Director of Philanthropy
Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley Massachusetts

Joel Sisenwine
Senior Rabbi

Joel Sisenwine has been the Rabbi of Temple Beth Elohim since the year 2000, a period of great growth and energy in the life of our community. A native of Philadelphia, Rabbi Sisenwine graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. There, Rabbi Sisenwine received the prestigious Wexner Foundation Fellowship for Jewish Leadership, as well as the nationally recognized Truman Foundation Fellowship for public service.

Following studies at various institutions of higher learning, including Tel Aviv University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, he was ordained a rabbi from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 1995.

Rabbi Sisenwine has distinguished himself as a leading voice in the local and national Jewish community. He is currently the rabbinic chair of the Reform movement’s Commission on Worship and Religious Living, and also serves on the President’s Rabbinic Council of the Hebrew Union College. He was also as a founding member of the region’s Reform Beit Din, and has served on several local and national leadership boards, including the Jewish Community Center, the Rashi School, and the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis.

Rabbi Sisenwine is the author of various articles and publications. He can occasionally be seen on the basketball courts of the JCC, the bleachers at Fenway Park, or enjoying time with his family.

Susan Solomont
Vice President of Philanthropy - Board Member

Susan Solomont and her husband Alan have been TBE members since 1989. Their two daughters Becca and Stephanie both went to TBE Nursery School, became Bat Mitzvah at TBE and Stephanie and her husband Geoff were married by Rabbi Sisenwine and Cantor Zell in 2023. They are looking forward to naming their granddaughter Leni, now 7 months old at a Friday evening service.

For many years, Susan served on the TBE board in a number of positions. Perhaps the most meaningful was chairing the Makom committee that helped build our beautiful building.

Susan currently is a Senior Philanthropic Advisor at The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI) in Boston, Massachusetts, a not-for-profit consulting firm that advises individuals, foundations, and corporations on how to design philanthropy programs to create meaning and impact. Earlier in her career, Susan worked for WGBH overseeing all corporate fundraising for both the television and radio stations. 

Susan and Alan lived in Madrid Spain from 2010-2013, where Alan served as U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra. One of the many highlights of their time there was when the clergy and 60 TBE members came to visit. 

Susan is the author of two books, Lost and Found In Spain: Tales of An Ambassador’s Wife and the children’s book, Stella the Ambassadog.

Susan believes in being an active member of the community and has served on a number of boards in the Boston area. She has served on many boards including the Berklee College of Music, the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition, the New England Aquarium, the Women’s Health Initiative at Boston Medical Center, Newton Wellesley Hospital, the Citi Center for the Performing Arts, The Commonwealth Institute, the WGBH Board of Overseers, and the Boston Jewish Community Women’s Fund.