Rabbis from our Community

Rabbi David Weizman is from Cleveland, Ohio. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Cleveland State University. Rabbi Weizman received his ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2000, where he also received a Masters degree in Hebrew Letters. Rabbi Weizman has served as scholar-in-residence in congregations across the country and has held numerous internships including the Park Slope Jewish Center and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services in New York City. He was the founder and head of education at Congregation B’nai Ha’Aretz in Garberville, California, while working as a forest fire fighter. Rabbi Weizman served as a chaplain on the Post 9/11 emergency response team at the World Trade Center. He was also chaplain at Long Island Jewish Hospital and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Rabbi Weizman has extensive camping experience and is a certified SCUBA instructor. His has shared his survival expertise at Camp Ramah in Canada as a wilderness canoeing guide and has led camping trips around the country. Currently, Rabbi Weizman serves as the spiritual leader at Congregation Beth Shalom in Clearwater, Florida. He weaves his unique approach to Jewish meditation and connection to the natural world into his daily practice as a rabbi. Rabbi Weizman lives in Clearwater with his wife, Rabbi Danielle Upbin, and their four children.

Rabbi Danielle Upbin is the Associate Rabbi and prayer leader at Congregation Beth Shalom. Originally from New York City. She graduated with honors from Barnard College, Columbia University, with a BA in Political Science. She was ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2002. She has lived and studied in Israel, including a year of exploration in Jewish mysticism and art. Rabbi Upbin is currently the president of the Pinellas County Board of Rabbis and serves on the Rabbinic Advisory Counsel of Israel Bonds. In connection to her alma mater, she has served as the JTS Florida Rabbinic Fellow, teaching in the community on behalf of the Seminary. Rabbi Upbin is professionally trained in voice and the performing arts. She has shared her spirited prayer style and ability to teach all ages, in congregations around the country. Inspired by her participation in the Institute for Jewish Spirituality rabbinic cohort, she has recently become a certified yoga instructor, with an approach to the cross section of Jewish and universal spirituality, meditation and yoga. In 2012, she released a CD entitled “Reveal the Light”, a compilation of Hebrew chant and original music. Rabbi Upbin resides in Clearwater, FL with her husband, Rabbi David Weizman, and their four children.

Rabbi Joshua Lobel believes the foundation of the synagogue is the creation of meaningful relationships. He seeks to establish connections between all members of the synagogue in order to learn how the congregation can provide a foundation to meet each individual’s spiritual needs. He strives to build a caring community, one in which members truly feel connected to each other and their faith. Nothing would make him happier than to meet you for a cup of coffee to learn about you and your family. Rabbi Lobel cannot wait to welcome you to our synagogue family! Rabbi Lobel is passionate about teaching Torah, rabbinic texts, and Jewish thought to Jews of all ages. He has a wide variety of Jewish interests, including, but not limited to, Midrash, liturgy, Mussar, Reform Jewish history and thought, and Jewish mysticism. Passionate about the idea of Jewish peoplehood, Rabbi Lobel serves a member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism’s International Assembly, working to create strong and vibrant Jewish communities throughout the world! He is also an ardent Zionist, possessing a deep and abiding love for the State of Israel. Read more.

Rabbi Pinchas was born and raised in Palm Harbor Florida. He has 8 siblings spread out from Israel to London and Brooklyn. At a young age he went off to study at different Yeshivas (Orthodox Schools) throughout North America. He studied to become a Rabbi at the Rabbinic College of America, and graduated with a B.A. in religious studies. Of the 5 ordaining Rabbis that gave him Semicha (Rabbinical Ordination), one was the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Meir Lau. He then continued his studies and received his Rabbinic Judicial Ordination from Rabbi Dovid Schochet, head of the Rabbinical Court in Toronto, Canada. Rabbi Pinchas is very warm and approachable, he always has some kind of joke ready to share. After marrying his wife Mushky, together they moved from New York to Pinellas County. They now have 2 sons, Menachem Mendel and Ari, and with their warmth and youthful energy they have brought a new light to Chabad of Pinellas County.

A native of New England and an avid Boston Red Sox fan, Rabbi Matt Berger attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He was ordained as a rabbi by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received a Master of Arts in Education with Jewish Specialization from Xavier University in Cincinnati the same year. Since 2003, Rabbi Berger has served Reform congregations in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Texas.

Rabbi Berger is an accomplished musician who loves to sing and play guitar. Some of his hobbies include reading, swimming, and bicycling. He enjoys teaching both children and adults. He is passionate about sharing his love for Israel. He believes in the prophetic call for social justice. He regularly serves as faculty at the Union for Reform Judaism’s summer camps. Read more...

Rabbi Weintraub brings a very diverse skill set to our Kehillah. He is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Brandeis University with a Bachelor’s degree in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. He received his rabbinic ordination and Masters degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in 2011 with a concentration in pastoral care. After graduating from Brandeis he served three years as Mashgiach at the JTS, supervising cafeteria in the observance of Kashrut. Recently having achieved board certification as a Chaplain, of Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains, he prides himself on his relationships working across generations. Weintraub’s professional summary states he “inspires communities to greater participation, to create deep connections, and discover the holiness in life.” He says, “…I believe the Jewish world is best served one on one. Inspiration comes not just from the pulpit, but from speaking truth, being a Mensch, and recognizing the Divine Spark, the holiness in each one of us.” Rabbi Weintraub is married to Rebecca, and they have two daughters, Hannah and Eliana.

Ronnie Kehati serves as a Rabbi at Temple Emanuel of Great Neck, NY. He has served his congregation since 2007 and is a 10th generation rabbi. He comes from a rich lineage of ancestors who played a key role in the great institution of the rabbinate through their well-known published literary works on Jewish oral traditions. Affectionately known to his congregants as “Rabbi Ronnie,” he graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with High Honors, followed by a Master’s degree in Philosophy, and Public Policy, with Cum Laude. He was ordained in 2001 at the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his father Rabbi Samuel Kehati was also ordained. Upon graduation, Rabbi Ronnie Kehati was awarded the prestigious Nathan Stern Essay Prize in Hebraica. He is currently the only Reform Rabbi in North America, from an accredited Rabbinical Seminary to graduate Magna Cum Laude in Mortuary Science. Rabbi Kehati has always believed that the most important component to Jewish Survival in any given century has, is, and always will be Community Learning. “The engaging thing about Community Learning is that nobody can take it away from us. Moreover, when we learn together, we flourish together, as life never stops teaching, and we never stop learning….Consequently, this presents an opportunity for us to make a difference in ALL we choose to do.” Rabbi Ronnie resides in South Tampa with his loving fiancé, Tracy Benstock. Together, they look forward to establishing the building block of community—Family.

Born and raised in landlocked St. Louis, Rabbi Ed Rosenthal’s passion for the marine environment can only be attributed to watching “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” and reruns of “Sea Hunt” as a kid. When he was 16 years old, he asked his parents if he could learn to Scuba Dive. His mother’s response was: “If God meant for humans to be underwater, He would have given us gills.” So it wasn’t until a hiking trip in the Sinai during his first year of Rabbinical studies, that Ed had a chance to snorkel at Sharm el-Sheik. There he heard the call of the Sirens. When he returned to the US to continue his studies in Cincinnati, he finally got his scuba certification. The Jewish tradition is filled with deep, spiritual teachings about water and the Sea, yet most Jews have not been exposed to this part of our heritage. Ed wants to show the wonders of the underwater world through Jewish eyes, while raising awareness about the myriad threats it faces. He believes that when Jews get involved in any issue, substantive change takes place. Tikkun HaYam was created in order to get the Jewish Community involved to Repair the Sea.