Since June 2019, Marc Israel has been the rabbi of Tikvat Israel in Rockville, MD. He previously served as associate rabbi at Temple Beth Hillel–Beth El (Wynnewood, PA) and as educator at Ohr Kodesh Congregation (Chevy Chase, MD). Based on the Torah’s dictate to love your neighbor as yourself, Rabbi Israel works to create vibrant and inclusive communities within the congregation, across Rockville, and throughout the world. He is an active member of Jews United for Justice and Action In Montgomery and serves on the J Street clergy network executive council. Rabbi Israel received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1992 and was ordained a rabbi in 1998 by Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. In 2007, he joined the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Israel spent 16 summers as “Rav Ropes” at Camp Ramah in New England. He is married to Abbey Frank.
Tikvat Israel Congregation is delighted to welcome Cantor Hinda Eisen Labovitz as our new Director of Community Engagement. A gifted cantor, educator, and community builder, Cantor Labovitz brings more than a decade of distinguished service to our congregation and to the broader Jewish community.
Cantor Labovitz received her cantorial ordination and an M.A. in Judaic Studies from Hebrew College in Newton, MA in 2014, where she was honored with the Israel Pollack Award for Excellence in Judaic Studies and twice received the Al Goldberg Scholarship in Jewish Music. She also held the Gideon Klein Scholarship from Northeastern University, through which she conducted independent research on the cabaret at the Westerbork concentration camp. Most recently, she served as both cantor and religious school principal at Ohr Kodesh Congregation, where she built a reputation as a devoted and inspiring leader.
A contralto of remarkable range, Cantor Labovitz has performed locally and internationally across an array of genres: chazzanut, Broadway, folk, popular, and Israeli music. She served as assistant to the conductor and Mary Wolfman Epstein Conducting Fellow with the Zamir Chorale of Boston, studying under maestro Dr. Joshua Jacobson, and sang alto with the ensemble for eight years. Her leadership in the field is equally distinguished; she is currently serving her second term on the Executive Council of the Cantors Assembly, and is co-chairing the upcoming 2027 convention — which will take place in Alexandria, Virginia.
In her new role at Tikvat Israel, Cantor Labovitz will lead the expansion of our religious school, Netivot, which is growing to serve students in grades K–5 on Sundays and offering new mid-week programming for grades 3–5. She will also work alongside our dedicated congregational volunteers to develop a vibrant and meaningful program calendar, and will serve as our sh’lichat tzibbur (prayer leader) for holidays and special services throughout the year.
We are grateful for the energy, wisdom, and heart Cantor Labovitz brings to our community, and we look forward to the Jewish life we will build together. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Cantor Labovitz and her husband Bob, and their children Devorah, Judah, and Na’amah.
Cantor Labovitz can be reached at hinda@tikvatisrael.org.
Cantor Helzner actively served the Tikvat Israel/Beth Tikva community for 41 years and in July 2025, she was appointed Cantor Emeritus. She was the first female cantor in a Conservative congregation in the Washington area. During her tenure, she inspired our congregation and the community through her davening, teaching and mentoring. She initiated many of the synagogue’s marquis programs, including our Kabbalat Shabbat with Instruments service, a Purim puppet production, and an annual concert.
In her role as Cantor Emeritus, Cantor Helzner will continue to lead Kabbalat Shabbat with Instruments on a periodic basis and to stay connected to the Tikvat Israel community.
Cantor Helzner graduated from Douglass College, Rutgers University, with a degree in music, theater and art. Her cantorial training was received through apprenticeships with such notable hazzanim as Jeffrey Nadel, Arnold Saltzman, Max Wohlberg and Robert Kieval.
Contact Cantor Helzner by e-mail at or phone 301-762-7338, ext. 116.
Aaron joined Tikvat Israel in early 2022. He is an experienced administrator with two decades of work in marketing and communication in the nonprofit sector.
Aaron spent the past 10 years as chief communications officer with the Boy Scouts of America’s National Capital Area Council, where he has led marketing teams, program membership, social media campaigns and media relations. Previously, he spent four years as operations and social media director for a product marketing and architectural technology. He also worked for a year as campus life director with Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Aaron served on the board of directors at Temple Beth Ami, a Reform congregation in Rockville, and chaired the synagogue’s 50th anniversary steering committee. He holds a master’s degree in organizational and interpersonal communication and a B.A. in speech communication, both earned at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Aaron resides in Gaithersburg with his wife and young son.
Contact Aaron by e-mail or phone 301-762-7338 ext. 111.
Deborah L. Ungar, an experienced Jewish educator, was named the director of the Tikvat Israel Early Childhood Center in Spring 2021. She comes to TI with 16 years of experience as a director of the Silver Spring Learning Center and 25 years in the field of early childhood education. She also taught kindergarten at Park East Day School in New York City for six years.
Debbie earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Yeshiva University and her master’s degree in education with a specialization in teaching science from Hunter College.
Debbie and her husband Michael have two adult children. She enjoys cooking and hiking and is an avid reader.
Contact Debbie by email or phone 301-762-7338 ext. 129
