A native of Portland, Oregon, and a childhood resident of Los Angeles, Rabbi Biatch attended the California State University at Northridge for his undergraduate degree. He then participated in the World Union of Jewish Students' Institute based in Arad, Israel, where he acquired a fluency in Hebrew language. Following his return to the United States, he studied at Brandeis University where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Jewish Communal Service. After seven years serving as directors of community relations and planning and budgeting for the Jewish Federation movement, he pursued his rabbinical studies at the Jerusalem and Cincinnati campuses of the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, where he received rabbinic ordination in 1992.
During his rabbinic school career, Rabbi Biatch served student pulpits in Texarkana, Texas; Pueblo, Colorado; and Petoskey, Michigan; and he composed his rabbinic thesis on the history and the application of the Haftarah in modern synagogue life. Following ordination, he served a small circuit of two synagogues in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia (Beth El Congregation in Harrisonburg, VA, and Temple House of Israel in Staunton, VA), as well as two major pulpits, in Alexandria, Virginia (Beth El Hebrew Congregation) and Glendale, CA (Temple Sinai of Glendale).
Rabbi Biatch has served on the boards of the southern California region of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and "Allies," a human rights advocacy organization supporting the gay and lesbian communities of the Shenandoah Valley. He was active in the interfaith ministerial organizations in Glendale and Alexandria, and served as the president of the interfaith council of Harrisonburg.
Rabbi Biatch is married to Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Director of Clergy Programming and Assistant Director for Affiliates of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, based in Washington, DC. They have two children, Samantha and Joshua, and reside in Madison.
Click here if you would like to browse through an assortment of the Rabbi's recent sermons and writings; find writings from other Rabbis of a timely nature; and take in some lessons on worship. Also, if you’d like to read about and see pictures from our recent congregational journey to Israel, you can click right here. Finally, if you have a thought you’d like to share, please email him at line at rabbi@templebethelmadison.org.
Cantor Deborah Martin
Cantor Martin grew up in New Jersey and began her musical training taking piano lessons. She trained classically and received a Bachelors of Music with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music, and a Masters of Music from the Boston Conservatory of Music. She has performed in Opera throughout the United States and did her debut as Rosina in the Barber of Seville with the Boston Symphony.
While working on her Doctorate degree in Cincinnati, Bonia Shur, the professor of Jewish music and a famous composer of many Jewish compositions at the Hebrew Union College became her mentor. She sang with him at HUC and on tour. He helped her obtain her first synagogue work at Plum Street and Wise Temple in Cincinnati and at Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky.
Deborah has been the Cantor at Temple Beth El in Madison since 1991. Among her many duties, Deborah direct the adult and youth choirs, teaches B'nai Mitzvah students and Adult classes, chants and officiates at all service and life-cycle events and organizes the music for the Holidays.
Click here if you would like to download the Cantor's music used in services. If you would like to email her please do so at cantor@templebethelmadison.org.
