Rabbi Courtney Berman
Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom welcomed Rabbi Courtney Berman as the inaugural Rabbi on July 1, 2022. Rabbi Berman grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She earned her B.A. in Child Psychology and Jewish Studies from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and entered the Rabbinical Program at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), where she started her studies with the Year in Israel program in Jerusalem. She spent the next few years at the Cincinnati campus before transferring to the Los Angeles campus, where she was ordained in May of 2015.
During her time at HUC-JIR, Rabbi Berman served congregations in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Piqua, Ohio. She was a chaplain intern at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland and a rabbinic intern at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Rabbi Berman spent her first year after ordination serving as a visiting rabbi for a congregation in Sherman, Texas. In 2016, Rabbi Berman moved to Ormond Beach, Florida and became the rabbi of Temple Beth-El. While in Ormond Beach, Rabbi Berman served the co-located Reform and Conservative congregations of Temple Beth-El and Temple Israel.
Rabbi Berman structures her rabbinate around the fundamental belief that every interaction provides an opportunity to form or strengthen meaningful connections, whether it is human connection, a feeling of closeness to God or one’s Judaism, or the experience of discovering the deep messages of one’s own soul. She shapes worship services, lifecycle events, classes, and pastoral interactions around this deeply-held belief and finds great meaning in giving a modern voice to ancient Jewish laws and traditions.
Rabbi Berman lives in Howland with her husband Jeffrey and sons, Micah, Gavi, and Zeke.
Contact Rabbi Berman by emailing: rabbiberman@ohevbethsholom.org
Sarah Wilschek, MNP, Executive Director
Congregation 
Rodef Sholom welcomed Sarah Wilschek as their first Executive Director in April 2019. In 2021, Sarah remained in her position as the executive director of Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom. Sarah received her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in Business Administration. Following a career in financial services and insurance, she began working with the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown as their Youth and Family Director/ Camp Director in 2012 and remained there until March 2019; her final role with the JCC was as their Community Development Manager. During her tenure at the Jewish Community Center, Sarah decided to pursue a lifelong career in nonprofit management with a focus on the Jewish community. In 2018 Sarah completed her Master's degree in Nonprofit Management and Jewish Communal Service from Gratz College. Her graduate thesis focused on the history and strategic future of the Jewish Youngstown. Currently, Sarah lives in Liberty with her husband David, children Jacob and Shayna, family dogs, Maggie and Mando.
Rodef Sholom welcomed Sarah Wilschek as their first Executive Director in April 2019. In 2021, Sarah remained in her position as the executive director of Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom. Sarah received her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University in Business Administration. Following a career in financial services and insurance, she began working with the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown as their Youth and Family Director/ Camp Director in 2012 and remained there until March 2019; her final role with the JCC was as their Community Development Manager. During her tenure at the Jewish Community Center, Sarah decided to pursue a lifelong career in nonprofit management with a focus on the Jewish community. In 2018 Sarah completed her Master's degree in Nonprofit Management and Jewish Communal Service from Gratz College. Her graduate thesis focused on the history and strategic future of the Jewish Youngstown. Currently, Sarah lives in Liberty with her husband David, children Jacob and Shayna, family dogs, Maggie and Mando.Contact Sarah by emailing: sarah@ohevbethsholom.org
Rabbi Jessica Locketz
Rabbi Jessica Locketz is a rabbi and Educational Leader in the greater Pittsburgh area. Recently, she served Rodef Shalom Congregation Support Rabbi and Engagement Director. It was a return to her roots – she previously served this congregation as an Assistant Rabbi upon her ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1999. In between, she served Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, VA, and Temple Emanuel of the South Hills as Rabbi and Director of Education.
Rabbi Locketz is passionate about creating Jewish community and exploring the many ways to live authentically Jewish lives. As her love for Jewish education - both, teaching and learning - continued to grow, she returned to her alma mater - HUC-JIR and graduated in 2016 with an Executive Masters of Religious Education and was granted the highly coveted distinction of Reform Jewish Educator (RJE). In her capacity as an Educational Leader, she currently teaches an education class to students at the Academy of Jewish Religion in Los Angeles, CA.
Rabbi Locketz served for many years as the co-chair of PAJE (Pittsburgh Area Jewish Educators). She is a past board member of the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh. She is a current board member of the Association of Reform Jewish Educators and a lay leader on the Camp Harlam Council. She is an alumna of the Leadership Development Initiative of Leadership Pittsburgh and the STAR PEER (Synagogues Transformation and Renewal Professional Excellence in Education for Rabbis) Program.
Rabbi Locketz enjoys doing yoga, taking long walks, reading good books and hanging out in coffee shops. She lives with her husband, two sons, and two cats in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
Rabbi Franklin W. Muller, D.D. ; Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Muller served as Rabbi of Congregation Rodef Sholom from 1995-2020. Prior to coming to Youngstown, Rabbi Muller served for ten years as Rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Roanoke, Virginia, preceded by two years as assistant Rabbi at Temple Israel in St. Louis.
Sandy Kessler ; Spiritual Leader Emeritus
Sandy Kessler served as the final spiritual leader for Ohev Tzedek-Shaarei Torah prior to transitioning to Ohev Beth Sholom. Upon the transition, he became a partner to our Senior Rabbis at OBS and integral in the successful unification of our legacy congregation. Sandy know holds the honorable role of Spiritual Leader Emeritus, and works with our students and other congregants to further their individual Jewish studies.
Constitution and Bylaws
Sun, March 8 2026
19 Adar 5786
Visitor Policy
All new visitors and out-of-town guests, joining us for services and programming, are expected to contact the office to ensure we are aware they are coming and can notify our security personnel accordingly.
(330) 744-5001 Office@ohevbethsholom.org
You can get involved with our strategic visioning process today!
Please complete our online survey- asking initial questions about what our community means to you. Sarah is the only one who will know who says what- your comments will remain anonymous. Click here to access the survey
Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom Monthly Bulletin
CLICK HERE to read the March 2026 Bulletin.
Learn more about the URJ
Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom is proud to be affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Click here to learn more about the URJ.
Code of Ethics and Accountability
Ohev Beth Sholom is an inclusive congregation. We are committed to universal Jewish values and making lives and communities more whole. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of ethical conduct, which include personal integrity, social responsibility, and decency. Learn more about our Ethics Accountability.
Sun, March 8 2026 19 Adar 5786