Leadership 

Robert D. Levy, Rabbi

 Contact Rabbi Levy

Image Files: levy-robert-32.jpgRabbi Levy has been Temple Beth Emeth's Rabbi since April 1, 1984. He was born in New York City to a family that had been Reform for four generations. Growing up, he was actively involved in the Reform youth movement; then he went to Israel for a year and worked on a kibbutz between high school and starting college. Rabbi Levy received a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Boston University where he was Magna Cum Laude and received the Richard E. Katz Memorial Scholarship. He received his Masters of Hebrew Letters in 1977 and rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1979. At that time, he was the Temple Emanuel City of New York Scholar. In 2004, he received his Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Hebrew Union College.


Rabbi Levy serves as chaplain at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Medical Center and is on the Human Subjects Subcommittee. During his sabbatical in 1995, he served as the non-sectarian chaplain assigned to HIV positive patients. Rabbi Levy has conducted research on the effects of spiritual counseling on cancer patients. He currently works closely with Ann Arbor’s Domestic Violence Project Safe House. He also regularly leads trips to Israel. In addition to his rabbinical duties, Rabbi Levy enjoys athletics, cooking, traveling and riding his bike.

 Annie Rose, Cantor

  Contact Cantor Rose

Image Files: rose-annie-68.jpgCantor Annie Rose came to Temple Beth Emeth in 1994. Under her direction, the music program at TBE has grown to include a volunteer adult choir, Kol Halev, and three youth choirs which perform in services and concerts throughout the year. Annie also directs the Youth Program, serving children in grades 4-12. As part of the National Federation of Temple Youth, Temple Beth Emeth's youth groups are among the most active in the region.


In 1999, Annie worked with temple members to create TBE’s Caring Community Program, which offers congregants an opportunity to reach out to each other to provide support in times of need or joy, inspired and informed by the rich and diverse wellspring of philosophy, tradition, and ritual available in Reform Judaism.

 Terri Ginsburg, Director of Education

  Contact Terri Ginsburg

Image Files: ginsburg-terri-315.jpgTerri Ginsburg became the Director of Education at Temple Beth Emeth in 1996. Terri holds a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts and a BA in Elementary Education from University of Pennsylvania.


Terri is working on a M.S. in Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan. She has taught in Jewish, secular and special educational settings and has led teacher-training seminars in Ohio and Michigan.


Temple Beth Emeth's Hebrew & Religious School has over 425 students from preschool to twelfth grade.  There are 40 teenagers who work as madrichim (classroom assistants).  Family & parent education are important components of the program.

 Ronnie Simon, Executive Director

  Contact Ronnie Simon


Image Files: simon-ronnie-132.jpgRonnie Simon joined the TBE staff in 1994 as the first full-time administrator. Along with managing the day to day operation of the congregation, Ronnie is integral in working with new members, lay leadership, families of b’nai mitzvah students and with congregational communications. A member of the National Association of Temple Administrators (NATA), Ronnie has earned senior standing and has taken all the courses offered in temple management through that organization.


Originally from the Chicago area, Ronnie and her husband, Stu, are long-time members of the congregation. Ronnie holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois, and a Master of Arts Degree in Reading Education from Eastern Michigan University. She taught elementary school in Saline and the three year old class at the Jewish Community Center Nursery School before taking her position at TBE. She also has been very involved in Hadassah both locally and on the regional level. Ronnie’s passions are gardening, cooking and spending time with her family.

Rabbi Lisa Delson, Director of Congregational Services

  Contact Rabbi Delson

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The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that, in July, Rabbi Lisa Delson will be joining the senior staff as our new Director of Congregational Services, the position previously held by Devon Fitzig. Lisa will receive her Rabbinical Ordination on June 6, from Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. As part of her rabbinic training, she completed Clinical Pastoral Education, which makes her well suited to direct and oversee the Caring Community program. Rabbi Delson has the  training and knowledge needed to work with the variety of affinity groups we have at TBE, and to attend to individuals experiencing life’s joys and challenges in a sensitive and caring way.


In addition to being media savvy and an experienced teacher of Hebrew and Judaism, Lisa is a Taglit-Birthright Israel leader and has experience at the Union for Reform Judaism’s Crane Lake Camp in Massachusetts. Lisa has demonstrated leadership in her student community as well as in a number of social action activities. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, she grew up in the Reform Movement at Temple Israel. Throughout high school she was very involved in NFTY and traveled to Israel with the Alexander Muss High School in Israel program. Lisa received a B.A. in Sociology and Judaic Studies from the University of Cincinnati in 2004. Throughout Rabbinical school, Lisa served student pulpit congregations in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Muncie, Indiana and Newark, Ohio. During school she deepened her study and commitment to social action by serving as a member of the Commission on Social Action at the RAC in Washington DC. She also participated in the American Jewish World Service’s  Rabbinic Student Delegation to Ghana in 2008. Last summer she led a high school Mitzvah Corps group to New Orleans to continue with the rebuilding process after the hurricanes of the past few years. We welcome Rabbi Delson to our community and look forward to her joining us in July. We know that her strong background will help to make her an outstanding Director of Congregational Services.

Deborah Scott Katz, Temple President

  Contact Deborah Scott Katz

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Deborah Scott Katz is President of the Temple Beth Emeth Board of Trustees. The Katz family have been members of TBE for 25 years. Deborah and Ralph met in Rabbi Levy's Torah Study, were married at TBE and have celebrated the namings, consecrations, b'nai mitzvah and confirmations of their 2 daughters with the TBE community. Deborah is a member of the adult choir, Kol Halev, and has served on the Religious Education Committee, the Pulpit Committee and the combined St. Clare's/TBE Space Committee. She also served 2 terms as Vice-President for Religious Practices.

In her life beyond the Temple, Deborah is a middle school instrumental music teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. She received her B.Mus from Western Michigan University and her M. Mus and Specialist in Music degrees from the University of Michigan. Deborah maintains a small private flute studio and enjoys playing chamber music with her husband Ralph. She is particularly proud of her 2 daughters, Rachel and Naomi, who have grown up well with the help of the TBE community and are now college students.

 

 

Clergy Assistant, Jessi McKenna-Snyder
jmsnyder@templebethemeth.org

School Assisstant, Sarah Krell
skrell@templebethemeth.org

Financial and Membership Assistant, Megan Lawlor
mlawlor@templebethemeth.org

Receptionist, Julie Haines
jhaines@templebethemeth.org


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