Rabbi Myra Soifer joins Temple Bat Yam
Temple Bat Yam is pleased to announce that Rabbi Myra Soifer will assume the leadership of the congregation and occupy the pulpit beginning on Jan. 17, when Bat Yam will be celebrating its 22nd anniversary.
Myra Soifer was one of the first ten women ordained as rabbi after Reform Judaism accepted them in 1972. Born in 1950 in Miami, Soifer attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., earned a master of arts in Hebrew Letters at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in 1977 and was ordained there a year later.
She served as student rabbi at the Jewish Community Center in Union City, Tenn., and at Temple Beth Shalom in Charlotte, N.C., before becoming assistant rabbi in New Orleans in 1978. She served Temple Sinai in Reno beginning in 1984 until she formally retired after 25 years there. Then she returned for a short time until the congregation hired a new full time rabbi just last year.
During Rabbi Soifer’s tenure, Temple Sinai completed a huge building expansion project and the congregation tripled in size. Rabbi Soifer has been very active in interfaith work and is considered an outstanding speaker. She created a group named Study Buddies, a forum for local clergy to meet and talk, and initiated a series of lectures on world religions.
While Rabbi Soifer’s first Sabbath observance with Bat Yam will take place on Jan. 17, her formal installation will occur later on Feb. 14.
Temple Bat Yam looks forward to a new beginning and a long, satisfactory association with Rabbi Myra Soifer.