Our Leadership - The Temple

Rabbi

Rabbi Meir Bargeron

Rabbi Meir Bargeron joined Congregation Achduth Vesholom on July 1, 2020 as the Temple’s 24^th spiritual leader. He was ordained at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in May 2020 and enters the rabbinate after a career in clinical social work and nonprofit management in the health care sector.

A native of Petoskey, Michigan, Rabbi Bargeron graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in English Education. He began his working years in Silicon Valley and quickly learned how much he enjoyed working with people. This led him to complete a Master of Social Work degree at the University of St. Thomas and St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN.

Rabbi Bargeron served the community as a leader in two nonprofit organizations in the health care sector before working as a clinical social worker. Meanwhile, he was an active member at Congregation Shir Tikvah in Minneapolis, where he was a lay prayer leader and served on the board of trustees before deciding to become a rabbi.

During his rabbinical education, Rabbi Bargeron served as a chaplaincy intern at a nursing home in Jerusalem and also at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a student rabbi at Congregation B’nai David in Visalia, CA and a rabbinic intern at Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas, CA. Rabbi Bargeron also led High Holy Day services for two years for the Jewish community in Port Angeles, WA.

At Or Ami, Rabbi Bargeron taught in the religious school and led a program to engage teens in social action. He also provided guidance to a lay-led social justice team and to a group of older congregants as they built a village community within the congregation. Rabbi Bargeron coordinated communications and provided pastoral support as the congregation responded to the needs of those who were displaced or lost their homes in a series of wildfires. He continued this work to support congregational connection during the current public health crisis.

Rabbi Bargeron’s rabbinic thesis is titled “I Will Be What I Will Be: Biblical Texts for Those Who Are Becoming Jews,” and provides pastoral commentaries to support those who are in the process of converting to Judaism.

Rabbi Bargeron is married to Jon Tam, an engineer and college instructor.

Contact Rabbi Bargeron at rabbi@templecav.org or (260) 744-4245.

Rabbi Meir’s weekly message is available on the Temple’s YouTube channel.

Rabbi Emeritus Richard B. Safran

Rabbi Emeritus Richard B. Safran was raised in New York, where he majored in Intellectual History at Brooklyn College. After working as a chaplain’s assistant in the Air Force, he was ordained at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York.

He served a Reform congregation in Steubenville, Ohio, before coming to Fort Wayne in 1969. He became Rabbi Emeritus in 1995.

Rabbi Safran resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Former Rabbis

We are grateful for the leadership of our rabbis over the years.

Rabbi Paula Jayne Winnig

2019-2020

Rabbi Marla Joy Subeck Spanjer

2007-2010

Rabbi Javier E. Cattapan

2010-2016

Rabbi Leonard Sarko

2016-2019

Rabbi Richard Safran

1969-1995

Rabbi Sandford Kopnick

1995-2001

Rabbi Jonathan Katz

2001-2007

Rabbi Aaron Weinstein

1915-1923

Rabbi Samuel Markowitz

1923-1940

Rabbi Frederic Doppelt

1940-1969

Rabbi Fred Cohen

1896-1904

Rabbi Harry Ettleson

1904-1910

Rabbi Meyer Lovitch

1912-1915

Rabbi Tobias Shanfarber

1888-1889

Rabbi Adolf Guttmacher

1889-1891

Rabbi Abraham Hirschberg

1891-1896

Rabbi Edward Rubin

1862-1881

Rabbi Frank Marx

1875-1881, 1892-1899

Rabbi Israel Aaron

1883-1887

Temple Board

Meet Our President

Welcome to Congregation Achduth Vesholom (“Unity and Peace”). As the only Reform congregation in northeast Indiana, we welcome all those in our area interested in learning about and becoming involved in our activities. Our religious services blend respect for tradition with an openness to new spiritual approaches.

Since its founding in 1848, the Temple has remained committed to realizing and making relevant ancient ideals through the prism of contemporary times. We serve the greater community through many social action initiatives and over the course of our long history have built important bridges among a diverse array of civic, religious, cultural, and governmental institutions. We also are excited about our Rifkin Campus at 5200 and the Madge Rothschild Resource Center. We encourage you to contact us for more information about our congregation, visit our facility, and become a part of our Temple family.

I look forward to developing broader relationships with our members as Temple president and welcoming new members to our congregational family.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Ellen Tom, President

Email: president@templecav.org

Board of Directors 2020-2021

Officers:

President:
Ellen Tom* president@templecav.org

Vice President Programs:
Kathy Sider* vpprograms@templecav.org

Vice President Finance:
Scott Goldberg* vpfinance@templecav.org

Secretary:
Bobbie Golani* secretary@templecav.org

Trustees:
Larry Adelman*
Pamela Friedman***
Rachel Gordon**
Denny Reynolds*
Brian Rosman**
Mark Schneider**
Josh Tourkow**
Wendi Wallet*
Jay Zemmol**
Beth Zweig**

*Term ends June 30, 2021
**Term ends June 30, 2022
***Term continues during congregational transition with B’nai Jacob

Past Presidents

During its long history, Congregation Achduth Vesholom has been guided by members who served in leadership positions, including those who gave their time and talents as president since 1848.