Temple Israel of Great Neck 2026
Seth Kurpiel has been a member of Temple Israel of Great Neck for 13 years. He has been involved in the Religious School education committee, the new member welcoming committee, and has helped organize numerous synagogue ski trips and outdoor Friday night services at Steppingstone Park, as well as other social events. He is also a member of the Men‘s Club for many years and has helped volunteer to pack and deliver many meals with the Hatzilu organization, as well as play on the Temple Men’s Club softball team.
Seth grew up on Staten Island where he attended Tottenville High School, and after that attended the University of Connecticut where he graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Mathematics and Actuarial Science. He has worked as an actuary at various insurance companies and consulting firms throughout his career. He has completed all of the actuarial exams to obtain Fellowship in the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Seth loves running, skiing, snowboarding, basketball, softball and rooting for the New York Mets. He even took up golf with the encouragement of some of his Men’s Club buddies during the Covid pandemic. He is an Eagle Scout and has volunteered in many leadership positions with the local Cub Scouts and Scouts in Great Neck.
Seth is married to Morgan, who is a Registered Nurse and has worked in oncology for most of her career. They have two children: their son Riley is 16 years old and currently a sophomore at Great Neck South High School and is a former Men’s Club Youth of the Year honoree; their son Benson is 13 years old and currently in seventh grade at Great Neck South Middle School. Both children are graduates of Temple Israel’s religious school, both are involved with the Youth House teens at Temple Israel, and both were Bar Mitzvah’d at the Temple.
Seth is grateful to be part of such a loving and supportive synagogue community, and is honored by the Temple’s Men’s Club recognition this year.
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Elliot Kassin is a junior at Great Neck South High School and has been a member of Temple Israel of Great Neck since moving from NYC at age four. Ellie’s mom, Mara, grew up in Great Neck and also attended Temple Israel.
For the past two years, El has served as a madriach (teaching assistant) in the Temple Israel Religious School, genuinely enjoying the opportunity to work with students and support their Jewish education. An active participant in Temple Israel’s Youth House program since seventh grade, El is always eager to engage in thoughtful and spirited discussions about Judaism with Rabbi Stecker and Rabbi Schweber.
Volunteerism is at the heart of El’s involvement. Through Youth House, El dedicates time to Midnight Run, helps organize the food pantry, delivers meals to those in need, and sings for seniors at the Atria. El has also attended Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and participated in additional educational programs at Wellesley and Barnard.
At Great Neck South, El is actively involved in Debate, Robotics, Midnight Run, and other volunteer opportunities. Ellie also participated in the Great Neck Library Levels program.
Ellie traveled to Israel with extended family to celebrate a bar mitzvah and to experience the culture firsthand—though there is still some skepticism about what makes people think falafel is delicious.
Looking ahead to college, El is excited to explore studies in psychology, law, or even infectious disease—perhaps on the way to becoming the next Dr. House. At home, Ellie is a proud older sibling to two younger brothers, Aaron and Jake.
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Raquel Landerer has always cherished her Jewish heritage and holds it close to her heart. She attended TIGN religious school for many years. She enjoys going to Temple, and helping the Temple Israel community in any way she can. Some of those ways include being a teacher’s assistant for TIGN religious school and helping during religious events.
Raquel is now in her third year of assisting Tot Shabbat services. She loves meeting new children, singing Shabbat songs, and teaching brachas. She appreciates her job in Tot Shabbat because she has a passion for teaching Judaism to the younger generation and is honored to play a part in passing down Jewish traditions.
Raquel has attended Temple Israel services all her life, as she has lived in Great Neck her whole life with her parents and three older brothers. She was bat mitzvahed in February, 2021. She hopes to study education and public administration in college.
Outside of her Jewish endeavors, she is also the head of mentoring special needs peers in her school, and of the Great Neck North Model UN club.