Located in the heart of the metropolitan Detroit Jewish Community for more than five decades, Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) offers a welcoming social environment, as well as a spiritual home for everyone in our family of families, attracting members from the surrounding neighborhoods of Oak Park, Huntington Woods and Southfield, and reaching out to others in our widespread community.
Pursuing our mission at Beth Shalom to celebrate Jewish life through learning, prayer, shared experiences and social action within the framework of Conservative Judaism, we pride ourselves on our inclusive and intimate philosophy and we welcome all.
We are a progressive community that appreciates the individual perspectives brought to Conservative Judaism and treats each individual with acceptance and respect.
With the arrival of our new spiritual leader, Rabbi Daniel Wolpe, a new phase in Congregation Beth Shalom’s history is underway – innovative educational and social programs, an enhanced religious school curriculum, expanding preschool and parenting center, new members and new ideas. Building on the strong foundation that has carried Congregation Beth Shalom for many years, we are excited about where this new phase of growth and energy will take us in the next 50 years.
Clergy
Educational Staff
Professional Staff
Executive Officers
Our Clergy
Rabbi Daniel M. Wolpe
rabbiwolpe@congbethshalom.org
Our Beth Shalom family welcomed Rabbi Daniel M. Wolpe in the summer of 2006. In assuming his role as CBS Rabbi, he traveled north with his family from the Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation, where he served as Rabbi since 1999.
Rabbi Wolpe earned his B.F.A. in Dramatic Writing at New York University and graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in 1996.
Education and theater are two of Rabbi Wolpe’s passions. He taught religious school classes at his former synagogue and a college course at Rollins College in Orlando. He is a produced playwright and 14 of his plays have been performed in the U.S. and in Israel.
Rabbi Wolpe brings excitement and eagerness to try new ideas and a desire to work directly with CBS’ children and teens. He brings creative and new thinking to our synagogue, including psycho-dramatic and specially-themed services.
Rabbi Wolpe is married to Susan and has 3 children – Jenna, Jake and Alex. They live in Huntington Woods.
A new chapter is beginning at Beth Shalom, with the Wolpes as a wonderful addition to the Beth Shalom family and the Detroit community. We look forward to growing, learning and worshipping together.
Rabbi David A. Nelson
Rabbi Emeritus
rabbi@congbethshalom.org
Rabbi David A. Nelson, a native of Bridgeport, CT and a graduate of Brandeis University, came to Beth Shalom as its spiritual leader in 1972. After being ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary in 1967, he spent two years serving the Jewish community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has been active in the community at large, taking special interest in chaplaincy programs such as Beaumont Hospital, Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police and Oakland County’s Sheriff Department. His warmth and informality are hallmarks of his rabbinate.
Rabbi Nelson has served as President of the Conservative Rabbis of Metropolitan Detroit, President of Michigan Branch of Rabbis, a member of the Rabbinical Assembly of America, President of the Michigan Region of the Rabbinical Assembly, and Chairman of the Rabbinical Assembly’s Member Committee. On the Jewish communal scene, Rabbi Nelson has been the director of the Michigan region’s United Synagogue of America, a board member of Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, Jewish National Fund, Jewish Association for Residential Care, the Fresh Air Society, the Hebrew Free Loan Association, the Jewish Community Council, and Jewish Federation Apartments.
In the ecumenical sphere, Rabbi Nelson has been active with the Detroit Round Table of the National Conference of Christians, Muslims and Jews.
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Cantor Samuel L. Greenbaum
perfectnow@excite.com
“Cantor Sam” Greenbaum came to CBS in 1973 from Portland, Oregon, where he was affiliated with Congregation Shaarie Torah. While there, he was commended for his involvement in Jewish communal affairs by being elected “Man of the Year” by the senior citizens organizations.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, he is a graduate of the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Along with his cantorial and pastoral responsibilities, he works with religious school students to train for the B’nai’B’not Mitzvah, teaches adult education classes, conducts youth and adult choirs and serves as youth director for the synagogue.
He is a regular speaker and performer for Jewish organizations. Cantor Greenbaum has practiced as a certified mohel since 1974. He is a member of the Cantors Assembly of America and has served as President of the Tri-State Region Cantors Council and the Cantors Council of Detroit.
Rev. Sammy Semp
cbs@congbethshalom.org
Our Ritual Director, Rev. Sammy Semp, joined CBS in 1982. He coordinates and supervises, in conjunction with the Rabbi and Cantor, all matters pertaining to ritual and synagogue services. He is responsible for our daily minyan, mornings and evenings, supervises our very successful minyan breakfast, our monthly Se’udah Shlisheet and is our resident mashgiach. Rev. Sammy is our Ba’al Koreh (Torah Reader), reads the Megillah on Purim, blows the Shofar, and conducts parts of the services during the High Holy Days. He is also involved in visiting the sick in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisting members with special life events.
Rev. Sammy (as he prefers to be addressed) has held teaching, administrative, and counseling positions at Camp Ramah in Canada, Congregation Beth Tzedec Religious School and the United Synagogue Day School in Toronto, Canada, and Beth Israel Synagogue and Religious School in Michigan. For many years, he was also the Grade 7 teacher in our CBS Religious School. During his years in Jewish education, he prepared and compiled his own educational materials on subjects that included Israel, the Holocaust, the Bible, and Jewish morals and ethics. That helped him become a recipient of the Schochet Family Outstanding Teacher’s Award in Detroit.
Rev. Sammy is currently involved in our Adult Education Program, giving lectures and directing various classes which include the use of films.
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Educational Staff
Bosmat Dovas, Director of Education
bdovas@congbethshalom.org
Bosmat Dovas, a native of Israel, is Beth Shalom’s new Director of Education. In her new role, she is bringing innovative programming to Beth Shalom Center for Jewish Learning - the renamed religious school - with the goal of enriching our children’s understanding of Judaism and their knowledge of Modern Hebrew along with learning prayer, Torah and holidays (see the Religious School link for more information)..
Bosmat holds a degree in developmental psychology from Wayne State University. She has worked with many religious schools in Michigan since 1994, teaching Hebrew at the Frankel Jewish Academy, presenting several courses for the Alliance for Jewish Education, and winning enthusiastic reviews from Beth Shalom parents and students alike for her classes in our Religious School.
Susan Gartenberg, M.Ed.
Director of Gan Shalom Parenting Center and Preschool
sgartenberg@congbethshalom.org
Susan has been the director of our growing Gan Shalom Preschool and Parenting Center since 2006 and has brought many innovative and exciting programs and activities to The Gan. With extended hours (7 am – 6 pm Monday – Friday) a small teacher to child ratio and a unique bilingual Hebrew-English program, Susan has fostered a caring, loving, safe environment for infants and toddlers to learn and grow Jewishly.
Susan earned her Master of Education from Wayne State University. She has served as program director, early childhood administrator, preschool and elementary teacher. Susan is the recipient of numerous awards including the Metro Parent Award, Cantor Award for Judaic education and the Golden Apple Award.
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Professional Staff
Steven Weiss, Executive Director
execdir@congbethshalom.org
Mara Starr, Office Manager
mstarr@congbethshalom.org
Sheryl Kaminer, Administrative Assistant/Tributes
skaminer@congbethshalom.org
Esfir Nozhnik, Bookkeeper
enozhnik@congbethshalom.org
Executive Officers
President
Richard Emmer richardemmer@hotmail.com
Executive Vice President
Joshua Adler aa1992@wayne.edu
Vice President
Gail Elkus gailbike@comcast.net
Vice President
Jodie Krasnick jkrasnick@krasnick.com
Vice President
Leonard Newman wendynewmy@aol.com
Treasurer
Marcus Helman mhelman@aol.com
Secretary
Glen Pickover gh.pickover@comcast.net
Immediate Past President
Richard Polk rpolk@rapolklaw.com
Executive Director
Steven Weiss execdir@congbethshalom.org
