Rabbi Rapport received his Ph.D. in American Jewish History in 1988 from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Arts in History from the same University in 1986. He is a graduate of the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati where he was ordained in June of 1984.

Rabbi Rapport has served Congregation Adath Israel Brith Sholom (The Temple) on Hwy 42 since 1988. He offers courses in Jewish philosophy at Bellarmine University and is often called upon to speak throughout the city. He is a member of the University of Louisville Board of Overseers, and is involved in various interfaith and social action activities. He and Rabbi Rooks share a seat on the Board of Directors of the Center for Interfaith Relations and the Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light board. He is past chair of the Louisville Coalition for the Homeless, and Many People One Community, a diversity project of the NCCJ.

Fr. Joe Merkt is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Fifty years ago, Father Merkt was in Rome during the Second Vatican Council. As a seminarian, he worked in the afternoons as a "gofer" in the U.S. Bishops' Press Office in Rome. He assisted as reports on the daily session were being prepared for the U.S. Bishops. He was present for the second, third and fourth sessions of the council. Father Merkt has spent the past 30 years working with formation of laity in Catholic education and in parish ministry. He believes that those called to lay ministry "are faith-filled people who need help and encouragement to foster their faith, knowledge and skills. With such formation they will contribute strongly to the New Evangelization."

Father Merkt received encouragement and support to earn a Master of Arts degree in teaching from the University of Louisville and a pontifical doctoral of sacred theology from The Catholic University of America.

Father Merkt has worked as director of Ministry Studies Programs at Spalding University in Louisville, KY, and at Brescia University in Owensboro, KY. He was instrumental in the development of the first common competency standards for the national certification of lay ministers. He has served on the board of the National Association of Lay Ministers (NALM).