Iris Weinmann, Temple President
Iris Weinmann has been a proud member of Leo Baeck Temple since 2005. She and her husband, Ted Cohen, came with their then one-year old son, Yonah, to a Shabbat Under the Stars service in the outdoor chapel to check out the temple, and immediately felt welcomed into the community.
Iris’ involvement in temple leadership began as a room parent in the Early Childhood Center when Yonah was a student there. By the time her younger son, Asher, joined the ECC, Iris had become a co-parent chair of the ECC.
Iris was invited to join the temple’s Board of Trustees in 2011. She later served on the Executive Committee as Vice President of Education and Lifelong Learning from 2015 through 2019, working closely with Rabbi Lisa Berney, Associate Rabbi and Director of Lifelong Learning. Together, Rabbi Berney and Iris created a Youth Education Action Team to assist in enhancing the religious school experience for our temple families and to cultivate leadership in the religious school community. Rabbi Berney and Iris also formed an Adult Education Task Force to innovate and expand adult learning opportunities at the temple.
Together with former LBT president, Lori Stein, Iris co-chaired the search committee that brought Rabbi Benjamin Ross to our community. Iris has also served for several years on the temple’s personnel committee, and has been involved in many community-building aspects of religious school life, including coordinating the temple’s annual Chanukah dinner, serving on the Purim committee, and coordinating religious school Shabbat dinners.
When not volunteering at LBT, Iris practices law in Santa Monica, representing employees in civil rights and other employment related litigation. She enjoys hiking, spinning and spending quality time with her husband, Ted, and sons, Yonah and Asher.
Iris’ involvement in temple leadership began as a room parent in the Early Childhood Center when Yonah was a student there. By the time her younger son, Asher, joined the ECC, Iris had become a co-parent chair of the ECC.
Iris was invited to join the temple’s Board of Trustees in 2011. She later served on the Executive Committee as Vice President of Education and Lifelong Learning from 2015 through 2019, working closely with Rabbi Lisa Berney, Associate Rabbi and Director of Lifelong Learning. Together, Rabbi Berney and Iris created a Youth Education Action Team to assist in enhancing the religious school experience for our temple families and to cultivate leadership in the religious school community. Rabbi Berney and Iris also formed an Adult Education Task Force to innovate and expand adult learning opportunities at the temple.
Together with former LBT president, Lori Stein, Iris co-chaired the search committee that brought Rabbi Benjamin Ross to our community. Iris has also served for several years on the temple’s personnel committee, and has been involved in many community-building aspects of religious school life, including coordinating the temple’s annual Chanukah dinner, serving on the Purim committee, and coordinating religious school Shabbat dinners.
When not volunteering at LBT, Iris practices law in Santa Monica, representing employees in civil rights and other employment related litigation. She enjoys hiking, spinning and spending quality time with her husband, Ted, and sons, Yonah and Asher.
