Rabbi Andrew Straus brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to Temple Emanuel of Tempe. Raised in a liberal, conservative congregation in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., he gained an understanding of and an appreciation for traditional and contemporary Judaism - two forces he believes must be blended for Judaism to flourish. Rabbi Straus received his Rabbinic Ordination from Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rabbi Straus stresses Jewish education for both young and old in formal and informal settings, and has set a personal goal of increasing each congregant's love, understanding, and involvement in Judaism. Together with his wife, Karen, and three children, the Straus family is continuing a tradition at Temple Emanuel. In November 2008, Temple Emanuel celebrated 10 years of having Rabbi Straus as its spiritual leader.
Leslie Scheck has been the Director at Yad B' Yad, Temple Emanuel Preschool since 2008. She feels so blessed to be carrying on the vision of her late mother and founding director of Yad B'Yad, Syndi Scheck. Leslie joined Temple Emanuel with her family in 1987 and has made it her spiritual home and community ever since.
Leslie has always loved working with young children. She co-founded Chaverim Tovim Summer Program at Temple Emanuel in 2001. She taught religious school for many years and has been the TETY Jr. advisor since 2002. Leslie also taught elementary school in Mesa for several years. Her teaching experience has spanned all ages, from infants to adults.
Leslie currently resides in Gilbert. She graduated from ASU with a degree in Elementary Education and endorsements in English as a Second Language and Early Childhood Education. She also has a background in Judaic Education and Hebrew. Leslie enjoys furthering her education by participating in workshops, conferences, and trainings. Leslie also holds memberships with several professional organizations, including ECE-RJ and NAEYC.
Leslie's passion is fostering a love of learning and a strong Jewish identity in the children of our Temple Emanuel Community. Her hope is that the preschoolers of today will become the leaders of Temple Emanuel tomorrow.
Susan Schanerman has served as our Cantorial Soloist since 1999 and Cantorial Soloist/Director of Education since 2000. She has been a member of Temple Emanuel since 1991. She is married to Brian, a middle-school math teacher, and has a 21 year old son, Ben, who is studying music at ASU. Susan has lived in the East Valley since 1971. She has a B.A. and M.Ed. from ASU and a M.S. in Jewish Studies from Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago. She is currently studying in a doctoral program at Spertus. Susan oversees our musical programs, administers the religious school, and teaches adult education classes.
Our Executive Director, Jami Goldman, came to Temple Emanuel in December 2009 after working at the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Jami's background includes over 12 years as an executive in the non-profit arena. Jami has a strong passion for work in Jewish communal service. She began her non-profit career as the Executive Director of Jewish Family Service in Columbia, SC. She served as the executive there for seven years before becoming the State Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also in South Carolina. Jami and her husband Chris moved to Arizona in 2008 and are thrilled to become a part of the Temple Emanuel family.
Jami has been fortunate enough to have lived in Israel where she participated in a Project Oren Program for five months and also have traveled extensively gathering strength from the diverse communities visited. After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business she continued her education and achieved Master's Degrees in both Business and Social Work. Jami is excited to be a part of the Temple Emanuel family and hopes to share her educational background and life experiences to strengthen her contribution and connection to the Temple and its' congregation.
