Missouri, Sofian had served as assistant rabbi at Temple Emanuel in Worcester, Massachusetts, at Temple Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and at Emanuel Congregation in Chicago, before coming to Temple Israel. Karen Bodney-Halasz, a graduate of Northwestern University, joined as Religious School Director in 2003 and became Director of Education in 2005. After her rabbinic ordination in June 2007, she became Rabbi-Educator. Sofian retired in 2014, IIlene Bogosian was hired as interim senior rabbi and Bodney-Halasz was elevated to associate rabbi. After an eight-month search process, the temple's search committee unanimously recommended Bodney-Halasz become the next senior rabbi. The temple's board of directors approved that recommendation in January 2016, making Bodney-Halasz Temple Israel's first female senior rabbi. She officially took over July 1. Notes References Temple Israel website: Further reading Lubow, Jeffrey Samuel. The early history of Temple Israel of Dayton, Ohio: 1850–1920, Wright State University, 1998. Lubow, Jeff. Jewish values, internal and eternal: a history of Temple Israel of Dayton between World War I and World War II, 1990. Mayerberg, Samuel S. Chronicle of an American Crusader, Bloch Publishing Company, 1944. External links Picture of the First and Jefferson synagogue in 1893 Picture of the current sanctuary interior 1850 establishments in Ohio Buildings and structures in Dayton, Ohio Culture of Dayton, Ohio Founding members of the Union for Reform Judaism Reform synagogues in Ohio Religious organizations established in 1850 Synagogues completed in 1893 Synagogues completed in 1953 Synagogues completed in 1994