ROOTED IN COVENANT
PRESERVING TRUTH

As a descendant of the historic Jewish community in Eufaula, she grew up in nearby Clayton, Alabama, where she developed a deep connection to her faith. To attend Hebrew school and services in Columbus, Georgia, she would travel with her grandparents, Abraham and Jennie Rudderman.

Today, Hamm is widely recognized as Eufaula's resident Jewish historian. She is the devoted caretaker of the town's historic Jewish cemetery by the Chattahoochee River, continuing a preservation legacy originally spearheaded by her grandmother. Her steadfast efforts to maintain the fading traditions of her community were highlighted in Roy Hoffman's book Alabama Afternoons: Profiles and Conversations. Demonstrating a profound personal commitment to her faith and family, Hamm routinely drove 45 miles each way to Columbus, Georgia, three days a week to ensure her son, Chad, could attend Hebrew school and Saturday services.

Professionally, Hamm served as the business manager of Reeves Peanut Co., a large wholesale shelling operation in Eufaula. By establishing the Old Testament Congregation of Alabama, she has formalized her lifelong mission to preserve Southern biblical history and cultivate a valiant covenant congregation united under the authority of scripture. Her work ensures that the legacy, historic record, and sacred traditions of her community are protected and remembered for generations to come.

In his ecclesiastical capacity, Reverend Rabbi Summers provides oversight on theological content, historical interpretations, and religious services, serving as the congregation's authority on the application of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Born into a prominent rabbinical family in Los Angeles, Summers is the grandson of Rabbi Allan Summers, a leading Jewish community leader who spearheaded interdenominational cooperation in post-war California. He is also a descendant of the Czech and Hungarian lineage of Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the Maharal of Prague. Abraham received an intensive theological education at Hebrew preparatory schools, including the Wisconsin Institute for Torah Study. There, he undertook a rigorous dual curriculum emphasizing the Masoretic Texts, Hebrew Philosophy, and the Mussar Movement, requiring strict proficiency in the biblical English, Hebrew, and Aramaic. He subsequently attended the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, where he graduated with a Dean's Merit Award, earning degrees in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development.

Summers authored an English Targum on the Book of Deuteronomy. Beyond his biblical leadership, he has also been a guest lecturer on entrepreneurship and finance at Columbia Law School, advised public and private companies, and had a career in the music industry as the lead guitarist, songwriter, and business manager with a nationally touring rock band. Today, Summers brings his unique blend of deep scriptural knowledge and executive business acumen to his leadership roles at the Old Testament Congregation of Alabama, guiding both its spiritual mission and its corporate administration.

Rabbi Schwarcz was born in Chicago, Illinois, and is of the Czech and Hungarian lineage of Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the Maharal of Prague. Demonstrating a lifelong commitment to intensive theological study, he undertook a rigorous education at prestigious yeshiva biblical seminaries throughout the United States, Canada, and Israel, becoming proficient in biblical English, Hebrew, and Aramaic.

Rabbi Schwarcz is the founder of the Hoshana Foundation, a community care organization that coordinates health and social services to support "whole-person" care by bridging clinical care with community-based services. For over three decades, the Foundation has been dedicated to serving diverse communities, regardless of background or religion, across multiple states including California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Oklahoma. Rabbi Schwarcz brings a wealth of spiritual leadership and experience in community service to his role as a Director of the Old Testament Congregation of Alabama.