Clergy

William I. Kuhn, Rabbi 

rabbikuhn@rodephshalom.org
215-627-6747

William I. Kuhn became Senior Rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in 1998.  Rabbi Kuhn was ordained in 1994 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, became the senior rabbi of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in 1998 after having served as assistant and associate rabbi since 1994. He brings broad and distinctive life experience to the congregation's historic pulpit. Throughout his tenure, Rabbi Kuhn has initiated and overseen Rodeph Shalom's ambitious and wide-ranging efforts to create a Jewish community of profound connections through transformative study, prayer, and urban engagement.

Nationally, Rabbi Kuhn serves at the Vice President of Financial Affairs for the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and he is active in the Union for Reform Judaism.  In Philadelphia, Rabbi Kuhn is an active member of the boards of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, Jewish Family and Children's Services and the National Conference for Community and Justice. He has served on Mayor Street's Transition Committee as co-chairman of the Volunteer and Faith-Based Organizations Sub-committee and has served as a Commissioner on the Human Relations Commission for the City of Philadelphia.

A native and longtime resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Rabbi Kuhn's great love for Judaism was nurtured at Congregation Ohabai Sholom and within his family, which had founded the synagogue in the 1860's. He continued the Kuhn family tradition of leadership as a board member and officer of that congregation, particularly while chair of the Social Action Committee, when he was instrumental in establishing a homeless shelter based in the Temple.


Rabbi Kuhn is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. After leaving Penn, he served as vice-president of Kuhn's Big K Stores Corporation, a family-owned retail business, and later established and was president of General Property Investor's Corporation, a real-estate investment firm. Throughout this period, he was active in Nashville's Jewish and general community.


Rabbi Kuhn and his wife, Emily, live in the Society Hill section of Philadelphia. Their two children Michael and Sarah Kuhn live in New York. They are blessed with two grandchildren, Esther Sarah Kuhn and Sasha Max Kuhn.

Jill L. Maderer, Rabbi 

rabbimaderer@rodephshalom.org
215-627-6747 x16

Jill L. Maderer has served Congregation Rodeph Shalom since her ordination from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 2001. Rabbi Maderer's life was shaped by her involvement in the Reform youth movement and in her hometown Reform congregation in Westfield, New Jersey. She graduated from Brandeis University with a major in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and minors in Women's Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies.

At Rodeph Shalom, Rabbi Maderer works to build community, especially through study and ritual. She coordinates programs including Adult Education, the Multi-generational Alternative High Holy Day services, Tot Shabbat, the B'nei Mitzvah program, and she works with FELS and the Buerger Early Learning Center at Congregation Rodeph Shalom. Rabbi Maderer serves on the Executive Board of the Philadelphia Board of Rabbis and on the Board of the Kehillah of Center City. 

Rabbi Maderer and her husband Len Lipkin are raising two young children, Moshe and Pria. 

Eli C. Freedman, Rabbi 

rabbifreedman@rodephshalom.org
215-627-6747 x19

Eli Freedman was ordained at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in May 2010 and received his undergraduate degree from
Brandeis University.  Prior to joining the clergy team at Rodeph Shalom, Rabbi Freedman served as Rabbinic Intern at the NYU Hillel. He spent the first three years of rabbinical school in London and worked as a student rabbi at Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, the largest Reform congregation in Europe. He also ran the outreach and engagement program at Columbia/Barnard University, where he worked to attract unaffiliated Jews to Jewish life.

Rabbi Freedman’s three major areas of work at Rodeph Shalom are our Mercaz Limud (Religious School), our RiSe Up! (Social Justice)
Initiative, and young adult work which included our Young Friends group and Next Dor. He also is engaged in all other rabbinic duties,
including life cycle events, leading services, preaching, counseling, and adult education.

Rabbi Freedman and his wife, Laurel Klein, live in the wonderful Graduate Hospital neighborhood in Center City where they enjoy dinning out, live music, and home-brewing!

Jaime L. Murley, Cantor

 jmurley@rodephshalom.org
215-627-6747 x60  

Jaime Murley has served Congregation Rodeph Shalom as Cantor since her graduation from Gratz College’s Masters in Cantorial Studies and Jewish Music program in 2009. Prior to that, she served as Rodeph Shalom’s songleader, soloist, and primary B’nei Mitzvah tutor since 2003. Cantor Murley graduated from Temple University with a Masters in Percussion Performance and played in numerous symphony orchestras.

At Rodeph Shalom, Cantor Murley strives to connect everyone with their Jewish identity by enhancing their love and knowledge of Jewish music. Her specialty lies in teaching and singing accessible and participatory-style melodies with guitar accompaniment. Cantor Murley has worked extensively with Rabbi Maderer on developing the Contemporary High Holy Day Services. She also works closely with the Cantorial Soloist in leading the various choirs at Rodeph Shalom, including the Congregational Choir, Youth Choir, and the new a cappella group called Rak ‘N Kol  (which is Hebrew for “only voice”).

Cantor Murley and her husband Luke reside in Roxborough with their two children, Cooper and Noa, who love being students at the Buerger Early Learning Center.

 Alan D. Fuchs, Rabbi Emeritus 

rabbifuchs@rodephshalom.org
215-925-0690

Alan D. Fuchs holds a BA degree from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1963. Rabbi Fuchs led Congregation Rodeph Shalom as Senior Rabbi from 1988 to 1998. Prior to that, Rabbi Fuchs served as Senior Rabbi of the Isaac M. Wise Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was also rabbi at Temple Sinai in Pittsburgh, Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, and Temple Beth El in Somerville, New Jersey, and served as a Chaplain in the US Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Verdun, France. In July of 2001, Rabbi Fuchs served as interim Rabbi at Temple Beth El in Chappaqua, New York, while the congregation searched for a senior rabbi.

Rabbi Fuchs and his wife, Carol, live in Center City Philadelphia and have two sons and five grandchildren.