Meet Our Rabbi

Thirty-five years ago, I began my spiritual journey. It started when I met the man who would later become my husband. On our very first date, I discovered he was Jewish. I had been pondering Judaism for some time but had never taken the step of speaking with a rabbi or beginning that journey.

After Phil and I married, I began the process of converting from something I really wasn’t to something I longed to be. Once I completed my conversion, I began singing for the temple we belonged to and became the cantorial soloist. I immersed myself in Jewish music, attending as many workshops as possible to learn and grow. I taught music in the religious school and, after learning Hebrew, taught it to children in my congregation. I also taught adults.

Fast forward to 2013. I had been exploring the possibility of attending rabbinic school at various institutions, but no seminary fit my schedule. Unable to relocate for school, I stumbled upon a remote learning opportunity that allowed me to study with individuals worldwide to become a rabbi! The program, called the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute, accepted my application, and after completing the program, I became an ordained rabbi specializing in working with smaller congregations. One of my main interests is helping people discover their spiritual roots through the process of conversion. My program is called A Journey of Discovery.

After serving Temple Israel in West Lafayette, IN, for two years as the rabbi in residence, I retired, thinking my rabbinic days were behind me. They were not. In the spring of 2023, I applied for the position of rabbi at Temple Israel of Brevard in Melbourne, FL, and was hired to lead this wonderful group of people as their spiritual leader.

From my experience of learning Hebrew as an older adult, I realized that most programs designed for adults include far too much extraneous information, which, while valuable, can be a stumbling block for many learners. Determined to find a better approach, I developed methods to facilitate adult Hebrew education. This effort resulted in the publication of two books: Hebrew 101 – Beginning Biblical Hebrew for Adults and Hebrew 102 – Beginning Hebrew Prayer for Adults. I use these texts in my classes and find that most adults succeed in their learning, which is the ultimate goal of education! My next project will be creating a Hebrew curriculum for children.

I am originally from Indiana, where I lived for many years with my husband, Phil. We raised three wonderful children, now adults, who still reside in Indiana. We continue to own a hobby farm with 10 acres of land. At one point, we had three horses, a dog, two cats, and three turtles! In my spare time, I enjoy quilting, playing bridge, birdwatching, and following sports.

I feel truly blessed to have found this congregation and am working diligently to help them heal, move forward, and become the best they can be.

Rabbi Karen Fanwick
“Find yourself a rabbi, acquire for yourself a friend, and judge every person on the positive side.” —Pirke Avot 1:6