DEBBIE HAFETZ developed her love of Judaism and the Jewish people as a young child at Kesher Zion Synagogue in Reading, Pennsylvania.  She got her first religious “chai” after singing a solo in the children’s High Holy Day choir at the age of 8.   Following her participant on USY’s Israel Pilgrimage in the summer of 1980, Debbie made the decision to pursue a future with the Jewish community.  She went on to receive a BA in Judaic Studies at Wesleyan University and an MA in Jewish Education from Brandeis University.  She participated in several additional Israel programs including a semester in Jerusalem in her sophomore year at Wesleyan.

Upon completing her masters degree, Debbie assumed her first full time professional post as the Director of Education and Youth at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Tampa, Florida.  From there she spent 8 years with the Jewish Federation of Broward County involved with leadership development and fundraising.  She returned to synagogue life in 1998 when she became the Cantorial Soloist/Education Director at Temple Beth El in Hollywood, Florida.  Beginning in 2000, Debbie served as Director of Education, Programming and Youth at Temple Sinai in North Miami Beach for the next six years. Before coming to Congregation Kol Tikvah, Debbie served as the  Religious School/Programming Director and Music Specialist at Beth David Congregation  in Miami. In August of 2009, Debbie will be assuming the role of Director of Lifelong Learning at Kol Tikvah. In this role she will be overseeing Jewish learning for all ages including the Religious School.

Along the way, Debbie collaborated with Bella Bogart, a fellow Cantorial Soloist, to form a Jewish musical group called Lev Orah.   They performed original contemporary Jewish music for audiences across the United States and locally for several years and released 2 full length CD’s.  At Temple Beth El, she began her musical collaboration with Harold Price, whom she eventually married.   The couple formed the musical group, Ahava, and have released a CD entitled, By the Power of You:  Inspirations.   Their greatest creation together has been their son, Benji, who is excited to be joining the Kindergarten class of Kol Tikvah's Religious School.

Debbie resides in Hollywood, Florida with Harold, Benji, and her three step sons, Michael, David, and Rick. She is also the sister of Kol Tikvah members, Dan and Jill Hafetz and aunt to Scott and Arielle Hafetz.  She is thrilled to be joining the Kol Tikvah family and embarking on this sacred journey with all of us.