Jewish Life at HWSPeople
Rabbi Dr. Ann Landowne
Director, Abbe Center for Jewish Life and Hillel Advisor
Abbe Center: (914) 645-1276
E-mail: landowne@hws.edu
Rabbi Ann Landowne is part of the Office for Spiritual Engagement as the Director of the Abbe Center. Ann has been the rabbi at Temple Beth-El across the street from the Abbe Center for the past 13 years.
Ann was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 2011 and served at a different Temple Beth El in Dubuque, Iowa before moving to Geneva in 2013. Rabbi Ann is also a physician who graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, after obtaining her undergraduate degree at Brandeis University. She continues to work part-time as a psychiatrist, continues her congregational work, and is always available to support HWS students.
Rabbi Ann is looking forward to helping the students continue Hillel activities and the Shabbat dinners and holiday observances, along with participating in events with the wider HWS and local community. She lives in Geneva and can often be spotted walking her dog, Poe, around Odell’s Pond, one of Poe’s favorite walks.
AMARYA WEINBERGER
Assistant Director of Spiritual Engagement
Office: Demarest 010
E-mail: weinberger@hws.edu
Amarya Weinberger joined the Office for Spiritual Engagement as its Assistant Director in 2026. Previously, she served for three years as the Engagement Coordinator at the Brown University and RISD Hillel, where she developed programs, led student trips around the world, built student leadership initiatives and helped foster vibrant and welcoming Jewish communities on campus. Amarya also spent a few years managing a mental health facility in Vermont, supporting individuals through compassionate care and community-centered programming. She ran yoga and meditation, and coordinated events for holidays of every religion.
Amarya earned a master's degree in Higher Education Leadership from Hobart and William Smith and was thrilled to return to HWS full-time. In her role, she supports the Abbe Center for Jewish Life, advises the Hillel student organization, runs the on-campus food pantry for students, and helps coordinate the many behind-the-scenes efforts that make spiritual life programming possible across campus.
Before pursuing a career in higher education, Amarya studied Animal Behavior Science. Outside of work, she volunteers with foster dogs, specializing in helping "difficult" dogs build confidence and prepare for successful adoptions. She is also an enthusiastic plant lover and is always happy to talk about animals, tea and weird plants.
Amarya welcomes conversations about spirituality, community and belonging. If there is something you'd like to see at HWS that relates to your personal spiritual journey, email Amarya and let her know.