Rabbi Ariel Russo is the spiritual leader of Congregation Sons of Israel in Upper Nyack, NY, where she has served since ordination. 

During her time there, she has focused on diversifying and empowering the synagogue's lay leadership, engaging young families, and creating intergenerational spaces and programming that connect members to Jewish life, one another, and the broader community. Rabbi Russo has served as a Pearl and Jack Resnick Internship Program mentor, coaching the next generation of rabbis through her annual supervision of a fourth-year rabbinical student training at CSI Nyack. As a pulpit rabbi, she is particularly driven by the sacred work of accompanying members through pivotal life cycles and is currently a student in the Rabbinical Assembly's rigorous text-based Misadrei Gittin training program to officiate Jewish divorces.

Rabbi Russo has spent her entire life engaged with the ideas and institutions of Conservative Judaism, with a reverence for Torah and conversation with modern culture. Concurrent with rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in May 2014, Rabbi Russo received a master's degree from the Davidson School of Jewish Education and a certificate from the Center for Pastoral Care and Counseling.

Before her ordination from JTS, Rabbi Russo took on rabbinic roles at several synagogues, including Temple Beth Ahm in Aberdeen, NJ, United Synagogue of Hoboken, Congregation Sons of Israel in Amsterdam, NY, and Kehillat Ramot Zion in Jerusalem. A passion for pastoral work and teaching has complemented her congregational experience, with two chaplaincy rotations, including pediatric hospice, and a year of student teaching at Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan. While in Rabbinical School, she participated in multiple leadership development programs, including Melitz's Rav Siach program for multi-denominational rabbinical students studying in Israel and American Jewish World Service Rabbinical Students' Delegation to the Yucatan peninsula, working with a rural Mexican anti-poverty organization.

Forever a "Ramahnik," Rabbi Russo spent 16 summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos as a camper, counselor and in camp management, along with a year guiding participants of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel – all experiences that inspired her to study at JTS and pursue the rabbinate.

Rabbi Russo hails from Cherry Hill, NJ, having grown up at the vibrant Temple Beth Sholom. She moved to New York for college and graduated from the Double Degree program with Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary's List College, earning degrees in Psychology and Talmud. While at List College, Rabbi Russo met her future husband, Matthew Russo, with whom she now spends her time searching for new playgrounds to visit along with their children Aviv, Liel, and Shai.

You can reach out to Rabbi Russo at rabbiarielrusso@gmail.com & enjoy Rabbi Russo's thoughts here at Rabbi Russo's Corner.