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Rabbi Jonathan Kupetz, the youngest of four children, grew up in the west San Fernando Valley and graduated from Calabasas High School and U.C. Santa Cruz.
He studied rabbinics and education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York. After ordination in 1999, Rabbi Kupetz became a member of the Stephen S. Wise Temple’s rabbinical staff where he helped to create and lead diverse opportunities for Jewish engagement. Rabbi Kupetz also served as the coordinator of a Los Angeles area 12-step recovery retreat co-sponsored by Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles.
He began his tenure as rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Pomona on July 1st 2004. He enjoys the warm relationships he is developing with congregants and the many opportunities he has to teach about Jewish life.
Rabbi Kupetz is a strong advocate of Jewish residential summer camps and has sharply increased the participation of TBI youth in Jewish summer camping. He has a passion for Israel where he met Karen, his wife, when they were both studying there during their Junior year of college. They have three young children: Sam, Eli and Abby. |
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Cantor Paul Buch has served as Temple Beth Israel's cantor since 2005. Prior to that, he acted as our Cantorial Soloist for two years while preparing for ordination at the Academy for Jewish Religion/California in Los Angeles. Cantor Buch leads music at services and life cycle events, teaches students the liturgy and scriptural chanting and mentors them for their b'nai mitzvah ceremonies, and contributes Jewish songs and prayers to every age group within our congregation. His soulful, energetic approach has been described as both “deeply spiritual” and “cheerleading for G-d”. He participates regularly in our Adult Jewish Learning program and with our Tarbut seniors group.
Cantor Buch comes to the cantorate after a 25 year career in television and film production in both Los Angeles and New York City, which he embarked on after his graduation from Boston University with a degree in journalism. A native of Buffalo, NY, Cantor Buch credits his parents, David and Drena (z”l) with inspiring a love for Judaism and especially Jewish music in him at a very young age.
Cantor Buch is married to Lisa, an urban planner and public relations consultant, and they have two sons, Sam, who is a very active member of TBI’s pre-school and Tot Shabbat communities and Benjamin, born 3/6/07, who looks forward to following his brother's path. Cantor Buch is committed to inspiring a love and appreciation of music and its role in Jewish life throughout the community and is excited to share ways in which we can integrate this beautiful tradition into our daily life. |
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Art Beckerman became the TBI Administrator in October 2005. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Art has a diverse background in both industrial and synagogue positions. Art has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA degree. After serving as a USAF officer, Art worked in a variety of engineering and supervisory positions in the chemical and mining industries for 25 years in the California and West Virginia.
While in the USAF and in industry, Art became very active in the local synagogues, serving in a variety of synagogue board and program positions. It was this involvement in synagogue leadership that led Art to become a synagogue administrator, first at Temple Adat Shalom at Poway, CA from 2001-2005 and now at TBI. In 2006, Art earned the status of Senior Member of the National Association of Temple Administrators.
As Temple Administrator, Art is responsible for the management of TBI’s office, physical plant and grounds, and accounting operations. Please stop by the TBI office and meet Art. |
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From her Jewish beginnings at Temple Beth Israel in Chicago to adult participation at Temple Beth Israel in Pomona, Deborah Pruitt has been involved in with the Jewish community. Deborah and family have been members of Temple Beth Israel since they moved to the Pomona Valley in 1988. At that time, Deborah joined the staff of Temple Beth Israel Preschool and Daycare, where she has been the Director since 1989.
Deborah’s first involvement with young children began the year she lived and worked on a kibbutz. With the educational preparation of a B.S. in Applied Behavioral Science and a M.A. in Human Development, Deborah has worked with young children, been a Parent Education leader and a community college instructor. Deborah is always happy to speak with parents about their children, working together to provide a quality environment for their development. |
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Leah Zimmerman holds an M.S. from the Bank Street School of Education in New York City, and has been Director of Education at Congregation Kolot Chayeinu in Brooklyn, NY and Congregation Beth Chayim Chadashim in Los Angeles, where she continues to direct the children's learning program. She has worked in formal and informal Jewish contexts as a mentor, teacher, education director, and tutor, integrating Jewish learning with the arts and family and community education.
Leah worked as an Elementary school teacher in the public schools in New York City and Round Rock, Texas, where she learned how meaningful learning takes place by listening givingly to her kindergarten and second grade students. She also studied at The Actor's Institute in New York City and has been featured in solo and ensemble performances in diverse theater and cabaret venues.
Leah lives in Claremont, California with her two beautiful daughters, Leila and Bella, and her husband, Jeff. |
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