STAFF DIRECTORY

    
Brad Bloom - Rabbi                        Valerie Seldes - Director of      Rachel Pepin - Director of
                                                                     Jewish Youth Education            Community Engagement 

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Michele Johnson -                           Garrett Keyes -                               Adriana Urato - Soloist 
Office Manager                                  Technical Infrastructure                 

  
David Kimbell - Music Director   Charlie Curtis - Accompanist      Jackie Palanzi - Bookkeeper     

About Rabbi Bloom

Rabbi Brad Bloom became our full-time spiritual leader on July 1, 2009.

Rabbi Bloom was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati in 1984, where he earned a Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin where he received a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1977. In 1979, he was awarded a Masters of Social Work from the University of Maryland. Rabbi Bloom is currently working on a Doctoral dissertation at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Rabbi Bloom has 33 years of rabbinic experience having served in synagogues across the country--from Florida to California to the Midwest and Deep South, and now here in Hilton Head. Prior to his appointment at Congregation Beth Yam, he was the Senior Rabbi at Temple Shalom in Naples, Florida for 2 years. From 1995 to 2006, he was the Senior Rabbi at Congregation B'nai Israel, Sacramento, California. Since 1984, Rabbi Bloom has served as Rabbinic Adviser/Faculty Educator at various Jewish Summer Camps -- Camp Swig, Ca.; Camp Newman, Ca; Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute, Wisconsin; and Camp Coleman, Georgia.

In the words of Rabbi Bloom; “ I have been blessed with a successful and meaningful calling to the Rabbinate for over thirty years. I am proud of my accomplishments. Starting my ninth year at Congregation Beth Yam, I look forward to continued growth for the congregation and for me spiritually.

An integral part of my role as rabbi is providing pastoral care and conducting meaningful services. As counselor and community leader, I derive much satisfaction that I am making a difference in the low country by being the Jewish voice in our region. Being the only full-service congregation in the low country, my philosophy is about creating a big tent that is inclusive of many outlooks about life, diverse religious backgrounds, and varied Jewish affiliations from our membership. I look forward to leading the congregation into greater understanding about how all of us must learn to treat each other with respect and to accept differences of opinion when it comes to politics and any matter relating to Jewish life.

At the heart of what I do, the role of Rabbi as teacher, whether it is with children, teens, or young and older adults, gives me the  ultimate joy of being a rabbi. I hope that the rest of my life I will always have the chance to teach Torah, Jewish history and mysticism. To teach Torah in all its many genres and forms opens my eyes and those of my congregants to the beauty of Judaism. My hope is to increase the amount of adult learning of Judaism and Hebrew in the future. We are all in this journey together. Kadima! We move forward to our destiny.”

Rabbi Bloom is married to his wife Linda who is the Sr. Director of Development at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The Bloom's have a daughter Leah who is married to Michael Miller. Leah is the program director and youth engagement director at Congregation B’nai Tzedek in Potomac, Maryland.

Rabbi Bloom enjoys writing poetry and has a passion for playing the flute, often at services. In addition, he bike rides, plays a mean game of tennis, and loves to attend movies and concerts with Linda.

We hope that you will join us for Shabbat services and meet Rabbi Bloom.

To contact Rabbi Bloom, send an e-mail to rabbi@bethyam.org or call the office at 843-689-2178.