Temple Emanu El
Clergy

Steven L. Denker, Rabbi

Rabbi Denker has served as rabbi of Temple Emanu El since July 2004. Rabbi Denker is a member of the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland.

Following ordination at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, NY in 1984, Rabbi Denker was an Assistant and later Associate Rabbi of Temple Sholom, Chicago. In 1992 he became the Rabbi of Beth Shalom – Northern Illinois Jewish Community Center in DeKalb, IL and a Senior Lecturer of Theology at Loyola University, Chicago. He was also a lecturer in the Religious Studies Department of DePaul University. From 1994-2004 he was the Rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in Chicago’s Water Tower Place.

During his over two decades of service to the Chicago community, Rabbi Denker was a member of the Board of the Board of Jewish Education (now Community Foundation for Jewish Education), Education Chairman of the Chicago Board of Rabbis, a member of the Education Committee of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago and on Chicago’s Jewish Community Relations Council representing the Chicago Association of Reform Rabbis. He assisted the Council for Jewish Elderly of Chicago as a member of its Ethics Committee and served on the Institutional Review Board of the Center for Human Reproduction. Rabbi Denker was the first Chairman of the Chicago regional committee for Reform Mohalim and on the Reform Movement’s Joint Commission on Interreligious Affairs representing the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

In addition to his primary focus of serving Temple Emanu El and its members, Rabbi Denker lectures on issues of the Sanctity of Community; Halakic Legislation and Communal Authority in Jewish Law and the Jewish Traditions of Intergenerational Relations and Responsibilities. He teaches the Books of Samuel from a political perspective, the philosophies of Maimonides and HaLevi and selected subjects in the Talmud. He holds academic awards from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in the areas of: History and Bible; Speech and Homiletics; Human Relations and for general academic excellence.

Born and raised in New York City, Rabbi Denker holds a BA from the City University of NY. Before entering rabbinical school in 1979 he was Director of Community Relations for the New York Chapter of the American Jewish Committee and had served on the staff of former Congressman Stephen J. Solarz.

Rabbi Denker is married to Lisa Arlyn Lowe, a practicing attorney. They have two sons, David and Alexander.

Daniel Roberts, Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Roberts has been a leader of our congregation for over 35 years. His passion for Judaism and his leadership qualities are constantly demonstrated within the Temple family and in the greater community.

An expert in the field of bereavement, Rabbi Roberts often lectures locally, nationally and internationally on death and dying. He holds a doctorate in this area and is certified as a Fellow in Thanatology. He is President and Founder of the Comfort Source: A Grief Resource Referral Center, and is currently working on the concept of Meaning Making after a death.

Rabbi Roberts is committed to educational programs especially for our youth. He frequently uses storytelling as a means of teaching and communicating with children and adults. Rabbi Roberts has spearheaded the production of a multi-media presentation on teenage suicide entitled "Inside, I Ache." He served on the National Committee on Teenage Suicide Prevention and is currently a board member on the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.

He is a past president of the Heights Interfaith Council and the Cleveland Board of Rabbis and remains active in both organizations. He served on the national Rabbinic Cabinet of the State of Israel Bonds and was Chair of the Task Force on Pre-Marital Education of the Central Conference of American Rabbi's. He has been highly involved in Social Justice issues over the years.

In his years with Temple Emanu El, Rabbi Roberts has gained the respect and admiration not only of temple members, but also of colleagues regionally, nationally, and in the State of Israel.

Laurel Barr, Cantor

A native Clevelander, Laurel Barr has been serving Temple Emanu El as cantor since 1999. She spent many years studying piano as a preparatory student at the Cleveland Institute of Music, attended Carnegie Mellon University and received her degree in Music Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Laurel has studied with various cantors including Aaron Shifman and Stephen Stein of the NY based Cantor’s Assembly and is a member of the Women Cantor’s Network. Her duties along with leading the congregation in song and prayer include teaching cantillation, B’nai Mitzvah, Hebrew, tot Shabbat, and youth and adult education. She recently completed a congregational CD, Temple Emanu El Sings, which includes the music of our worship service, as well as a personal reflective CD, entitled Modim, Grateful, which also features the talents of her guitarist-husband, Chanan, daughter Sharon, and brother, Cantor Allan Robuck of Orlando, Florida. She and Chanan, are the proud parents of Sharon and Yoni.

Cantor Laurel Barr's CD "MODIM, GRATEFUL" is now available. The CD includes a compilation of 14 of our Cantor's favorite Judaic inspired pieces. Sound bytes of each piece can be heard at the website: www.laurelbarr.com. The CD is $15 and is available at the Women of Temple Emanu El Gift Shop. Or it can be purchased at our Cantor's website for $17.95 (which includes shipping).




Watch some of Laurel's Videos

Shehecheyanu (Cantors Concert at Temple Emanuel 2004)

Broadway Baby (Bima to Broadway - Laurel's Concert at Temple Emanuel 2007)

Nothing (Bima to Broadway - Laurel's Concert at Temple Emanuel 2007)

Something Wonderful (Bima to Broadway - Laurel's Concert at Temple Emanuel 2007)

I'm The Greatest Star (Bima to Broadway - Laurel's Concert at Temple Emanuel 2007)

Little Girls (Bima to Broadway - Laurel's Concert at Temple Emanuel 2007)