scripps College in Claremont, CA, where she studied anthropology and philosophy. After college, she moved to New York and earned an MA in museum studies from New York University.
 
Rabbi Lindsey is a lifelong learner who is inspired by the Jewish tradition’s values of inquiry, asking questions, and discussion. She is excited to share this spirit of curiosity and creativity with others. She believes that Jewish community and tradition should be accessible to everyone, and is committed to supporting people of diverse backgrounds and abilities in finding their unique personal connection to Judaism.
 
In both her work and personal life, Rabbi Lindsey seeks to integrate mind, body, heart, and soul. She includes meditation as part of her spiritual practice and can often be found outdoors, seeking inspiration and connection in nature. In her free time Rabbi Lindsey enjoys writing poetry, dabbling in a variety of arts and crafts, nerding out about history or whatever topic sparks her interest, and practicing yoga. She is looking forward to getting to know the Or Shalom community and exploring the New Haven area with her children.
 

Rabbi Emeritus Alvin Wainhaus

Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus has served as our Rabbi for 44 years at Or Shalom.  On July 31st he will be stepping down from the pulpit to become our Rabbi Emeritus.  Rabbi Wainhaus, son of Holocaust survivors, was raised in an Orthodox environment in Boro Park, Brooklyn. A graduate of Brooklyn College with a degree in philosophy, he earned a Master of Education degree from NYU and was ordained at Yeshiva Beth Meir of Tel Aviv in 1972. Rabbi Wainhaus served congregations in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and in Manhattan prior to becoming Congregation Or Shalom’s first and only rabbi in 1981. 

Rabbi Wainhaus has immersed himself in the Jewish and secular life of the community and is highly regarded as a spiritual leader, educator, and lecturer on a wide range of religious and secular issues. His involvement in interfaith activities throughout Greater New Haven has earned him the respect and admiration of Jews and non-Jews alike.

Rachel Steigleder

Synagogue Administrator
 
Rachel is a proud lifelong member of the Milford community and a graduate of Joseph A. Foran High School. She continued her academic journey at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, where she earned her bachelor’s degree and cultivated the foundation for a career marked by leadership, creativity, and service.
With extensive experience in marketing and management, Rachel has contributed her expertise to both the health-insurance industry and a variety of non-profit organizations. Her work reflects a commitment to meaningful impact, thoughtful collaboration, and strengthening the communities she serves.
Rachel’s roots at Or Shalom run deep. She grew up within the congregation and celebrated her B’nai Mitzvah alongside her triplet brother and sister, officiated by Rabbi Wainhaus—an experience that remains one of her most cherished memories.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Rachel finds her greatest joy in her family. She is the mother of two daughters, Megan and Allison, and the delighted grandmother of Maison. When she is not working, she can often be found volunteering, traveling, or enjoying time with friends, family, and her growing circle of loved ones.
 
You can email Rachel at rachel.s@orshalomct.org
Mon, December 1 2025 11 Kislev 5786