Professional Staff

Executive Director

Barbara Cooke
Email
(732) 545-6484
(ex 205)

Barbara Cooke has joined us as our new Executive Director.

Barbara Cooke brings over two decades of experience in synagogue leadership and organizational management to her role as Executive Director at AEMT. For 17 years, she served as Executive Director of Temple Sholom in Scotch Plains, where she helped guide the congregation through growth, transitions, and community-building initiatives with a steady and thoughtful hand with a Jewish lens. She also previously worked closely with clergy and staff as an administrator at Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills.

Before transitioning to the nonprofit and synagogue world, Barbara held a successful career in the private sector as a national sales manager in the luggage and leather goods industry. Her business acumen and attention to detail have been invaluable in overseeing operations, enhancing member experiences, and ensuring the administrative health of the institutions she has served.

Barbara’s connection to Jewish life is deeply personal. Her family were longtime members of AEMT, where her husband and children celebrated their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. This enduring relationship with synagogue life informs her commitment to creating warm, welcoming, and meaningful experiences for all members of the community.

Outside of her professional life, Barbara loves to read, cook, and travel—finding joy in discovering new stories, flavors, and cultures. She is honored to join AEMT and looks forward to working collaboratively with clergy, staff, and congregants to support the temple’s mission and help guide its continued growth and success.

Director of Education

David Gronlund-Jacob
E mail
(732) 545-6484
(ex 206)

David Gronlund-Jacob has joined us as our Director of Education.

After a career in sales and management, David returned to school and received a MARE from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2004. He has been the director of the Religious Schools in Westfield, Chester, and most recently with Temple Rodeph Torah in Marlboro.

David has a wife, Judy and two children, Noah and Sarah. Noah is a high school teacher in Brooklyn, Massachusetts and Sarah is a Hebrew school teacher and mentor with Hebrew Helpers in Los Angeles.

David’s favorite holiday is Shabbat, and he bakes his own challah every week. In his free time, he plays, repairs, and builds wooden musical instruments and he loves the arts.

Youth Director

Jessica Kessler
Email
(732-545-6484)
(ex 213)

Jessica Kessler has joined us as our Youth Director.

Jessica graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in Early Childhood / Childhood Education. While earning her degree, she worked as a Hebrew school teacher at Beacon Hebrew Alliance.

Jessica spends her summers at Surprise Lake Camp working both as a Unit Supervisor and the Cornerstone Supervisor. She is currently attending SUNY Albany for a masters degree in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology.