Our Professional Staff
Director of Emanuel Congregation Religious School (ECRS)
Mandy Herlich, RJE
Mandy is thrilled to be a part of the Emanuel team! Mandy is a proud alumna of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Prior to coming to Emanuel, Mandy served for five years as the Director of Lifelong Learning at Temple Beth-El in Northbrook, Illinois. Before that, she lived in Miami, FL; New York City; Jerusalem; Atlanta, GA; Jackson, MS; New Orleans, LA; and St. Louis, MO. Feel free to ask her what she was doing in any of those places - she loves playing Jewish geography! And, speaking of games, she also loves playing and teaching mahjong. In addition to her professional work, Mandy serves on the leadership of the Association of Reform Jewish Educators. She always looks forward to spending time over the summer in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, serving on faculty at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute. Mandy lives in Skokie with her husband, Dustin, their dog, Niky, and their chinchilla, Hamantaschen.
Contact Mandy with question about Emanuel Congregation's Religious School
Director of Operations
Michael Cohen
Michael has spent most of his career with multiple hospitality companies, traveling the globe helping portfolios and individual locations optimize revenues, increase customer satisfaction, and enhance operations.
Fun fact…Michael was a ball boy for the Dallas Mavericks during his four years of high school.
Contact Michael at
email: operations@emanuelcong.org
Administrative Assistant
Stephanie McCullough
Stephanie is the full-time office administrator and assistant to the professional staff of Emanuel. She has a background as a composer, piano player and marketing, with a passion for video graphics and design.
Contact Stephanie
email: info@emanuelcong.org
Bookkeeper
Lorraine Fogarty
Lorraine is Emanuel's part-time bookkeeper and is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable and questions concerning members' payments and accounts.
Contact Lorraine with questions about membership renewals, outstanding payments, and other financial or billing topics.
Email: LFogarty@emanuelcong.org, Phone: 773-561-5173 ext. 108
Music Director
Ruth Seidner
Ruthie teaches music in the Religious School, leads our Adult and Junior Choirs, assists in worship, and touches all with her song leading and spirit. Her talents and enthusiasm brighten Share Shabbat, Sunday morning services and so many other events.
Contact Ruthie at
Email: RSeidner@emanuelcong.org
Sound and Livestream Technician
Jack Mecherle
Jack is responsible for managing sound and live-streaming during our Shabbat services, and anything else that would interest an audiophile. He has been a professional in the audiovisual industry for over a decade, and is excited to use his skills to serve Emanuel!
Contact Jack at
Email: info@emanuelcong.org