In our Torah it is written and in our prayers we recite "and you will teach them diligently to your children." It is this scriptural basis that provides the inspiration for our school. Learning is not the mere acquisition of subject matter. Real learning is a process of growth and transformation of personality and values. Our Religious school programs help nurture a strong Jewish identity and sense of commitment to Judaism within our students and their families. We strive to establish significant ties with the larger synagogue community, the home and the Merrick Jewish community. Ultimately, it is our goal to develop within each of our students a sense of Derech Eretz (the proper way of treating other human beings), a love of Judaism, and a body of knowledge that will allow each student to see the world through Jewish eyes.

Rabbi Michael Baum
Phone: (516) 378-3477, ext. 19

Rabbi Michael Baum ("Rabbi Mickey") was appointed Director of Education at Temple Beth Am in July 2007 and Head Rabbi in July 2017. He has been involved in Jewish education since 1987. He attended Hofstra University and was ordained from Tiferet Yisrael Yeshivah in 2006. He started teaching at Temple Beth Am in 1995. Through the years, he has taught all grades (K-12), helped train Bar/Bat Mitzvah students and has led P.A.C.T. (Parents and Children Together) workshops as well as teacher training sessions. Rabbi Mickey has taught adult education and adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes. He also currently serves as the Immediate Past Chairman of LITE (Long Island Temple Educators). Rabbi Mickey is proud to be a member of the New York State Chaplains Task Force and to serve on the advisory board of Island Harvest.  Prior to becoming director of education, he taught at Temple Emanu-El of East Meadow where he also served as youth director and was also youth director at the Suburban Temple of Wantagh.  

In his role as director of education, he is thrilled to be able to combine his energy with his passion for Judaism. “Our curriculum provides a wonderful balance of study time and hands-on activities to allow our children to learn “the 3 h’s”–Hebrew, holidays and heritage. In our Torah it is written and in our prayers we recite “and you will teach them diligently to your children.” It is the scriptural basis that provides the inspiration for our school. Learning is not the mere acquisition of subject matter. Real learning is a process of growth and transformation of personality and values. 

Temple Beth Am’s religious school is a caring community where everyone learns and participates in a wide variety of age appropriate programs and activities. It is our goal to develop within each of our students a sense of Derech Eretz (the proper way of treating other human beings), a love of Judaism and a body of knowledge that will allow each student to see the world through Jewish eyes. Rabbi Mickey hopes to bring that caring community to the entire congregation as well. 

From September 2008-June 2009 Rabbi Mickey served as our Rabbi when Rabbi Brown was on Sabbatical.  In July 2009, Rabbi Mickey was named assistant Rabbi.  Since that time, Rabbi Mickey has taught adult education including two very successful Adult Bat Mitzvah classes, led services, given sermons at High Holiday services, officiated Bar/Bat Mitzvahs as well as other life cycle events at Beth Am.  In addition, since 2009, Rabbi Mickey has been taking our confirmation classes as well as other congregants who wish to join them every 2 years on a trip to Israel. Rabbi Mickey served once again as our Rabbi from January-June 2014 when Rabbi Brown took another sabbatical.

On July 1, 2017, Rabbi Mickey became our Rabbi/Educator upon Rabbi Brown’s retirement.

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Two or three months after my arrival at Temple Beth Am, an elderly gentleman approached me following the Shabbat morning Bar Mitzvah. With a thick yiddish accent he said: "Had it not been for the Bar Mitzvah, I would never set foot in a reform congregation, but you're not so bad!" "What synagogue do you attend?" I asked. "Ohav Sholom (orthodox) ... next door." About six months later the scenario repeated itself almost verbatim. This time the woman said to me "I've never been to a reform synagogue, but you're really not so bad!" "Where are you from?" I asked. "Cure of Ars (Roman Catholic) ... next door." From the two stories, I learned that we have something unique to offer ... people from various backgrounds have found a home at Temple Beth Am. I hope that in time you too will tell your friends: "It's not so bad there ... we really feel like we fit in."

Rabbi (Emeritus) Ronald N. Brown

Rabbi Dr. Ronald N. Brown assumed the spiritual leadership of Temple Beth Am in September 1984. However, his roots in the Temple go back many years. His father, Jack Brown served as Beth Am’s first Cantor.

Dr. Brown was ordained and received his PhD from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. He has published numerous scholarly articles in the field of rabbinic literature.

In the years that Dr. Brown has been in Merrick, he has initiated several unique programs including “Thanksgiving“ (a joint project between Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Jews to help the needy) and “by invitation only” (a social gathering for singles). He created the first synagogue network system in New York to help the unemployed. Dr. Brown was also instrumental in starting the first of its kind Merrick Hebrew High School, which is a combination of the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox synagogues in our community. In 1999, Rabbi Brown established the North American Boards of Rabbis (N.A.B.O.R.) which unites boards of rabbis across the country under one umbrella organization. NABOR is the largest organization of its kind which brings Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Reform rabbis together to discuss issues of common concern.

As a member of the Board of Governors of the New York Board of Rabbis, Dr. Brown has been invited by the governments of Ireland, Israel, and the Czech Republic to represent this rabbinic body on religious and political issues. Dr. Brown taught at the Academy for the Jewish Religion in Manhattan and has authored an historical novel, Sacred Fires. He and his wife, Tsipora, have collaborated on short stories for children. Dr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents of Jack and Jennifer.

It was an honor to have Rabbi Brown lead our congregation, we thank him for his years of dedication to our congregation and wish him only the best of health and happiness in his retirement. 

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Rabbi (Emeritus) Paul Kushner z”l

Rabbi Paul Kushner was a native of Brooklyn and was raised almost in the shadow of Ebbets Field. He held various academic degrees: Bachelor of Science from Columbia University, Bachelor of Religious Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, Bachelor of Hebrew Literature, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Divinity from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He pursued post-graduate studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He was ordained by HUC-JIR in 1963.

After serving congregations in Florence, South Carolina, Aberdeen, Maryland, Kendall Park, New Jersey, and Brooklyn, New York, Rabbi Kushner became the spiritual leader of Congregation Shaarei Shalom in Bellmore, New York, in 1973. He held this position until he came to Temple Beth Am. He also served as an Auxiliary Chaplain of the U.S. Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Director of the Rabbinical Advisory Council of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York, Associate Director of the Department of Religious Affairs of UJA-Federation, and North American Director of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

While at UJA-Federation, he was secretary of the Federation's Committee on Medical Ethics and was the co-author of Jewish Ethno-Psychiatry: A Training Manual for Psychiatric Residents. In addition, he was an instructor in liturgy and Hebrew language at HUC-JIR. Rabbi Kushner was a visiting lecturer at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor, New York and lectured frequently at Molloy College in Rockville Centre.

Rabbi Kushner was always active in professional organizations. He served as President of the Brooklyn Association of Reform Rabbis, the Long Island Board of Rabbis and the Alumni Association of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He was one of very few rabbis who enjoyed full membership in both the Central Conference of American Rabbis (reform) and the Rabbinical Assembly (conservative). He also led the Brooklyn Reconstructionist Havurah for several years. He functioned as a commentator on Jewish news for WOR and WABC radio and television.

Rabbi Paul and Shoshana Kushner were married for over 50 years. They have five children and, at last count, eleven grandchildren.

Rabbi Kushner passed away in April 2019. He will be missed by our congregation and all those who knew him.

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I came to Temple Beth Am in 2004. In short, I found a home. I can't begin to enumerate the myriad elements of this community which endeared me to it both immediately and to this day. As a Cantor, I've been privileged to serve with as fine a staff of rabbis as any I know anywhere. And most importantly, I've been privileged to serve a congregation with whose members I've bonded deeply from the beginning. It is always with a sense of pride and contentment that I speak of Beth Am to my family, friends and colleagues outside of our immediate community. To me, Temple Beth Am represents the best of what the Reform Movements offers, an open accepting community with a solid connection to tradition coupled with a forward-looking commitment to the future. May it always be so.

Cantor Daniel M. Rosenfeld
Phone: (516) 378-3477, ext. 16

Cantor Daniel M. Rosenfeld ("Cantor Dan") has served as the Cantor of Temple Beth Am since the fall of 2004. As the Cantor of Temple Beth Am, he has overseen a number of interfaith programs and events including the direction of the Temple's adult choir combined with that of the 7th Day Adventist Church of Manhasset, New York.

Over the course of his career he has taught in several institutions, both private and public. He served on the faculty of the American Seminary for Contemporary Judaism in Baldwin, New York where he instructed Cantorial and Rabbinic students in music theory and the history of Reform Jewish worship. While serving at more than one congregation in New Jersey, he taught courses on basic Judaism as part of the senior citizens network of Monmouth County.

Throughout his career, Cantor Dan has appeared on stages in the New York area such as the Thomas Cultice Summer Opera’s production of Dido and Aeneas performed at Mannes School of Music and in original off-Broadway productions such as Trilogy of Poe, composed by Vittorio Furgeri and performed at the Harry Warren Theater. Cantor Dan has directed musical theater productions, and has also sung in numerous choral ensembles including the former 92nd Street Y Chorale and also as a professional soloist in various choruses. Through his years of vocal experience, Cantor Dan has developed a diverse repertoire including classics of the Yiddish theater, opera, oratorio, the romantic era, and contemporary art song. He has also composed and arranged settings of the prayers sung in Jewish worship.

Cantor Rosenfeld received his masters in sacred music from Hebrew Union College in 1996 and his Bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College in 1982. He continues to enjoy serving as an instructor, teacher and Cantor at Temple Beth Am.

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