Our people are truly our greatest asset.
Representing many different backgrounds, age groups, and locations throughout
metropolitan Cleveland, the leaders and members of Suburban Temple-Kol Ami are
what make our worship community unique. We believe that every individual brings
a wonderfully unique perspective on Judaism, faith, and community, and we encourage
diversity in our congregation and its prayer and activities. All members are
equal partners in this enriching goal.
Rabbi Susan Stone elected interim rabbi starting September 1, 2010.
Rabbi Stone was born and raised in New York City. A 1978 graduate of Vassar
College, she was ordained
at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in 1983. She has served a variety of pulpits
and organizations in the greater Cleveland community. Rabbi Stone has been a
member of our congregation for many years.
Rabbi Stone is the mother
of Charles, who is matriculating at Middlebury College in Vermont and Jake,
a junior at University School. “Coming to Suburban Temple as the interim Rabbi
at this time is the very definition of bittersweet. Bitter because of the loss
of Rabbi Eric Bram, the Temple’s spiritual leader and my esteemed colleague.
Sweet because this is the congregation in which I was married, my sons were
educated and my husband eulogized. I feel honored and humbled and dedicated
to moving forward together. My goal is to help the congregation work through
the grieving and sadness of the past year and continue to grow all the wonderful
things that make Suburban Temple-Kol Ami the warm caring community that it is.”
Rabbi Stone's email
address is rabbistone@suburbantemple.org
Rabbi Emeritus Eric J. Bram DD z"l
(may his memory be for a blessing)
Rabbi
Bram passed away on August 17, 2010.
"A Rabbi is... a teacher, a student, a counselor, a link to Jewish tradition, a bridge to a fuller life...A Jew who rejoices in the power of God and faith."
Rabbi Eric J. Bram joined Suburban Temple – Kol Ami as our rabbi on July 1, 2002. He came to us from his position as Senior Rabbi at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, where he served since 1995.
Rabbi Bram was a Midwesterner by birth, education and professional affiliations. He is a native of Chicago. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a major in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. In 1984, he received his Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, where his Major Concentration was Jewish Religious Education. He was ordained at HUC–JIR in 1985. In May 2010, Rabbi Bram received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from HUC-JIR as he was honored for 25 years of scholarly distinction as an alumnus.
After his ordination, Rabbi Bram served as Assistant Rabbi and then Associate Rabbi at Congregation Temple Israel in St. Louis, from 1985–1995. During that time, he also taught at St. Louis University, the University of Missouri and St. Louis University Medical School, conducting classes in Jewish Life and Thought, Jewish Religious Philosophy and “Working With Dying Patients and Their Families”. From 1986–1995, he was on the faculty of Goldman Union Camp-Institute, in Zionsville, Indiana. He was a Chaplain at the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois from 1991–1995.
Rabbi Bram had been very active in community organizations. He was the Founding President of the Indiana Chapter, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. He had been a member of the Indianapolis Urban League since 1996. Rabbi Bram served as a Task Force member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis Task Force on Spiritual Leadership, and as a Commission Member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations/Central Conference of American Rabbis Joint Commission on Synagogue Affiliation. He was also the Chair of the Indianapolis Board of Rabbis from 1997–1999, and President of the Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice from 1991–1995. Rabbi Bram accepted the title of Emeritus on August 1, 2010..
Rabbi Bram was on the faculty at our Union Camp, GUCI. Here is a picture of Rabbi Bram and Debbie Bram with our Temple campers (summer 2004)
Rabbi Bram studied with Ethiopian-Israelis at the Jaffa Institute in Bet Shemesh, Israel On September 8, 2005. Rabbi Bram was part of a national delegation of thirteen rabbis from the the Rabbinic Cabinet of United Jewish Communities to learn about the current conditions of Israel's Ethiopian community.
Rabbi Bram is survived by his wife, Debbie and their two children, Jessica and Daniel.
Executive Director Loree Resnik
Loree
B. Resnik, FTA, has been our Temple’s Executive Director since 1978. Her years
of involvement with Suburban Temple-Kol Ami, including many years serving as
both Executive Director and Religious School Principal, make her a great resource
for questions about the Temple, congregation, and the Jewish community in Cleveland.
Loree was the founding president of the Cleveland Area Temple and Synagogue
Administrators, chaired the Cleveland Jewish Educators Council, and served as
a member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the National Association
of Temple Educators. She is currently Past President of the National Association
of Temple Administrators. A life-long resident of Cleveland, Loree received
her Bachelor of Science degree from the Ohio University and holds a Master of
Education degree from Kent State University with certification in School Psychology
and Administration. She holds a certification as a Fellow in Temple Administration,
has done post-graduate work at Kent State University, and has studied at institutes
at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and the Hebrew Union College in
Cincinnati.
Religious School Director Debbie Bram
Deborah
Yochim Bram became our Religious School Director in July,2003. She brings with
her a wealth of experience having previously served as Educator of the Indianapolis
Hebrew Congregation Early Childhood Center, as Program Coordinator of "Our
Jewish Home", a project of the Jewish Community Center of Indianapolis
and as Relgious School Director of Congregation Temple Israel in St. Louis,
Missouri. Debbie holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois and
an MSW from Loyola University of Chicago. She will bring to her work with our
Religious School families and students certification in Marriage and Family
Therapy and experience in that area. She is the mother of Jessica and Daniel.
She will build on the strengths of our fine Religious School program while bringing
creative new ideas to our faculty and students. Her goals include creating a
strong sense of community among our students and sharing her own contagious
love of Judaism with all of them. She can be reached here at the Temple by e-mail
at DBram@suburbantemple.org
She would be delighted to talk or meet with any prospective Religious School
parents..
Board of Trustees President Barbara Feldman.
At the March, 2009 Board meeting, Barbara was elected to serve a two year term as President.
Music Director and Organist Bruce Shewitz
Suburban
Temple-Kol Ami’s Music Director and Organist joined the temple staff in July
2001, but he has 30 years of experience as an organist and choir leader for
a number of area synagogues and churches. Bruce Shewitz came to Suburban Temple-Kol
Ami after serving as music director and organist with The Temple in Cleveland
for 17 years. A graduate of Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Bruce
is a member of the American Guild of Organists and became a board member of
the Guild of Temple Musicians in 2002. Bruce is also a singer and plays all
keyboard instruments, including the organ, piano, and harpsichord.
Rabbi Emeritus Michael Oppenheimer
For more than twenty-six wonderful years, Rabbi Michael Oppenheimer served as the spiritual leader of Suburban Temple-Kol Ami. His warm relationship with our congregation continues as he serves as our esteemed Rabbi Emeritus.
Our officers and Board of Trustees are truly representative of our temple family. Male and female, they cross all age groups, geographical areas, and professions. What they share is a common dedication to the temple and its mission.
Barbara Feldman., President
Annie Becker., Vice President
Richard Skall, Vice President
Susan Steinhouse, Vice President
Debra Light, Secretary
James L. Grunzweig, Treasurer
Lea Bank
Jack Alan Bialosky, Jr.*
Barnett Bookatz
Dr. Stanley Brown*
Dr. Richard L. Cohen*
Beth N. Curtiss*
Gary Dinner
Sherry Dinner, Women's Committee
Irwin Feldman
Sharon Friedman
Thomas E. Galvin*
David Heiman
Donald S. Jacobson*
Kenneth M. Lapine*
Dennis Lehman
Richard D. Margolius*
Janis McCormick
Patricia Meyer
Sue G. Nelson
Jody Podl
Michael Polster
Stanley Proctor*
Dr Susan Raphaely
Dr. Robert Rogoff
Robert T. Rosenfeld*
Dr. Carol Shulman
Linda Schneider
Geoffrey Thrope
Lee Warshawsky
Bruce Waterhouse
Jennifer Woomer
* Past Presidents
Past Presidents in Memoriam
Martin J. Cohn
David H. Dietz
Morton R. Dworken
Louis A. Fox
Robert J. Glick
Irwin S. Haiman
David L. Margolius
Ronald M. Rubenstein
Mina S. Siegel
Click here for information on membership at Suburban Temple-Kol Ami.