> Staff

Executive Director Karen Grimm

Karen Grimm coordinates and directs Temple activities. She is a member of the National Association of Temple Administrators and of The Synagogue and Temple Administrators of Toronto. Karen leads the office staff in offering support to and addressing the needs of Temple's congregants. To contact Karen Grimm call 905-889-2252 x #4 or email at karengrimm@templeharzion.com 

 

 

Director of Education Susam Sermer

Susan has been an active member of Temple Har Zion since 1984, and has served as Director of Education since 2003. Before taking on this role, Susan was on staff of the Religious School in the role of Teacher Training Coordinator. As Director of our school, Susan develops and implements curriculum, and interacts with staff, students and their families in order to create the best possible Religious School for the children of our community.

Susan received her education at the University of Toronto. Before making Jewish education her life's work, she spent many years in the public school system, where she taught in the classroom, developed family education programming, and acted as a host teacher to York University students in the Bachelor of Education program.

Susan is an active member of the Reform community in the Toronto area. She is a member of the Reform Educators’ Council, and was its chair in 2008-2010; she is a member of the Supplementary Principals’ Council, and the Family Educators’ Network.

Susan is married to Paul, and has two daughters, Tanya and Julie.

Hebrew Coordinator Karen Weiss

Karen Weiss received her Master of Arts in Jewish Education at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She served as Religious School Principal of Temple Emeth in Teaneck, New Jersey; as Director of Education of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, Connecticut; and as Religious School Director of Congregation Adath Israel in Middletown, Connecticut.

 

With a passion for Reform Jewish synagogue life, she has taught in synagogue early childhood, elementary, b’nai mitzvah, junior and senior high school, and adult education programs. She has had Divrei Torah published by the Union for Reform Judaism, as well as publications of curricular work on prayerbook Hebrew education.

 

As Hebrew Coordinator, she supervises the Hebrew faculty, curriculum, and student progress of Beit Ivrit, Temple Har Zion’s weekday Hebrew program. She also works with the Director of Education in creating and implementing family education programs, integrating Hebrew and Judaic learning, and coordinating synagogue Shabbatot, holidays, and special events with Religious School programming.

Music Director Eleanor Rice

Eleanor Rice is responsible for all music at the Temple and for the Temple's involvement at community concerts. She conducts the adult choir and the youth choir and oversees the music curriculum in the religious school. She is the music accompanist for all services in the sanctuary. Eleanor has composed two choral pieces and is the winner of the World-Wide Yiddish Folk Song Competition (1998). She is the "Eleanor" of Eleanor, Dawn, and Dr. Dave on the successful CD, Chanukah With A Twist.

Youth Advisor