Rabbi L. E. Dailey z''l Life & Background
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The life of our late founder, Rabbi Louise Elizabeth Dailey, z''l, began in Annapolis, MD. She came from a religious family; her father was an orthodox Baptist minister and the founder of the Second Baptist Church. He was, however, unorthodox in that he would gather the men of the community and have Bible study on 'Saturdays.' Reverend Spencer also had a strange habit of wearing his hat at all times. Rabbi Dailey could not remember seeing him without it.
Family Traditions & Religious Practices
The family salted their meats before cooking them, and they covered the mirrors when there was a death in the family, sitting quietly in darkened rooms for seven days. The Spencer family was strict about 'Sabbath' worship, which for them was Sunday. The family was not allowed to do any work, play in the streets, go to the theater, or have any other pleasures on that day, in honor of the directive in the Commandments. Rabbi Dailey later referred to it as 'misdirected devotion.' Reverend Spencer did believe in the power of prayer and encouraged his family to utilize it. It was this religious background that led Rabbi Dailey to become the great leader of the Jewish faith among communities of Color.
Leadership and Guiding Vision
Rabbi Debra A. Bowen, Background & Role
Rabbi Debra Bowen is a native of Philadelphia, PA. She is the Spiritual Leader of Congregation Temple Beth’El, an eclectic synagogue whose membership is majority African American. She is the daughter of the late Rabbi Louise Elizabeth Dailey, who was a brilliant teacher of Torah and the spiritual leader for 50 years. As the Senior Rabbi of CTB for the last 22 years, Debra brings to the position her love of Torah and a commitment to conveying Jewish values to her constituents.
Community Focus and Youth Outreach
CTB is a vibrant community comprised of many young professional couples who are dedicated to Torah and who love their synagogue. As such, Rabbi Bowen places great emphasis on outreach to the growing population of youth in her community, developing programming and services that help to reinforce their love for their Jewish heritage.
Counselor and Innovator
In performing this role, Rabbi Bowen finds herself as counselor, teacher, motivator, and most of all as innovator. She follows in her mother’s, z”l* footsteps in always seeking to simplify complex halachic matters that might evolve as her constituents embark on their spiritual journey.
Education and Business Experience
Rabbi Bowen has an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has had more than 30 years of business experience prior to becoming rabbi of CTB. She has worked in both government and private industry business entities. This knowledge has helped her as she assists in maintaining the financial balance of the synagogue.
Alliances and Affiliations
Under her leadership, CTB has forged alliances with various Jewish organizations such as the Jewish Federation, the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF), Jewish National Fund (JNF), and most recently, the Friends of Israeli Disabled Veterans (FIDV).
Board Memberships and Leadership Roles
Rabbi Bowen is a member of the Board of Trustees of Jewish Federation of PA, a member of the Bipartisan PA Black-Jewish Alliance involved in the formation of Black-Jewish relationships, and Executive Director of the Phenomenal Israelite Women’s Conference.
Fellowship and Awards
LEAP - Clal 2021 Fellow
LEAP (Leverage, Expand, and Popularize) is a highly selective fellowship program run in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies; the initiative was founded and continues to be directed by Clal’s (Center for Learning and Leadership) President, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield.
FIDV 2023 Beit Halochem Awardee
This is a charitable organization for disabled IDF veterans.
Personal Life
Rabbi Bowen is married to Dr. Earl Bowen, Jr. He is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of Counseling at Cheyney University. They live quietly in the sprawling hills of Central Bucks County, PA.
Rabbi Earl Bowen Jr. Ph.D, Background
Earl Bowen Jr. received his Ph.D. from the School of Human Service Professions at Widener University and earned his MSW from the School of Social Administration at Temple University.
Professional and Teaching Roles
He currently works as a Behavioral Therapist in the Office of Student Affairs at Lincoln University. He previously served as a Lecturer at Bryn Mawr College in the Graduate School of Social Work & Social Research.
In 2018, he taught the course Historical Origins and Developmental Patterns of African American Jewry at Gratz College. In January 2016, he was appointed as an Affiliate Professor at the University of Haifa.
Research and Publications
Dr. Bowen’s research focuses on the psychosocial implications of prostate cancer among African American men. In January 2015, his work on prostate cancer survivorship was published in The Journal of Research and Development and later in the International Journal of Neurorehabilitation.
He is a former member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Prostate Cancer Academy and a current member of the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium’s prostate cancer initiative in Philadelphia.
Community-Based Initiatives and Consulting
He served on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Coalition from 2014–2018. From 2015–2018, he worked as a program consultant in a Philadelphia-based intervention project focused on reducing prostate cancer disparities in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson’s Medical Oncology Division.
Global and National Presentations
His research on community-based approaches to prostate cancer disparities, healthcare access, and cultural influences on health behaviors has been presented at the 2018 Science of Global Prostate Cancer Disparities in Black Men Conference in Ilorin, Nigeria, and at the National Association of Social Work Oncologists annual meeting in San Diego, California.
Jewish Community Leadership
Dr. Bowen is actively involved in programs sponsored by the Philadelphia branch of the American Jewish Committee and contributes to Scholars for Peace in the Middle East. On the recommendation of the Credentialing Committee, he was ordained as an Associate Rabbi at Congregation Temple Beth'El on April 25, 2011 (Twenty-first of Abib, 5771).
Leadership and Family
He is the co-founder of the Israelite Men’s Association and serves as president of the board of directors at Congregation Temple Beth'El. Dr. Bowen is married to Rabbi Debra Bowen. They are the proud parents of five sons and ten grandchildren.