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Meet Our Staff
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Victor Urecki has served as rabbi and spiritual leader of B’nai Jacob Synagogue since 1986. He is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America, as well as the Chicago Board of Rabbis. He is also on the Executive Rabbinical Cabinet of the Jewish Federations of North America, the largest Jewish philanthropic organization in the world. He serves on National Council of AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and on the board of directors at the University of Charleston. He was the 2011 recipient of the "Living the Dream Award" for his work on interfaith relations.
Urecki is a contributing editor to the Charleston Gazette, writing frequently about religious tolerance and mutual respect. Urecki has devoted his career to teaching the importance of religious openness, embracing the similarities and finding strength in differences. He co-founded the Root and the Branch, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for faith traditions in the Kanawha Valley to come together, dialogue, and learn from one other. Through the Root and the Branch and his involvement in interfaith activities, Urecki lectures regularly at are churches and schools on Jewish/Christian relations and now, Muslim/ Jewish understanding. He and his wife Marilyn have three daughters, Avrah, Chava and Zahava. His wife Marilyn teaches at B’nai Jacob and Charleston Catholic High School. His eldest daughter is in graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art. His middle daughter is a senior at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. His youngest is a freshman at Roanoke College, as well. He can be reached at charlestonrabbi@yahoo.com |
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Nancy Morton has served as secretary for B'nai Jacob since 1979. Born and raised in West Virginia, Nancy has two grown children Bobby Gene and Michelle Ruppert and a beautiful granddaughter. In many ways, Nancy is the heart and soul of our shul. She not only handles her professional duties with aplomb and with a smile, but is always there to help during bar and bat mitzvahs and countless synagogue functions. Though not Jewish, she knows more than everyone else in the synagogue about Judaism! Just ask her! She can be reached at synsecretary@yahoo.com |
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Steve Max is our executive director and gabbai. A retired lawyer and Administrative Law Judge, Steve has served as president of our congregation and has been on our executive board for many years. Steve has become invaluable to our president and rabbi, constantly making sure our facilities and daily services are maintained. Like Nancy, he is one of the first faces one encounters when coming to the synagogue for the first time. His warmth and kindness makes people feel welcome. Born in Charleston, West Virginia he and his wife Elaine have two sons, Michael and his wife Stacey (Buffalo Grove) and Scott and his wife Domicka (St. Albans) and four grandchildren. Steve still lives in the 19th Century and can be reached by Pony Express. Elaine does open his e-mail for him at jsm1551@suddenlink.net |
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Terry Cooper has been with the Synagogue since April 1, 1997 in charge of maintenance and custodial affairs. Born and raised in West Virginia. Terry and his wife Sandra have two children, Tara and Nathan. Terry maintains our shul and helps with all our activities, such as Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, set-ups for all affairs. An avid outdoorsman, Terry is out enjoying the beauty and scenery of our gorgeous State but can reached at our synagogue during normal business hours (except during Archery season!)
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Marilyn Urecki, wife of our Rabbi, runs our Sunday school and Hebrew school. Originally from St. Louis, Marilyn has a masters degree in Jewish education from Yeshiva University and also teaches full time at Charleston Catholic High School. The synagogue and the community benefit from her well known cooking abilities in the form of regular Shabbat morning kiddushes and special events such as our annual Passover Seder. She can be reached at mjcooksalot@yahoo.com
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