Temple Staff

Rabbi Jay Sherwood has been the spiritual leader of Temple Shalom since July 2017. He previously served as Rabbi of Congregation Emanu El in Redlands, California, the oldest Jewish community in Southern California, and as the Founding Rabbi of Adat Re'im, in Rancho Cucamonga, California, the Inland Empire’s first trans-denominational synagogue, leading that congregation for ten years.

Rabbi Jay received his Rabbinic Ordination and Master of Rabbinic Studies degree from the Academy for Jewish Religion, California, in Los Angeles. He also holds a Master of Arts in Religious Education degree from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Jewish Studies at UCLA.

Rabbi Jay currently serves on the Va’ad (Executive Board) of the Rocky Mountain Rabbis & Cantors (the Board of Rabbis for the State of Colorado). He is also involved in the greater Colorado Springs community. He is a Founding Member of the Pikes Peak Interfaith Coalition, and serves on the Executive Board of Bakhita Mountain Home, a rehabilitation home for women who are survivors of human trafficking. Rabbi Jay is the current Chair of the Pikes Peak Early College Family Engagement Council and is the past Chair of the Colorado Springs Human Relations Commission. He also writes a quarterly column on spirituality for Pike’s Peak Newspapers and is an in-demand guest speaker throughout the city. He is a member of the Academy for Jewish Religion California Clergy and Alumni Association (AJRCAA), the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), and is a Life Member of the National Eagle Scout Association.

Before entering the rabbinate, Rabbi Jay enjoyed at twenty-plus year career in Jewish education, camping, and music. He served in educational leadership positions at Temple Beth Hillel in North Hollywood, California; Temple Beth Israel in Pomona, California; and Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services in Los Angeles, California. He has worked at numerous Jewish camps and travel programs throughout the United States and Israel, including 14 summer programs and more than 300 Jewish camp retreat weekends, and continues to serve as a visiting camp rabbi at Jewish summer camps. Rabbi Jay spent a year doing community service in Israel as part of the Otzma Jewish Service Corp and was selected to participate in the American Jewish World Service’s Rabbinic Students' Delegation to Ghana.

An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, composer and performer, music from Rabbi Jay Sherwood’s CDs Sh'ma Koleinu and Wrapped Up In The Fringes has been heard from the stages of CAJE (Coalition for the Advancement in Jewish Education) to SiriusXM’s Radio Hanukkah. Rabbi Jay once worked on Main Street at Disneyland and claims to be the only rabbi in history to be a 3-time television game show champion (Rock 'n Roll Jeopardy, Trivial Pursuit, and Don't Forget the Lyrics!). In his spare time, he enjoys playing music, attending concerts and theatre, cooking, and traveling. Rabbi Jay and his wife Lisa are blessed with two wonderful children.

You may contact Rabbi Jay Sherwood by email: rabbijay@templeshalom.com or call the office: (719) 634-5311 ext. 11.

Elayna Rathmann is Executive Director at Temple Shalom. She combines her successful business practices and knowledge of non-profit management to lead us into a successful future. She brings years of experience as a Jewish professional, lay leader and volunteer. Elayna grew up in Indiana and has a large family in the mid-west. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Indiana University, Bloomington and her Masters’ degree from The University of California, Berkeley. An educator, businesswoman, and administrator, she is comfortable leading services, running programs, working on the budget and loves interacting with our members.

 While military life led the Rathmann family to many locations, Elayna & Marc settled in Colorado Springs in 2003 where they have enjoyed raising their three children, Sophie, Matthew and Gabriella. They have enjoyed seeing their children grow through our religious school, B’nai Mitzvah and as community leaders. Elayna began as a volunteer, board member and teacher in the religious school in 2003.

Elayna was welcomed in 2007 as Temple Shalom's Director of Congregational Learning and Programming. Connecting her Hebrew Day School experience with her education and curriculum development background, she built a solid educational program for Temple Shalom children, youth and adults. As Executive Director, Elayna remains involved in education and programming and merges her knowledge of business and management with her understanding of Temple Shalom operations and its wonderful congregants. This year Elayna celebrates 20 years at TS!

You may contact Elayna by email: Elayna@TempleShalom.com or call her in the office at: (719) 634-5311 ext. 12.

Ellie Emerich Hart is Education Coordinator at Temple Shalom. Ellie has been a Religious School and Preschool Teacher here at Temple Shalom since 2018.  She served as Secretary on the 2020 and 2021 Temple Shalom Board of Directors.  She currently serves the dual role as Education Coordinator for Temple Shalom and Lead Teacher for the Temple Shalom Preschool.  Ellie holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and is a licensed Early Childhood Education Teacher and Kindermusik Instructor.  She has been a Lead Teacher in Preschool, Kindergarten, First Grade and Fifth Grade since 2005.  Seven of those years were in The Alfred and Adele Davis Academy, a Reform Jewish Day School.  Another seven were working with the refugee community in a secular preschool.   Ellie served Congregation Bet Haverim of Atlanta, Georgia as Interim Education Director for two years as the congregation searched for an Education Rabbi.  Ellie enjoys camping, knitting, textile arts of all kinds, and singing.  She is featured on 8 Choral CDs (7 Jewish and 1 secular) recorded in Atlanta.  Ellie would love to organize a Temple Shalom Choir!  She lives with her husband Alec Hart and sons Daniel and Peter.

You may contact Ellie by email: Education@TempleShalom.com or reach her in the office at: (719) 634-5311 ext. 13.