Our Clergy & Staff
BMH-BJ Clergy
Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky
303-951-8225
Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky was born in Philadelphia and received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University. He began his rabbinic career at Baltimore’s Beth Tfiloh Congregagtion and then served Annapolis, MD’s Knesseth Israel Congregation. He spent 10 summers on the rabbinical staff of the B’nai B’rith Leadership Kallah in Starlight, Pennsylvania. Rabbi Chaitovsky also received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law.
Rabbi Chaitovsky was the rabbi of BMH-BJ from 1995-2001 and returned to the synagogue and community he always loved in time for the Yamim Noraim in 2014 and then full-time at the start of 2015. During his years away, Rabbi Chaitovsky was the Senior Judaic Educator and then School Rabbi and Director of Jewish Life at the Shoshana Cardin High School, a pluralistic community school, in Baltimore.
A very popular and informative presenter, he has spoken to numerous teen and adult audiences around the world on a wide range of popular and scholarly topics. Rabbi Chaitovsky has extensive interest in Jewish ethics and contemporary society, and he is committed to the unity and diversity of the Jewish people. He also is an accomplished musician and an avid tennis player.
Cantor Joel Lichterman
303-951-8239
Born in South Africa, at age 5 Joel was studying piano and by 16 was a national award winning pianist, accompanist, and musical arranger. He furthered his education at the University of Cape Town, University of South Africa (UNISA), and Royal Schools of Music, London. Whilst pursuing intensive cantorial studies with his father, Chazzan Jakub Lichterman z”l, he studied voice with Professor Lloyd Strauss-Smith. Cantor Joel helped establish the newly formed Milnerton Hebrew Congregation becoming its first cantor in 1978. He received his investiture as Chazzan-Minister through The Cantors Assembly.
On relocating to Denver, CO in 1995, Cantor Joel quickly integrated into the community by bringing a fusion of traditional and contemporary Chazzanut and Jewish music into BMH-BJ Congregation. This led to the creation of the annual interactive Shabbat Shira service and program which continues to attract large numbers from throughout the Denver community. He founded and is musical director of the BMH-BJ Male Choir, which sings at selected services, weddings and special events, a highlight being their extensive and unique High Holiday repertoire. From this emerged the Kidz Korus connecting children to prayer through music, delighting and inspiring the congregation and strengthening the cycle of continuity from generation to generation. Believing deeply in the power of Jewish education Cantor Joel leads a weekly Chumash class, presents regular adult education courses, teaches and mentors many bnei and bnot mitzvah. Through his open door approach, Cantor Joel Lichterman is readily accessible to congregants and the wider community.
Synagogue Staff
Ilene Rosen
Executive Director
303-951-8232
Jeff Kline
President
Andy Schwartz
Assistant Executive Director & Facilities Manager
303-951-8227
Rachael Neustadt
Clergy Assistant
303-951-8231
Nora Jamieson
Office Manager
303-951-8220
Yoni Buckman,
Director of Communications and Engagement
303-951-8237
Emily Menkis
Accounting
303-951-8224
BMH-BJ Preschool
Lindsey Levin-Salamon
Preschool Director
303-388-7543
Debbie Foster
Preschool Administration
303-388-7543
Facilities Team
Simcha
Julie
Mount Nebo Memorial Park
Steve Miller
Director, Mt. Nebo Memorial Park
303-951-8236
2017-2018 BMH-BJ Board of Trustees
Jeff Kline, President
Ilene Rosen, Executive Director
Dr. Herzl Melmed, Vice President
Dr. Jerry Kopelman, Vice President
Debbie Friedman, Vice President
Mel Engbar, Treasurer
John Peterson, Secretary
Michael Miller, Chair of Board
Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky
Cantor Joel Lichterman
Allan Tenenbaum
Arden Wandel
Ben Streltzer
Dr. Ellice Goldberg
Elly Valas
Gary Saltzman
Jay Siegel
Jerry Jurinsky
Jerry Rotenberg
Michael Engleberg
Michael Joshua
Shaul Gabbay
BMH-BJ Past Presidents
Edward N. Barad
Mark Boscoe
Barbara Burry
Bernice Dinner
Michael Engleberg
Richard Fleischman
Robert Friedman
Lawrence Gelfond
Melvin Goldberg
Leland Huttner
Mickey Mandel
H. Michael Miller
Ilene Rosen
Charlene Sachter z"l
David Suson
Arden Wandel
Daniel Woodrow
Ronald I. Zall z"l