Inspire, Fulfill and Engage – Your Home for Jewish life in Jacksonville
Inspire, Fulfill and Engage – Your Home for Jewish life in Jacksonville
Judy Paul – Aishet Hayil
Judy Paul is thrilled to be honored and recognized as our Aishet Hayil. She has indeed had a life journey at the Jacksonville Jewish Center – as a student in the Preschool, Hebrew School, Sunday School, and Confirmation. Enjoyment and participation in Center youth groups added to the Synagogue being the central part of her everyday experiences in her earlier growing-up years. In 1968 she and her husband, Herman were married in our old synagogue at 3rd and Silver Streets. This opened a new chapter in her life, again, at the Center. She taught in public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Duval County. How natural it was to return to her roots and teach in the Center’s DuBow Preschool and Martin J. Gottlieb Day School for half a century. She attributes her extended learning and comfort given to her students to her own secular and Judaic background. Through her years as an educator at the Center, Judy acknowledges having gained new learning from fellow teachers, school directors, and staff, individuals who maintain the surroundings of our synagogue, parents, and children, all of whom are forever a family of friends. A part of her time has included working over many years in the synagogue office giving her an awareness of all that we have. She is always surrounded by her loving family which includes her children, Michael and Angie Paul, Steven and Jessica Paul, Laurie and Mark Walther, and her grandchildren, Alex, Paige, Ashlyn, and Rebecca. Without question, she and Herman are hand-in-hand making each new day a special one. In their thoughts are their dear parents, of blessed memory, Rubye and Moe Safer, and Freda and Louis Paul who share this sweet and memorable journey.
Dan Jaffa – Hatan Torah
Daniel Jaffa is honored to be recognized as our Hatan Torah. Dan is a third-generation member of the Jacksonville Jewish Community. His Jewish education began in the JCA’s Gan Yeladim program and continued at the Beth Shalom Religious School during elementary school. He studied to become a Bar Mitzvah in Israel with Morah Eta (Edith) Horovitz. While at Bolles High School, his family became members of the Jacksonville Jewish Center and Dan became an active member of USY. He served as Vice President in his senior year. He celebrated his confirmation under the guidance of Rabbi Gaffney. He fondly remembers traveling as a teen with Rabbi Dov Kentof to Poland and Israel, as well as on other youth leadership camping trips. After high school, Daniel attended the University of Florida and Adelphi University in New York graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. While climbing up the corporate ladder and living in the New York City metropolitan area, he met his wife Karianne. In 1999, they married and started co-teaching religious school on Long Island. After living in New York for twelve years, and surviving 9/11 and the Northeast Blackout of 2003, Dan and Karianne moved back to Jacksonville in 2004, to spend more quality time with their new baby, Maiah. In Jacksonville, Dan worked on his career and currently is the Director of Enterprise Architecture for Kemper Insurance. While working, Dan became actively involved with the Jacksonville Jewish Federation serving on the Young Leadership Board, and was awarded The Ilene Sari Selevan Young Leadership
Award. In addition, he co-chaired Super Sunday for two years. His three daughters, Maiah (age 19), Ava (age 17), and Kyra (age 14) all attended the DuBow Preschool and later graduated from the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School. Maiah attends the University of Florida and is majoring in Digital Arts and Sciences through the school of engineering. Both Ava and Kyra attend Creekside High School. Ava is a senior in the engineering academy and Kyra is a freshman in the digital media academy. Dan has always had a love for Jewish education and community. When the girls were in preschool, Dan was the carpool daddy and often was found in the preschool hallways mornings and evenings helping out. Eventually, he was asked to join the preschool committee. As the girls graduated preschool and became involved in youth groups, Dan began chaperoning events for Chalutzim, Kadima, and USY. His past educational roles include serving on the youth commission and General Board of Directors and being Vice President of Youth for two years. Currently, Dan is the Center’s Vice President of Congregational Learning.
Jodi Rogozinski – Kallat Bereshit
Jodi Rogozinski accepts the honor of being recognized as Kallat Bereshit. Jodi was born in Baltimore, MD, to Wendy and the late Stuart Coplan. She and her sister Abby grew up attending Beth Tfiloh Day School and learned from her father the importance of direct, hands-on involvement in a Jewish community. Jodi moved south to college earning her Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Creative Writing from the University of Miami. She then moved back home to work for The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. She then earned her Master’s degree from Columbia University in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. A topic she can now give a Masterclass on as she implements these skills with her five children and husband. She met her husband Josh Rogozinski while working at a non-profit in Jacksonville. They grew together between Tampa, Miami, and Philadelphia, adding a few twin boys along the way (Zeke, Alexi, Cobie, and Quinn) before landing back in Jacksonville and completing their family with their little gem Ruby. During this time she balanced working and supporting her family and husband through his medical training, while always wanting to stay connected with the Jewish community. Jodi is currently serving her 3rd year as Galinsky Academy’s PTA President. Something
you may not know about Jodi is that while working full-time and being a mother, she continued her studies to become a 500-hr Registered Yoga Teacher. She is also a Certified Resume Writer.
