Plaza Jewish Community Chapel

What makes us different?

Plaza was purchased by concerned community leaders, philanthropists and communal organizations who provided grants and interest free loans with no desire for financial return.

Plaza is run by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of rabbis and communal leaders.

Plaza was not established to make a profit; its mission is to reduce the cost and add to the quality of service of the Jewish funeral.

Plaza believes that all Jewish families, regardless of economic status, should have access to a dignified Jewish funeral.

Plaza is a service to the community-
Not a business.

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Meet our Professional Staff
Andrew Fier Executive Director, Emeritus Andrew Fier is a licensed funeral director and manages the operation of Plaza Jewish Community Chapel. He has more than 40 years of experience as a funeral director and is a member of the Rosenthal and Grossberg families who have been active in the funeral business for more than 100 years. Andy is the only person to have served twice as president of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America. He was the founder of Plaza Memorial Chapel, the facility which Plaza Jewish Community Chapel acquired from SCI in February, 2001. Over his career, Andy has served as Chairman of the Religious Affairs committee of UJA-Federation of NY; President, Hebrew Institute for the Deaf; Chairman, Yeshiva University Interdisciplinary Conference on Bereavement and Grief; Honorary Trustee, Park Avenue Synagogue; Board of Overseers for the Jewish Theological Seminary Rabbinical School; and currently sits on the board of The Solomon Schecter High School. Andy received a B.A. from NYU and an M.A. from University of Pennsylvania. Michael McFadden Executive Director Michael has been a licensed funeral director since 1971 and has spent the last 29 years providing funeral services to the Jewish community in the New York metropolitan area. Michael holds a Mortuary Science degree from Simmons School in Syracuse, New York. Michael is a former member of the New York State Funeral Directors Advisory Board, the Metropolitan Funeral Directors Association and the Westchester Funeral Directors Association. Stephanie Garry Director of Community Relations Since 2002 Stephanie has been Director of Community Relations for Plaza Jewish Community Chapel and truly considers it a "privilege" to be part of such a thoughtful, purposeful, community endeavor. Originally from the Midwest, Stephanie has always been involved in the Jewish Community. For 25 years Stephanie made a living as an actor appearing in over 1500 commercials all the while serving as President of Temple Shaaray Tefila, a Reform congregation in Northern Westchester from 1995-1997. Stephanie has also served as Community Outreach co- chair for the Westchester Chapter of The American Jewish Committee and currently sits on the National Board of The Union for Reform Judaism where she is Chair of Leadership Development. Stephanie is also a member of The Commission for Social Action. She lives in Stamford, Ct. with her husband of 29 years businessman Art Tatge and they are the proud parents of 23 year old Zach. Edward Yarmus Funeral Director Edward joined the staff of Plaza Jewish Community Chapel in February 2001, after being associated with Louis Hirsch & Sons for more than 33 years. He graduated summa cum laude from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service, New York, New York. Ed served in The United States Air Force from 1962 to 1967 and is active with The Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America. Darren Picht Funeral Director Darren is our youngest and most recent addition joining staff Plaza Jewish Community Chapel in 2005. He did his residency under Edward Yarmus at Louis Hirsch & Sons in the Bronx and then worked for Kehila Chapels in Brooklyn for eight years. He Graduated from American Academy Mc Allister Institute in 1995 and has been licensed for eleven years. He and his family currently resides in Westchester County.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Plaza Jewish Community Chapel is governed by an unpaid Board of Directors which includes rabbis from the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist movements as well as both lay and professional leaders from many Jewish communal organizations. The members of the Board and their organizational affiliations (listed for identification purposes only) are:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chairman Alfred Engelberg The Engelberg Foundation Vice President Geoffrey Colvin Jewish Communal Fund Secretary and Treasurer Irvin Rosenthal UJA-Federation of NY		President Harold Handler Jewish Communal Fund Rachel Neumark Herlands Lincoln Square Synagogue Lynn Korda Kroll UJA-Federation of NY Audrey Weiner The Jewish Home and Hospital
OTHER DIRECTORS
Steve Axinn Moshe Greenberg Rabbi Richard Jacobs Westchester Reform Congregation Peter Joseph JCC in Manhattan Paul Konigsberg Joel Kazis Dorot Rabbi David Lincoln Park Avenue Synagogue Rabbi J. Rolando Matalon Congregation B'nai Jeshurun Rabbi Adam Mintz Rabbi Michael Strassfeld The SAJ Ethan Horwitz King and Spaulding LLP Steve Rappaport Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Rosenblatt Riverdale Jewish Center Alan Jaffe (Proskauer Rose) Rabbi Barry Dov Katz Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale Rabbi Joy Levitt Executive Director JCC in Manhattan		Rabbi Yael Ridberg West End Synagogue Rabbi Peter Rubinstein Central Synagogue Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Synagogue Rabbi Mychal Springer Jewish Theological Seminay Alan Trager Westchester Jewish Community Services Rabbi Gordon Tucker Temple Israel Center of White Plains Michael A. Varet Karen Adler Rabbi Andy Bachman Congregation Beth Elohim Rabbi Joseph Potasnik New York Board of Rabbis Pinchas Berger, LCSW Director, Jewish Community Services Rabbi Shaul Robinson Lincoln Square Synagogue Aileen Gitelson,CEO JASA