Our Staff
Education Director: Jane Kessler
Jane has been our education director since 2000 and a member of Temple Beth David since 1977.
Jane graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in economics. She holds a masters degree in early childhood education, a sixth year in administration and supervision and a seventh year in professional teaching. She has spent her career teaching mathematics at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She also served as a principal at Bristol Central High School and City Hill Middle School in Naugatuck. She retired from public education in 2000 and has been teaching at Quinnipiac University since then.
Jane has been chosen as one of thirty-seven congregational educators to participate in the Leadership Institute: Shaping Congregational Leaders and Learners. This initiative fosters collegiality, leadership development, and Jewish learning. Backed by a $2 million dollar grant from UJA-Federation of New York, the Conservative and Reform institutions − The Jewish Theological Seminar and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, The Leadership Institute offers congregational educators the opportunity to expand their knowledge and build a new vision for leadership to provide professional development for congregational Jewish educators. During the course of two and a half year Institute, educators will have participated in eleven day long symposia, two two-day symposia, two intensive Summer Seminars, and a ten-day Israel Seminar. Each Leadership Institute fellow works closely with a mentor, who guides and supports the learning throughout the two and half years. Jane's participation in the Leadership Institute will enhance the already vital and growing religious education program at Temple Beth David.
Today she spends her time tending to her two grandsons, teaching at QU, directing her tutoring business as well as serving as principal of the religious school. She enjoys working with the rabbi, our dedicated teaching staff, and the lay leadership of Temple Beth David. She also feels a personal satisfaction in helping to educate the next generation. One of her proudest moments is participating in the service for graduating high school seniors, kids she’d known since they started school and getting the chance to wish them well as they begin the next phase of their lives.
Office Administrator - Pat Brosnahan
Pat has been an invaluable part of our Temple family for twenty eight years.
She says, "My years at Temple Beth David have been blessed, and filled with many wonderful experiences both in sharing in the life of a vital and growing congregation, and enabling my own personal growth and development.I have seen children in the congregation grow into adulthood, take leave for awhile, and then return to Temple Beth David as parents themselves. I find great joy in this aspect of my job."
Pat has been a resident of Cheshire for many years, She is married and has five children and five grandchildren.
She can answer any question you may have about Temple Beth David by contacting her at the Temple office at (203) 272-0037.
