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Rabbi

New Rabbi Appointed at Pleasantville Community Synagogue

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image001Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan succeeded Rabbi Sameth this summer as the new Rabbi for Pleasantville Community Synagogue, a trans-denominational synagogue known for Joyful Judaism serving 20 Westchester towns over the last 18 years. Rabbi Danan received rabbinic ordination after five years in the ALEPH Rabbinic Program. She was a student of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi of blessed memory, the founder of the Jewish Renewal movement.

Since then, she successfully led two congregations: Congregation Beth Am (Reconstructionist) in San Antonio, Texas; and Congregation Beth Israel, in Chico, California.

She has extensive experience in Jewish Education at all levels, as well as leadership in interfaith work and dialogue, including the Celebration of Abraham in Chico, bringing together hundreds of Muslims, Christians, and Jews to learn about one another’s faith and also to get to know one another as neighbors.

In addition to her rabbinical studies, Rabbi Danan earned a Ph.D. in Hebrew Studies, specializing in Rabbinic Literature and Culture, from the University of Texas at Austin. Rabbi Danan grew up in Texas, lived for several years in Israel and for 12 years in Northern California.

Based on her love of nature and the outdoors, she recently started a creative website: Wellsprings of Wisdom, www.wellspringsofwisdom.com, designed as a virtual retreat center built around Jewish symbols from nature.

Rabbi Danan is also the author of The Jewish Parents’ Almanac, reflecting her experience as the mother of five children.

Rabbi Danan is married to Avraham Danan, a Moroccan-Israeli who loves and teaches Piyut (traditional Moroccan Jewish liturgical song). They are delighted to be closer to most of their five grown children and two young grandsons on the East Coast and Midwest.

Visit shalomPCS.com for more info about Rabbi Danan, the Hebrew school, Shabbat services and adult programming at PCS.

Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe to Participate in America’s Journey for Justice

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A coalition of organizations, led by the NAACP, left Selma, Alabama on Saturday, August 1 beginning an 860-mile, 46-day march for freedom to Washington, D.C.

Called America’s Journey for Justice the march begins with a prayer before crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on the trek to the nation’s capitol. The organizers expect thousands of people to join the marchers at every stop, with a core group of more than 100 to make the entire trek.RabbiJaffeheadshot (2)

On Thursday, August 27, Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, will be joining the Journey for Justice in Columbia, South Carolina, for a one day march.

The Journey for Justice, organized by the NAACP, is both a memorial to the Selma march that took place 50 years ago and a statement about voting rights and the criminal justice system. Each evening there will be a rally and interfaith teaching service.

Rabbi Jaffe is marching with more than 150 other Reform Rabbis from around the country over the course of 46 days. He welcomes other clergy and congregants from Chappaqua to join him for this historic occasion.

Congregation B’nai Yisrael of Armonk Elects New Permanent Rabbi

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rabbi_josh_stromCongregation B’nai Yisrael (CBY) of Armonk announced today that its congregation elected Rabbi Joshua Strom as its new permanent Rabbi, effective July 1, 2015.

Rabbi Strom is currently serving as an Associate Rabbi for Temple Shaaray Tefila in New York City. He received his bachelor’s degree in English from Colgate University and was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2008.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Rabbi Strom to our congregation and local Jewish community,” said Lisa Broomer, president of CBY. She added, “we think that Rabbi Strom will bring just the right combination of new ideas and respect for tradition to our congregation with boundless amounts of enthusiasm and passion for our shared Jewish values and beliefs. We are looking forward to many years of fulfilling worship, meaningful learning and heartfelt outreach both within and beyond our community with Rabbi Strom, in partnership with our beloved Cantor, Hayley Kobilinsky, who just celebrated ten wonderful lyrical years with CBY.”

“I am both humbled and thrilled to be joining this strong congregation and local Jewish community,” said Rabbi Strom. “CBY has a rich history for upholding both cultural and social values rooted in Jewish beliefs and traditions. I am eager to help lead and build CBY’s congregation and presence as it embarks on the next great chapter of its future.”

Rabbi Strom replaces Rabbi David Katz, who has been serving as CBY’s Interim Rabbi while the temple conducted its search for a permanent Senior Rabbi.

Founded in 1970, Congregation B’nai Yisrael of Armonk is a Reform congregation with nearly 350 family members.

Temple Beth El Appoints New Senior Rabbi

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rabbi jaffeeThe Board of Trustees of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester has announced the hiring of Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe as its new Senior Rabbi effective July 1, 2014. Rabbi Jaffe will succeed Rabbi Joshua Davidson, who left Temple Beth El over the summer to become the Senior Rabbi at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York. Interim Senior Rabbi Alan Fuchs will continue to lead the congregation until June.

Rabbi Jaffe will assume responsibility for a congregation of over 520 member families, with a growing Nursery School, a vibrant Religious School, and a commitment to innovative worship, lifelong learning and social justice.

He has served Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco as Rabbi since 2006.  In 2010, he took on the oversight of the synagogue’s educational programming, from Preschool through adult education. He looks forward to becoming part of our Chappaqua community.  As he stated at today’s congregational meeting, “this is the optimal opportunity for me and my family–to work with the clergy and the families at Temple Beth El.”

According to Temple Beth El president, Lisa Davis, “with his intellect, spirituality, and warm, engaging personality, Rabbi Jaffe energized the (search) committee and the board in a way we only imagined possible.  We are confident that he is the right person to lead Temple Beth El into a bright, exciting future.”