Mindy has been in the field of Jewish education for almost 15 years, in many capacities. She has been a classroom educator in several grades, Family Educator, Assistant Director as well as an Adult Educator. Mindy is skilled at guiding learners of all ages through their Jewish journeys, so that they find their own connections.
Mindy loves to learn as much as she loves to teach. She has completed many courses and workshops in Jewish education, Holocaust Education, Family Education and Storahtelling Training and Service Learning for teens. In addition, Mindy has been a Mentor in Moreh with Mentors since 2004 and is the 2009 recipient of the Hoffman/Grinspoon-Steinhard Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.
In her limited spare time……She combines her commitment to Tikkun Olam with her skills as an avid fiber artist; Mindy often knits, crochet and quilts items for people in need.
Carol Paster has been director of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel’s Iris Family Preschool for 13 years, after teaching for 7 years in their preschool and kindergarten programs.
A perpetual student, Carol holds a BA in Art Education, an MA in Early Childhood Special Education, has extensive background in furniture construction and is currently enrolled in the Jewish Early Childhood Education Certificate program at Gratz College.
Carol is an active partner with The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life of MetroWest NJ. She is a leader in its Early Childhood Director’s Network and a pioneer in its Early Childhood Community of Practice (EC CoP). Carol’s innovative programs have been recognized by the community with several awards and grants (The Hoffman Award for Excellence in Jewish Education and LaZuz grants for family outreach programs.)
As one who has trouble resisting the urge to volunteer her time and energy, Carol has been on the board of the ECE-RJ (Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism), serving as chair of their annual national conference held Philadelphia.
Carol serves as secretary for Habitat for Humanity Newark’s board of directors as well as co-chair of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build.
Tracy Horwitz is a native of New Jersey and a child of our Congregation. As program Director, she works with pre-school aged children through senior adults with an emphasis on working with the high school population of our Temple community. A licensed social worker with an MSW and Jewish Communal Certificate from Yeshiva University, Tracy has worked in the Jewish Communal field for 18 years both at our Congregation and JCC MetroWest. As a social worker, Tracy is able to create unique mental health programs for all ages. In addition, Tracy coordinates our adult education programs.
A psychotherapist for over 25 years, Beth has counseled individuals, couples, families and groups in a variety of settings, including private practice. Beth lived in Israel for 10 years where she worked with the Ministry of Education’s Psychological Services in Jerusalem and as the on-site director of Wesleyan University’s Semester Abroad Program.
She received an MA in Psychology from The New College of California, and an MSW from Rutgers University. Through her post graduate training in family systems therapy at the Ackerman Institute in NYC she brings a perspective that focuses on the resilience and strength of the families and the communities that she encounters in her work.
Beth is a long time student and practitioner of meditation, She co-founded the Jewish Meditation Center in Montclair New Jersey where she teaches mindfulness meditation. She leads a weekly Hebrew chant/meditation group at TSTI for people with an interest in exploring meditative practices or for those who simply need a “time out” in the midst of our busy lives.
In her capacity as the JFS Metro West Temple Social Worker at TSTI, Beth provides consultation to the Temple community, advocacy, crisis intervention, short term counseling and referrals for mental health services. She leads several groups at TSTI –Touched by Grief, Chat and Chew Support Group for Preschool Parents , Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing for 7th and 8th graders. A new BabyTime group for parents of babies 0-2 is forming and will begin in January.
Being a Social Worker at TSTI combines many of the aspects of life to which Beth has always been passionate –Jewish community, psychology, spirituality, and the natural tendency of individuals, families and groups to reach toward health and wellness. She is honored to be a part of TSTI community.
The purpose of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel shall be to maintain a Congregation devoted to the fundamental values of the Synagogue:
Worship (Avodah), Learning (Torah), and Loving Acts (Gemilut Chasadim).
We welcome all who wish to participate in the traditions and rituals of the Jewish people. Our goal is to perpetuate the religious principles and moral values of Judaism by providing an environment for worship, education, spirituality, and service for our members and the larger community.
We commit to achieving this goal by creating a Jewish Congregation characterized by:
Study (Talmud Torah): Congregants who learn and teach our texts, history and traditions.
Worship (avodah): Congregants who seek to relate their lives to God, through prayer and other means of expressing their spiritual connection.
Observance and Celebration (shemirah va’chagigah): Congregants who enhance their communal, family and personal lives through Jewish observances and celebrations in both the synagogue and the home.
Morality (musar): Congregants who reflect high moral standards in their careers and personal lives and who advocate those same values in our society and world.
Social Justice (tikkun olam): Congregants who take responsibility for mending our world through individual and collective action - the quest for social justice, enhancement of individual dignity, encouragement of self-reliance, pursuit of peace and freedom, resistance to the enemies of peace and freedom, and the wise use of our natural resources to enhance our lives and preserve a habitable planet for future generations.
Love of Zion (Ahavat Tsiyon): Congregants who affirm their historic and spiritual bond to the Land of Israel and work to strengthen a democratic, just and religiously pluralistic society in the State of Israel.
Reform Judaism (Yahadut Mitkademet): Congregants who find in the Reform movement the means to enhance the spiritual content and moral purpose of their lives.
Executive Committee of the Board
2010 - 2011
President – Jay Rice
VP Administration – Rob Ozer
VP Finance – Max Weisenfeld
VP Development – Susan Wishnow
VP Religious Living – Wendy Ferber
VP Membership – Lisa Tilton-Levine
VP Education – David Leit
VP Community – Jules Nissim
Treasurer – Jeff DuBowy
Secretary – Lynne Crawford
Advisor – Jack Fersko
Advisor – Gail Barry
Past Pres: Hope Pomerantz
Board of Trustees
Debra Bernstein
Renee Helfenstein
Philip Hoch
Russell Kaplan
Laurie Landau
K. Adam Leight
Karen Masters
Andrea McCauley
Gary Potters
Helene Sorin
Lisa Tilton-Levine
Presidential Appts:
RS chair: Ben Deutsch
Early Childhood: Carrie Nussbaum
Gates: David Baum
Finance Chair: Not yet named
Finance Sec'y: Elliot Sommer
Acting Co-Finance sec'y: Joel Scharf
Past Presidents
Hope Pomerantz
Jack Fersko
Ellen Barocas
Pauline Pollack
Paul Rosenberg
Arnold Budin
Florence Seglin
Martin Feitlowitz
Ethel Sidney
Daniel Goldberg
Rudy Slucker
Sheldon Gross
Richard Staenberg
Henry Kay
Barbara Stoller
Edward Lidz
Lee Weinberg
Annette Littman
Honorary Trustees
Norma Benisch
David Bershad
Matty Goldberg
Ramon Green
Senator Frank Lautenberg
Jerome Lieb
Dr. Harold Littman
Audrey Weiss
Rabbi Cohen is a graduate of Duke University, holds a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters and Rabbinic Ordination from the HUC-JIR. He received his Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling from HUC-JIR and the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health. Rabbi Cohen Doctoral project was an examination of the emotional impact of a first child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah on the entire family system. Rabbi Cohen is also a Certified Bereavement Facilitator and is certified in hypnotherapy.
Rabbi Cohen lives in Morris County with his wife Elana.
Contact Rabbi Cohen