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Our Clergy

Rabbi Michael Beals

Senior Rabbi Michael S. Beals

Rabbi Michael Beals has been with Congregation Beth Shalom since August 2004. He is a 1997 graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Beals is also a graduate of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles (MA Hebrew Letters), The American University in Washington DC (MA International Relations), and the University of California at Berkeley (BA Political Science). He received the Raoul Wallenberg Fellowship at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Beyond his accomplished education, Rabbi Beals has also worked in a variety of roles from serving as a management analyst developing multi-cultural training programs to working with young and old in programs of music therapy, Shabbat programming, and providing pastoral counseling and support to the sick and elderly and to the families that support them.

During Rabbi Beals' tenure, our Hebrew School has grown, we've established a nationally recognized Keruv Initiative - to welcome and support interfaith families, and re-established an active and involved Sisterhood and Men's Club. Also during his tenure, we have transformed our 1950s spiritual home to a modern, accessible, spiritual center. Governor John Carney appointed Rabbi Beals to be the Director of his Delaware Council of Faith-Based Partnerships. He is a former President of the Delaware Association of Rabbis and Cantors, and a regular contributor to the Delaware state-wide monthly Jewish magazine, jVOICE, and the radio program, The Rabbi Speaks on WDEL.

Rabbi Beals makes his home in Delaware with his wife, Elissa, and his children, Ariella and Shir. Their family also includes dogs and cats.

Associate Rabbi Nick Renner

Rabbi Nick Renner is the Associate Rabbi and Director of Lifelong Learning at Congregation Beth Shalom. Rabbi Renner received his MA and the title of Rabbi from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2014. A native of Chapel Hill, NC, Rabbi Renner earned his BA in International Comparative Studies (ICS) from Duke University. He won the ICS Distinguished Thesis Award upon graduation for his thesis on the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza.

Prior to joining CBS, Rabbi Nick Renner was the Senior Jewish Educator at Hillel at the University of Delaware (UD). He worked with undergraduate students, the religious life programming board, and Hillel’s engagement internship. He also taught academic courses in UD’s Jewish Studies program. Previously, Rabbi Renner served as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Kehillat Israel (KI) in Pacific Palisades, CA. At KI, Rabbi Renner worked with the Israel Matters Committee and taught sessions on contemporary Israel. Rabbi Renner led Confirmation and he started KI's Teen Talmud group. He taught the Saturday Torah Class as well as Tales of the Talmud for adults.  He served life cycle ceremonies including funerals, weddings, b'nei mitzvah, and baby namings/brit milah.

Over twenty years, Rabbi Renner has played guitar and bass in a range of musical groups, in styles including rock, funk, blues, hip hop, jazz, and folk. He has played live and in studios in North Carolina, the Israeli city of Netanya, Philadelphia, West LA, and Wilmington.

Rabbi Renner lives in North Wilmington with his wife Kimmy, their sons Isaac and Reuben, and their rescued racing greyhound Dahlia.

Cantor Bronwen Mullin

Rabbi Bronwen, ordained in the Conservative movement, represents a new wave of young clergy who bring a more diverse background and artistic sensibility to their work.  Her style is engaging and soulful … building upon the past in new and exciting ways to energize and infuse spirituality into prayer and worship for a new generation.

While I am well-versed in the traditional Conservative nusach for the Yamim Noraim, I am also a great lover of communal melodies and community singing (after my rabbinic ordination I was a Rising Song fellow with composer and community leader Joey Weisenberg).


 

Photography by Elisa Komins Morris

Last  updated : 3/13/24

Thu, March 28 2024 18 Adar II 5784