Two Campuses, One Tent of Jewish Life
Broward Central Synagogue (BCS) stands as a leading Reform Jewish congregation in Broward County, Florida, with a footprint that stretches across two campuses in the heart of South Florida. Its Plantation home, the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus on Peters Road, and its Coral Springs home, the Beth Orr Campus on Riverside Drive, together serve families, teens, adults and elders from across the county and beyond. The congregation calls this shared identity its Great Tent, a place rooted in Jewish tradition and alive with pluralistic meaning.
Members gather for Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat on both campuses, return on Saturday mornings for study and prayer at the Plantation campus, and stay connected across the week through Hebrew classes, Tanach study, yoga, book clubs, theater trips, youth programs and signature holiday celebrations. Worship is offered in a blended mix of traditional and contemporary forms, drawing on the rich musical gifts of the clergy team.
From a Double-Wide on Nob Hill Road to a County-Wide Congregation
The story begins in 1975, when a small group of Jewish families in Plantation came together and chartered what would become Broward Central Synagogue, originally Kol Ami. The congregation's first home was a double-wide trailer on Nob Hill Road, where members met for three years before moving to permanent quarters. In 1976, Dr. Sheldon J. Harr became the congregation's first rabbi, and the following year the synagogue joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now the Union for Reform Judaism.
In 1978, members built their first multi-purpose building on seven and a half acres on Peters Road, the heart of the present-day Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus. A religious school wing followed in 1981. By 1988 the congregation had grown enough to add a new sanctuary with permanent seating for 800, a chapel that expanded capacity to 1,400 for the High Holy Days, a refurbished social hall, a Holocaust Memorial Garden, a Judaica shop and administrative offices.
The next decade brought the 16,000-square-foot Elizabeth Shoshanna Harr Education Center with fifteen additional classrooms, dedicated in 1995. In 1999 the congregation purchased another five and a third acres next door, opening space for eight new classrooms, a youth lounge, a children's library, an adult library, a regulation basketball court, a swimming pool and a playground. By 2008 a 23,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art early childhood learning center was added, along with Agan Shalom, a meditative garden for outdoor study and prayer.
In 2004, Temple Kol Ami merged with Temple Emanu-El of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County's historic Reform congregation founded in the 1930s. The unified body took the name Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El. A second merger followed in 2025, when Temple Beth Orr of Coral Springs joined to create today's Broward Central Synagogue. Temple Beth Orr's roots are deep in northwest Broward: Rabbi Mark Wm. Gross became its spiritual leader in 1986 and shepherded the Coral Springs congregation for nearly thirty years. Together, the two former congregations now form one shared community under the Great Tent vision.
The Ten Core Values of Broward Central Synagogue
The congregation calls its guiding principles the Aseret HaDevarim, ten core values that shape its identity. They begin with Ahavat Torah, a love for Torah, expressed through Jewish learning from early childhood through adult education. Ahavat Ivrit honors Hebrew as the language of the Jewish people for more than three thousand years and a key to prayer, identity and connection with Israel. Ahavat Avodah values prayer and spiritual life in every expression, traditional and contemporary, structured and creative.
Ahavat HaMitzvot, love for the commandments, frames Judaism as a people of action who connect mitzvot with purpose and responsibility. Ahavat Chesed, love for lovingkindness, places caring for the vulnerable and pursuing justice, in the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam (repairing the world), at the heart of communal life. Ahavat HaK'hila is the love for community, the conviction that members are present for one another in moments of joy and in moments of need.
Ahavat HaMishpacha, love for family and generations, is a multigenerational commitment shared across ages. Ahavat Yisrael, love for Israel, is expressed through relationship, education, solidarity and commitment to Israel as the eternal homeland of the Jewish people. Ahavat HaGivun, love for diversity, welcomes people of every background, identity and level of observance. Finally, Ahavat HaAdam, love for human dignity, honors that every individual is created in the image of God, b'tzelem Elohim.
Shabbat and Daily Tefillah
Shabbat is the weekly center of life at BCS. Kabbalat Shabbat, the Friday evening service, takes place at 6:30 PM on both campuses, drawing families and individuals into song, prayer and community. Saturday mornings begin with Shabbat Shacharit at 9:30 AM at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus, combining prayer and study.
For those at home or on the road, Rabbi Mark Goldman's online program Soul and Scroll: Shabbat Parsha and Prayer meets on Saturday mornings at 9:30 AM via Zoom, weaving prayer, music and Torah conversation. A family-friendly musical Shabbat morning experience called Shabayit, led by Rabbi David Paskin, follows at 10:30 AM. Oneg and Study gathers at 11:00 AM at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus, and Reflections and Havdalah marks the close of Shabbat in song and conversation.
For a smaller, quieter weekday spiritual rhythm, the Tefillin Club gathers at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus on Thursdays at 8:15 AM. Worship is led by an exceptional team of clergy and musicians, including Rabbi Uriel Romano, Senior Rabbi; Rabbi Mark Goldman, Senior Cantor and Rabbi of the Beth Orr Campus; Rabbi-Cantor Gastón Bogomolni, Associate Rabbi for Jewish Education; and two cantorial soloists, Andrew Susman and Tracy Sarner Kahn. Shabbat services and many classes are livestreamed on YouTube.
Early Childhood: From Infants to Pre-K
Broward Central Synagogue's Early Childhood Program provides a play-based, Jewishly-rooted environment for children from three months through Pre-Kindergarten at both campuses. Stacey Katz, the director at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus, has led the program since 1997, drawing on a background in management, nursing and administration and serving as a board member of the Jewish Early Childhood Professionals and the Jewish Federation of Broward County's Jewish Education and Engagement Committee. Eileen Kaplan, the director at the Beth Orr Campus, brings more than forty years of experience across secular and Jewish preschools, including eighteen years at Temple Beth Orr itself.
The curriculum is built on Jewish values: chesed (kindness), kehillah (community), shmirat ha-guf (self-care), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and b'tzelem Elohim (honoring uniqueness). Children move through stages that include the Infant Program (three months to steady walker), Toddler (walkers to age two), Pre-Nursery (twos by September 1), Nursery (threes by September 1) and Pre-Kindergarten (fours by September 1). Hebrew, Judaics and music are taught as weekly specials alongside literacy, math, science and art. The Mommy and Me program for ages three months to two years, led by Tracy Kahn, fills the air with music, milestones and friendship.
Summer Camp at both campuses extends the program with weekly themes, field trips and outdoor play. The school year is punctuated by visits from clergy and by family programs that tie Jewish learning into real-life celebrations.
The Religious School: Project-Based Learning
The religious school at Broward Central Synagogue takes a project-based learning approach. Rather than memorizing facts, students arrive eager to dive into projects that connect Jewish learning with real-life meaning while developing lifelong skills. Teachers use backward design to set clear goals and design purposeful lessons each week, creating an experiential and meaningful path to Jewish learning. The aim is simple: students who love Judaism and use it in their daily lives.
Sunday mornings open with t'filah from 9:00 AM to 9:45 AM. Parents are encouraged to stay. Throughout the year, different classes lead the community in prayer, and the weekly t'filah closes with a Havdalah ceremony that marks the close of Shabbat in miniature. Hebrew instruction follows a multi-stage path: kindergartners through second graders use the CAPIT visual mnemonic method to recognize every Hebrew letter and vowel sound by year's end; third graders and up are placed by skill into Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced groups using age-appropriate materials.
Family programs, annual field trips and clergy-led projects round out the calendar, reinforcing the bridge between what children learn in the classroom and how their families live Jewishly at home.
Hebrew High and Youth Programs
Hebrew High serves students in grades 7 through 12 and is coordinated at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus by Rabbi Melissa Stollman, RJE, an ordained Reform rabbi and youth engagement professional. The program blends social events with Jewish learning, leadership development and, for high schoolers, the BOATY/KAFTY teen board, an NFTY-affiliated youth group that plans its own lounge nights, hibachi dinners, Orlando trips, college caravans and an annual out-of-state adventure.
Younger children have their own path. Kindergarten through second graders enjoy monthly programs built around magicians, slime-making, water parks and Chag Together cooking sessions with a guest chef. Third through sixth graders add mini golf, bowling and movie nights to the calendar. Middle schoolers (grades 7 and 8) enjoy bigger adventures like Disney days, sporting events and themed challenges such as the annual Escape the Sukkah lunch and escape room. An Adventure Pass bundles Pre-K through sixth-grade offerings for families who want to participate in everything.
Adult Education Powered by IJKL
Adult learning at BCS is powered by the Institute of Jewish Knowledge and Learning (IJKL), South Florida's largest virtual center for Jewish adult education, with a community of more than 2,000 participants. Rabbi Mark Goldman serves as Executive Director of IJKL, and most classes are available both in-person and on Zoom, making lifelong Jewish learning accessible regardless of schedule.
Weekly offerings include The Parsha: Through the Teachings of Shlomo Carlebach, daily sessions exploring each Torah portion through the lens of the singing rabbi; Tanach Study with Rabbi Uri on Tuesdays at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus; Hidden Heroes (and Villains) of the Bible, an eight-session journey with Dr. Sandra Lilienthal into women of the Hebrew Bible; Who Gets to Lead?, a thirteen-week class on Jewish models of leadership; Mitzvot: The World of Jewish Commandments, One by One; Stories from the Talmud: Reading Rabbinic Narratives; What Would You Do?, an interactive class on Jewish ethical dilemmas; Exploring Kabbalah 201 with Rabbi-Cantor Gastón Bogomolni on Thursday evenings; Beginners Hebrew on Monday evenings; and Intermediate Hebrew on Wednesday evenings. Finding Resilience with Rabbi Amy Grossblatt Pessah meets on Mondays.
Monthly Healing Services on Tuesday evenings with Cantor, Rabbi Mark and special guests offer a sacred space for spiritual and physical renewal, guided by the principles of Refuat Hanefesh (healing of the soul) and Refuat Haguf (healing of the body). The Jewish Film Series meets on select evenings throughout the year, screening award-winning shorts followed by discussion led by Cantor, Rabbi Mark.
Signature Events Through the Year
Community at BCS is built through shared moments. Mitzvah Day brings the entire congregation together in hands-on service with local partners, strengthening the spirit of tikkun olam. Holiday celebrations turn tradition into joyful, multi-generational experiences for Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim and Lag BaOmer. The annual Gala is an evening of music, dancing and community pride; the annual Golf Tournament blends friendly competition with fundraising; and the Pickleball Tournament welcomes players of every level.
Each year, the Mega Challah Bake fills the ballroom with flour, family and tradition. The Illuminations Candlelight Concert invites the community to a warm, candlelit evening of music and reflection. The Purim Carnival brings costumes, performances and laughter. The Fashion Show, Casino Night, congregational cruises and Open House round out the calendar. Every spring, the Annual Congregational Meeting gathers the community for dinner, awards and the State of the Temple address. Heather Gottlieb, Director of Programming, Outreach and Communication, welcomes new committee members and ideas.
Tikkun Olam and Community Outreach
Repairing the world is a central value at BCS. The congregation partners with Habitat for Humanity Broward for BCS Builds Together, a recurring volunteer day that sends members to local build sites to help construct homes for families in need. Volunteers aged 18 and over assist with rooting work, ladders and power tools, and Habitat Broward provides equipment, training, water and mid-morning snacks.
Other mitzvah initiatives include cemetery memorial services at Star of David Memorial Gardens and Menorah Gardens in the days leading into Yom Kippur, Sukkah building with Brotherhood, and ongoing Feeding Hope food-collection drives coordinated through the Mitzvah Day partner network. A Business Networking Directory connects members with trusted professionals, from attorneys and accountants to real estate agents, insurance brokers and wellness coaches, while supporting the synagogue's own fundraising.
Sisterhood, Brotherhood and the Wider Community
Sisterhood and Brotherhood provide a home for men's and women's groups within the congregation. Sisterhood, currently led by Co-Presidents Lexi Freeman and Katie Goldman, hosts luncheons, programming and social events. Brotherhood, led by Co-Presidents Leo Dee and Brian Pearlman, organizes the annual Sukkah Build, golf outings and other hands-on gatherings. Temple Friends supports older members who want to remain connected.
Beyond these internal groups, BCS supports affinity communities for every age and stage. GenX brings together adults in their forties and fifties for social and intellectual programming. The Theater Group, led by Cantor, Rabbi Mark Goldman and Sam Farkas, organizes trips to Broadway and off-Broadway productions, complete with pre-theater dinners and discussion. BCS Game On hosts pick-up basketball and other recreational gatherings. Chair Yoga with Melanie meets on Mondays in the L'Chaim Ballroom at the Kol Ami Emanu-El Campus. Canasta and Book Club gatherings round out the social calendar.
The Leadership Team
Senior Rabbi Uriel Romano brings a deep, multi-continental background to his role. Born in Buenos Aires in 1989, he trained at the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano and earned a master's in Political Science from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, a second master's in Jewish Studies (Midrash and Talmud) from the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem, and authored Las Mujeres del Talmud (Women of the Talmud). He previously served as youth director at Hillcrest Jewish Center in New York and as rabbi of Judaica Norte in Nordelta, Argentina. He and his wife Leila and their four children live in Plantation.
Rabbi Mark Goldman serves as Rabbi of the Beth Orr Campus and Senior Cantor of BCS. Born and raised in London, he earned an Honours B.A. in Judaic Studies from the London School of Jewish Studies, became the youngest person ever to receive ministerial certification from the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, and went on to earn a Master of Music in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. He has performed at the Vatican, served as Senior Cantor at Temple Beth El in Rochester, and spent more than three decades at Temple Kol Ami. He is a former president of the American Conference of Cantors and a former board member of the Union for Reform Judaism. He is married to Sam Farkas, an attorney, television host and renowned tutor to the stars.
Rabbi-Cantor Gastón Bogomolni serves as Associate Rabbi for Jewish Education, drawing on more than thirty years of experience preparing bar and bat mitzvah students across the United States, Latin America and Europe. His training includes rabbinical ordination from the Rabbinical Academy Adas Wolkowisk, honorary causa degrees in Cantor and Jewish Music Education from the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano Marshall T. Meyer, a Bachelor of Music from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Arts in World Music from the University of Sheffield, and a Master of Arts in Third-Wave Therapies from ISEP in Barcelona. He and his wife, psychotherapist Marcela Gomez-Bogomolni, co-founded Tzimtzum - Institute for Kabbalah, Jewish Mysticism and Spirituality.
Founding Rabbi Emeritus Rabbi Dr. Sheldon J. Harr, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, served as Senior Rabbi of Temple Kol Ami from 1976. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, he earned a Doctor of Ministry from Emory University and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Emeritus Rabbi Mark Wm. Gross, D.D., an alumnus of UCLA and an ordinee of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, served as spiritual leader of Temple Beth Orr from 1986 until 2015.
The senior leadership team also includes Dvir Weiss, Chief Executive Officer; Valeria Michanie, Lifelong Learning Director; Heather Gottlieb, Director of Programming, Outreach and Communication; Esther Zipper, Temple Administrator at the Beth Orr Campus; Lisa Pearlman, Membership and Philanthropy Coordinator; and Andrew Susman and Tracy Sarner Kahn, Cantorial Soloists.
Hosting an Event at BCS
Both BCS campuses are available for event rental, with a Preferred Vendor List and Catering Services PDF offered to prospective hosts. From weddings and b'nai mitzvah celebrations to lifecycle events and larger communal gatherings, the facilities accommodate occasions of many sizes. Any event held on campus must be approved by the synagogue, and reservations are handled through a request form.
Giving and Membership
Membership at Broward Central Synagogue is described as joining a community without labels, where every person and every family can find a place under the shared tent. Annual giving is presented as tzedakah, a sacred expression of gratitude, compassion and responsibility. Donations can be made online, by check to either campus, by phone, through donor-advised funds, or as gifts of stock. A Legacy Giving program allows members to create an enduring endowment through bequests, insurance or fixed gifts.
For more information, new members and visitors are invited to contact Lisa Pearlman, Membership and Philanthropy Coordinator, at lpearlman@bcsfl.org.