Serving Hudson County’s Progressive Jewish Community for Over 150 Years
Serving Hudson County’s Progressive Jewish Community for Over 150 Years
To keep our employees healthy, most are working from home, but our phones and emails are up and running. We look forward to all being together!
Rabbi Leana Moritt officially arrived as the Rabbi of Temple Beth-El of Jersey City in July of 2018. However, as a congregational leader, teacher and chaplain, she is no stranger to Temple Beth-El or the tri-state area’s Jewish community.
Prior to joining Temple Beth-El, Rabbi Moritt served the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation as their part-time rabbi since 2007. There she was known as an engaging teacher of Torah and leader of prayer and chant.
Since 2001, Rabbi Moritt’s work has had a special focus on teaching Judaism to interfaith audiences and adults seeking to spiritually infuse or enter Jewish life.
Notably, Rabbi Moritt was the Director of Jewish Outreach at New York’s venerable 92nd St Y; instructor in the Union for Reform Judaism’s Introduction to Judaism Program; Director and Founder of Thresholds: For the Jewishly Curious; and instructor in the international Melton Adult Education Program. Her students know her for her warmth and ability to transmit a Judaism that is accessible, joyful and traditional yet relevant and modern. Through these and many other teaching venues, Rabbi Moritt has been guiding Jews, interfaith couples, families and Jews by choice toward more meaningful Jewish lives and a deeper understanding of Judaism. Her deep sensitivity to people’s Jewish connections and personal and spiritual needs has earned her the reputation as an expert in the field.
As a trained chaplain, Rabbi Moritt offered pastoral and spiritual care to the homebound elderly for Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest from 2015 to 2018.
Rabbi Moritt’s work also includes the creation and shaping of ritual. She was awarded the Rabbi Chana Timoner Creative Liturgy award by the Association of Rabbis and Cantors in 2008 for her work on innovative get (Jewish divorce) rituals.
Rabbi Moritt is the past President of the North Jersey West Hudson Valley Association of Reform Rabbis and is a CLAL Rabbis Without Borders Rabbinic Fellow. Her other professional associations include the Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform); OHALAH: The Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal; and Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains.
A native New Yorker, Rabbi Moritt is a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin Division where she earned a B.A. after earning an A.A.S. in Business Administration. Following graduation from NYU, she embarked on a successful 10-year career as Director of Production at Arista Records where she oversaw production of albums by many artists, including Whitney Houston, Kenny G, and The Grateful Dead.
Of all her work, she is proudest of the 3 amazing young men who call her Mom. Rabbi Moritt lives in Jersey City with her husband, Rabbi Steven Kushner, and their little dog, Shayna Punim.
You can reach Rabbi Moritt at rabbimoritt@betheljc.org.
To read a selection of Rabbi Moritt’s sermons and messages, click here.
“Morah” Kyra Goldman is our Music and Education Director, joining the clergy team of Temple Beth-El in July of 2026 part-time as she balances her Temple responsibilities as she works toward her rabbinic ordination at the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York.
Morah Kyra comes to us from the Atlanta area, where she was the Music Director and Office Administrator at Temple Kehillat Chaim. While in the Atlanta area, she also served as Cantorial Soloist at Temple Kol Emeth, Temple Sinai, Rodeph Shalom and Shalom B’harim. Kyra also worked at the Atlanta Jewish Academy and the Atlanta Jewish Times.
In the Jewish musical world, Kyra has released two singles with music videos that were recorded and filmed in Israel: the Hanukkah single, “Nes Gadol Haya Sham (A Great Miracle Happened There)” and “Lion Waking Up.” During the pandemic she and Sue Horowitz released a co-written, Celtic-style Mi Chamocha called, “Who is Like You?” that features a montage of videos recorded by friends and family at home. She wrote a theme song for a WRJ (Women of Reform Judaism) Civil Rights Journey, has performed original Jewish music for synagogues and organizations, and is currently working on an album project with co-writer and song leader, Tracy Friend.
Morah Kyra’s talents and journey are unique. She started her career in the Gospel/CCM music genre, got a BA in Organizational Leadership, played hundreds of concerts across the US and internationally, appeared on national Christian television and radio programs in the US, the Netherlands and Germany, won several songwriting competitions, released a self-titled debut album and an EP and was published with Universal Music Publishing Group.
A mid-tour trip to Israel in 2015 completely changed the direction of her life and music. She felt very strongly connected to the people and the Land and decided to explore her identity, which ultimately led her to conversion to Judaism. She very soon began working in the Jewish community as a cantorial soloist and found meaning in building a spiritual community through music, prayer, ritual, religious school and life-long learning and realized that is what she was meant to do. You may email her at MorahKyra@betheljc.org and can read and hear more at kyragoldman.com
Ben Rauch
Ben Rauch has been playing piano/organ for Temple Beth-El for over 15 years. He has been the accompanist for over 10 different cantors, conductor of the professional quartet, music arranger, and was the cantorial soloist for the Rock and Roll Shabbat with a four-piece band. Prior experience was at the Village Temple in NYC and various other Temples around the tri-state area. He has written over 10 Purim Spiels (shows), which he directed at Sutton Place Synagogue in NYC, where he also taught Tefillah in their Hebrew School.
As a student of Jewish Spirituality in the Torah, he has studied and continues to study through The Kabbalah Center, Hadar, Partners In Torah, Aish Hatorah, Chabbad, Oorah, The Jewish Renewal Movement, The Conservative Movement of America, and The Union For Reform Judaism. He recently got married in Israel to the most incredibly wonderful and spiritual woman.
Ben is a singer/songwriter/producer/performer whose most recent single, “Stay At Home,” was released during the Covid pandemic, and the proceeds of the song will go to the Frontline Families Fund to benefit the families of frontline workers who died from Covid. The video of the song starred some of the best Broadway performers with whom he has had the pleasure of working with over the years. His previous single, “The Emoji Song,” won an American Songwriting Award, a USA Songwriting Competition Award for “Best Comedy Song”, The Hollywood Songwriting Competition and four Global Music Awards for “Best Male Vocalist,” “Best Lyrics/Songwriter”,” Best Song,” and “Best Music Video.” It has also won over 18 Best Music Video Awards in film festivals internationally. As an American Jew, he felt it was traditional for him to write a good Christmas song, and his song, “Jersey Christmas,” was #19 on the charts. The song was re-recorded, with the Broadway Tour of, “Jersey Boys” for the “Carols For A Cure Album,” which benefits Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.
As an actor, he has been seen on TV in “The Big Bang Theory” and in the movie, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” He was also in the movie, “Jersey Boys,” directed by Clint Eastwood, as the keyboardist/singer for the Four Seasons. His TV credits include: Mr. Robot (USA Network), Girls (HBO), recurring roles on Gossip Girl (CW).
Ben has been teaching piano, voice, and percussion for over 20 years in NYC and NJ. He is also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique through Alexander Technique International. His students have a yearly recital at Opera America in NYC.
Ben also co-leads our Tot Shabbat services.
Visit his website at benrauchsite.com.
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