Senior Rabbi
Rabbi david kunin
Rabbi David Kunin graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Medieval History and then attended the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he was ordained as a Rabbi and received an MA in Judaic Studies.
Rabbi Kunin has served communities as rabbi in Glasgow (Scotland), Elmira, San Diego, Edmonton, and Tokyo (Japan). He now is rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas in DeWitt, NY. Rabbi Kunin has a strong commitment to Jewish learning, and to a strong laity that play a central role in the religious leadership of the congregation. He believes that Jewish learning and growth is a life-long process. He also believes that spiritual growth, as we build our relationship with the community and God should be a continuous part of Jewish life.
Rabbi Kunin is a strong believer in the importance of good and harmonious relations between people from diverse religious communities. Interfaith relations have therefore been a continuous mark of his rabbinate. He served as the Chair of the Southern Tier Interfaith Coalition (Elmira, NY), where he created the Walking Together program, and was long time board member and president of the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action. He received the Alberta Centennial Medal in recognition of his community work.
Rabbi Kunin has been working with the emerging Jewish Community of Indonesia for ten years, and has spent more than 3 months in the archipelago. Contact
Rabbi Educator
Rabbi Nathan Roller
A Marin County native, Rabbi Nathan Roller is excited to join Congregation Beth David. A passionate educator, Rabbi Roller strives to teach in creative ways: using art, games and theatre as ways for learners to engage with the depths of Jewish tradition. He has developed and taught a ten-lesson adult education curriculum using theatre exercises to deepen personal connections with traditional prayer. He has learned with students from age 3 to 93 in a variety of formal and informal settings ranging from the classroom to camp. With Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, he co-wrote the Study Guide to Rabbi Artson’s book God of Becoming and Relationships: The Dynamic Nature of Process Theology.
Before returning to the Bay Area, Rabbi Roller served as spiritual leader of Burbank Temple Emanu El. Rabbi Roller is active in interfaith work, including participating in and organizing interfaith retreats for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim seminary students, working with the Burbank Ministerial Association and the Burbank Human Relations Council. During Rabbinical School, Rabbi Roller was a fellow for Truah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, an AIPAC Leffel Fellow, and a participant in the rabbinic student seminar at the Shalom Hartman Institute.
Rabbi Nathan Roller graduated from Whitman College and received his rabbinic ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in 2018. Rabbi Roller met his wife, Lindsay, in Santa Barbara and they have three children, Eliezer, Kitra, and Livia. Contact
Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Daniel Pressman
Rabbi Emeritus Daniel Pressman was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He had a rich Jewish upbringing. His parents, Rabbi Jacob and Marjorie Pressman, modeled devotion to Judaism and community. Camp Ramah and United Synagogue Youth gave him formative Jewish experiences. He graduated from UCLA, while also attending the University of Judaism, and was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.
Rabbi Pressman served Congregation Ner Tamid in Palos Verdes, California for seven years before coming to Congregation Beth David. He was active in leadership roles both locally and nationally. He originated the Torah Sparks on the weekly Torah portion for the USCJ, now appearing in five volumes as Torah Encounters. Rabbi Pressman served as our Senior Rabbi for 33 years until his retirement in 2014. He recently served as a Transitional Rabbi for Congregation Shearith Israel in Dallas, Texas. Contact
Director of Operations and Ritual
Barbara Biran
As Director of Operations & Ritual, Barbara is responsible for our facility, staff, operations and all administrative services. Additionally she tutors all of our B’Mitzvah students, adults and children, and manages anything ritually related that does not necessarily require clergy, including managing the Beth David Memorial Garden.
Barbara has lived in the South Bay since moving here in 1982 from St. Louis, MO. When not working Barbara enjoys spending time with her daughter and friends, playing Mahj, hiking, and having grown up in the Midwest, particularly loves walks along the ocean. Contact