We are pleased to introduce the people that make Temple Avodah a warm, inviting and enthusiatic place for worship and for learning. Their dedication to Temple Avodah and the community inspires, challenges, and rewards those whose lives are touched. Rabbi Uri Goren and Cantor Sheila Singer are a great team, and Temple Avodah is proud to have them as our spiritual leaders. Educational leaders Karen B. Feit and Daniela Presser bring out the best in all our students, children, young adults and adults alike, as they demonstrate the very best by teaching the Temple Avodah family. Temple office staff Shari K and Shari Brown keep Temple congregants informed and support the daily activities that make at Temple Avodah a vibrant and enjoyable community. (All photos courtesy of Milch Photo)
Rabbi Uri Goren
Rabbi Uri Goren has been our spiriual leader of Temple Avodah since 1997. He was born and raised in Chile. He is a graduate of the University of Chile, where he studied and received his major degree in Occupational Therapy. In 1981, he attended Hebrew Union College. Following his ordination, Rabbi Goren relocated to Brazil, where he helped create the first Reform congregation in the country. His warmth, enthusiasm and strong religious convictions created the perfect foundation for the genesis of a new congregation which grew from 50 families to over 200 families in just four years.
Rabbi Goren came to the United States in 1991, when he became the Rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Macon, Georgia. He and his family lived in Macon, Georgia for six years. It was upon the retirement of Rabbi Philmore Berger in 1997 that Rabbi Goren became our Rabbi of Temple Avodah of Oceanside, New York. Rabbi Goren, his wife Peppy, a Spanish teacher in the Oceanside School District, and their two sons, Gaddi and Avi, have been residents of the Oceanside community ever since their arrival on Long Island.
His role at Temple Avodah begins with his leading services, teaching classes and officiating at life cycle events, but extends to so much more. Rabbi Goren is active in facilitating the growth of Reform Judaism in our community, and his goal is to welcome us into the world of Reform Jewish living and to help us see our modern world through Jewish eyes. Through his engaging personality and his emphasis on social, educational and religious ideals, Rabbi Goren enhances how we express our Judaism. His services and sermons at Temple Avodah, whether traditional or eclectic, always speaks to the hearts of those in our community. Rabbi Goren offers Temple Avodah leadership, friendship and a spirit of giving from the heart.
Rabbi Goren engages the entire congregation on many levels. Teacher of both our Religious School children and in our Adult Education programs, he shares his knowledge and vast experience through the services that he leads, in the classrooms that he teaches in, and in his informal conversations at Temple. It is common to see Temple children approach Rabbi Goren to ask him a question and seek his guidance. It is equally common to see Rabbi Goren respond with his tender answers and always, warm smile.
For adults, he is equally known for his emotionally charged sermons that exude his spiritual strength, in part due to his dedication to challenging his physical and mental strengths through the art of Tae Kwon Do, in which Rabbi Goren holds a second degree black belt. Through his work with the Jewish Hospice of New York, Rabbi Goren makes himself available to those in dire need of spiritual comfort and relief, and his devotion to the community is evident in his work with the Interfaith Council where he explores ways in which to strengthen the Oceanside community as a whole.
To truly experience the modern world through Jewish eyes, you need only to attend a heartwarming Service with Rabbi Goren at Temple Avodah. From any of the Erev Shabbat services, to a wonderful Specialty Services (Rock Shabbat, Cookie Shabbat, Exodus Service, Pajama Shabbat, Casual Shabbat Barbeque) to a lecture or class led by the Rabbi, to an informal Temple dinner or social gathering, being together with Rabbi Goren and fellow congregants brings our Temple Avodah family close and strengthens our ties to Judasim and to each other. The congregation of Temple Avodah is honored to call Uri Goren our Rabbi.
Cantor Sheila Singer
Cantor Sheila Singer is the loving, soothing voice at Temple Avodah. As Cantor, Sheila is heard at Erev Shabbat services, Holiday and Worship services, Choir performances and at Bar, Bat, and B’nai Mitzvah celebrations. Cantor Sheila Singer enlightens the congregation through her music.
Sheila Singer attended Scripts College in Claremont, CA, where she studied music. While an undergraduate student, she was very active in Hillel, the organization that serves as a Foundation for Jewish Campus Life. Encouraged by the Hillel Rabbi and a mentoring Hillel alumni who was a Cantor, Sheila became inspired to pursue a career as a Cantor. This life path allowed her to combine her love of music with her ideals and faith of Judaism, as she enrolled Cantorial school.
Sheila graduated from Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion’s School of Sacred Music, in 1999. As a student Cantor, she served congregations in New Jersey, and in New Orleans. Upon graduation, she served congregations on Long Island and in her original home state of Ohio, prior to coming to Temple Avodah. She is a member of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC), the professional organization for Cantors serving in Reform congregations. In 2005, Cantor Sheila Singer became Cantor at Temple Avodah.
Among many contributions to Temple Avodah, Cantor Singer directs both a Junior Choir and an Adult Choir who sing at services and programs throughout the year. This past Spring, Temple Avodah congregants enjoyed its first multi-generational Purim Spiel comprised of both the Junior and Adult Choir, and Temple Religious School students.
The Junior Choir is comprised of students from third through seventh grades, plus several special high school guest stars. Under her leadership, Temple Avodah has seen the Junior Choir grow from a handful of students to over twenty students. The Junior Choir performs at Temple services several times a year, and recently has been integrated into Temple Avodah’s Rock Shabbat services. With the assistance of Temple member and Rock Shabbat mentor guitarist Tom Wieder, rehearsals and appearances at Rock Shabbat are a highly attended, spiritual Erev Shabbat service. The Junior Choir performs at a local nursing home each year, and will have its first Junior Choir concert this spring. Any student that wants to join the Junior Choir is welcome, and the students and parents of students are invited to contact Cantor Singer; no special knowledge of Hebrew or music is required, only a desire to share your music with the Temple Avodah family is all you need.
Directing the Adult Choir is another part of Cantor Singer's Temple life. The Temple Avodah Adult Choir holds a twenty-five year tradition of bringing song into the hearts of the congregation. Together with accompanist Julia Sergi, the Adult Choir dedicatedly rehearses every week, and performs at various Services and Holidays throughout the year. There is a Choir workshop held once a year which is open to the whole adult congregation to experience what choir rehearsals are like, learn a song, and experience the fun of Adult Choir. This spring, in a joint concert with another local synagogue, the Adult Choir will Spring into Song in concert performance. Any Temple member is welcome to join the Adult Choir; no special knowledge of Hebrew or reading music is required, only an enjoyment of singing, and dedication to practice and to Temple.
Working with both the sixth grade small prayer classes, and in one-on-one teaching of Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, Cantor Singer takes pride in the students’ level of preparation. She runs the Adult B’nei Mitzvah program, and teaches Adult Education classes. Past class topics have included: The Rules of Lashon Hara, a book discussion on Eli Weisel’s Night, Jewish Rockers, The (URJ) Union of Reform Judaism curriculum Divrei Shir, and the short stories of Nathan Englander. She has also taught in the (CHHS) Community Hebrew High School held at Temple Avodah on a variety of subjects.
Cantor Sheila Singer is the proud mother of her son, Nathaniel. She brings youth and vitality to our congregation with her energy and enthusiasm. Together, she and Rabbi Goren employ a wide variety of musical styles and styles of worship that range from our Ruach service, the Rock Shabbat service, our Choir service, as well as many special themed services throughout the year.
Cantor Singer inspires a connection to Judaism through song, allowing musical gifts to be shared with the world. She hopes that her students, the Junior and Adult Choir members, and Temple Avodah congregants, can learn prayers and participate in Jewish Worship wherever we go in life, or wherever we are in life, and that we will always hold a link to Temple in our hearts. As Cantor, she watches and listens feeling proud of dedication and commitment. Cantor Sheila Singer inspires a connection to Judaism through song, that the Temple Avodah family is fortunate to experience with every note that she sings.
Director of Education Karen B. Feit
Karen B. Feit is our Temple Avodah Director of Education. Karen exemplifies the mission of the Religious School: striving to bring Judaism to our students in a warm, inclusive, safe and welcoming Jewish environment. (All photos courtesy of Milch Photo)
Karen attended NYU and Johns Hopkins University. She holds a B.A. in political science from SUNY Stony Brook, and an M.A. in political science from the Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science of the New School for Social Research, with concentrations in international relations and comparative politics. In addition, Karen attended the Whizin Institute for Jewish family education at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles.
Karen’s beginnings as a Jewish educator came as what she calls a fortuitous accident -- as she enrolled her eldest son in Religious School, she inquired who taught the music program, since in her life, music was her hook into Judaism… and Karen was hired. Since, Karen has been a Jewish educator in both her professional and volunteer careers spanning over thirty years. She is on the faculty of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Suffolk County, sings with children of the Jewish Child Care Association Day Care Center in Forest Hills, New York, and is our Director of Education here at Temple Avodah since 2004.
Karen Feit is an active and life member of Hadassah, where she is a member of the Jewish Education Network in the LET Center and the IZAIA team of Hadassah. Karen is a member of National Service, and is a past president of the Suffolk Region of Hadassah, where she continues to serve on the executive board. Her dedication to Hadassah spans over twenty-five years, and she has served in many capacities including as program and education vice president, and study group leader.
Community service is a cornerstone of Karen’s life. She has been active in her community, and served as president of the League of Women Voters, in the Suffolk Jewish Principals Council, and in the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El of Patchogue. Helping to lead services and chanting Torah and Haftarah are among Karen’s greatest pleasures. Karen is the proud mother of Matthew, Yoni, and Leor, who have shared her devotion to Judaism, Israeli studies and education throughout their lives.
As Director of Education, Karen Feit directs the Temple Avodah Religious School and the Central Hebrew High School. Religious School classes are available for children from grades K-7. The Central Hebrew High School is for students grades 8-12. There are also youth group classes and, small group prayer classes for grade 6 students. Karen has assisted with the expansion of our Junior Congregation services, special Friday night services for religious school students of all ages, where Shabbat may be experienced with one’s peers, held approximately ten times each year.
Karen Feit, together with Rabbi Uri Goren and Cantor Sheila Rubin, and other educators, instruct in our Temple Avodah Adult Education programs, where various topics are taught ranging from Bible studies, Israeli issues, Jewish literature, and Talmud. Karen Feit is often found playing her guitar during services in accompaniment to festive songs and prayers as sung by Rabbi Goren, Cantor Rubin, and the entire congregation.
Working in synagogue allows Karen to put her talents and experience to good work. Her greatest joys have been those rewards of teaching to, and learning from, her students, throughout her career. In teaching Judaism, Karen places a Jewish picture frame around the world we live in. She makes that picture bright and focused for all to see. Her greatest gift is making a difference in the world around her: her family, her community, and at Temple Avodah.
Temple Secretary Shari Brown (Shari B - office@avodah.org)
Shari Brown is the Temple Avodah Secretary. Shari grew up in Oceanside, and was a student at Temple Avodah when she was a child. She started as Secretary at Temple Avodah in 2007, and doing so has been a homecoming to her.
Working in the Temple Office, Shari answers the telephone calls of Temple Members and potential members, as well as welcomes visitors who have inquiries and congregants who have questions. Often, she can be found discussing potential members’ inquiries and handing out membership packets with information about the Temple.
Shari handles the important task of helping to coordinate all aspects of the very busy Temple Avodah calendar of social events, committee meetings, Erev Shabbat services, Bar/Bat Mitzvah information … a centralized management for everything that happens for the Temple, its Board, its Members, Rabbi Goren and Cantor Singer. She schedules appointments for Rabbi Goren and Cantor Rubin. The Temple calendar is maintained internally as well as updated on the Temple Avodah official website, so that congregants can stay up-to-date with all event happenings.
Mailings and correspondence that are sent twice monthly to Temple members are handled with Shari’s assistance, including the mailing of Temple Topics, Temple Avodah’s monthly newsletter, and the Agenda update with supplemental flyer mailings about upcoming Temple events. For the High Holy days, Shari assists with the coordination of Service preparation, including Aliyah parts and the involvement of Temple Board Members and congregants, which is an integral part of High Holidays services at Temple Avodah. Shari works closely with Rabbi Goren and Cantor Rubin, to assist them with helping their accessibility to Temple Members and to the community.
Shari is always a friendly face or a kind voice on the other end of the phone, to assist with questions, concerns and answers about Temple Avodah. She enjoys working in the community environment of Temple Avodah, where she finds that people work together to do many good deeds for the community and for one another. Temple Avodah is fortunate to have Shari Brown as part of its office staff.
Temple Office Manager Shari Knopf (Shari K - mgr@avodah.org)
Shari Knopf is the Office Manager at Temple Avodah. She began her position in 2010.
As Office Manager, Shari K is responsible for the important task of bookkeeping; accounts payable, account receivable, and any financial matters required. Often, handling matters in the Temple’s Office is a task of balancing both the books and the needs of Temple Members and potential members. At the ring of the doorbell, or the ring of the telephone, Shari K welcomes visitors who have inquiries, and congregants who have questions.
Shari is only a phone call away when you have a question, concern or need an answer about Temple Avodah. If you visit Temple, she is in the office to assist you. The Temple Avodah family is fortunate to have Shari K as its Office Manager.
