Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom

Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, D. Phil.   rabbigrushcow@templemontreal.ca

Rabbi Lisa Grushcow is a Canadian who was born in Ottawa and raised in Toronto. She received her B.A. from McGill University in 1996 with First Class Honours in Political Science and a Minor in Jewish Studies. She was a member of the Scarlet Key Society, was on the Dean’s Honour List and was chosen a Woman of Distinction by the Montreal YWCA.

In 1996, she was named a Rhodes Scholar and spent three years at Oxford. She obtained a Master of Philosophy degree in Judaism and Christianity in the Greco-Roman World and then a D. Phil. with a thesis on “Rabbinic Interpretations of Sotah”. She was ordained a rabbi in 2003 at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City where she was the recipient of multiple awards, including for homiletics, Rabbinics and overall excellence. Rabbi Grushcow is also a Wexner Fellow.

Upon graduation, Rabbi Grushcow joined Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City, where she served as senior Associate Rabbi for nine years. She assumed the role of Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom on July 1, 2012.

 Click on the following link to view NEW VIDEOS of Rabbi Grushcow.

Rabbi Leigh Lerner, Rabbi Emeritus  rabbilerner@templemontreal.ca

Born in Minneapolis, MN, Rabbi Lerner graduated from Duke University with a degree in English, after which he entered Hebrew Union College.  He was ordained in 1972. Rabbi Lerner’s first pulpit was at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he soon became Senior Rabbi.  He is especially proud of being instrumental in renewing Black-Jewish dialogue in that city.

In March 1989, Rabbi Lerner was appointed Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom.  Here he quickly immersed himself in our community, learning French, becoming a Canadian, while earning a vital place in the hearts of our congregants. Rabbi Lerner's activities in the Montreal community include:

• President of the Montreal Board of Jewish Ministers (now Board of Rabbis)  (1992-95);
• President of the Canadian Region Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform)
• Twice president of Christian-Jewish Dialogue of Montreal, where he developed an international conference on Nostra Aetate
• Vice-President of ARZA (Canadian Association of Reform Zionists)
• Member of the Board of Directors, League of Human Rights in Montreal
• Member of the Board of Editorial Contributors of the Montreal Gazette
• Chair, Montreal Jewish Healing Project

During Rabbi Lerner’s 23 year tenure at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, among his contributions are:

Shabbat morning services 52 weeks a year, including Torah study
Minhag Canada English/French/Hebrew Siddur
Interactive 2nd Day Rosh Hashanah services
Temple Docents for 1000's who visit our sanctuary speaking either French or English
West Island Torah School and West Island High Holiday services
Temple art committee to build an edifying and inspiring collection of art
High Holiday food drive, friendly visitors program, expanded shiva service team, services at 2 complexes for frail elderly
Urged and won Temple bylaw changes to open doors wide to LGBT community
Strong advocate for Temple Committee Against Human Trafficking
He has written numerous articles and editorials.
Rabbi Lerner received his Doctor of Divinity degree from Hebrew Union College in 1997 and retired to become Rabbi Emeritus in 2012.

Executive Director Shellie Ettinger shellie@templemontreal.ca

Shellie Ettinger grew up in Montreal, having graduated from Jewish Peoples School and West Hill High School.  She attended Sir George Williams University, where she obtained her certificate in Family Life Education and a Bachelor or Arts in Applied Social Science.  She earned her Master of Social Work degree at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University in New York.

Shellie has enjoyed a successful career in the Jewish community.  From 1976 until 1983, she worked in the Group Services Department at both the Davis and Laval branches of the YM-YWHA.  From 1985 to 1998, she was the Senior Coordinator of Programs at National Canadian Jewish Congress and responsible for the outreach and development of small Jewish communities across Canada. 

From 1998 until March 2002, Shellie served as the Assistant Director of the Montreal Federation CJA Community Planning and Allocations Department and from January 2002 until March 2008, as Executive Director of Jewish Immigrant Aid Services Montreal. In April 2008, Shellie joined the Temple family as its Executive Director. 
 

Music Director and Cantorial Soloist, Rachelle Mingail Shubert  rachelle@templemontreal.ca

Rachelle Shubert oversees all aspects of Temple’s musical life. In addition to leading services from the bima, she directs the professional and volunteer choirs, as well as her musical accompanists, from pianists and organists to guest soloists and other musicians. Under Rachelle’s direction, Temple services have become lively and creative. She has added variety to the musical experience by introducing piano, guitar, clarinet, flute and harp.  Owing to her broad musical background and knowledge of many traditions, Rachelle has opened Temple’s ears to wide-ranging melodies – traditional, contemporary and original. 
Rachelle founded and directs Kol HaNeshama, Temple’s adult volunteer choir. She co-directs the annual Purim Spiel and works with Temple’s youth, in particular the Torah School singers (K-8) who can be heard at Kabbalat Shabbat services throughout the year. As Artistic Director of Temple's Concert Shabbat Series, she has brought such recording artists as cellist Denis Brott, harpist Erica Goodman and the Cleveland Duo and James Umble to the Temple bima.
In May 2011, Rachelle released her debut CD – For All These Things – which has received accolades from composers and lovers of Judaic music. Rachelle regularly performs her original compositions from this recording at Temple services and they are now also featured at Reform congregations across North America. 

Rachelle grew up attending Reform services and religious school at Hamilton’s Temple Anshe Sholom and Temple Emanu-El in Toronto. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music from Concordia University. Over the past 20 years, Rachelle has actively served the cause of Reform Judaism and of Judaic music in North America. She is a member of the URJ Canadian Steering Committee, the Editorial Advisory Committee and the Music Publications Review Committee for Transcontinental Music Publications (the music publishing arm of the Union for Reform Judaism) and the Women Cantors Network. Rachelle served as Secretary to the Executive Board of the Guild of Temple Musicians, as Tefillah Committee Co-Chair for the 2007 American Conference of Cantors-Guild of Temple Musicians Convention and as both Faculty and Parent Ambassador to URJ Camp George.