People

Rabbi Andrea Cosnowsky

Senior Rabbi

Rabbi Andrea Cosnowsky was ordained in 2004 at Hebrew Union College and served as the associate rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim from 2005 to 2016.

She is committed to strengthening Etz Chaim’s presence as the center of Jewish life in the western Chicago suburbs. She believes strongly in building community by connecting people to each other and to the traditions of Judaism. Rabbi Cosnowsky actively builds bridges between people of all faiths and participates in DuPage United and the Glen Ellyn Religious Leaders group. 

She teaches an intro to Judaism course at Elmhurst College as an adjunct professor and uses her passion for music, teaching, and learning to help others see the world through a lens of spirituality. Her warm and engaging presence, along with her willingness to embrace families and individuals, including interfaith families, opens the door to Judaism in an accessible manner and invites others to explore their spiritual path.

Born and raised in Ardsley, NY, Rabbi Cosnowsky earned her BA in English Literature at SUNY Empire State College. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Xavier University and a Master’s in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College.

Email Rabbi Cosnowsky

Aaron Robbin 

Executive Director

Aaron Robbin grew up in Deerfield and Buffalo Grove so his position at Etz Chaim represents a kind of homecoming. He left the area to attend the University of Iowa/Bradley University, where he received an undergraduate degree in business. He also has a Master’s in Education from DePaul University, an executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology, and a certificate in Experiential Jewish Education from M2 - The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education. 

Prior to Etz Chaim, Aaron oversaw BBYO’s travel department and sent 1,000 teens abroad each year. Funnily enough, his wife Anne (Richardson) Robbin grew up at Etz Chaim! Now they have two children together, Samuel and Madeline, who are also a part of the Etz Chaim community. 

Email Aaron

Rabbi Steven Bob

Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Steven M. Bob served as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim 35 years. In July 2016, he became the congregation’s Rabbi Emeritus. His delight in Torah, his sense of humor and fun, his
love of teaching and learning, and his ability to connect with people of all ages are some of the gifts he brings to everything he does.

Rabbi Bob was ordained in 1977, after earning his B.A. at the University of Minnesota and his M.A. at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. He received the Doctor of Divinity degree from the
Hebrew Union College in 2002. 

In addition to his activities at Etz Chaim, Rabbi Bob is currently an adjunct faculty member at Wheaton College and Elmhurst University, where he is also a founder of the Holocaust Education
Program. He is a leader of the faculty of Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute and a recipient of the Samuel Cook Award for Lifetime Achievement in Youth Work from the CCAR and Rabbi Mordecai
Simon Award from the Chicago Board of Rabbis.

Rabbi Bob’s new book, “Jonah and the Meaning of Our Lives,” was published by the Jewish Publication Society in June of 2016. His first book, “Go to Nineveh, Commentaries of Rashi, Abraham Ibn Ezra, David Kimchi, Isaac Abarbanel, and the Malbim to the Book of Jonah, Translated and Explained” was published by Wipf and Stock in July of 2013. He is recognized as an expert
on Yom HaShoah.

Rabbi Bob's involvement and leadership in the wider community include chairing the DuPage Interfaith Resource Network. He also served as Recording Secretary of the Central Conference of
American Rabbis. Rabbi Bob is a Past President of the Chicago Association of Reform Rabbis as well as the Elmhurst Ministerium. Rabbi Bob is a member of the Governing Council of
the World Zionist Organization. Ha'aretz named Rabbi Bob as one of the 36 American Jews who
helped shape the 2008 Presidential election.

Cameron Trejbal

Program & Communications Associate

Cameron Trejbal (they/them/theirs) was born and raised in Downers Grove and received their undergraduate degree in writing from the University of Illinois at Champaign. They are passionate about facilitating Jewish community and encouraging a sense of belonging in our congregation. In their free time, they enjoy studying Hebrew, singing in the choir, and cuddling their dog, Pepper.

Email Cameron

Matt Newton

Inclusive Education Coordinator

Theorizing that one could time travel within his lifetime, Matt Newton stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished…” Well, not exactly. While Matt is not Dr. Sam Becket, he feels blessed to have jumped through several rewarding life experiences, including previous careers as a U.S. Army linguist, an advertising “madman”, and a marketing coordinator for a multi-global corporation. However, it wasn't until meeting his wife Mia (an incredible high school teacher) that Matt discovered his true calling - supporting neurodivergent youth and adults as they work to navigate living in a neurotypical society. 

Over the years, this passion has led Matt to help this population (and their families) find inclusion, social-emotional support, and advocacy at school, home, and work. At his previous company, where he still works part time as the program director and a coach, Matt helped design training materials and provided coaching to staff for best practices on supporting the neurodiverse community. Additionally, he works 1:1 with clients and their families on developing strategies to help manage some of the daily challenges they face. 

With a degree in Psychology from San Jose State and several years of experience working with children and adults, Matt is excited to join Congregation Etz Chaim in supporting inclusion for all. As a Jewish-adjacent partner in an interfaith marriage, raising a daughter firmly in the Jewish faith, Matt believes recognizing and appreciating our differences is a key to building life-long foundations of faith and growth. Having recently moved to Illinois from the California Bay Area, he, his wife Mia, and their daughter Talia are appreciative of how welcoming CEC is and look forward to continuing to grow within this loving community.

Email Matt

Elmer Suarez 

Maintenance Crew

Three values that guide Elmer are commitment, family, and community. After graduating from Naperville North High School and attending the College of DuPage, Elmer's determination guided him onto a new path. With his supportive wife and a joyful 1-year-old son, he took on the task of growing the family business—a journey he embraced wholeheartedly. Having been a part of the CEC for over a year now, he is eager to keep contributing his services to the congregation.