Rabbi Jack Romberg
The rabbinate is a second career for Rabbi Romberg. He entered Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion after 18 years as the CEO of a furniture manufacturing business. During that time Rabbi Romberg was an active lay leader in his congregation (Beth Or of Spring House, PA), serving on the board for 5 years, chairing the ritual committee, and acting as “chazzan sheini.” During his time at HUC-JIR Rabbi Romberg served for one year as a chaplain at the Philadelphia Geriatric Center, and for three years as the rabbinic leader for Beth Sholom in Fredericksburg, VA. Rabbi Romberg received a Masters in Hebrew Literature from HUC – JIR and was ordained as Rabbi in 2001. He earned awards in the areas of Medieval Philosophy, Rabbinic Literature and Midrash, as well as general academic excellence. In July of 2001, Rabbi Romberg came to Tallahassee to serve as Rabbi of Temple Israel. He is active in the local community, having served as the co-chair of the Tallahassee Equality Action Ministry (TEAM), which is an interfaith alliance working for social justice in Tallahassee. Rabbi Romberg was also a member of the Tallahassee Democrat's citizen editorial board, contributing a number of editorial columns. Rabbi Romberg has also been active in state affairs. In 2007 Rabbi Romberg served on the "Religious Study Dietary Group," a state panel that analyzed food issues in Florida prisons. He was active in the fight against the Florida Marriage Amendment as a member of the Florida Clergy for Fairness. Working with local clergy, Rabbi Romberg also started Tallahassee Interfaith Clergy, an interfaith ministerial association. He is on leadership council of the Leon County Whole Child Initiative, and on the board of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. Regionally, Rabbi Romberg is treasurer of SEACCAR, the Southeast Central Conference of American Rabbis. Nationally Rabbi Romberg chairs the EIE committee (high school in Israel) for the Union for Reform Judaism and serves on the President's Rabbinic Council for Hebrew Union College – Jewish Intstitute of Religion. He enjoys life in Tallahassee with his wife, Audrey, and is very proud of his two daughters, Carrie and Abby, his son in law Andy and beautiful granddaughter Amelia. Finally, as anyone who walks into his office soon learns, he is a dedicated fan of the Philadelphia Eagles football and Phillies baseball.
OFFICE HOURS: To schedule an appointment with Rabbi Romberg, please email your request to tisrael-rabbi@comcast.net or call the Temple office at (850) 877-3517 Ext. 1.
REMINDER: Rabbi will be on sabbatical until early May.
Cantor Tanya Greenblatt
Cantor Tanya Greenblatt joined the Clergy staff of Temple Israel in July 2004 as Tallahassee’s first Cantor. After graduating cum laude from Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, she studied at the Jerusalem and New York campuses of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, earning a Master of Sacred Music degree from the School of Sacred Music, and Investiture as a Cantor in May 2003. Her Master’s project was entitled “Shalshellet Ha’Shirah, Noah Schall, a Living Link in the Chain of Hazzanic Tradition.” As a student, she was awarded the ACC Cantorial Prize, Guild of Temple Musicians Prize, Cantor Walter Davidson Prize and Cantor Brian Miller Memorial Award to a student who has shown a great love for and excelled in the art of traditional Chazzanut.
Before moving to Tallahassee, Cantor Greenblatt served congregations in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut and New York, worked as a Cantorial Intern at Transcontinental Music, and participated in a UJA/Federation teacher exchange and collaborative curriculum building pilot program with Israeli teachers. She has taught voice privately and performed in concerts of Broadway, classical and Cantorial music.
Cantor Greenblatt is an Executive Board member of the ACC (American Conference of Cantors) and chairs the ACC Social Action and Justice Committee. She represents the ACC on the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism and has previously served on the ACC Nominations Committee (2005). She is proud to serve as the North Florida representative to the URJ Southeast Council Social Action Committee. She serves the ACC on several other committees and task forces, and is a member of the HUC-JIR SSM Alumni Association Leadership Council. From 2005–2007 Cantor Greenblatt served on the board of directors (president 2007) of Florida Impact, an organization dedicated to reducing hunger and poverty in Florida by enlisting the people of Florida to secure justice for and with those whose economic rights have not been realized. An active member of the Tallahassee Interfaith community, she enjoys representing Temple Israel and Tallahassee Jewish community.
Other affiliations include the Zamir Choral Foundation, Cantor’s Assembly, FOCAS (Florida Organization of Cantors, Associates and Soloists), Women’s Cantors Network, National Association of Temple Educators and Hadassah.
OFFICE HOURS: To schedule an appointment with Cantor Greenblatt, please email your request to tisrael-cantor@comcast.net or call the Temple office at (850) 877-3517 Ext. 2.
REMINDER: Cantor Greenblatt's day off is Monday.
