Our Clergy

Rabbi Steven Sirbu

Rabbi Steven Sirbu has been the spiritual leader of Temple Emeth since 2003. Rabbi Sirbu brings his love of Jewish knowledge to everything he does, whether he is telling stories to the children in our Religious School, assisting B'nai Mitzvah students to write a d'var Torah, or sharing his insights with adult learners in the Shabbat morning Torah study class.

An avid supporter of Israel, Rabbi Sirbu has led four congregational trips there. During these journeys, participants felt the sense of history that comes with exploring the land and learned about the important social, religious, and legal forces that shape what Israel is and what it can be.

Social action is an integral part of Rabbi Sirbu’s rabbinate. His experience as a legislative assistant at the Religious Action Center in Washington, DC, gave him valuable background on the Reform movement’s history of social action, which he brought here to Temple Emeth. In August 2015, he participated in the NAACP's American Journey for Justice, marching for a day in South Carolina. In 2019, he led a trip to Alabama to explore Jewish heritage and civil rights. He is an active member of the New Jersey Social Justice Remembrance Coalition and the RAC-NJ School Integration Task Force. In May 2023, Rabbi Sirbu received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

He is a past chair of the the Intergroup Relations Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. He served as president for two years of the North Jersey Board of Rabbis and currently serves as co-chair of its annual community night of learning, Sweet Tastes of Torah.

He is a past chair of the Intergroup Relations Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. He served as president for two years of the North Jersey Board of Rabbis and as co-chair of its annual community night of learning, Sweet Tastes of Torah. In 2017, he received the Matthew Feldman Community Relations Award, presented by the Township of Teaneck. He was lauded for initiating an on-going Muslim-Jewish dialogue between the members of Temple Emeth and members of the local Islamic community.

Rabbi Sirbu welcomes the chance to become your teacher and your spiritual guide along your Jewish journey. He seeks to nurture the community feeling at Temple Emeth, so you will experience it as your second home.

Email: ssirbu@emeth.org

After serving as our Cantor since 1994, Cantor Ellen Tilem is thrilled and honored to be named our congregation's first Cantor Emeritus. Temple Emeth welcome Cantor Tilem upon her ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion-School of Sacred Music. She received her Doctor of Music, Honoris Causa, from the Hebrew Union College in 2019. Born and raised in New Jersey, she received her bachelor's degree in voice, with a minor in Jewish studies from the University of Hartford, Hartt School of Music and Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies. She completed Hospital Chaplaincy training at NYU Langone in Manhattan and Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn. She is certified in Grief Counseling and Pre-Marital Counseling. She serves as clergy for the Justice Brandeis Law Society and is a member of the American Conference of Cantors. Cantor Tilem is an exceptional and experienced Pastoral Counselor. During her years as our Cantor, she worked with countless families during their time of need, giving support and advice on life's challenges, including grief, spiritual issues, difficulties between parents and children, divorce, and illness. Cantor Tilem developed a weekly bereavement support group for Temple Emeth members in need of spiritual guidance and connection after the loss of a loved one. She encouraged the musical expression of the congregation with her innovative Duets Service, inviting those who like to sing to join her on the Bimah. Cantor Tilem developed Healing Services, facilitating more meaningful worship and inspiring greater strength of spirit during difficult times. Cantor Tilem is passiontare about inter-Jewish relations. She works to foster a deeper appreciation and undertanding of the major movements of Judaism and their interconnectedness.