Presented by

Brett Mountain

“A career of learning and
teaching offered all the
things I love about Judaism.”

Yonatan (Yoni) Dahlen, Congregation
Shaarey Zedek
Hometown: Sioux City, Iowa
Ordained: Jewish Theological Seminary,
New York, 2016
Residence: Southfield
Single, “despite the best efforts of the
congregation bubbies.”

On becoming a rabbi: “It’s been a long
journey for me. I was headed down the
academia route, filling out 16 Ph.D. appli-
cations, when my adviser, whom I highly
respected, suggested I could make myself
more ‘marketable’ as a rabbi. The idea
seemed strange to me, but the idea of
making a career of learning and teaching,
as well as the pastoral part of it, offered all
the things I loved about Judaism.
“And yet, even at my interview at JTS, I
made it clear I had no intentions of being
a pulpit rabbi. Well, after I delivered my
d’var Torah for them, they gave me the
nod and said, ‘Give yourself five years and
see what happens.’ It wasn’t until my third
year that I really fell in love with the pul-
pit. It’s been an amazing experience and,
ever since, it’s felt right.”
On coming to Detroit: “The strength
of this community is that so many people
care deeply about it. In its diversity, its
collaboration and its involvement with
the larger Detroit community, the Jewish
community shows a commitment to its
families and its city that I have never
before seen.”

Brett Mountain

“I took my wife’s advice
to enter rabbinic school.”

Brent Gutmann, Temple Kol Ami
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Ordained: Hebrew Union College-Jewish
Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, 2013
Residence: West Bloomfield
Married to Jill Gutmann; children Daria, 5
and Tzipora, 2

On becoming a rabbi: “I grew up in an
observant Jewish household. My parents
were active members of our synagogue
board; I served as youth group president,
and was the youngest person in my con-
gregation ever to be a full teacher.
“I was working in Chicago for a
marketing firm when the recession hit
in 2008, spending weekends teaching
Sunday school and advising youth groups,
when my wife observed that I seemed
to be enjoying weekends more than
my weekday work. She was right, and I
took her advice to enter rabbinic school.
Actually, she wanted to be a rebbetzin
[a rabbi’s wife] because in her Orthodox
upbringing her rebbetzin did a lot of
entertaining, so we’ve both found our way
to our desired vocation.”
On coming to Detroit: “I was always
impressed by the pride Detroiters have for
their city. This really is the Detroit Jewish
community’s greatest strength, that is has
an unwavering belief in itself.”

Ann Arbor
welcomes
Rabbi Whinston

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Rabbi Josh Whinston

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Barbara Lewis
Contributing Writer

T

emple Beth Emeth in Ann Arbor
recently welcomed Rabbi Josh
Whinston to its pulpit. He replaces Rabbi
Robert Levy, who retired last fall.
Born in Indianapolis, Whinston grew up
in Atlanta and San Diego, where his parents
still live.
Whinston says his main focuses will be
teaching about Judaism and sharing signifi-
cant Jewish life-cycle moments with con-
gregants and others. “Rabbi means teacher,
and I want to help people find the ability
to do things on their own and not have the
rabbi be their stand-in,” he said.
Whinston, who was ordained at Hebrew
Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
in Los Angeles in 2009, was previously at
Temple Beth David in Cheshire, Conn. He
also holds master’s degrees in Hebrew let-
ters and Jewish education form HUC-JIR,
and is working on a doctorate in pastoral
ministry.
“I think the challenge is the same here as
it is with most synagogues,” said Whinston.
“We are responding to the needs of a
changing 21st-century Jewish community.
Engaging the community in meaningful,
authentic ways is always at the front of my
mind.”
Joe Pollak, the temple’s vice president
of administration and chair of the search
committee, said Whinston’s credentials as a
prayer leader and innovative programmer
made him stand out from the pack, “but we
are most excited about his enthusiastic and
caring personality.”
Whinston is married to Sarah Raful
Whinston and has three children, Mollie, 6,
Eva, 4, and Ori, almost 2.

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