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Born in Buenos Aires in 1954, Marcelo Bronstein was educated in Israel, Argentina and the United States. His studies include Sh'nat Hachschara at B'nei Akiva, Israel 1973; a BA degree from Belgrano University, Buenos Aires 1976 and a MA degree in Clinical Psychology from Belgrano University 1978. His Bachelor of Hebrew Letters was received at the University of Judaism, Los Angeles in 1987 and his Masters of Hebrew Letters in 1989 as well as Rabbinical Ordination in 1989 from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York.

Before coming to Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York City, Marcelo Bronstein held a variety of positions, both in the Jewish and secular worlds. As Youth Director at Comunidad Bet El in Buenos Aires, he worked closely with his teacher and mentor, Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer for ten years. After serving as co-director and, later, director of Camp Ramah in Argentina he went on to the position of Youth Director, Student Rabbi and Director of Talmud Torah, Nueva Comunidad Israelita in Buenos Aires.

In the field of psychology, Rabbi Bronstein continued to be trained and had a clinical practice in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires Medical School and at the Centro Médico Psicológico, Buenos Aires. At the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano in Buenos Aires, he became Professor of Group Dynamics and Evolutionary Psychology and also conducted a private practice specializing in teenagers.

In 1989 Rabbi Bronstein became rabbi of Estadio Israelita in Santiago Chile and founded and held the position of rabbi of Congregacion Or Shalom in Santiago. In 1995 he joined Rabbi Roly Matalon as co-rabbi of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun.

Rabbi Bronstein served on the boards of many agencies in Chile and Argentina concerned with issues of social action, health, ecology and Jewish-Christian, and human rights relations. He is currently on the advisory committees of Human Rights Watch/Americas, the advisory boards of the Chaplaincy Program at Roosevelt St. Lukes Hospital, New York, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Soaring Words and South Wing to Zion (Ethiopian Jews).

Rabbi Bronstein has three daughters.

Rabbi Felicia Sol

Born in 1971, Rabbi Sol was raised in Connecticut. Following her graduation from Tufts University, where she received a BA in Developmental Psychology and Education she received an MA degree in Jewish Education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. During the course of her studies she spent a year at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem. She received her Masters of Hebrew Letters in 1996 and rabbinic ordination in 1999 from HUC-JIR in New York City.

While engaged in studies at HUC-JIR in New York, Rabbi Sol began her involvement with Congregation B'nai Jeshurun as the Family and Youth Director, a position in which she served for three years. It was at this time that Rabbi Sol produced and edited Pnei Shabbat, B'nai Jeshurun's family's prayerbook. She also edited B'nai Jeshurun's Zimrat Yah: Prayers and Songs for Shabbat and Festivals. Following ordination, she became a Marshall T. Meyer Rabbinic Fellow at B'nai Jeshurun, serving in that position for two years and studying under the mentorship of Rabbis J. Rolando Matalon and Marcelo Bronstein. In 2001, Rabbi Sol joined her teachers, Rabbi Bronstein and Matalon, in their rabbinic partnership.

Rabbi Sol received the 2005 PaceSetter Award, nominated by Councilwoman Gale Brewer and presented by the New York City Council and was also honored by Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps in 2006 as a Partner in Justice. She currently serves on the New Israel Fund New Generations Steering Committee and the Board of Jewish Funds for Justice.

Hazzan & Music Director Ari Priven

Ari Priven was born in 1962 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was trained as a Hazzan by the late Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer and studied at the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano, founded by Rabbi Meyer. Ari Priven received a Masters degree from the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Shortly after Rabbi Meyer arrived in New York to revitalize Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, he called on his former student Ari Priven to become cantor and musical director, a position he has held since 1989. The music of BJ is admired and has influenced many congregations around the country and around the globe.

Hazzan Priven has produced and performed in several recordings of BJ music, including With Every Breath (The Music of Shabbat), HaLailah Hazeh: The Music of Pesah at BJ and TekiYah, Echoes of the High Holy Days at BJ, and is the composer of a number of liturgical pieces. Hazzan Priven was a professional advisor and teacher at Synagogue 2000, and he is a member of the Synagogue 3000 Leadership Network.

He lives in New York City with his wife, Nina Priven, MD, and their three children.