Matt Cohen, Rabbi
mcohen@teecleve.org
Rabbi Matt is an experienced guitarist and singer and has led congregational, summer camp, religious school and youth group worship experiences for nearly 30 years. In addition to his solo rabbinic work on the bema, he has created and co-led worship services with teen and adult congregational bands. He looks forward to recruiting the musical members of TEE!
Rabbi Matt is passionate about his work in the interfaith and civic community. He participated in multiple community boards, social justice initiatives, and interfaith panels in Jacksonville and Galveston. He was a mayoral appointed officer on the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission for four years and presided over the Galveston Ministerial Alliance for two years. Rabbi Matt believes that our children, youth, and teens are the lifeblood of the congregation and enjoys leading educational opportunities both within and outside of the classroom. He has served on the faculty of various URJ Summer Camps for 10 consecutive summers, taught religious school students of all ages, and has led youth trips to Washington D.C, New York City, and Alabama. Rabbi Matt believes that Jewish learning is a lifelong pursuit for Jews of all ages and delights in teaching Mussar, Jewish liturgy, Jewish ethics and values, and discovering the spiritual teachings and lessons from our Jewish sacred texts. He has a deep love for Israel and has had the blessing to lead congregations, Federation groups, and teen trips to Israel.
Rabbi Matt is a blues guitarist by trade and loves to jam with his 12-year-old son, Ayden, who is an accomplished musician. You can find their father-son jams on their Facebook page: The Cohen Fam Jam Room. When he is not with his Temple Emanu El family or jamming with Ayden, you will find him spending quality time with his wife of 18 years, Erin, of Akron, Ohio. Erin is the Regional Development Director of the Cleveland AJC (American Jewish Committee). Rabbi Matt and Erin, along with Ayden, and their two dogs, Lucille and Koa, are so happy to call Cleveland their home once again!
Daniel Roberts, Rabbi Emeritus
droberts@teecleve.org
Rabbi Roberts has been a leader of our congregation for over 35 years. His passion for Judaism and his leadership qualities are constantly demonstrated within the Temple family and in the greater community.
An expert in the field of bereavement, Rabbi Roberts often lectures locally, nationally and internationally on death and dying. He holds a doctorate in this area and is certified as a Fellow in Thanatology. He is currently treasurer of the national Association of Death Education and Counseling. He is currently working on a book about the mourning that some go through when they retire from the work force.
Rabbi Roberts is committed to educational programs especially for our youth. He frequently uses storytelling as a means of teaching and communicating with children and adults. Rabbi Roberts has spearheaded the production of a multi-media presentation on teenage suicide entitled “Inside, I Ache.” He served on the National Committee on Teenage Suicide Prevention was a board member on the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.
He is a past president of the Heights Interfaith Council and the Cleveland Board of Rabbis and remains active in both organizations. He served on the national Rabbinic Cabinet of the State of Israel Bonds and was Chair of the Task Force on Pre-Marital Education of the Central Conference of American Rabbi’s. He is currently on the board of the Jewish National Fund of Cleveland. He has been highly involved in Social Justice issues over the years.
In his years with Temple Emanu El, Rabbi Roberts has gained the respect and admiration not only of temple members, but also of colleagues regionally, nationally, and in the State of Israel.