Rabbi Schwartz was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She received her B.A. degree in History from the State University of New York at Binghamton and M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She attended the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, where she was ordained in 1999. Prior to entering the rabbinate, Rabbi Schwartz was a long-time member, teacher, board member,and served as President of Temple Ner Shalom in Woodbridge, Va., and worked as an information systems analyst in the Washington, D.C. area. Since coming to Knoxville, Rabbi Schwartz has become a well-known speaker on Judaism and on interfaith issues. She is often a guest lecturer at local universities, colleges, and civic groups. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the YWCA and sits on the Executive Committee of the Knoxville Ministerial Association. Rabbi Schwartz is a founding member of the Clergy Task Force of the Community Coalition on Family Violence. She has served on a mayoral task force on “Racial Disparity in School Discipline” in Knox County, and is a member of the Police Advisory and Review Committee for the City of Knoxville. Rabbi Schwartz is also a member of the Executive Women’s Association, and has attended the FBI Citizen’s Academy, the Knoxville Police Citizen’s Academy, and Leadership Knoxville. Rabbi Schwartz is particularly interested in the historical context of Jewish events and Jewish worship, and is especially known at Temple Beth El for unrolling the whole Torah at Simchat Torah and her creative Purim spiels. Rabbi Schwartz advises the TBE Sisterhood, and teaches teens and adults. She is a member of the Committee on Worship and Practice of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. Rabbi Schwartz is married to Larry Washington. They have two adult children, Leah Washington and Daniel Washington. For more fron Rabbi Schwartz, go to Rabbi's Page.
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 Norma James grew up in Temple Beth El as one of the seven Freedman sisters. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a BS in Special Education and an MS in Educational Administration and Supervision. With well over thirty years experience, Norma is a full time special education teacher in the Oak Ridge Schools. Although balancing a full time teaching job and a part time position as Religious School Director is a challenge, she has enjoyed making the transition from secular education to Jewish education. Norma believes her job is made all the better because of the amazing children, parents, and staff at Temple Beth El. A lover of music, Norma previously taught music at Beth El and currently enjoys singing with the choir and being a cantorial soloist at special events. Norma and her husband Wes have two adult children, Kevin and Meredith, both of whom matriculated through the religious school.
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 Rabbi Howard A. Simon joined Temple Beth El as spiritual leader in 1986 and served until his retirement in 1999. Rabbi Simon received his ordination at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1963. He then served as rabbi for congregations in Baltimore, MD; Atlantic City, NJ; and Cincinnati, OH.
In addition to his rabbinic duties, Rabbi Simon served on many boards and committees at the local and national levels, including the National Rabbinic Cabinet of the United Jewish Appeal and as president of the board for Knoxville's Interfaith Health Clinic. He was a member of the Leadership Knoxville Class of 1992, and served on its board from 1997 until 2000. He has been the recipient of many awards, among them honos for his devotion to community service and his dedication to the State of Israel.
Although officially retired, Rabbi Simon remains very active in Jewish community life in Florida, where he currently serves the congregation of Temple Bet Chaim in Orlando. He is also the chairman of Community Relations Counsel for the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation. Residing in University Park, Florida, Rabbi Simon and his wife, Rona, just welcomed their seventh grandchild into the family.
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Becky Kidd, Choir Director /Accompanist
Becky has been organist/accompanist at Temple Beth El since the fall of 1980 and has served under four Rabbis. After the death of Almeda Brakebill in 1993, she became choir director. She will soon be celebrating her 30th year with Temple Beth El.
Becky directs the unique hand bell choir at Second United Methodist Church She has been organist/hand bell director there since 1961, Becky also gives piano lessons at her home.
She and her husband Kenton, our choir tenor, have two grown children and three grandchildren.
Kenton Kidd, Tenor
Kenton taught high school music for 32 years. In that time, he produced 25 Broadway musicals. He has sung in and directed choirs in Methodist, Baptist, and Catholic churches. He is also an accordion player and performs at country clubs, bars, banquets and "too many other gigs to mention".
Lynn Bennett, Soprano
Lynn has been singing with the Temple Beth El choir since November of 2004. Her musical experience includes singing with various local ensembles as a soprano but often as a second soprano or alto as needed. She routinely sings for local civic ceremonies, funerals, and business functions and for mayors and congressmen. Lynn has sung with The Sanctuary Choir of Smithwood Baptist Church of Fountain City all of her adult life.
Shauntina Phillips, Alto
Shauntina Phillips has been an alto soloist for the Temple Beth El choir for just over a year. She is currently a voice instructor at Carson Newman College and at Pellissippi State Community College.
Shauntina has performed with many choral and opera organizations in Tennessee, Kentucky and Connecticut. She remains an active soloist locally and is also an experienced vocal coach for the musical theatre genre, most recently serving as musical director for Carson Newman's production of "My Fair Lady". She is also a member of the Knoxville Opera Chorus.
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