 Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz Founding Director |
 Shelley Niceley Groff Outgoing Chair |
 Vanessa Ressler Chair |
 Jenni Person Artistic Director Arts Inside the Open Tent |
 Ashley Beckwith Tots Coordinator Tots Inside the Open Tent |
Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz, Founding Director
Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz , founding director of The Open Tent, joined the clergy of Temple Beth Sholom on Miami Beach in 1994. Rabbi Pomerantz is devoted to engaging people in all different stages of life to deepen their connections to Judaism. She was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, in 1983. Since ordination, Rabbi Pomerantz has served at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco, and as Assistant Director the Southeast Council of the Union for Reform Judaism. Rabbi Pomerantz was the first woman to be named President of the Rabbinic Association of Greater Miami, was the recipient of the Jewish Museum’s Breaking the Glass Ceiling award in 1997, was recognized by the City of Miami Beach as a “Woman to Know” and currently serves on the Jewish Outreach Institute’s Big Tent Judaism Steering Committee. A native Floridian, Rabbi Pomerantz resides with her husband and 3 daughters in Miami Beach.
Shelley Niceley Groff, Chair
Shelley Niceley Groff, Chairperson of The Open Tent, is immediate past president of Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach. She also serves as Chairperson-elect of Jewish Community Services of South Florida and is active in several Jewish and other community organizations. An attorney since 1987, Shelley concentrates her efforts on non-profit and educational organizations. She formerly served as Associate General Counsel of the University of Miami and Associate Executive Vice President of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. Shelley was born and raised in Miami, and currently resides in Miami Beach with her husband and two children.
Vanessa Ressler, Vice-Chair
Vanessa Ressler is an international marketer by trade and theatre enthusiast at heart, but has temporarily hung up her working hat to be a full-time mom, wife, and passionate volunteer (husband may disagree on this order). She is a proud Jew-by-choice, dedicated to learning and building a strong Jewish foundation for her growing family. She spends much of her free time working on the boards of the Open Tent, The Tribe (Jewish Young Professionals) and Temple Beth Sholom. As a person that chose Judaism later in life, Vanessa is intimately aware of the barriers, both perceived and real, that can bar people from living a Jewish life and being a part of this Community. She is committed to helping provide unique opportunities for Jews of any background to connect to their faith.
Jenni Person, Artistic Director, Arts Inside the Open Tent
Jenni Person has worked as an award-winning performer; Producing Director of the Loft Theatre in Tampa, FL; Director of Programming at the South Florida Art Center; Education Director at the Florida Philharmonic; Co-Director of Alternate ROOTS, a national artists’ organization based in Atlanta, GA and as Assistant Director of the Southern California District of the Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring. Currently, in addition serving as Artistic Director of The Open Tent, she is the Founder and Director of The Guava Rugelach Festival: Tropical Jewish Sound, and Coordinator of The PJ Library for The Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Current volunteer leadership commitments include service on the Board of Directors of the Arts & Business Council Miami and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Task Force for the City of Miami.
Ashley Beckwith, Tots Coordinator, Tots Inside the Open Tent
Ashley Beckwith is originally from Farmington Hills, Michigan. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and received a B.A. in Psychology. She then moved to Chicago and completed a dual masters in social work and child development at the Loyola University in Chicago, IL. Currently, Ashley is the Tots Coordinator for The Open Tent. In addition, she teaches preschool at the Foundation School at Temple Beth Sholom. She is enjoying living in Miami very much. In her free time, Ashley enjoys excercising and spending time with her friends and family.
The Open Tent Board is comprised of a strong group of dedicated leaders, including:
Minette Brown
Rebecca Dinar
Gary Glickstein
Mark Halpern
Mary Harris
Andrew Hirschl
Fran Levey
Etan Mark
Suzanne Meltzer
Shelley Niceley Groff
Gayle Pomerantz
Nancy Ratzan
Vanessa Ressler
Karen Rivo
Peter Russin
Leslie Sternlieb
Randy Weisburd
