Rabbi Sharon Ballan
“Now when Pharoah let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land
of the Philistines, although it was nearer; for God said, 'The people may
have a change of heart when they see war, and return to Egypt.' So God
led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds.” (Ex. 13:17)
Like the Children of Israel, my path to the rabbinate was a roundabout
one. I did not “pass go” and go straight to rabbinical school. When my
great-grandmother died, my father realized that ‘mama’ was the only one
in his family who had carried on any Jewish traditions. Troubled, he decided
to seek the advice of a rabbi at a small Reform synagogue near our Long
Island home. At first, he stayed in the back of the synagogue and observed,
but he finally chose to learn more about Judaism, and to teach his family
about it.
My family joined that synagogue, and I proudly chanted from the Torah at
my Bat Mitzvah, something that most young Jewish women weren’t doing in
the early ’70s. Becoming a rabbi never crossed my mind then, because there
were no female rabbi role models for me.
I went on to graduate from Adelphi University Magna Cum Laude with a major
in Communications and a minor in Fine Art, and worked in the advertising
and marketing industry.
As a young adult, I joined a Reform synagogue on Long Island, because I
felt it was important to give my daughter a Jewish education. I immediately
became involved, attending services regularly, joining the choir and attending
Torah study on Saturday mornings. I became a member of the Board of Directors,
chaired the Adult Education Committee, and worked closely with the rabbi
to develop adult continuing education programs at the synagogue. I frequently
read from the Torah and led services on Shabbat mornings in the absence
of the cantor. The rabbi became a mentor and a friend to me and eventually
urged me to consider the rabbinate, an idea I had never considered. At
first I was skeptical, but eventually the idea won out.
I fell in love with teaching when I was asked to teach in the religious
school’s 5th grade. Teaching became a part of my life as I taught professionally
for the next eight years at Central Synagogue of Nassau in various capacities,
from 4th and 5th grade Hebrew and Judaica to the 8th Grade Post-Bar/Bat
Mitzvah classes.
I applied to The Academy for Jewish Religion in Riverdale, NY, and received
rabbinic ordination in May, 2009. I have served many Jewish communities
over the
years—as Rabbi of Congregation Sons of Israel, a small liberal non-denominational
congregation in Chambersburg, PA; Hollis Hills Jewish Center, and Little
Neck Jewish Center, where I taught their B'nei mitzvah students; and I
served as Rabbi and Head of Jewish Culture at Camp Pembroke, in Massachusetts.
I am extremely grateful to be serving the Temple Beth Sholom family and
for the many opportunities I have been given to learn, pray, sing, and
rejoice together with you!
Email: rabbi@templebethsholom.org
Cantor Jerry Korobow
Cantor Jerry Korobow lives with his wife Zo-An in Roslyn Heights, NY, and has
two daughters, Jenna and Marisa. Jerry has many years
of experience as a professional performing, touring and recording singer/instrumentalist
and actor.
Having worked as a social worker, public school music teacher and attorney,
Cantor Korobow brings a very unusual and interesting backgroung to the
cantorate. He has participated in over two decades of High Holy Day cantorial
officiation in the New York and Boston areas, and looks forward to a new
leg of his musical and spiritual journey with Temple Beth Sholom.
Email: cantor@templebethsholom.org
Rabbi Emeritus Bruce Goldwasser
Bruce Goldwasser became Temple Beth Sholom's third rabbi in 1978. He started
out as a construction worker and an estimator working for his father, and
still lifts weights at home. He then worked as a child welfare caseworker
in New Jersey where he met his wife Nancy who was taking over his caseload. "When we were first dating, he says in his usual humorous manner, we had sixty
children between us. So, she made an honest man of me, and we got married."
Ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Goldwasser
received his degrees of Bachelor of Hebrew Literature and Master of Hebrew
Literature with an academic prize in Theology. Before coming to Temple
Beth Sholom, he served communities in Bluefield, West Virginia and Lombard,
Illinois. His rabbinical thesis was based on a study of Kabbalah (Jewish
mysticism). He was awarded his Doctorate of Divinity degree by HUC-JIR
in 1995.
Rabbi Goldwasser retired in 2009 and was elected Rabbi Emeritus. He and
Nancy have two children and two grandchildren. His definition of becoming
a grandparent: "Going to heaven without having to die first."
Questions? Comments? webmaster@templebethsholom.org