Temple Menorah

Rabbi Steven L. Silver

Rabbi Silver was born in Boston and raised in Anaheim, California. He is a product of Temple Beth Emet, then under the spiritual leadership of the late Rabbi Aaron J. Tofield and Cantor Phillip Modell. He graduated from UCLA in 1974 with a BA in Ancient Near Eastern History. He then went on to graduate study in Jewish history and is a credentialed teacher. He received his Masters in Hebrew Letters in 1982, and was ordained Rabbi by the Hebrew Union College -Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, Ohio in 1984. He was assistant Rabbi at Congregation Emanu El in Houston, Texas for three years, and came to Temple Menorah in 1987. Rabbi Silver is the father of three children, Jesse, Lena and Talya, all of whom are currently university students active in Hillel and teaching in their local synagogues.

Rabbi Silver has brought great growth in membership, expansion of educational offerings and services, and a vision of a totally involved congregation serving the spiritual needs of Jews in our South Bay Community. His Hevrat Torah class will celebrate its 20th year of continuous Torah study and dialogue in the Fall of 2007. He has also instituted a weekly Shabbat morning service which will celebrate its 18th anniversary.

Over the years, under Rabbi Silver’s guidance, the focus of the congregation has been on Jewish education in all its permutations. Tuvia has grown to be the largest Jewish pre-school in the South Bay; the Day Camp, also the largest Jewish Day Camp in the South Bay, has delivered informal Jewish identity for over 10 years; the Religious School has the highest Bureau of Jewish Education accredidation, and adults enjoy classes and seminars in all aspects of Jewish cultural tradition.

Temple Menorah is truly the “education synagogue”.

Email: rabbi@templemenorah.org

Jessica Hutchings, Cantorial Soloist

Ever since she was a little girl, Jessica had two passions: music and Judaism. Jessica was born in Orange, CA and raised in Las Vegas, NV. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in opera performance from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach. In May of 2011, Jessica will matriculate from American Jewish University, Fingerhut School of Education, with a master’s degree in Jewish education, and a bachelor’s degree in Hebrew letters.

Jessica has been working in Jewish education and as a cantorial soloist since she was nineteen years old. She has been a b’nai mitzvah coordinator, youth director, and Hebrew and Judaica teacher. In January of 2009, Jessica was awarded the Smotrich excellence in education award by the Bureau of Jewish Education in Los Angeles, and in November of 2009, she received the Grinspoon-Steinhardt national Jewish education award at the General Assembly in Washington, D.C. She is a recipient of the George and Beverly August Jewish studies award, as well as the National Council of Jewish Women, Long Beach Scholarship. Jessica’s performance accolades include performances in Italy, Sloveina, and Hungary, and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. She has performed in Cantorial concerts many philanthropic organizations, such as Hadassah, and has performed teaching concerts for the Joys of Jewish learning program.
Jessica resides in Redondo Beach with her wonderful husband, Jeremy and their adorable little dog, Latke. Jessica is a Cantorial student at the Academy for Jewish Religion in California, studying with some of the greatest Cantor’s of our time, such as Cantor Nate Lam. There, Jessica is working toward her investiture as a Hazzan, and a master’s degree in Jewish sacred music.

In addition to being on the bema at Temple Menorah, Jessica has established a youth choir called Kol Hakavod who has already performed at LA Kings Jewish pride night. She trains b’nai mitzvah students of all ages, participates in life cycle events, works with the adult choir, and teaches music in both the religious school and Tuvia preschool.

Email: cantor@templemenorah.org