Shalom and Baruch Haba! I am thrilled to begin my tenure as rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom. My goal is to make this marvelous congregation a center of Jewish learning, activity, commitment, and devotion to the highest standards of our Jewish tradition. I am a native of Los Angeles, California, having spent the past decade and more in London, UK, as the spiritual leader of Belsize Square Synagogue.
It is certainly good to be home in our beloved America. I was ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary (New York City) in 1980 and have been a member of the Rabbinical Assembly since then. I love what I do and hope to bring a fair share of compassion and enthusiasm into this already vibrant congregation. My passions are Jewish life, Judaism, Israel, and trying to make a difference in this troubled world, in addition to my love of music, sports, traveling, and reading.
If you are interested, I am the author of the book, From Exodus to Freedom: a History of the Soviet Jewry Movement in America, and I look forward to doing what I love the most –teaching. Working on behalf of the freedom of Soviet Jews and on behalf of Israel was a significant part of my rabbinic past.
I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you all to our beautiful synagogue. Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions and would like to talk at rabbi@tbssrq.org.
Cantor Matt Austerklein is honored to serve Temple Beth Sholom as its cantor, having previously served with distinction at pulpits in Bethesda, Maryland and Akron, Ohio. He is active in ritual, musical, and educational programming in the synagogue, and enjoys singing duets and choral music with congregants to uplift our prayers.
Cantor Austerklein is also a PhD Candidate (ABD) in Jewish Studies at Halle-Wittenberg University, where he is completing his doctoral dissertation on the history of the cantorate. He is the editor of three books and the author of numerous articles on Jewish music, and serves on the cantorial faculties of the European Academy of Jewish Liturgy, École Rabbinique de Paris, and the North American Jewish Choral Festival. In 2022, Cantor Austerklein received the Cantors Assembly's Samuel Rosenbaum Award for Scholarship & Creativity, one of the organization's highest honors. You can reach Cantor Matt at cantor@tbssrq.org
Nancy likes the challenges that come her way on a daily basis. With her attention to detail, experience and "can do" attitude, it has created a winning combination for her and TBS! At TBS, she handles the day to day business needs of Temple Beth Sholom, staff, and board relations. She is the liaison between the staff and the TBS Board (including committees). She handles member needs regarding statements & membership concerns and deals with business vendors and suppliers for TBS. All with the help of her sidekick, Finn (pictured right). Reach out to Nancy if you have questions about billing, your current membership, or the temple in general at nancy@tbssrq.org.
Kelly grew up in Englewood, FL and has a beautiful family with her husband, Toby of 36 years. They have a son Acelee and a daughter Isis with husband Gabriel have 3 children; Caspersen, Luna & Julian. She is a proud Grams! She loves outdoor activities such as hiking & swimming as well as reading. She also loves TBS! She assists the rabbi with all needs, including synagogue calendar, rabbi’s schedule, announcements, bulletins, congregant interaction with the rabbi, Youth Groups, PREP, class registration and new member needs/updates. She is the main contact and keeper of the TBS calendar and first step in scheduling a meeting, program, dinner, event, etc. Reach out to her if you need help scheduling anything or have questions regarding the rabbi, high holidays, calendar, or events. Contact Kelly at kelly@tbssrq.org.
Troy Jones is our new Marketing & Communications Coordinator! Troy was born in California but has been in Sarasota since he was nine years old. He is married with two sons, and they are all wildlife enthusiasts. He has been working with non-profits for many years and brings TBS his experience and knowledge. He assists with programs/PR/marketing and outreach for the synagogue, including the TBS website and monthly edition of The Messenger. Feel free to contact Troy at troy@tbssrq.org.
Duane handles the day to day needs of the temple regarding building maintenance and event/meeting set-ups. He deals with appropriate suppliers to ensure smooth operations and proper upkeep. Additionally, he oversees the facility needs in Building 1 (Apple A Day) as well as works with the Facility Manager in Building 3 (Dreamers Academy). Email Duane at duane@tbssrq.org.
Kathy was born in Niagra Falls, NY, and at 21, she moved to Sandiego, CA, before coming to Sarasota, FL. Besides catering, her passion is yoga; she is a certified Bikram yoga instructor. Kathy is very excited to help our Catering Committee re-evaluate the kitchen and processes and hoefully get us back on track soon. You can reach Kathy at kathy@tbssrq.org.
Susan and her husband, Brian, moved to the Sarasota area from Upstate New York, where she was the Executive Assistant to the Rabbi and Cantor at Congregation Beth Emeth and the Principal Cellist of the Albany Symphony. In addition to working at TBS, Susan will be performing as a member of The Venice Symphony. Susan and Brian have seven children between them and three grandchildren, and enjoy traveling to different regions of the country to visit them.
In her free time, Susan enjoys the beach, finding new resturants baking, farmers’ markets, listening to audiobooks, outdoor activities and exploring Florida. You can reach Susan at susan@tbssrq.org.
*Please note: by your presence at any of our events and programs, you consent to the use of your image by Temple Beth Sholom of Sarasota for educational and promotional purposes*
