Temple Kol Ami Staff

Rabbi Jeremy Schneider, a proud native of Texas, has dedicated his life to spiritual leadership, education, and interfaith dialogue. Raised in the vibrant Jewish community of Houston, Rabbi Schneider’s deep connection to Judaism began at Congregation Beth Israel, one of the oldest Reform congregations in the country. His childhood was immersed in Jewish life, with his family instilling a strong sense of faith, community, and service. This early foundation laid the groundwork for what would become a distinguished career in the rabbinate.

After graduating from the local public schools in Houston, Rabbi Schneider chose to stay close to his Texas roots by attending the prestigious University of Texas in Austin. There, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Learning and Development, a field that aligned with his innate passion for teaching and mentorship. Austin, a city known for its eclectic culture and intellectual vibrancy, further expanded Rabbi Schneider’s worldview, shaping his approach to inclusivity and diversity, which would become central themes in his rabbinical career.

His academic journey led him to the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), a seminary known for shaping many of the Reform Movement’s most influential leaders. While at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Schneider pursued dual master’s degrees, earning a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and a Master of Arts in Jewish Education. His dedication to academic excellence was reflected in his rabbinical thesis, which he wrote in collaboration with renowned scholar Rabbi Reuven Firestone, Ph.D. The thesis, titled Jewish-Christian Relations: From Tolerance to Pluralism to Partnership, explored the complexities of interfaith dialogue, an area Rabbi Schneider would later become a national leader in. His work in this area laid the foundation for his long-term commitment to building bridges between different faith communities.

While enrolled at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Schneider also pursued professional development that would further enhance his rabbinical skills. He earned certificates in Synagogue Management and Pre-Marital and Marital Counseling, both of which allowed him to support individuals and families in navigating the complexities of modern life. His commitment to helping people through life’s transitions was further enriched by his completion of two different Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston (800 hours of training). These programs helped him hone his pastoral care skills, particularly in working with children and families in times of crisis or illness.

A Leader in the Jewish Community

Rabbi Schneider’s first significant rabbinical appointment was as the Assistant, and later Associate, Rabbi at Temple Shalom in Dallas, Texas, from 2006 to 2011. During this time, Rabbi Schneider worked closely with the senior rabbi, congregants, and community leaders to strengthen the synagogue’s programs, services, and outreach. Known for his charismatic teaching style and ability to connect with people of all ages, Rabbi Schneider quickly became beloved within the community. His leadership extended beyond the walls of the synagogue as he became actively involved in local initiatives aimed at addressing social justice issues, including hunger, homelessness, and education reform.  Since 2011, Rabbi Schneider has served Temple Kol Ami and holds a life-time contract of employment. In addition, Rabbi Schneider serves as the President of the Greater Phoenix Board of Rabbis.

A Passion for Education

Rabbi Schneider has long been a passionate advocate for Jewish education, from early childhood through adulthood. His love for teaching is evident in his involvement with early childhood education, religious school, and adult education at every congregation he has served. His ability to make Jewish texts and traditions come alive for his students has earned him a reputation as a dynamic educator. Rabbi Schneider is also an enthusiastic supporter of Jewish youth programs, such as NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) and BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization), which play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of Jewish leaders. His own formative experiences as a camper and counselor at URJ Greene Family Camp and URJ Jacobs Camp deeply influenced his belief in the power of Jewish camping to create lasting Jewish identity and connections. As a leader, he has frequently accompanied groups of teens on life-changing trips to Israel, where they experience firsthand the history and culture of the Jewish people.

In recognition of his contributions to Jewish education, Rabbi Schneider was awarded the title of “Reform Jewish Educator” (RJE) in January 2019. This prestigious designation, conferred by a consortium of leading Jewish organizations—including the Association of Reform Jewish Educators, American Conference of Cantors, Central Conference of American Rabbis, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and Union for Reform Judaism—signifies Rabbi Schneider’s achievement of academic and professional standards of excellence in educational leadership. His commitment to fostering a vibrant learning environment is reflected in the many innovative programs he has developed for congregants of all ages.

Interfaith Work and Social Justice

Rabbi Schneider’s commitment to interfaith relations and social justice has been a defining feature of his career. His journey into interfaith work began in 2008 when he was one of only six Americans selected to participate in an interfaith study tour of Egypt and Syria, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. This experience profoundly impacted Rabbi Schneider, reinforcing his belief that faith leaders must play a central role in peacebuilding and diplomacy. In recognition of his grassroots efforts to promote durable peace, Rabbi Schneider was awarded the “Citizen Diplomat – Peace Quilt Award” by the National Peace Foundation in Washington, D.C. in 2009.

In subsequent years, Rabbi Schneider became a sought-after speaker on the topic of interfaith dialogue. In 2010, he was invited to be a keynote speaker at the 47th Annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Convention in Chicago, an event that attracts faith leaders and activists from across the globe. His thoughtful and compassionate approach to interfaith dialogue earned him widespread respect within both the Jewish and Muslim communities.

Rabbi Schneider’s interfaith work has taken him to the highest levels of global diplomacy. In 2017, he was invited to participate in the American Peace Caravan, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering interreligious dialogue and understanding between Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders. The Peace Caravan convened two significant forums for promoting world peace: one in May 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and the other in October 2017 in Rabat, Morocco. These forums brought together religious leaders, policymakers, and scholars to discuss practical solutions for promoting peace in a world increasingly divided by religious and political tensions. Rabbi Schneider’s contributions to these discussions were widely praised, and his participation solidified his standing as a national and international leader in interfaith relations.

Rabbi Schneider’s interfaith advocacy extends beyond global forums. In the spring of 2014, he completed a year-long Interfaith Fellowship Seminar with the Monsignor Ryle Fund, an Arizona-based program designed to prepare faith leaders to advocate for sound public policy and social justice in their communities. His fellowship focused on addressing systemic issues like poverty, immigration reform, and racial inequality—issues that remain close to his heart. Rabbi Schneider’s activism also includes his participation in the Brickner Fellowship program, a prestigious initiative by the Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C., aimed at empowering rabbis to become more effective advocates for social justice.

Rabbi Schneider shares 4 children: Ezra, Micah, Naomi & Sarah with Rachel Schneider.

Noa Shaashua was born in Jerusalem and inherited her love for Judaism from her father, Rabbi Shlomo Tucker. Noa proudly joined the Israel Defense Forces when she came of age and was assigned to teach underprivileged and academically challenged soldiers. That experience influenced her to pursue teaching as part of her career when she moved to the United States.

Noa’s love for music brought her to America to attend the Berklee College of Music located in Massachusetts. At the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, Noa studied jazz and modern American music, which influenced her love of all music. There she also met her husband, fellow musician and duet partner, Shai Shaashua.

Noa is best known for her joyful spirit, her soulful singing, and her passion for Jewish learning. She is dedicated to integrating the ancient sounds of Jewish tradition with contemporary music. With a rich and varied background in both Judaism and music, she brings life and a unique energy to all she does. Noa’s passion for education drives her as she aspires to make Jewish tradition accessible to all.

Noa served Temple Kol Tikvah in Woodland Hills, California where she worked for seven years. While on this journey, Noa discovered her true passion was in the cantorate and enrolled in the Cantorial Intern Cantors Assembly Cantorate program and was ordained as cantor in June 2022.

Noa and her husband Shai have two children, Lavee and Yair, who are their pride and joy.

Nancy Drapin, Kol Ami’s executive director, is a specialist in nonprofit management with more than 35 years experience in public education, arts and culture, and Jewish communal organizations.

After 10 years teaching art to students with learning disabilities in Cleveland and San Francisco, Nancy brought her creative and organizational abilities to the San Francisco Jewish Community Center, where her 18-year career included increasingly responsible jobs in adult programs, public relations marketing and development, eventually becoming executive director. In the mid 1990s, Nancy moved to Washington D.C., where she opened the District of Columbia JCC as associate director.

Returning to the Bay Area in the late 90s, Nancy headed up Community Impact, a nonprofit organization that developed community service projects for large corporations. But Jewish communal work called her back, and Nancy joined the staff at congregation Sherith Israel, a Reform congregation, serving as the Membership and Marketing director and as interim executive director. Lured back to the private sector in 1998, Nancy joined a software security company as their administrative director. In 2001, Nancy was asked to return to Congregation Sherith Israel, where she served as Executive Director for ten years. In 2011, Congregation Kol Shofar, a Conservative community, recruited Nancy to help build the congregation’s programs and infrastructure for five years while a rabbinic search was conducted, and as community partnerships were rebuilt as congregation moved into a newly renovated facility.

Always community focused, Nancy has been an active volunteer in national organizations. She served on the boards of the Western Regional Association of Jewish Communal Professionals and the Bay Area Substance Abuse Institute. Nancy’s other community involvements have included the Business and Professional Women’s Association, the program development committee of the UJA Federation of Greater Washington, Congregation Emanu-El’s community service board, the JFCS disabilities task force, and the community relations committee of the San Francisco YWCA. Nancy served as president of the Bay Area Temple Administrators association and also was actively involved with the Jewish Community Federation’s capacity building task forces for membership development.

Nancy has continued her dedication to the community in Scottsdale. She serves as co-chair of the Jewish Women’s Professional group, is a member of the Board of the Women’s Leadership Institute, and a member of the Jewish Advisory Board of the Phoenix Police Department. She has organized a regional group of synagogue executive directors in Arizona and New Mexico who meet weekly. She is also co-chair for local planning for the upcoming National Association of Temple Administrator’s (NATA) conference to be held in Scottsdale in November 2021.

Nancy, her husband, Stewart Reichlyn and their dog Lucy (a wildly-happy Woodle rescue) are looking forward to continue meeting new friends and enjoying unique adventures in the city and the Southwest.

Nancy’s door is always open and she invites everyone into her office for a piece of chocolate and discussion.

Nicole L. Stokes is the Early Childhood Director at Temple Kol Ami as of July 2022. She brings her firsthand experience to TKA as a Master Teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience in elementary & early childhood education.

Nicole earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from S.U.N.Y at Fredonia in New York. Her first teaching position was with the Head Start Program in NY prior to relocating to Phoenix in 1998. Upon arrival in Arizona, Nicole spent the next ten years of her career at Tesseract School where she taught Kindergarten, Fourth Grade, and Pre-K in a team-teaching model. She also served as the Early Childhood Coordinator of Tesseract’s ECC Program. In 2008, she went on to pursue her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Administration through Northern Arizona University. While doing so, she returned to the classroom at Pardes Jewish Day School for the next fifteen years teaching Kindergarten, First, and Third Grade.

In 2019, Nicole was selected as a Teacher Leadership Fellow, where she implemented a school-wide initiative focused on Responsive Classroom and the social-emotional needs of the students within the school. She continued on, and pursued a M.A. in Educational Leadership at Brandeis University and graduated in May of 2021. Nicole has held multiple positions and certificates throughout her professional career including but not limited to: Early Childhood Director, Pre-school Assistant to Lower School Head, NYS Teaching Certification, AZ Teaching Certification, Bullying Prevention Committee Chair, Dance & Pom Coach, Events Coordinator, Enrichment Teacher, Private Tutor, Enrichment Coordinator, Genius Coach, as well as Lower School Dean.

Nicole’s family, working with students, and serving in the community is what fuels her soul and keeps her continually inspired. When she is not working with children, she loves spending time with her husband Derek, their son Bryant, two older sons, extended family, and grandchildren. In

her free time, Nicole loves utilizing the creative side of her brain decorating, organizing, and designing spaces for different venues and projects. She also enjoys reading, shopping, traveling, writing, relaxing with their rescue pup, and sinking her toes in the sand on any beach.

A true “Arizonan,” Carly grew up in the Valley, attending religious school and youth group at an area Reform congregation. She received her undergraduate degree in Theatre for Youth and Communication at Arizona State and completed her Master’s in Education through Northern Arizona University. In addition, Carly worked with the JCC Shemesh Day Camp for four years and spent six summers at Camp Charles Pearlstein (now Camp Stein) as a Counselor, Administrator, and Program Director and is an experienced Youth Group Advisor.  Carly is also fond of her professional experiences with the Walt Disney Company, where she held several diverse positions over five years, including her work with Radio Disney’s youth education outreach program.

As the Director of Youth and Education and KATY (youth group) Advisor, Carly enjoys creating experiential learning methods and programming to engage the youth of our community. Carly is thrilled to be a part of such a warm, caring, and energetic community and looks forward to the amazing things this community will accomplish as she continues her work with the youth and family members of Kol Ami.