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Interim Senior Rabbi Richard Shapiro D.D.
Rabbi Shapiro is an active participant, on both the local and national levels, in the pursuit of religious and social justice, including advocating for reproductive rights, fair and just treatment for agricultural workers, the elimination of racial and religious discrimination, and the promotion of equity in all areas of life for gays and lesbians. In March of 2001 he was honored as the John Chadbourne Humanitarian of the Year by the Santa Barbara Gay & Lesbian Business Association. Throughout his career, Rabbi Shapiro has also been deeply involved in interfaith issues. He has served on the Executive Board of the Denver Area Interfaith Clergy Conference, the Steering Committee for the Denver Interfaith Consortium for Pluralism in American Life, and the Board of the Greater Santa Barbara Clergy Association, including two years as President. Rabbi Shapiro was raised in Southern California. Upon completion of his military service in 1974, Rabbi Shapiro completed his B.A. in Jewish Studies at UCLA and began his rabbinic studies at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, where he received his Rabbinic ordination in 1981and his Doctor Of Divinity (Honorus Causa) in 2006. He is married and he and his wife, Lynn, are the parents of two children: Ari, an attorney living in Washington, DC, and Aaron, a Legislative Aide for Congresswoman Lois Capps of Santa Barbara, CA.
Assistant Rabbi Devorah Marcus
Devorah graduated from Bradley University, Peoria, IL in 1998 with a degree in Speech Communications and two minors-one in Religious Studies and the other in music. She is an accomplished musician and brings her passion for music to her work as a rabbi. Rabbi Marcus and her husband, Sebastian Eickholt, are newlyweds having just married-the night before her ordination. They are excited to begin their new lives together with us in Great Neck.
Cantor Lisa R. Hest
Rabbi Educator Lisa Rubin
Rabbi Emeritus Jerome K. Davidson, D.D.
Nina Koppelman
Nina Koppelman assumes the position as the 15th President of Temple Beth-El following what has been almost lifelong membership in the congregation. Nina, daughter of Dorothy and Dr. Morton Fleischman, began her involvement at Temple Beth-El as a child, attending Religious School and becoming a Confirmand. Her parents were Temple members for over 50 years, during which time Dorothy was a member of Sisterhood and Chair of the Religious School Committee. Morton continues to be an active member and regular attendee at services, adult education programs and Club Chai activities. Nina and her husband, Bill, joined Temple Beth-El 26 years ago. Nina has served in numerous leadership positions in the Temple, most recently as Executive Vice-President and Treasurer. Nina’s commitment to life-long Jewish learning is demonstrated by her regular attendance at Torah study, completion of the two year Meah program and involvement in the Adult Education Committee, which she chaired. She has also served on the Finance Committee and as Trustee. Nina is a Partner and Chief Financial Officer of Deutsch, Inc., a large advertising agency with offices in New York and Los Angeles. She was honored in 2004 by Working Mother Magazine and Advertising Women of New York as one of the 25 top working mothers in the advertising industry. Nina and Bill have four children and ten grandchildren.
Leon Silverberg Leon
Silverberg was born, raised and educated in New York City. He earned a
Bachelors Degree in
Psychology from the
City College of New York
and a Masters Degree in Health Care Administration from the
Bernard Baruch
College-Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Mr. Silverberg’s career
in healthcare administration
included positions at several major medical centers in New York, management
consulting with an international firm, and five years in municipal
government. He became the Executive Director of Temple Beth-El in 1990. Mr.
Silverberg, a Senior Member of the
National Association of Temple Administrators (NATA) serves as
the Treasurer on NATA's Board. He is a Past President of the Metropolitan
Chapter of NATA and is also a Regional Management Consultant for NATA.
He has two daughters;
Sarah, a
legal assistant in the New York office of the Cochran Firm., and Julia, a student at the
University of Buffalo.
Vicki Held Perler
 Vicki
Perler has been the Director of Early Childhood Education at Temple Beth-El of
Great Neck, New York, since July, 1994. Her background includes positions as the
founding director of the nursery school at Temple Beth-El in Huntington, New
York, Director of Young Child Services at the Jewish Community Center of Greater
Washington, kindergarten teacher in Prince Georges County, Maryland, Music
Director of Gaithersburg Hebrew Congregation Hebrew School in Maryland, and
preschool teacher in the federal Project Growing Together. Vicki holds a
Masters Degree from Adelphi University in Early Childhood and Special Education,
a postgraduate certificate in Educational Leadership and Administration as a
School Administrator Supervisor (SAS) from the New York State Education
Department and Long Island University, and a B.S. in Early Childhood Education
from the University of Maryland. She is the current President of the National
Jewish Early Childhood Network, and serves as an officer on the Executive Board
of the Jewish Early Childhood Association of the Board of Jewish Education of
Greater New York. Vicki is the proud mother of four sons, and resides in
Syosset, New York with her husband, Arthur, where they are active in their
synagogue and in Jewish education on Long Island.
More recently, Eric formed, EBM Direct Marketing Services LLC. Some of his clients include Levitz Furniture and SAAGNY. He brings all the direct and internet marketing expertise from his past, his company provides small to mid size business web hosting/development services, search marketing and direct mail. Eric's connection with Temple Beth El goes back to its origins. Eric has been a member for over 17 years. In 2004, Eric married Nancy Larick Mohr. Nancy's great grandfather, Abram Wolf, was the first Jewish settler in Great Neck. His son, I.G. Wolf, Nancy's grandfather, donated the land on which Temple Beth El is situated as well as being the 2 nd President of Temple Beth El. |
Rabbi
Richard Shapiro began his tenure as the Interim Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth-El
of Great Neck on
Rabbi
Marcus was ordained on May 18, 2008 at the Los Angeles campus of the Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Throughout her years in Rabbinic
school, Devorah served congregations in Spokane, WA, Paradise Valley, AZ,
Pacific Palisades, CA and Melbourne, Australia. She also worked for a time with
Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles. Prior to Rabbinic school, Rabbi Marcus
worked for a number of years at Camps Swig & Newman, the URJ residential summer
camps on the west coast. 
Temple Beth-El's cantor, Lisa R. Hest, is a 1988 graduate of the 
Rabbi
Lisa Rubin joined Temple Beth-El in July of 2007 after being ordained by Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in May of 2007. As a Rabbinical
student, Rabbi Rubin served congregations in Brookhaven, MS, Worcester, MA and
New York, NY. She trained as a chaplain at the Jewish Healthcare Chaplaincy and
participated in a training course for Compassionate Jewish Leadership. Rabbi
Rubin co-edited the student publication of her school, and served as the Social
Action Representative of the New York campus as well as the student
representative on her school’s recruiting taskforce. Prior to rabbinical school,
Rabbi Rubin worked corporately in youth marketing and advertising at Leo Burnett
in Chicago. She graduated from the University of Michigan with honors. Rabbi
Rubin currently sits on the Board of Elem, a nonprofit organization that aids
youth in distress in Israel. She resides in Manhattan. 
Rabbi Jerome K. Davidson is Rabbi
A
long time resident and member of Temple Beth El, Eric earned his Bachelor's
Degree from Hofstra University in History and English. He was awarded a
Masters of Secondary Education, also at Hofstra. Although a certified
teacher, Eric's career has been in direct and internet marketing. He
has been involved in this field for over 25 years. He has held positions with
companies that were in the financial services, business-to-business industrial
tool supply, Asian American database services and as a supplier of mailing
lists, computer and mailing services. Eric has been an Assistant Adjunct
Professor of Marketing, Pace University-Pleasantville Campus teachingourses on Direct and Database Marketing.