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Tikvat Israel, Rockville MD

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New TI Executive Brings Wealth of Synagogue Experiences.........posted Aug 6, 2007

With 17 years of experience in managing Jewish-affiliated organizations, Michael H. Grossman of Bowie, Md., has been appointed to serve as Congregation Tikvat Israel's next executive director by the synagogue's board of directors.

Grossman's workplace assignments have taken place in a half dozen locations: Atlanta, Norfolk, Va., Wilmington, Del., Minneapolis, Baltimore and New Orleans. He assumes his new post at TI on Sept. 1 (ironically, the anniversary date of his Bar Mitzvah, he says) and will work closely on synagogue affairs with Susan W. Newman until she retires as TI's executive director on Oct. 31.

"I am very excited to get the benefit of Susan's knowledge," Grossman said in an e-mail interview.

He most recently served for a year as interim executive director of Young Israel of Toco Hills in Atlanta. Previously, he was director of Jewish teen affiliation with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta for three years.

Grossman earlier worked as assistant executive director of the Jewish Community Center in Norfolk, Va.; director of youth, family and camping services with the JCCs in both Wilmington, Del., and Minneapolis, Minn.; special needs coordinator with the JCC of Greater Baltimore; and youth services coordinator with New Orleans JCC.

Since moving in November 2002 to the Washington area with his wife Chava Gal-Or, who serves as the education director of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, Md., Grossman has been working in retail management locally.

Grossman said he expressed immediate interest in the TI opening soon after seeing the job listing. "Having visited TI a couple of times and knowing a few members, I already knew the size and the intimate nature of the community," he said.

Grossman has two children - Aryeh, 14, and Dovi, 10. He holds a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, an M.A. in Jewish studies from Baltimore Hebrew University and a master's in social work from the University of Maryland. His concentration in the latter focused on community organizations.

He has studied and traveled in Germany, Poland, the former Soviet Union and Israel. An Eagle Scout, he is a former volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician and is in the midst of applying to the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department. He also is a volunteer with the Red Cross Disaster Services.

On his fun side, Grossman describes himself as "a Kosher ham," a member of Chaverim International, the organization for Jewish amateur radio operators.