Rabbi Jay TelRav
Temple Sinai is pleased to announce the appointment of Rabbi Jay TelRav to lead our congregation. Rabbi Jay and Julie TelRav with their one and a half year old son, Amitai are settling into their new home in Stamford. A native of West Bloomfield, Michigan, Rabbi TelRav graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in psychology. During a two-year post-graduate stay in Israel, Rabbi TelRav studied at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. This program included the reading of classic Jewish texts, debating current Jewish issues and participating in community action projects. Rabbi TelRav attended the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem and New York City. Following his ordination in 2007, Rabbi TelRav served as Associate Rabbi at Temple Sinai in Denver, Colorado for five years.
While in Denver, Rabbi TelRav enhanced the Religious School Program. He developed an informal age appropriate curriculum centered on Jewish identity-building and socialization. Rabbi TelRav created a new student prayer book using the student's artwork to deepen their connection to prayer. He expanded the confirmation program from one to two years, thereby shaping a curriculum from kindergarten through the tenth grade.
His strong commitment to adult education has included community-wide introductory courses in Mishnah, Spirituality, Prayer, Modern Israeli Politics and Comparative Religions. Rabbi TelRav created new healing services, Shabbat meditation groups and other alternative musical services. Rabbi TelRav said, “I am looking forward to forming a sacred relationship with my new Temple Sinai family where I can teach, connect to, and enrich the lives of our community's members.”
You can email the rabbi at: ravtelrav@templesinaistamford.org
