Temple Israel, West Palm Beach

Address Box

Our spiritual leaders...
	Rabbi Richard Chapin
	Rabbi Richard Chapin was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in suburban Buffalo. He graduated from Hamilton College and was ordained and received his Doctor of Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Chapin was an Assistant Dean at HUC before becoming the Associate Rabbi at Congregation Emanu-El in New York City for 21 years. Rabbi Chapin moved to Temple Israel from the Greenwich Reform Synagogue in Greenwich, Connecticut where he had served as the Rabbi for 8 years. He joined our South Florida community in June of 2008 with the pledge to be open, friendly, and welcoming to all whom he would meet in every aspect of his rabbinate. Rabbi Chapin is the author of The Biblical Personality; nurtures an abiding love of the classics written in Greek and Latin; and is passionate about teaching Biblical Hebrew and American-Jewish Literature. Rabbi Chapin is the proud father of Joshua, who graduated from Duke University in May, 2009. He recently married Jeanne Bennett of New York City, mother of Daisy. The family lives in West Palm Beach. Click HERE to read this month's Koleynu article from Rabbi Chapin. Read Rabbi Chapin's Rosh Hashanah sermon.

	Cantor Paul Offenkrantz
	Cantor Paul Offenkrantz has been the musical voice of Temple Israel since 1997, having previously served congregations in New York and Pennsylvania. A native of Brooklyn, Cantor Offenkrantz received his Bachelor’s Degree from Oberlin College, attended the Yale School of Music, and earned his Master of Sacred Music Degree and Investiture as Cantor from Hebrew Union College. As an accomplished artist, Cantor Offenkrantz began his professional singing career on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera at the age of nine, working with such luminaries as Leonard Bernstein, Richard Tucker and James Levine. He went on to perform with the New York City Ballet (under the direction of Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine) as well as singing at the Aspen Music Festival, the Rome Festival Opera and participating in a musical tour of Israel. Much in demand for his vocal and interpretive abilities, Cantor Offenkrantz has concertized at numerous synagogues and Jewish music festivals throughout the U.S. and has appeared on TV and radio. Cantor Offenkrantz is involved in many aspects of our temple’s life, including training our B’nai Mitzvah students, teaching Adult Education courses, working with the children of our Religious School, providing pastoral care, officiating at life-cycle events, directing our volunteer choir, participating in community events, and presenting regular concerts and theatrical performances. His outstanding voice brings an added spirituality and warmth to all of our worship services. Cantor Offenkrantz is married to Lynda and they have four wonderful children, Rachel, Jacob, Alex and Emily. Click HERE to read this month's Koleynu article from Cantor.


	Rabbi Emeritus Howard Shapiro
	Rabbi Howard Shapiro was educated at Brandeis University and ordained from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. He came to Temple Israel in 1981 with Eileen and their children, David and Rachel, after serving as a chaplain in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and as Rabbi at Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield, New Jersey. Rabbi Shapiro is active in local and national Jewish organizations, having served as an officer and president of secular and Jewish organizations. He is very proud of his role as a community builder in the Palm Beaches, bridging different institutions and forging links between people, traditions and congregations. He cares deeply for Jewish education and loves to teach and to learn. He is currently seeking his own path to Jewish Spiritual Direction. Rabbi Shapiro is on the National Board of the Reform Pension Board of the Union for Reform Judaism and Central Conference of American Rabbis. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. He lectures at Florida Atlantic University’s Life Long Learning Society and works closely with our Jewish Federation in their Synagogue Institute Initiatives. He is enjoying these new opportunities in his life and prays for health and blessing to be able to spend more time with his wife, Eileen, children, and grandchildren. Read Rabbi Shapiro's Yom Kippur sermon.