Madrichim

Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe Bernhard received his ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in May 1996. Prior to that, he studied at Haverford College, PA, from 1984-1988, where he received his BA in Religious Studies. Upon ordination in 1996, he came to Adat Ari El (Valley Village, CA) as the assistant rabbi where he has served ever since and he is now only the third senior rabbi in the congregation’s 70 year history. For him, Judaism is about Tikkun: Tikkun ha’Nefesh/developing our soul and Tikkun ha’Olam/repairing the world and his goal is to create a community that allows us to explore and grow  spiritually as individuals and families while living in a community that remains committed to making this world a better place.

Rabbi Joshua Boettiger is the spiritual leader of Temple Emek Shalom in Ashland, Oregon. He is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia, and is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow. Rabbi Boettiger leads three Mussar cohorts in Ashland, and also teaches Jewish meditation on a weekly basis and leads silent retreats. He has taught at Williams College, Southern Vermont College, and been a scholar in residence at different locations around the country, teaching on topics ranging from the history of Jewish poetry to biblical Hebrew.

Rabbi Rachel Bovitz

Rabbi Rachel Rudis Bovitz, Director of Millennial Engagement at The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), is known for her dynamic and innovative programs. Rabbi Bovitz previously was Adjunct Professor of Jewish Students at American Jewish University, focusing on Judaism and Gender and continues to run a series of independent learning programs including Mussar (ethical spiritual practice) study groups. Rabbi Bovitz began her rabbinic career as Associate Rabbi of Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, and was the founding director of the Conejo/West Valley Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.

Rabbi Richard Camras

Rabbi Richard Camras has been senior rabbi at Shomrei Torah Synagogue in West Hills, California since 1999 and previously served as Associate Rabbi of Chizuk Amuno Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland for seven years. He founded the Conejo/West Valley branch of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School in 2007 and serves as President of the Pacific Southwest Regional Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Camras served for three years as the Chair of the West Valley Rabbinic Task Force at the Valley Alliance Federation and also oversees the West Valley/Conejo Valley Introduction to Judaism class sponsored by the American Jewish University.

Rabbi Malkah Binah Klein has been studying Mussar with Madricha Mindy Shapiro since 2012.  She has witnessed a beautiful transformation in her family relations and leadership capacity through this work.  Malkah Binah is a 2004 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and she has served as a congregational rabbi, teacher of contemplative practices, and ritual facilitator.  She completed Rabbi Shefa Gold’s Kol Zimra Chant Leader Training and integrates Hebrew chant into her Mussar practice.

Eugene grew up in Romania and Israel. He has degrees from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Yale. He lives in Philadelphia where he works as a software engineer and is a member of congregation Mishkan Shalom. Eugene has been studying mussar with Rabbi Stone since 2006, and has been teaching both at BZBI and Mishkan Shalom. Eugene brings a deep knowledge of Torah, Talmud and other Jewish texts to his teaching.

Sonia Voynow is a psychotherapist in private practice, and the founder of Surviving and Thriving, an organization that draws on Mussar teachings to help parents and grandparents of children with autism. Raised in a conservative Jewish family, and a member of Germantown Jewish Centre, Sonia has found that Mussar has not only enlivened her religious and spiritual practice, it has also provided valuable guidance in many other aspects of her life.  She has studied Mussar since 2005 with Rabbi Ira Stone.  Sonia has her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and her Masters in Social Work from Temple University.

Miki Young was a founding member of the Mussar Leadership program. She brought a unique background of business acumen and spirituality, having both a Masters in Marketing Communication (Temple University, 1973) and a Masters in Jewish Studies (Gratz College, 2003). As a Mussar student, Miki was committed to both her own practice and to encouraging others in engaging. She spoke frequently on ethics,   spirituality in the workplace, and social responsibility.