Our Clergy

Rabbi Jody Cohen (jcohen@templeisrael.net) became Temple Israel's spiritual leader on March 30, 2007.

For nine years before joining Temple Israel, Rabbi Cohen was the regional director for the Union for Reform Judaism for the Southeast United States. In that role, she served as the liaison for the Reform movement to almost 100 congregations. During that time she conducted creative High Holy Day services at the Lincoln Theater on Miami Beach.

Rabbi Cohen began her career as an associate rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, at which she initiated and established Noah’s Ark, the first synagogue-run child care center in the United States for children from ages six weeks to five years. For the next six years she was the sole rabbi of Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor, Connecticut. Rabbi Cohen was inducted as a charter member into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. Rabbi Cohen also served as the American Jewish Committee’s assistant national specialist on Interreligious Affairs.

Rabbi Cohen received her bachelors’ degree in political science from Mount Holyoke College and her Masters in Hebrew Letters and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College in New York. Before entering rabbinic school, Rabbi Cohen spent a year in Israel volunteering on a kibbutz. During that year she met her future husband, Jimmy (Moshe) Gavarian. Their son, Ami, recently graduated from the University of Florida.

Rabbi Mitchell Chefitz (mchefitz@bellsouth.net) is the Scholar-in-Residence at Temple Israel. He served as the temple's rabbi from 2002 to 2007, when he decided to  take his present role.

Rabbi Chefitz was the founding rabbi of the Havurah of South Florida, and served for 22 years in that capacity. He has won national attention for his innovative work, including Jewish family education. Rabbi Chefitz is an authority of Jewish spiritual discipline including Kabbalah. He is the author of two highly praised novels dealing with Jewish themes, his two latest novels are
The Seventh Telling : The Kabbalah of Moshe Katan and The Thirty Third Hour. The first book was a Los Angeles Times bestseller. He is also the author of a book of stories, The Curse of Blessings.

Rabbi Lawrence Kushner has described Rabbi Chefitz as "one of the finest of a new generation of American Kabbalists. He brings an intuitive grasp of the mystical to everyday life. His teaching is disturbing, profound and inspiring."

Rabbi Chefitz and his wife Walli are the parents of three grown sons, Walter, Joshua and Adam.


Our Staff


Click on any name to email a member of our staff.

Music Director Education Director Administrative Assistant Administrative Assistant Communications and PR Coord. Membership Coord.  Joni and Stanley Tate Early Childhood Center Education Director Administration Director

Dr. Alan Mason Renee Beth Rittner Isabel Montoto Phyllis Littman Vivian Simo Linda Levin   Valeria Michanie  Melba Leiman

Our Lay Leaders

Executive Board

President VP Administration VP Fundraising VP Education VP Membership VP Programming VP Public Relations VP Religious Affairs Secretary Treasurer

Dr. Joan Bornstein Douglas Jacobs Michelle Krinzman Sandy Grossman Michael Graubert, MD Edythe Kerness  Esta Friedman  Oliver Pfeffer Joan Schaeffer Harris Reibel

Honorary Trustee:  Muriel Rosen