Temple Beth Shalom Elects Nationally-Known Activist as Rabbi

Temple Beth Shalom, the focal point of Jewish communal life in Flagler County, has elected Rabbi Merrill Shapiro as its spiritual leader. Shapiro, who serves as the Vice-President of the National Board of Trustees of Americans United for Separation of Church and State leaves the pulpit of Richmond, Virginia's Congregation Or Atid and returns to Florida where he was the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Am in Longwood for fifteen years. "I am honored and flattered to serve such a vibrant and exciting congregation as that found at Temple Beth Shalom," Shapiro said. "The congregation's sense of family is most attractive! Many members have left behind family 'up north' and now serve as kin to one another, creating strong bonds, seeing each other through times of joy as well as times of sorrow!"

Temple Beth Shalom is an affiliate of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and thus allies itself with 750 other congregations throughout the world as well as a system of Solomon Schechter Day Schools, United Synagogue Youth, the National Federation of Men's Clubs and the Women's League for Conservative Judaism. Temple Beth Shalom subscribes to the beliefs and practices of Judaism as articulated by the Conservative Movement. Although Temple Beth Shalom is a Conservative congregation, members are comfortable with both Conservative and Reform Judaism. Services are compatible with both branches.

An Oneg Shabbat is held each Friday night and a Kiddush each Shabbat morning, providing members with the opportunity to socialize, introduce themselves to newcomers and make everyone feel comfortable and at home. Beth Shalom recognizes the importance of Israel and responds to the needs of Jews throughout the world cooperating with the Jewish Federation of Flagler and Volusia Counties and other Jewish organizations locally in order to create a vibrant, creative Jewish community. Beth Shalom believes that a synagogue must create a sense of fellowship and warmth among its members of all ages. All members are deeply involved in running the synagogue. The Temple Beth Shalom family enjoys the fellowship and kinship which derive from a variety of activities such as worshipping together, celebrating holidays together, laughing together and studying together. Members have found a home away from home where friendly people are always eager and willing to help. Couples, single parent families, senior adults, intermarrieds or prospective converts to Judaism all have a place at Temple Beth Shalom where they count and are important both as a Jews and as human beings.

Rabbi Merrill Shapiro grew up in Bloomfield, northern New Jersey and studied Electrical Engineering at both Cornell University and Newark College of Engineering (now New Jersey Institute of Technology). He became a student at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and was identified as an educational leader by the Melton Research Center for Jewish Education and sent to lead its pilot school at Congregation Tifereth Israel in Columbus, Ohio. It was there that Rabbi Shapiro met his wife Robyn, a specialist in both Early Childhood and Health Education.

Recognized as a Senior Educator in North America, Shapiro was awarded a Pincus Fellowship to study and serve as a graduate research assistant at Jerusalem's Hebrew University. While in Jerusalem, he completed his Rabbinic studies at Kollel HaRav Rosenstock. Returning to Columbus for two years, Shapiro was recruited by Temple Israel of Orlando as an educator. A short time later he was asked to assume the pulpit of Congregation Beth Am in Longwood.