Photo by Donna Raider
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Ken Hailpern served as the Spiritual Leader of Congregation Beth Shalom from September 2010 to July 2024 with passion, professionalism, compassion, and humor. During those fourteen years, our synagogue community was enriched by his liturgical, educational, operational and leadership skills. In addition to leading worship, he developed innovative programming, managed grant-writing efforts, meaningfully led our community through the pandemic, and creatively supervised the synagogue’s relocation to Palm Desert in June 2022.
Ken’s six-decades of Jewish institutional service began in his native Denver, Colorado, as a religious school teacher’s assistant and included local and regional positions in the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and summers as a Counselor-in-Training mentor, Head Counselor, and Director of Camp Alonim in Brandeis, CA. His formal education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration, both from the University of Northern Colorado, as well as graduate-level course work at the University of Judaism (now American Jewish University) in Los Angeles and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is an alumnus of BCI (Brandeis Camp Institute). |
From 1967 to 1987, Ken conducted worship services and life-cycle events, taught in religious school classrooms, coached Bar and Bat-Mitzvah students, and created innovative youth, adult, and family programs at Congregation Beth Joseph (now BMH-BJ) in Denver, CO and Beth Israel Congregation in Greeley, CO. Concurrently, he enjoyed a 20-year career as an educator in the Denver Public Schools, as a choral music director, reading specialist, and Gifted & Talented educator.
From 1987 to 1990, he served as Administrator of the Community High School of Jewish Studies, operated by the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education.
From 1990 to 2008, Ken held executive positions at The Brandeis-Bardin Institute (now American Jewish University) in Brandeis, CA, in the areas of adult programs, administration, and operations. In 1991 he founded Gan Alonim Day Camp for young children, and in 1992 he brought Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) programs for seniors to Brandeis-Bardin, enabling thousands of seniors from throughout North America to enjoy week-long educational, recreational and spiritual experiences in a totally Jewish environment.
On November 3, 2024, Ken was honored for his fourteen years of dedicated service to Congregation Beth Shalom and named its Madrikh Ruḥani, Spiritual Guide. In this capacity, Ken plans to continue his active involvement with the religious and educational life of Beth Shalom and Coachella Valley’s Jewish Community. He continues to serve the community as a Hadassah Associate and with choral music activities at Sun City Shadow Hills, where he resides.
From 1987 to 1990, he served as Administrator of the Community High School of Jewish Studies, operated by the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education.
From 1990 to 2008, Ken held executive positions at The Brandeis-Bardin Institute (now American Jewish University) in Brandeis, CA, in the areas of adult programs, administration, and operations. In 1991 he founded Gan Alonim Day Camp for young children, and in 1992 he brought Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) programs for seniors to Brandeis-Bardin, enabling thousands of seniors from throughout North America to enjoy week-long educational, recreational and spiritual experiences in a totally Jewish environment.
On November 3, 2024, Ken was honored for his fourteen years of dedicated service to Congregation Beth Shalom and named its Madrikh Ruḥani, Spiritual Guide. In this capacity, Ken plans to continue his active involvement with the religious and educational life of Beth Shalom and Coachella Valley’s Jewish Community. He continues to serve the community as a Hadassah Associate and with choral music activities at Sun City Shadow Hills, where he resides.
