Meet Our Clergy

Meet Rabbi Daniel Bubnis/Spiritual Leader- Interim Rabbi

Rabbi Daniel was born and raised in the small Schuylkill County borough of Shenandoah. In 1985, as a freshman in High School, he attended the Kol Nidre Service in Shenandoah’s Kehillat Israel Synagogue, a transformative experience that ignited his lifelong love of Judaism. Following graduation from High School, he worked for a property reassessment firm for several years, working both in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Upon returning to Pennsylvania, he attended and graduated from Pennsylvania State University with an Associate of Arts in the Social Sciences, followed by a BA in Religious Studies from Marywood University and an MS in Exercise Science and Wellness from California University of Pennsylvania, California, PA.

Rabbi Daniel was always very active in the religious communities in which he lived and has served in various leadership capacities, including his recent service as vice president at Temple Israel. Becoming a Rabbi was something he had considered for quite some time; however, life circumstances did not allow for him to attend a traditional Seminary. After exploring several Seminary programs, he decided to enroll as a student at the Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary and received Smicha on December 8, 2024, thus fulfilling a long-time dream. Within the larger local Jewish community, Rabbi Bubnis serves on the Board of Directors of Jewish Family Services of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Outside of Temple, he enjoys weight training, hiking, and exploring Pennsylvania forests (he currently serves as the chapter Chairperson for the Pennsylvania Forest Fire Lookout Association), collecting vintage Judaica books, genealogy, and a good Stephen King novel!

Rabbi Daniel resides with his husband, Dr. Timothy Legg, in South Abington Township and is a proud “parent” of four beautiful rabbits.

Read Rabbi Bubnis’ D’var in our e-bulletin

Meet Cantor Vladimir Aronzon

Since his arrival in 1999, Cantor Vladimir Aronzon has been our Hazzan and the go-to person at Temple Israel for the learning and reading of the Torah. He has also trained over 80 B’nai Mitzvah students of all ages and led our High Holy Day choir, adding beauty and inspiration to services. Cantor Aronzon came to Temple Israel from Moscow, Russia, where he conducted Shabbat and Holiday Services in the central and most prominent synagogue, Moscow Choral Synagogue.

Cantor Aronzon has also had the honor of being a visiting cantor at a Conservative congregation in Miami, Florida. He received his cantorial degree from the Moscow Academy of Cantorial Art and two Master’s degrees from the State Conservatory of Music in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in vocal singing and choir conducting.

In addition to these wonderful accomplishments, Cantor Aronzon has also performed in Cantorial and Jewish folk song concerts with the Moscow Choral Synagogue choir in Great Britain, France, the United States, Canada, Israel, Spain, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia. He sang in the Bolshoi Theater, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, Jordan Hall in Boston, and other world-famous concert halls. He also participated in the gala concert celebrating Chanukah, accompanied by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Zubin Mehta. In 1992, he performed as a soloist with Plácido Domingo in Toledo, Spain, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain.

Cantor Aronzon is married to Ludmila Flexer-Aronzon. They have four amazing children: Leo, who is married and has six children; Sasha, who is married to Alan and has one child; Elizabeth; and Ella, who resides in Israel and has two children.