January 2025 Updates: Please see the Temple Israel website blog for recent letters from Rabba Kaya, President Ian Kaner, and past-president Jared Nabel to our membership regarding leadership changes at Temple Israel. Questions may be sent to the Temple Office.
Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman joined Temple Israel as spiritual leader in July 2020. She is dedicated to the development of meaningful Jewish community rooted in our Jewish wisdom traditions and inspired by the contemporary call for tikkun olam — repairing the world. Before moving to New Hampshire, Rabba Kaya served as interim rabbi at synagogues in New England from 2016 through 2019. Rabba Kaya is the founder of Rimon: Resource Center for Jewish Spirituality, where she served as executive director and spiritual leader from 2012 to 2016.
Contact Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman at 603-436-5301 ext. 12 or by email.
Benjamin (Beni) Summers will be our rabbinic intern from September through May 2025. Beni is currently in his fourth year of rabbinic studies at Hebrew College in Boston. He is a graduate of Binghamton University with a BA in history. Beni taught for four years at Temple Emunah in Lexington, MA and was an intern at Shirat Hayam in Swampscott and at Nava Tehila in Jerusalem. He looks forward to meeting our community and contributing to our spiritual life next year.
Contact Beni by email.
Ryan Bernstein, Temple Israel’s new Administrative Director, manages the temple office. His duties include communications, scheduling, event preparation, and administrative support for staff, volunteers, and the entire congregation. His background in political science and religious studies makes for a unique perspective on all matters, and skill in preparing The Doorpost newsletter, weekly bulletins, event flyers and other temple communications.
Ryan grew up outside of Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Rochester in upstate New York with a BA degree in political science. He enjoys working on his car, following every sport you can think of, traveling anywhere and everywhere, and meeting new people! Ryan lives in Dover, NH.
Contact Ryan Bernstein at 603-436-5301 ext. 10 or by email.
Erik Martin joined Temple Israel as Head of School and Family Programming Coordinator in 2021. His duties include overseeing Temple Israel’s Religious School and coordinating programming for children and families.
Previously, Erik worked as the Director of NextGen for the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and as District Executive of the Connecticut Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Contact Erik Martin at 603-436-5301 ext. 14 or by email.
Tammy Roberge, known as Miss Tammy to Early Learning Center children and families, joined Temple Israel as Director of the Early Learning Center Preschool in 2018. Her education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree in Special Education. She is certified by the North American Montessori Center and has 20 years of experience working with young children.
Miss Tammy’s desire to teach started in a Head Start program. She has also been a director of a large center, worked with special-needs preschoolers for a school district, and served as a Montessori lead teacher before coming to the Early Learning Center. She is committed to making the Early Learning Center Preschool a broad and stimulating learning environment that shares the richness of Jewish values to provide your child’s early foundation
Contact Tammy Roberge at 603-436-5301 ext. 23 or by email.
The Temple Israel Board of Directors is responsible for planning, budgeting and operations, as well as maintaining the synagogue’s positive public standing in the community. This team of 16 dedicated congregant volunteers works tirelessly to promote Temple Israel’s mission: to provide a thriving synagogue for people interested in Jewish life, culture and tradition.
The Board of Directors generally meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month, with Executive Committee meetings scheduled at 7:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Meetings are open to members of the congregation. Please check with the Temple Israel office for any changes to the regular schedule.
If you’re interested in serving on the board or a committee, please contact Ian Kaner, President of Temple Israel. Elections to fill board seats are held at the annual meeting in May.
