Clergy and Staff

Rabbi Michael Swarttz 

Rabbi Michael Swarttz was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and received his Bachelors in Middle Eastern History and Masters in Education from Temple University. He has worked in formal and informal educational settings with Jewish youth since his freshman year in college. He has written numerous articles on the rabbinate and Jewish education. From 2001 - 2003 Rabbi Swarttz and his family spent two years in Jerusalem, where he was on a fellowship in the Jerusalem Fellows, a program for leaders in Jewish education from around the world. In addition to his role as Rabbi of Beth Tikvah Synagogue, Rabbi Swarttz is the Jewish Chaplain at the Phillips Academy in Andover, MA and the Project Director for the Harold Cotton Leadership Institute of the Jewish Federation of Central Mass.

The Rabbi will be in the office and available for consultation or simply to chat most Wednesdays during school hours, 4:00-6:00 pm, when our religious school is in session. He will also be at the synagogue occasionally on Sunday mornings during school time. His hours for each month will be posted on Beth Tikvah's website. If you need to reach Rabbi Mike at other times, you can contact him at michaelswarttz@rcn.com

Cindy Avergon - Educational Coordinator

Cindy Avergon, our coordinator of Religious Education at Beth Tikvah Synagogue, provides leadership, curriculum and program development. Cindy has been on the Beth Tikvah staff since August 1996, teaching in all grades Gan thru High school. She became coordinator of Religious School education in July of 2009. Her background is in consumer economics and education with a B.S. degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Before coming to Beth Tikvah, she was head of Admissions at Bryman school, Brookline, campus. Cindy also taught Sunday school at Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Chestnut Hill, Ma where she created and executed High Holiday curriculum for grades pre K thru Grade 2 from 1980 until 2011. Cindy, her husband Brad and their three children, Brandon, Justin, and Maddison, live in Westboro.