Clergy

postdateicon28 August 2011 postauthoriconWritten by Administrator E-mail
About Us - Clergy

Temple Beth El Cantorial Associate Elise Barber

Elise Barber - Cantor

Cantor Elise Barber received her ordination as cantor and masters degree in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College in Newton, MA. She received her B.A. in Theatre from American University and enjoyed a professional acting and singing career as a child and well into her twenties. Cantor Barber was a member of the first national Broadway tour of the musical Titanic and also sang in West Side Story Suite with the New York City Ballet. In 2006-2007, Cantor Barber lived in Israel and studied at the progressive modern Orthodox yeshiva, Pardes, as well as in ulpan.

Cantor Barber has led services and taught at a number of synagogues in New York and Massachusetts. She has been steeped in Jewish music as a member of The Zamir Chorale of Boston from 2007-2010 and is dedicated to Jewish pluralism, inter-faith programs, and environmental action. Her passion is to help people experience the joy, depth, and sense of community in Judaism.

Cantor Barber has worked with organizations such as Hazon, Atid Yarok, Rabbis for Human Rights, Encounter, and Journeys on the Hill. Her husband, Rabbi Benjamin Weiner, is the spiritual leader of the Jewish Community of Amherst.

 

Rabbi Emeritus

postdateicon29 August 2010 postauthoriconWritten by Administrator E-mail
About Us - Clergy
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Rabbi Herbert Schwartz - Rabbi Emeritus

Educated at the Jewish Theological Seminary, Rabbi Herbert Schwartz served Temple Beth El with distinction as Rabbi from 1983 through 2008. He currently lives in Washington DC with his wife Sharon, and maintains a strong ongoing connection with TBE and the community.

 

Ritual Director

postdateicon21 March 2009 postauthoriconWritten by Administrator E-mail
About Us - Clergy
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Reverend David Aminia - Ritual Director

Reverend David Aminia was born in Iran and moved to Israel in the mid 1960’s. There he studied Hebrew in Ulpan for 8 months. David than immigrated to the United States and completed high school in Bolton Landing, a small town in upstate New York. He studied mathematics and computer applications at Florida Institute of Technology.

In 1989, David came to Temple Beth El to serve the congregation as Ritual Director. David studied Haftarah trope with Rabbi David Rosenfeld and Torah trope with Professor Hayim Cohen of Beer Sheva University. After serving the congregation with distinction for many years the honored title of Reverend was given to David.

Reverend Aminia is involved in all aspects of ritual life at the Temple: he oversees the daily minyan, reads Torah, tutors B'nai Mitzvah, supervises the kashrut, helps coordinate cemetery activities and tracks over 2500 yahrzeits.

 

Cantor Emeritus

postdateicon21 March 2009 postauthoriconWritten by Administrator E-mail
About Us - Clergy

Cantor Morton Shames

Cantor Morton Shames - Cantor Emeritus

Cantor Morton Shames served as cantor and musical director at Temple Beth El for 46 years. Since his retirement in 2001, he continues to perform annually in the Springfield Symphony Holiday Pops Concert. He is involved in organizations such as the Community Music School and Jewish Family Service.

 

Rabbi Katz

postdateicon21 March 2009 postauthoriconWritten by Administrator E-mail
About Us - Clergy
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Rabbi Amy Wallk Katz, Ph.D.

Rabbi Katz, has been involved in Jewish education for more than 20 years, working in both formal and informal settings. Rabbi Katz is a perpetual student who says she regularly learns something from her students and colleagues. Since her rabbinic ordination in 1992, Rabbi Katz was ordained she has participated in some exceptional programs of professional development.

She was a fellow in the Teacher Educator Institute, the Day School Leadership Training Institute, the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, From Good to Great: A Leadership Program for Rabbis and the Kellogg Management Education for Jewish Leaders. Each of these experiences has helped Rabbi Katz to refine her thinking about Jewish education, the synagogue for the 21st century and rabbinic leadership.

Rabbi Katz serves on Chancellor Arnold Eisen's Rabbinic Leadership Cabinet, she has a column in Moment Magazine, and teaches a class at the Jewish Theological Seminary in the Davidson School of Education.

Prior to moving to the area in 2008, Rabbi Katz served as associate rabbi at Congregation Beth Shalom in the Kansas City area, where she focused on education, programming, and outreach. She was a leading force for interfaith work and adult education in the community. Previously, she served as Director of the Department of Adult Jewish Learning for the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, where she developed and coordinated numerous adult education programs such as the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.

Rabbi Katz was born in Chicago and is the daughter of Charlotte and the late Dr. Silas Wallk. Her parents were active members of the Anshe Emet Synagogue and provided her with many opportunities to live an active Jewish life.

Rabbi Katz received rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Her post-secondary education includes a bachelor's degree in Jewish Studies from Barnard College; a master's degree in Journalism from Northwestern University; a master's degree in Jewish Education from the University of Judaism, and a doctorate in Education from Michigan State University. She is married to Kenneth Katz, and the couple has three children, Tamar, Gabriel and Nina.

 
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