Mark Schiftan, Senior Rabbi

Rabbi Mark Schiftan arrived at The Temple–Congregation Ohabai Sholom—on July 1, 1999. He came to The Temple from an historic urban congregation in San Jose, California known as Temple Emanu-El. Having served as rabbi there since 1994, Mark led the congregation’s revitalization. His previous congregation shared the same name: Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco, California. Rabbi Schiftan served there from 1987 until 1994. Over the course of his years there, Mark was Assistant, Associate and finally Acting/Interim Rabbi, during a time of major transition, for a congregation of 1600 members.

Rabbi Schiftan received his Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from San Francisco State University. Hebrew Union College of Los Angeles awarded Rabbi Schiftan’s Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters, and he was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He has developed community service and community relations projects in both Temples Emanu-El, while guiding both congregations from classical to mainstream and contemporary Reform modes of worship. Rabbi Schiftan is responsible for staff supervision and management while fulfilling the full range of pulpit, pastoral, educational and communal duties.

E-mail Rabbi Schiftan at [email protected]

Shana Goldstein Mackler, Rabbi

Rabbi Shana Goldstein Mackler has been serving as a Rabbi at The Temple, Congregation Ohabai Sholom in Nashville since her ordination at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, June 2004.  Prior to that, she earned her Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters from HUC in 2003, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Florida in 1998.

While a student in Rabbinic School, Rabbi Mackler served congregations in Ishpeming, Michigan, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and Natchez, Mississippi.  She also served as a chaplain intern at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She has received awards for academics, leadership and sermons delivered.

As a Rabbi, she combines her love of Judaism with her passion for education, social justice and interfaith work, joining with the larger community to bring about greater understanding, tolerance and cooperation. 

During her time at The Temple, Rabbi Mackler has developed innovative programs, written curricula, created worship services and created and led retreats.

Rabbi Mackler has guest lectured at Vanderbilt University, and has served on many boards including Interfaith Alliance of Middle Tennessee, Akiva Day School Board, Nashville Board of Rabbis, and the Interfaith Dental Clinic.

Rabbi Mackler is married to Major James Mackler, an attorney at Frost, Brown, Todd LLC and a former Army Blackhawk pilot and JAG officer who continues to serve in the TN Air National Guard.  They have two young children.

Rabbi Mackler is a proud member of Leadership Nashville’s BCE 2014-2015 and was named one of the  America’s 32 Most Inspiring Rabbis in 2016 by Forward Magazine.

Watch Rosner’s Torah-Talk: Parashat Shelach with Rabbi Shana Mackler

E-mail Rabbi Mackler at [email protected]

Rabbi Michael Shulman, Director of Education & Next Generation Programming

Rabbi Michael Shulman joined The Temple – Ohabai Sholom of Nashville, Tennessee as the Director of Education and Next Generation Programming in 2014. He is a native of Cleveland, Ohio where he developed his love for Judaism early on while attending religious school through confirmation and graduation.

Rabbi Shulman received a degree in history at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. While in college, he also studied such diverse subjects as Arabic and Hebrew, Middle Eastern studies and biology. Rabbi Shulman also taught religious school for four years at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia.

After a year of study in Israel, Rabbi Shulman moved to Cincinnati to continue his rabbinic studies at HUC-JIR. While in Cincinnati, he served two years as a student rabbi at Temple Israel in Marion, Ohio and as a counseling intern at the University of Cincinnati Psychological Counseling Services. He also served two years as rabbinic intern at Wise Temple before joining the staff full time.

Rabbi Shulman also earned a Master's in Education from Xavier University. Blending his rabbinical and educational studies, he wrote his rabbinical thesis on the subject of tzedakah, (the Jewish obligation to give to those in need) in religious school and in the classroom. He earned the title, RJE (Reform Jewish Educator) in 2011. Rabbi Shulman has a wide range of interests including prayer and character education, Jewish identity development, storytelling and photography.

Previously, Rabbi Shulman served 2 years in Atlanta, Georgia as Temple Sinai’s first Director of Lifelong Learning, overseeing the entire congregation’s educational program from early childhood to adult learning. Before that, Rabbi Shulman served 9 years as associate rabbi at the Isaac M. Wise Temple in Cincinnati. While there, he was deeply involved in the Wise UP Social Action Program of the congregation, High School and Youth Programs, as well as Gesher, an extensive 2nd-6th grade family education program. Besides his congregational rabbinical responsibilities, Rabbi Shulman also wrote numerous curricula for religious school, taught adult education classes and collaborated on the creation of a prayer book, Avodat Ha-Lev.

E-mail Rabbi Shulman at [email protected]

David Davis, Rabbi Laureate

Rabbi David Davis served as Rabbi of the Temple from 1997-2001, at which time he was named Rabbi Laureate. Rabbi Davis joined Vanderbilt University as a member of the Administration and Faculty and served in that capacity until 2005. Previously, Rabbi Davis served as Associate Vice President for University Relations and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of San Francisco. During that time he also continued his work, begun in 1977, as Director of the Swig Judaic Program at that university; he also maintained a practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist.

The President of USF, Jesuit Fr. John Lo Sciavo, calls David a “one-man ecumenical movement”. His colleagues applaud his “bridge building,” his work to bring understanding among diverse groups and individuals. As early evidence, during his seminary days, his leadership in a nationwide seminary civil rights movement was recognized by President Johnson with an invitation to the signing of the Civil Rights Act.

Prior to university work, Rabbi Davis served as Chaplain of San Quentin Prison for eight years, and as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael, California (1970-76), Associate Director of the National Federation of Temple Youth in New York (1967-70) and Assistant Rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Worcester, Massachusetts (1965-67).

Rabbi Davis established the first chair in Judaic Studies at a Catholic university in the United States and was the first Rabbi to occupy a full-time position in the theology department of an American university. Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, honored him with an Honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1990.

E-mail Rabbi Davis at [email protected]

Tracy Fishbein, Cantor

Cantor Tracy Fishbein joined The Temple family as Cantor on June 29, 2012. Prior to her appointment at The Temple, she was ordained from the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. She grew up in Saint Louis, Missouri, where she was an active member and participant in the music programs of Congregation Temple Israel. In 2005, Cantor Fishbein graduated cum laude with a Bachelors degree in K-12 Vocal Music Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou). As a college student, she was active in the Mizzou Hillel, various choral ensembles, and Show-Me-Opera, and was the religious school music teacher at Congregation Beth Shalom.

Upon entering HUC-JIR in June 2007, Cantor Fishbein has enjoyed many meaningful learning experiences in Jerusalem and New York City, including a summer of Clinical Pastoral Education at Beth Israel Medical Center. In addition, she enjoyed facilitating programs and leading services for the Wandering Jews of Astoria, an independent minyan for 20-30’s Jews in her former neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. Professionally, Cantor Fishbein has been blessed to work as the Student Cantor of congregations in Saint Louis, Missouri, South Bend, Indiana, and York, Pennsylvania. As part of her student pulpit duties, Cantor Fishbein created both adult and youth choral ensembles, developed and taught a B’nai Mitzvah preparation course for seventh grade students, and created a religious school music curriculum for grades K-8.

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Cantorial Ordination, Cantor Fishbein created a joint thesis and recital project entitled “She’asani B’tzelem: A Journey Towards a Sacred Sense of Self,” which focused on body image and the Jewish experience. Cantor Fishbein hopes to promote the ideals of healthy body image and self-esteem as part of her cantorate, and looks forward to teaching about healthy living practices through the lens of Jewish tradition.

Cantor Fishbein is incredibly excited to serve as the Cantor of The Temple, and eagerly awaits meeting the people and hearing the voices of this dynamic Jewish community. She looks forward to the many wonderful moments—musically, Jewishly, and personally—that this opportunity promises for all of us.

Email Cantor Fishbein at [email protected]

Bernard Gutcheon, Cantor Emeritus

Since Joining The Temple in 1983, Cantor Gutcheon has become the musical spirit of our congregation. He has received extensive vocal training with some highly acclaimed professionals, including Cantor Arthur Koret of the Hart School of Music, William Metcalf of the New York City Opera and Andrew Foldi of the Metropolitan Opera. This experience has made him not only The Temple’s musical leader but one of the mid-South’s most well respected Religious musicians.

The Cantor designs and conducts all scheduled services with an emphasis on Congregational participation. His new and innovative structure for worship has been well received and is very popular. Additionally, he developed the Temple Choir, Volunteer Choir, Junior Choir, and the Professional Quartet. He also created our current Bar/Bat Mitzvah study program and works hand in hand with the students during their preparation for this lifecycle event.

Cantor Gutcheon has a Bachelor of Sacred Music Degree, Cantorial Investiture and Certification, Double Teaching Certificate and is a certified Reform Jewish Educator. He studied at the Hebrew Union College for Sacred Music, the Chayim Greenberg College and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He received his Chaplain’s training at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital where he served for 3 years.

Erin Hirsch Zagnoev, Director of Development and Membership

Erin Hirsch Zagnoev has been named the first Development Director of The Temple. Under this newly created position, Erin is responsible for coordinating all fund-raising activities, including endowment and planned giving, the annual giving campaign, resource development and volunteer training.

Prior to joining The Temple, Erin served as Vice President of Donor Services and Manager of Women’s Philanthropy for the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. As the leader of Donor Services, she created and was the primary implementer of the new Donor Services efforts, enhancing positive donor relations. She also worked in partnership with the annual giving campaign team in achieving an annual goal of $15.4 million. Erin was with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta for six years where she began as Campaign Associate and received several honors and awards, including the Extra Mile Award, the Pinnacle Award, and Employee of the Month.

Erin holds a master’s of business administration in non-profit management from the University of Judaism, Lieber School of Graduate Studies in Los Angeles, Calif., with a bachelor’s of arts degree in communications from the University of Arizona. Erin grew up at the Temple and is excited to be part of the Temple’s professional team.

Email Erin at [email protected]

Corye E. Nelson, Director of Temple Preschool

For the past 10 years, Corye Nelson served as director of Westminster School for Young Children’s Toddlers and Two’s Program as well as director of Westminister Presbyterian Church’s nursery program.

She holds a bachelor’s of science degree in childcare administration and childhood psychology from Belmont University.

Corye is an active member within the early childhood industry, showing a passion for leadership in early childhood education. As a board member of the Nashville Area Association for the Education of Young Children, Nelson serves as chair of its Accreditation Committee. As a board member of the Tennessee Association for the Education of Young Children, she serves on its Finance Committee and is chair of its 2012 Conference Committee.

She is also a member of the Southern Early Childhood Association. Nelson also serves as a continuing education speaker at early childhood conferences on topics ranging from communicating with toddlers to room arrangement. Her community involvement includes holding parenting classes at the Tennessee Prison for Women.

“As director of The Temple Preschool, it is my honor and my duty to inspire and educate teachers and parents to communicate effectively with children, and provide them with activities that they can master as well as those that can challenge them.”

Email Ms. Nelson at [email protected]