Professional Staff : Our Temple

Lee Conn, Executive Director

Lee joined our team in mid 2007, after divesting his private sector healthcare business. Hailing originally from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he also lived in North Carolina for many years. Lee has lived in Birmingham since the mid 1990's and has been a member of Birmingham's jewish community since. Lee and his lovely wife, Michelle, have two girls, Jaye and Toby that attend Temple Tots.

Lee is an FAA licensed hot air balloon pilot and flies his balloon around Alabama as a hobby and is also an avid motorcycle enthusiast and collector.

Lee's door is always open and he welcomes the opportunity to visit with our congregants and other friends.

Contact Lee at 933-8037, ext. 238, or lee@ourtemple.org

Cathy Moore, Temple Tots Director

Cathy is the Director of Early Childhood Education. Her responsibilities are direction of the Temple Tots program, Tot Shabbat and Temple Trails. Cathy is a lifetime member of Temple Emanu-el. She recently retired from 25 years of classroom teaching. Being the director of a Preschool program was a lifelong dream of hers. Come by, call, or email her to find out about the wonderful things going on for the youngest members of our Temple.

To reach Cathy, call 933-8037, ext. 227, or email her at templetots@ourtemple.org.

Dina Glass, Program & Event Coordinator

Dina joined our Temple staff in 2003 as the Assistant to the Clergy.  In March 2006, she was promoted to the newly-created position of Program & Event Coordinator.  In this role, Dina handles the coordination, planning and execution of all Temple events and programming, including Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, Shabbat dinners, Onegs and our community Passover Seder. 

Contact Dina at 933-8037, ext. 244, or dglass@ourtemple.org.

Rabbi Grafman Endowment Fund

Jann Blitz, Rabbi Grafman Endowment Fund Executive Director

Jann Blitz has been serving Temple Emanu-El as Executive Director of its Endowment Fund since November of 1996.  In this capacity, she manages the day-to-day operations of the Endowment Fund and communicates regularly with its Board of Directors, which consists of 23 members. Jann is actively involved with each committee in providing organization, research and administrative assistance. 

She also works closely with the Temple senior staff , particularly identifying special programs or needs that are over and above the ordinary operating needs of the Temple.  Additionally, she was involved in the Campaign Emanu-El effort since its inception and most recently been responsible for its recognition program and extraordinary success in collecting pledge payments. This has largely contributed to our Endowment’s success – which has grown from $1 million to $6 million in assets over the past 10 years.  As has the emphasis on communicating regularly with our membership about the Fund’s mission to provide for our Temple’s future, and about the numerous ways an individual or family can contribute. 

Jann oversees the Endowment Fund operations approximately 30 hours a week, with the help of a part-time administrative assistant.  Jann is an active member of our congregation; a busy mom with two young daughters, Callie (age 12) and Rebecca (age 10); and is married to Russ Blitz.       

Contact Jann at 933-8037, ext. 234, or jblitz@ourtemple.org.