Professional

Rabbi Huntting attended Johns Hopkins University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts in 1969. After serving in Viet Nam, Rabbi Huntting moved to California, where he attended Loyola Law School, receiving a Juris Doctor degree in 1978. He practiced law first in the law firm of Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow and Canter, and then in the State Attorney General’s Office, first as a civil trial lawyer, and then in the area of criminal appeals.

Rabbi Huntting was ordained by the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in June, 1991, after five years of study on the Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati campuses. He accepted a position at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills as Assistant Rabbi in July 1991, and moved to Sarasota to assume the position of Rabbi at Temple Sinai on December 1, 1993. Rabbi Huntting has served as a director of the American Jewish Committee in Sarasota, and as a member of the Regional Board of Directors of the American Jewish Committee on Law and Social Action. He is on the advisory board of ALSO for Gay youth, Incorporated.

Rabbi Huntting’s wife, Susan is a Jewish Educator with Master Degrees in Jewish Education and communal Service. They have two children, Gabriel, 19 and Rebecca, 18

Hazzan Cliff Abramson

Hazzan Abramson completed his Master of Sacred Music degree at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), School of Sacred Music in New York and was invested in May, 2006. Previous to his attending HUC-JIR, he earned a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from New York University , Tisch School of the Arts. Before deciding to become a cantor, Hazzan Abramson had successful careers in the theatre performing in regional and off Broadway musicals, Shakespearean and other plays, and with various opera companies in and around New York; on the concert stage as a recitalist in Hebrew, Italian, French, Russian and Ladino; in academia teaching speech, communications arts and presentation anxiety skills at St. John’s University and New York University School of Continuing Professional Studies; and as a corporate trainer in sales, communication skills and conflict resolution for Breton International in New York.

During his years at HUC-JIR Hazzan Abramson was awarded a number of scholarships including the Guild of Temple Musicians Prize, the Temple Israel of Boston Cantorial Prize (twice) and the Temple Beth-El of Great Neck Cantor Barbara Horowitz Prize. From 2001 – 2006, Hazzan Abramson served as the student cantor at Temple Beth El in South Bend Indiana .

A native New Yorker, Hazzan Abramson spent his early years in the Bronx, moving to northern Westchester county when he was eleven. In additional to his cantorial work, Hazzan Abramson enjoys playing squash, is an avid collector of pre-electric 78RPM records for his antique gramaphone, and is in the process of writing a musical for children based on the music of Issachar Miron, a leading Israeli composer and educator.

Rachel Keren, Director of Youth Education

Rachel Keren became Temple Sinai ’s Director of Youth Education on June 1, 2007. She brings a multitude of talents to our Religious and Hebrew Schools . In her previous position at Temple Beth Emet of Cooper City, Florida, Rachel coordinated activities for parents and volunteers, and as lead teacher she provided guidance for youth and teachers. Rachel has hired, trained, and supervised staff and monitored event activities including Shabbat services, family education programs, and B’nai Mitzvah mentoring. She has developed and taught programs in Hebrew, Jewish holidays, customs and traditions, the Jewish life cycle, current events and the Middle East Conflict.

Rachel Keren ’s goal at Temple Sinai is to instill the love and understanding of Judaism in our students.

Rachel Keren was born in Jerusalem and educated in Israel . She served in the Israeli Defense Forces. She served as special assistant and secretary to Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin from 1992 until his death in 1995. Rachel has three sons Idan, 24 who resides in England, Yanive who is 23, and Atar who is 18.

Wendy Good, Administrator

Wendy R. Good was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan. When she was 13 she spent the summer in Israel; she also spent her junior year in high school in Israel. Wendy received a B.A. from the University of Michigan. She and her husband, Roy moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1994.

Wendy has an extensive background in management, marketing and client service, having worked in the pension and employee benefits field for over 20 years. She joined Temple Sinai in 2000 as Office Manager and became Temple Sinai’s first Administrator in 2002. She is a member of the National Association of Temple Administrators. Wendy has previously served on the Finance Committee of Temple B’nai Israel, Saginaw, Michigan; as Secretary of the Sarasota unit of the Brandeis University Women’s Committee; as President of the Midwest Pension Conference, Detroit, and as Trustee of the Longboat Key Police and Firefighters Retirement Plan.

Bethany S. Leinweber, M.S. Ed.
Director of Early Childhood Education

Bethany Leinweber, M.S. Ed., is the newest member of our staff. She joins us having most recently been a Mommy and Me facilitator at the Mailman Siegel Institute/Nova Parenting Place in Davie, Florida. Bethany received a B. S. in Education and a B. A. in Judaic Studies from the University of Miami and spent her junior year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She remained at UM to earn a M. S. in Education, specializing in reading and learning disabilities. She has taught special education at Kesher L. D., Inc. in North Miami Beach and at Seminole Middle School in Plantation. For three years she was the Family Education Program Coordinator at Shir Ami Religious School at Temple Judea in Coral Springs.

Bethany is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, although she first moved to Sarasota with her family while she was still in high school. She has now returned to Sarasota with her husband, Josh, and their two young sons, Noah and Sage.

Andrea Eiffert, Informal Youth Education Coordinator

Andrea was born and raised in Rochester , NY . She grew up attending an Orthodox synagogue, spent ten summers at the area JCC overnight camp, Camp Seneca Lake , and was actively involved with NCSY and BBYO throughout her youth. After receiving a BA in Psychology from SUNY Cortland, she married her husband, Eric and had two children Haley and Alex. Aside from being a devoted wife and mother, her professional career has led her from providing case management for people with Developmental Disabilities, to running a small tie-dye business, to owning and operating two franchises of Auntie Anne’s pretzels and finally landing home at Temple Sinai as the Informal Youth Education Coordinator. The common theme on this career path is her love of working with people. As IYEC of Temple Sinai, Andrea gets to work with the young people and is striving to develop a strong youth community here at temple!

For more information on Temple Sinai of Sarasota:

4631 South Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota, FL 34231

Telephone: (941) 924-1802

E-mail: Office@Templesinai-sarasota.org