Rabbi Arturo Kalfus, formerly associate rabbi of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Cleveland, OH, has joined the Temple Beth Am clergy team comprised of nationally recognized spiritual leaders within their respective fields.
Rabbi Kalfus was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the child of Polish immigrants who came to South America after surviving the Holocaust. Rabbi Kalfus was ordained in 1992 from Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Jewish History and Philosophy from Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
He is a fellow at the prestigious Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Israel, and participated in a program on Language, Culture and Civilization at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He studied as well at the Cleveland Psychoanalytic Institute, Kellogg School of Management and Harvard University Business School. Since ordination, Rabbi Kalfus has been a congregational rabbi for more than 18 years, in different executive positions, in New York, New Jersey and Cleveland.
“My journey has brought me now to Temple Beth Am in Pinecrest with a great congregation and staff led by Rabbi Terry Bookman. I have been impressed by their spirit, engagement and the myriad of programs. This is a congregation that many rabbis would dream of joining, and I have been humbled to have been chosen to be a part of this special campus,” Rabbi Kalfus said.
Growing up in Argentina, Rabbi Kalfus is fluent in Spanish and said he is excited to be able to bring messages of encouragement and prayer to many of the congregants and supporters of Beth Am in their first language.
He has concentrated his work in the field of psychology and spirituality/religion and its potential impact in the workplace. His interests include playing piano, painting and spending time with his family at the beach.
Rabbi Kalfus is married to Phyllis Meyers and they are parents of two teenage children, Ari and Lilah.
Temple Beth Am, The House of the People, was founded in 1955. It offers multi-faceted programs comprised of religious, educational, cultural and enrichment activities throughout the year. Temple Beth Am on the Richard and Janet Yulman Campus encompasses a “full-service” synagogue, Day and Religious School with activities for all ages, ranging from social to athletic to spiritual.
