Synogogue welcomes new rabbi




Rabbi Jonathan Hanish

Rabbi Jonathan Hanish

Rabbi Jonathan Scott Hanish joined Temple Kol Tikvah in Woodland Hills on July 1.

The temple’s rabbinic search committee evaluated more than 35 resumes and interviewed a dozen candidates before selecting Hansih.

Hanish will join Cantor Tifani Coyot on the bimah (elevated platform at the front of the sanctuary) to lead services at the temple. He will also work closely with religious school director Rabbi Becky Hoffman, and preschool director Laurie Healy.

Hanish grew up in Louisville, Ky., where he was an active member in North American Federation of Temple Youth and B’nai B’rith Youth Organization.

He received a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in comparative religious studies and film history. He also has a Master of Fine Arts from the USC’s School of Cinema/Television and a Master of Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College. Hanish received his rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College.

Prior to rabbinic school, Hanish worked in the film and television industry where he wrote, produced, and directed documentaries, children’s programs and feature films.

During rabbinic school, he was the student rabbi at Bnai Israel in Butte, Mont., and was the rabbinic intern at Kehillat Israel, the reconstructionist synagogue of the Pacific Palisades.

After ordination, Hanish was hired as Kehillat Israel’s first youth and family rabbi. While there, he was instrumental in developing the temple’s Sages program for senior citizens, the KINCaring program for those in physical and emotional need and father/child programs as well as youth and family services for Shabbat and High Holidays.

Hanish has worked with the Jewish Federation to oversee the development of the federation’s “It’s a Guy Thing” program and the Bringing Men Back conference.

In 2010, he was asked to represent the federation at the General Assembly where he spoke on the topic of ways to bring men and boys back to progressive Judaism.

He sits on the executive committee of the Southern California Board of Rabbis.

Hanish is the father of Lila and Sydney and is married to Lisa Hanish.

Temple Kol Tikvah, 20400 Ventura Blvd., was formed in 1994 through a merger of two reform congregations, Temple Emet and Shir Chadash. For more information, call (818) 348-0670 or go to www.koltikvah.org.


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