Leadership
Clergy
Rabbi Steven Edelman-Blank received his Ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California. Previously, Rabbi Edelman-Blank graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies. His eclectic experience includes interning at Burbank Temple Emanu El in Burbank, California, directing youth programs at Congregation Beth El in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, assisting with research in the field of psychology at Boston University, serving in AmeriCorps and an array of community service. Rabbi Edelman-Blank’s passions lie in community development and making Torah meaningful in our daily lives. Rabbi Edelman-Blank’s wife, Deborah, is a clinical psychologist in Des Moines. You can find a selection of articles written by Rabbi Edelman-Blank here.
Cantor Linda Shivers graduated from the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary and earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. She has been a cantor for over 25 years and served pulpits in Hampton, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Portland, Oregon. She is part of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and a founder of the Women Cantors Network. She is a member of both the Cantors Assembly and the American Conference of Cantors. Cantor Shivers’ passion is making worship services energetic and participatory. She uses a wide range of vocal styles from traditional to modern and everything in between. She has two children, Sheerya and Zachary, who both live in Eugene, Oregon. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaa
Cantor Emeritus Pinchas Spiro, z”l received his Cantorial Ordination from the Jerusalem Cantorial Institute. He previously attended the Julliard School of Music and graduated from Syracuse University. Cantor Spiro’s musical talents placed him in the forefront of Jewish musical liturgy in the United States. Cantor Spiro served congregations in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Cleveland as well as authoring numerous books in the field of Jewish liturgical music. Among the major works that Cantor Spiro introduced to Tifereth Israel and the Des Moines community include: Retell the Story, a Hanukkah musical, the oratorios Haggadah and Havdalah, and the premiere of the Kristallnacht Oratorio Stars in the Dust. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Staff & Volunteers
Barbara Berven, Office Administrator
Patrick Courtney, Administrative Assistant and Youth Program Coordinator
Louie Sloven, United Synagogue Youth Advisor
Jennifer Thompson, Consultant on Interfaith Outreach
Stacey Siepmann, Shamas
Executive Committee
Co-Presidents: Sheldon Ohringer and Steve Weiss
Vice President: Jody Jacklin
Treasurer: Harvey Weinberg
Secretary: Mindy Nussbaum-Bell
Board of Trustees
Peggy Altman
Phil Bear
Aaron Beckerman
Jarad Bernstein
Josh Engman (President of Tifereth Cemetery)
Alice Friedgood
Louis Hockenberg
Barbara Leventhal-Beckerman (Women’s League Representative)
Josh Kimelman
Michael Kuperman
Jacob Lederman
Jeff Lipman
Brad Long
Frank Marcovis
Michael Mintzer
Mindy Nussbaum-Bell
Maddie Schoen
Michael Stein
Ken Waltman