About

Welcome

On behalf of Congregation Havurim, welcome!

Our small, but mighty congregation has changed a lot over the years. Congregation Havurim was established in 1995 by a group of friends that met in an optometrist office. Quickly, that group of friends outgrew that space, and they moved to a place that could support the new and expanding congregation.

When my family and I visited Havurim for the first time in 2005, the thing that stood out to us the most was how warm and welcoming everyone was. It was as if we had known them for years. I am proud to say that this has not changed. Everyone that walks through our doors is welcomed into the Havurim family.

In the past 11 years that I have been President, it has been my mission to continue our traditions and make our Reform practices accessible and attractive to everyone. We regularly hold services at our rented facility, but we also like to be adventurous and hold them at parks, in members backyards, and other fun venues. We have a social event at least once per month to build fellowship and strengthen our community relationships.

Our core as a congregation is to be welcoming of all people. We celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and the unique journeys each of us brings. Our supporting members will be glad to have you join us for whatever interests you. Please see our calendar for upcoming events.

I hope Congregation Havurim fulfills what you are searching for in Reform Judaism!

Cassy Klein
President – Congregation Havurim

Rabbi

Jessica Giordano is a rabbinical student from Phoenix, Arizona. Before she began her rabbinical education at Hebrew Union College, Jessica worked as a high school history teacher, museum educator, and cantorial soloist. Jessica has studied voice for over fifteen years, training extensively in opera, Broadway, and cantorial music. She holds a B.A. in History from the University of Arizona and an M.Ed. in Secondary Education from Vanderbilt University. In her free time, Jessica loves to read, bake, and spend time with her husband, Steve.

Executive Board

President: Cassy Klein
Cassy Klein grew up in Orange County. Following high school graduation, she met her future husband Carl. Together, they moved to Fresno where they married in January of 1992. Their first son was born in February of 1997 and their twin sons were born August of 2000. Cassy was a stay at home mom until 2015. After spending 8 years in Human Resources, she decided to start her own challah business. She is the current president of Congregation Havurim and has served in various positions on the Board for 20 years. Cassy enjoys watching football and baseball, listening to and watching true crime, and spending time with her grandson, granddaughter, and two young nephews.

VP of Membership - David Frischman
David was born in Brooklyn, NY and considers Pittsburgh, PA his hometown. He is married to Kimberly Frischman and has four children - Danyelle, Taylor, Ethan, Grayson. He is the retired President of Best Buy Uniforms, Inc.

VP of Ways and Means: Jenni Botto
Jenni Botto is a licensed baker from Wildomar. Before she began her baking career she was a preschool teacher for 16 years until she had her first child . Then she became a stay at home mom and had a small home daycare. In 2013, Jenni and her family relocated to Hilliard Ohio while her husband Joe continued his army career. Once they moved back to California in 2016 Jenni Began her baking career and became the Crazy Cake Pop Lady. Jenni has served on the Board of Congregation Havurim for the past 10 years. Jenni and Joe are proud parents of Morgan who is a dog trainer and Logan who is a United States Marine.

Recording Secretary: Robin Johnson
Besides being the best criminal defense attorney anywhere in southern California, Robin has been an active member of Havurim for at least 20 years. Her son Jake had his Bar Mitzvah at Havurim. He is now 30, lives in New York City and is a vice president of Goldman Sachs. When Robin wins the lottery she will have an apartment in NYC and one in Paris. Sorry Havurim.

Treasurer: Melissa Martinez
Melissa Martinez serves as Treasurer of Congregation Havurim, a role she began in October 2023. She works as a telecommunications manager, bringing strong financial oversight and organizational experience to her volunteer leadership. Melissa is honored to support a synagogue community that feels like extended family and is committed to helping ensure it remains strong and sustainable for years to come. She is passionate about building meaningful connections and supporting a warm, welcoming Jewish community where families can grow and thrive. Outside of her volunteer work, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband Jacob, their sons, and their dog, Ollie.

Religious Practice Chair: Barak Berlin
Barak graduated from Boston University in 1995 with a dual degree in Political Science and International Relations and a minor in Religion. After working in Washington, D.C. for three years, he returned to Los Angeles to attend Loyola Law School. Barak is now an attorney specializing in Consumer Law. He has worked for Inland Counties Legal Services since 2019, litigating cases against banks, credit reporting agencies, hospitals, and debt collectors. In his free time, he likes to travel around the world, but especially to Catalina and Puerto Vallarta. He will also watch most sports, but always rooting for any Los Angeles based team.

Outreach Chair: Peggy Helminiak
Peggy’s journey into Judaism began at Beit T’Shuvah in Culver City, where she was first attended services. She embraced Judaism through conversion 18 years ago, marking a significant milestone in her spiritual path. Thirteen years ago, Peggy became an active member of Congregation Havurim, where she has dedicated herself to community involvement and leadership. Over the years, she has served on the congregation’s board in various roles, contributing her time to support its mission. Currently, Peggy holds the position of Outreach Chair.

Religious School Chair: Jen Stuart
Jennifer Stuart and her family have been a part of Congregation Havurim for eleven years. They are very happy to have found their home with Havurim. Jen and James have been married for twenty-two years and have two amazing daughters. Madeline is a senior in high school and is in the process of applying for colleges, and Emma is a freshman. In addition to helping on the board, Jen is also a full time drama teacher and the director of the City of Temecula Youth Musical Theater. She loves being part of the Havurim family and hopes to meet new members.

Corresponding Secretary: Marcie Goldfarb

Member at Large: Judith Bock
Judith Bock is a Partner at Proactive Legal – The Bock Law Group, PC, which she co-founded with her husband in 2020. As an Estate Planning Attorney, she is passionate about helping individuals and families plan for the future with intention, clarity, and peace of mind. Judith is deeply committed to Jewish life and community building, and she actively serves in leadership roles throughout the Temecula Valley and beyond, including Congregation Havurim, JTTV365 Jewish Together Temecula Valley, and Hatikvah Hadassah. Judith loves supporting programs that bring people together, including recently serving on the Women’s Weekend Shabbaton leadership team as Co-Captain and Coordinator of Crafts and Art Projects. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with family and friends, traveling, and going to the movies.

Member at Large: Terri Farkas

Mission Statement

Our mission is to foster a vibrant, thriving Jewish community within the Temecula Valley that meets the religious and cultural needs of our membership. We offer a warm, caring reform environment for Jewish practice through creative programs and events that fit individual and family spiritual and social needs.

History

We began in the spring of 1995 as a group of 18 individuals.

Our plan was to create a group of friends that could enjoy Judaism socially and spiritually in a liberal environment. We held Shabbat services, holidays and social events in homes, parks and business offices.

As our mission statement proclaims, we seek to enjoy the similarities in our history and culture rather than compare the differences.

As the Temecula Valley community has grown so has our membership and needs. We now have families who meet twice each month for Shabbat services.

We continue to share our holidays, social events and offer Religious school, Bar/Bat Mitzvah training for our children as well as opportunities for adult learning.

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