Rabbi Michael grew up in Richmond, Virginia and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He studied at the Hebrew Union College and received rabbinical ordination from the Conservative Movement's Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Rabbi Schwartz made aliya to Israel in 1997. Prior to arriving in Hong Kong, Rabbi Schwartz has been directing the Rabbis for Human Rights Yeshiva in Israel. Here he has brought together Jews from across religious and political spectra. The Yeshiva uses traditional and modern Jewish texts on questions of human rights and pressing social issues confronting Israel today.

Rabbi Schwartz has worked for nearly a decade in Israel as a Jewish educator for the Reform Movement, and has twice run a course to train rabbinical students and others to become Jewish educators. He served as the education coordinator at Congregation Hod v'Hadar in Kfar Saba, worked for the development staff of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, and coordinated the Beutel Leadership Seminar for the World Union for Progressive Judaism. In 2002, Michael served as the rabbi during the High Holy Days for the Reform congregation in Mumbai, India. He has taught children in Jewish Sunday Schools, and high school students, college students, and adults in various frameworks both in Israel and abroad.

Rabbi Schwartz is joined in Hong Kong by his wife, Tamar Forman, and their two sons Binyamin and Yarden.

Julie Howard grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and was involved in Reform synagogues around Melbourne in her childhood.

She became a madricha in Netzer (Australia's Reform Zionist Youth Movement) while studying at University and, in her early twenties, was asked to train as a Cantorial Soloist. Julie then started learning Jewish music under the guidance of Maurice Duband and others. She became a regular part of service worship, serving The Leo Baeck Centre for more than five years as well as Bentliegh Progressive Synagogue and Temple Beth Israel.

Julie studied music and Hebrew in Israel and went on to lead choirs, teach bar and Bat Mitzvah students and act as a Cantorial Soloist for Shabbat services and chagim. She is also a trained English/History Secondary School teacher and divides her time between music and teaching English.

Having a keen interest in folk music, Julie has also been performing her own folk music in folk friendly venues over the last few years.

She recorded a CD called "Miles Away" in 2000 and she currently performs at venues around Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Folk Festival.

Julie was the Cantorial Soloist of The UJC from 1999-2001, returned in 2003 and is the proud mother of baby Joshua.