Clergy – Temple B'nai Or

Rabbi Michael Satz

Rabbi Michael Satz is honored to lead Temple B’nai Or in its important mission of being a vibrant and meaningful center of Jewish life in Morris County. He brings his passions for teaching, justice, and spirituality to our multi-generational community. Rabbi Satz believes that “Judaism is a dynamic, evolving and pluralistic tradition. Through texts, music, prayer, peoplehood, and personal relationships we experience God’s presence. The rabbi’s calling is to help facilitate these experiences for Jews in sacred community.”

Rabbi Satz is involved in the greater community through the Morris Area Clergy Council, Morris Area Together, the Religious Action Center of NJ, the Greater Metro West Rabbis Roundtable, and the New Jersey-West Hudson Valley Association of Reform Rabbis. He has been on the executive board of the Association of Reform Zionists of America, ARZA Canada, and the American Zionist Federation. He is a Rukin Rabbinic Fellow with 18Doors, an organization that strives to make our communities inclusive places for intermarried families.Rabbi Satz was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, and is, of course, a Cardinals fan. He graduated from Tulane University and was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. He is married to Rabbi Janice Elster, and they are the parents of Eitan and Ammiel and the owners of Koby, a Havanese. Rabbi Satz loves to play guitar, drink oolong and pu erh tea, and listen to news and political podcasts.

Cantor Galit Dadoun Cohen

Cantor Galit Dadoun Cohen was born and raised in Ashdod, Israel. She earned her Bachelor’s of Music and Artist Diploma from the Ruben Academy of Music in Tel Aviv University. She came to America to prepare for her Master’s of Music, which she received from City University of New York’s Brooklyn College. In 2010, Dadoun-Cohen was ordained Cantor from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). Since then, she has served as the Cantor of Temple B’nai Or, where she is affectionately referred to as Cantor Galit.

Galit Dadoun Cohen has sung opera and classical song in Europe, Israel and the United States prior to becoming a Cantor. In addition to her service to Temple Bnai Or, Cantor Galit serves the larger Jewish community through invitations to sing in concerts, festivals, and diverse projects throughout the United States. In honor of her 40th birthday, she gave an opera concert to raise funds to buy a grand piano for the Temple B’nai Or sanctuary. She is also scheduled to take part in the revival of the Jewish Opera Hannah, which will be performed in December of 2014.

During her studies at HUC, Cantor Galit interned in Temple Shalom in Levittown PA, Temple Sinai in Bayshore, NY, Greenwich Reform Synagogue in Connecticut and Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY. Her Master’s thesis explored the fusion of traditional Sephardic folk song with Western art music in Jewish music of the 20th and 21st century. She deeply loves contemporary Israeli music, classical music and traditional Eastern European Hazzanut.

Along with her husband Joe, Cantor Galit shares the gratitude and endless joy of raising their three daughters Danielle, Naomi and Maya.

Rabbi Emeritus Donald Rossoff

Rabbi Emeritus Donald B. Rossoff, DD, RJE, joined as the Senior Rabbi of Temple B’nai Or in 1990, and retired in 2015. During his tenure he fostered an innovative, inclusive and caring community. Long an advocate for Jewish education and camping, Rabbi Rossoff, has spoken at various congregations and Reform movement settings on Jewish theology and mysticism, Bible, Outreach to the Intermarried, and issues surrounding death and mourning. Long active in Israel affairs within the Reform Movement, in 2005, he was awarded the “Ohev Yisrael – Lover of Israel Award” from the Rabbinic Counsel of the Association of Reform Zionists of America, and in 2012, he was given an award for his dedication to the community by the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee.

Rabbi Rossoff has published a children’s book on spirituality, The Perfect Prayer, Adonai Li, a musical setting of Psalm 118:6, and contributed chapters to The Jew in the Modern World: A Documentary History, edited by Paul Mendes-Flohr and Jehuda Reinharz and Chosen Tales: Stories Told by Jewish Storytellers, edited by Peninnah Schram. He is a graduate of Northwestern University, Spertus College of Judaica, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and the Rhea Hirsch School of Education.

Rabbi Rossoff is married to the former Francine Schulman, RN, who has been recognized and awarded for her outstanding volunteer work in the community. The Rossoffs have four children.