About Us
Temple Israel is a welcoming Reform synagogue in Tulsa, OK, founded in 1914. We offer a vibrant community for worship, education, and social justice. Join us for Shabbat services and discover the beauty of our Jewish traditions.
We welcome singles and couples, interfaith couples and families, LGBTQ Jews and those seeking to convert to Judaism. Temple Israel values the diversity of Jewish expression and community.
on sabbatical
Rabbi Michael Weinstein
Rabbi Michael Weinstein assumed the role of Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel in July of 2018, when he moved to Tulsa with his family to start their new life. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Rabbi Weinstein earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy, with a focus in Jewish Studies, from the University of Cincinnati.
He continued his studies at Xavier University, completing a Master of Arts in Christian Theology, before entering the Rabbinical School at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where he achieved a second Master of Arts, in Hebrew Letters. Michael was ordained as Rabbi in 2010.
Rabbi Weinstein has served congregations in the greater Boston, Atlanta, and Washington DC communities, in addition to spending time working in the Jewish Day School and Jewish Federation environments. Rabbi’s professional interests are relationship based, in the areas of community organizing, engagement, and creating a welcoming community.
Since ordination, Rabbi Weinstein has studied Professional Fundraising at Boston University, and achieved a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. He is a trained Interim Rabbi from the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Interim Ministry Network. He is also an Accredited Police Chaplain with the International Conference of Police Chaplains. In his spare time, Rabbi Weinstein volunteers as part of the Tulsa Police Chaplain Corps.
Outside the synagogue, Rabbi Weinstein enjoys spending his time with his family. Laurie, his wife, is an accomplished Cantor, also serving Temple Israel, while their son, Mose, is enamored with all things trains-related. Michael enjoys the classics– classic cars, music, movies, and motorcycles. Never one to pass up a good burger and a beer, he would be happy to join you for a cup of coffee and conversation!
RABBI Batsheva appel
interim rabbi
Rabbi Batsheva Appel is a native of Seattle and the rainy Pacific Northwest. She graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences and Economics and entered the corporate world, first working in a research laboratory and then in sales and marketing. Rabbi Appel was an active layperson in her congregation, singing in the choir, taking classes, and serving on the Board of Directors, when she decided to become a rabbi. She attended Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and was ordained from the New York campus.
She is a trained Mussar facilitator and is part of the national faculty for teaching the URJ’s Online Introduction to Judaism. Rabbi Appel is certified as an Interim Rabbi.
She has served several congregations since 1996, as a sabbatical rabbi, rabbi educator, assistant rabbi, associate rabbi, rabbi, and interim rabbi, including serving as Director of Rabbinic Services for the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, located in Jackson Mississippi. Rabbi Appel is currently finishing her term as intentional interim rabbi in Boise, Idaho.
She is passionate about community. She is highly collaborative, with the unique perspective as first an active synagogue board member and now an experienced Rabbi in a variety of settings. Rabbi Appel leverages the innovative possibilities of technology yet still uses a fountain pen.
Rabbi Appel enjoys reading, walking, going to the theater, playing Spelling Bee and Wordle as well as playing Dungeons & Dragons.
jenny labow
Cantorial soloist, office manager
Shortly after moving to Oklahoma with her family from Canada, Jenny Labow became a Bat Mitzvah at Temple Israel. Living in Stillwater, she would then go on to attend Oklahoma State University on a Bass
Clarinet Music Performance scholarship. Jenny eventually left OSU to begin her career as a singer/songwriter and recording artist. She played live for many years in Tulsa and won Urban Tulsa’s “Best Female Vocalist” for several years running.
She has also spent many years as a teacher at Oklahoma Music Academy. Jenny began serving as Cantorial Soloist for Temple Israel in 2017 and in 2016 and 2017, she served as High Holyday Cantorial Soloist for Temple Beth David, in Westwood Massachusetts. Jenny’s titles include Office Manager, Clergy Assistant, and Cantorial Soloist. She also serves on the Mizel school board. She studies voice with Lyndon Meyer and is working on a catalogue of original Jewish Music.
Lesley Bumgarner
Director of Congregational Life
Lesley Bumgarner began her work as Temple Israel’s Director of Congregational Life in July of 2022. In this role, Lesley enhances our members’ experience, recruits new members, plans events and fundraisers, and strives to make our temple a welcoming place for all.
Lesley grew up at Temple Israel in Westport, Connecticut. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Motion Pictures and Television from U.C.L.A. and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from National Louis University. Lesley taught Kindergarten for nine years before her children were born.
Lesley has been a member of our congregation since moving to Tulsa in 1997 and is a Past President of Temple Israel as well as a recipient of the Amudim Award. Her three children, Grant, Ava, and Charlotte, became B’nai Mitzvah and Confirmands here. Lesley has 25 years of volunteer experience planning events and programs and fundraising at Temple Israel and other non profits in Tulsa.
Outside of synagogue, Lesley enjoys spending time with her family and friends, trying new restaurants and wines, traveling, reading and visiting museums. Having lived in France for a year in 1988, she is always looking for opportunities for French conversation. Stop by and say, Bonjour!”.
kelsey Holder
director of education & communication
Kelsey is a Tulsa native with twenty years of teaching experience, including high school, college, and graduate level positions. She earned her B.A. in English Education and her M.A. in English from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, becoming a third-generation teacher and NSU grad. In the public-school system, she worked across disciplines to design curriculum meeting state and district academic standards, and both wrote and delivered professional development programming. She returned to the University of Tulsa College of Law, obtaining her Juris Doctorate and practicing family law for seven years, with an emphasis on Guardian Ad Litem work. She joined the faculty of TU Law for four years as a legal writing and family law professor. In 2025, she returned to the world of education, joining Temple Israel’s Jewish education tradition.
Paul Sweet
Accompanist
Composer and pianist Paul Sweet has earned regional acclaim as a multitalented musician. He is frequently invited to perform with singers, instrumentalists, and ensembles in Oklahoma and the surrounding region. His recent work as a pianist includes collaborations with concert flutist Alexa Still, Tulsa Symphony, Tulsa
Chorale, Arkansas Philharmonic, Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Council Oak Men’s Chorale, Tulsa Camerata, the “First Lady of Country Fiddle” – Jana Jae, and numerous regional artists. Equally at home with younger performers, Paul welcomes many collaborations with students of all levels in auditions, contests, and recitals.
As a composer, Paul has enjoyed recent commissions from Tulsa Botanic Garden, clarinetists Dawn Lindblade-Evans and Michael Scheuerman, and the 2019 OK Electric Music Festival. His catalogue of original compositions includes music for string orchestra, wind symphony, chorus, chamber ensembles, solo instruments, and electronics. Piano Pronto Publishing in Temecula, California offers a selection of Mr. Sweet’s piano music for students.
In addition to composing and performing, Paul maintains a small piano studio and serves as Director of Music at Fellowship Congregational Church UCC in Tulsa.
Mr. Sweet earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in piano performance from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. His teachers there were David Forbat, Valery Kuleshov, Peggy Spence, and Leon Whitesell.
Away from the piano, Paul enjoys hiking and camping, mushroom hunting, gardening, outdoor picture taking, fancy coffee, embroidery, and spending time with his husband David and their three Pomeranian fur babies.
Charles P. Sherman, D.D.
Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Emeritus Charles P. Sherman, D.D.,was Senior Rabbi from 1976-2013.He retired in 2013 and was given the honorary title of Rabbi Emeritus.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Charles Philip Sherman graduated in 1963 from the University of Pittsburgh,
B.A., Honors Major in Philosophy. He was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio in June, 1969. The seminary awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1994.
Rabbi Sherman became Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in July 1976, and served for 37 years before retiring in June 2013. During his years in Tulsa, Rabbi Sherman served as President of the Southwest Association of Reform Rabbis and is the only person to serve as President of both the National Conference for Community and Justice, Tulsa Region (Now OCCJ), and the Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry (TMM). He also taught for many years at Phillips Theological Seminary, which presented him an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree in 2013.
Upon retirement, Rabbi Sherman trained as a mediator, serving in Small Claims Courts in Tulsa and Creek Counties. He then took additional training to become a Family and Divorce Mediator and received the State Volunteer Mediator of the Year 2015 award “in
recognition of outstanding volunteer service to Early Settlement.”
Rabbi Sherman’s wife, Nancy, has been his helpmate and partner for the past 55 years. The Shermans have three happily married adults children who have produced four wonderful grandchildren.
Jory Budd
Staff Accountant, Human Resources
cantor laurie weinstein
Lay Leadership
Brina Reinstein | President
Brina grew up in Detroit, Michigan, attended the University of Michigan, married and moved to Tulsa in 1973. She served in numerous volunteer positions within the Federation and general community. She sat on the Tulsa Jewish United Fund Women’s Campaign Cabinet and chaired the campaign for two years. She was a founding member of the United Jewish Appeal’s Women’s Young Leadership Cabinet in 1976 and served on its executive committee for six years. Brina received Tulsa’s Young Leadership Award in 1978. Her avocation became her vocation when she joined the staff of the Jewish Federation in 1985.
She has served on the boards of Planned Parenthood, The Jewish Federation of Tulsa, The Tulsa Ronald McDonald House, The Tulsa Jewish Community Center, Tulsa Zoo Friends and Temple Israel. Brina has three children, Julie, Jennifer (aláv hashalóm), and Matthew (Angela) and four grandsons Benjamin, Jared, Jacob and Joshua.
Brina has been a member of Temple Israel for 49 years. Her children celebrated their B’nai Mitzvah, confirmations and were married at Temple Israel.
She has served on Temple Israel’s Executive Committee, taught Sunday school, chaired several Temple Fundraisers, chaired the 75th and 100th Temple Anniversary celebrations; co-chaired the first Rabbi Transition committee and is an Amudim recipient.
Brina currently serves on the boards of Temple Israel, Zarrow Pointe, Tulsa Jewish Federation Foundation, and the Temple Israel Foundation.
Mindy Roe Galoob | President-elect
Mindy Roe Galoob is a transformational leader and experienced nonprofit director who has spent over 20 years leading nonprofit organizations to advance causes she is passionate about. She is currently the Deputy Director of Take Control Initiative (TCI), the oldest contraceptive access organization in the U.S., based in Tulsa. TCI works to break down barriers and expand access to birth control through education, outreach & free clinical services.
Mindy oversees the administrative and strategic operations of TCI, leads its clinic quality improvement efforts, and in 2018, helped launch Metriarch – an Oklahoma women’s health think tank. Prior to joining TCI, Mindy managed operations in a variety of nonprofit and foundation settings both locally, and in Washington DC and San Francisco.
Mindy earned her BA in Women’s Studies from the University of Oklahoma and then went on to get her MBA with a focus on nonprofit management from American University – Kogod School of Business in Washington DC.
A Tulsa native and proud Booker T Washington alumnae- Class of 1995!, she was **thrilled** when her husband Stephen landed a law professor at TU. She is most proud of her role as mother to Sam and Isaac.
Mindy has served in several different roles at Temple Israel since she and Stephen became members in 2014. She has been our membership chair, served on several ShalomFest planning committees, as a board member for the TI Foundation & TI Sisterhood (including the J-Shop transformation), the TI Hospitality committee. During COVID, she also provided marketing & event support, designing several ads and revamping our Newsletter and membership documents. As part of our “Next Dor” initiative, she and Rebekah Kantor led listening sessions and served on the “Next Dor” Site Alternative committee. Most recently she and Stephen have been working with TU faculty and administration to revive the TU Hillel program.
Josh Corngold | Vice President
Josh Corngold and his wife, Kira, have been Temple Israel members since 2021. They have two children, Leah and Asher , who attend Shorashim. Since joining the Temple, Josh has served on the Rabbi Educator Search Committee, which led to the hiring of Rabbi Tzvia Rubens-Jasper.
Josh is an Associate Professor of Education at The University of Tulsa and a fellow at the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities. He regularly volunteers with the Tulsa Public Schools where his children are enrolled in a Spanish immersion program and where his wife works as an English language development teacher. In his spare time, Josh enjoys swimming, cycling, running, and unwinding with his family.
As a member of the Board, Josh looks forward to assisting with community engagement and outreach efforts, both ongoing and new. He is optimistic about the future and committed to helping Temple Israel grow and thrive for many years to come.
Devin Renberg | Treasurer
Devin Renberg, 45 years old, has family ties to Tulsa and Temple Israel that go back over 100 years. His Great Grandfather, Sam Renberg, was Temple Israel’s 2nd ever President. Devin’s Jewish identity was fondly shaped by his childhood experience at the Temple, where he attended services, had his Bar Mitzvah, went to Sunday school and was confirmed.
In 1997, he left Tulsa for Chicago to attend college and eventually start a mold removal and water damage business that is now franchising nationwide. In 2020, he moved back to Tulsa permanently, feeling a strong duty to resume his family’s legacy of being responsible contributing members to the Tulsa community and Temple Israel.
He feels humbled to join the Temple Board of Trustees and is eager to collaborate to strengthen the Temple’s foundation to honor our proud congregation’s past and secure its future for generations to come. He has been married 8 years to Silvina Renberg. Silvi is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they first met and they share one happy 6-year old son together, Benicio Noah Renberg. Silvi owns a travel agency, focusing on Jewish travel to Argentina and nearby countries in South America. All feel blessed being members of the Temple community.
Leisa Weintraub | Secretary
Leisa Weintraub has been an attorney in the Tulsa area for over 30 years. She has spent the last 17.5 years as general counsel for the Tulsa County Assessor’s Office. Prior to working in the Assessor’s office, Leisa worked for the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office and the Osage County District Attorney’s Office, respectively.
Leisa and her husband, Adam, met at the University of Oklahoma law school and have been married since 1990. They have two wonderful children, Allison (25) and Ben (23), who both have graduated from the University of Oklahoma. Allison has been working in New York City since 2018 and Ben has been working with a Washington, DC company since 2020.
Leisa and her family have been part of the Temple Israel family since 2006. Both Allison and Ben were active in the religious school as students and, after they graduated from the program, as teacher’s aides. One of Leisa’s proudest moments was when she became an adult bat mitzvah at Temple Israel in 2015. She followed in the footsteps of her children who both completed the b’nai mitzvah program at Temple Israel.
Leisa is finishing her second term as a Trustee on the Temple Board and would be honored to continue her service on the Board.
Malcolm Milsten | Co-Honorary President
Paula Milsten | Co-Honorary President
Board Trustees
Grant Bumgarner
Irene Burnstein
Rick Cohn
Shana Deneen
Ethan Jones
Rebekah Kantor-Wunsch
Dan Kovin
Chuck Langer
Jon Stolper
Sandi Tilkin
Tony Winefield
Representatives
Donna Gantner | Sisterhood President
Craig Kovin | Brotherhood President
Dr. Stephen Galoob | Temple Israel Foundation President