Rabbi Alan Cook was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and spent most of his childhood in South Florida. Rabbi Cook’s father is also a Reform rabbi in Denver, Colorado, and his mother is a teacher. Because of these influences, Rabbi Cook has been dedicated to Judaism and education for much of his life.

Rabbi Cook attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in English. He then continued his studies at Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. Rabbi Cook spent four years as a teacher, including two years at a Jewish day school in Memphis, Tennessee. It was a desire to continue making meaningful contributions to the Jewish community, and to inspire people of all ages to feel passionate about Judaism, that led him to enroll at the Hebrew Union College.

Rabbi Cook is married to Rabbi Jody Cook. They have a son, Gabriel, who will turn two this fall. The Cooks come to Temple De Hirsch Sinai from Denver, Colorado, where Rabbi Cook has served as the Assistant Rabbi of Temple Sinai for the past four years.

Rabbi Cook is excited to join our temple family and to work with such a dedicated team. "Temple’s commitment to outreach, its willingness to explore a variety of worship styles, and its position as one of the premier destinations for adult Jewish education in the Pacific Northwest are all factors that attracted me to this position." In addition, Rabbi Cook embraces the importance of Jewish camping; he and his family are looking forward to spending time at Camp Kalsman.

Rabbi Cook enjoys teaching and working with children of all ages. "I love being able to derive new ideas and insights from the classical texts of our tradition. I like to find creative ways to engage every person in a diverse community, encouraging all to become involved in the life of their Temple and their community."

Rabbi Daniel Septimus was born and raised in Houston, Texas. One of the most important experiences of his childhood was attending Episcopal High School. It was there that he developed a passion for interfaith dialogue and understand the importance of studying world religions.

Rabbi Septimus attended University of Arizona for his freshman year, and eventually transferred to Tulane University, where his future wife Amanda was attending. He applied for and was accepted at Hebrew Union College immediately after graduating from Tulane. He and Amanda were married in May 2005.

From a very young age, Rabbi Septimus knew that Judaism would play an integral role in his life. His inspiration and path to the rabbinate was shaped by many people. When he started college, Rabbi Septimus anticipated going to medical school. While at Tulane University, majoring in Jewish Studies, he found his passion for the academic study of Judaism. By the end of his sophomore year, he knew that he wanted to become a rabbi. "The rabbinate combined everything I wanted to do: to learn, to teach, to work with and be a part of people’s lives, to help build community, and by doing this, to ensure that Judaism will have a strong future."

Rabbi Septimus graduated and ordained from Hebrew Union College in June of 2007.

Rabbi Septimus is excited about becoming a rabbi for our temple community, he cites the energy and excitement that he felt from staff and congregants as one of the key reasons he accepted the position. Both he and Amanda loved Seattle when they visited and are looking forward to getting to know the city better.

"I am passionate about everything in the rabbinate. I love working with and learning from people. Whether it be lifecycle events, teaching a class and learning new perspectives from our discussions, having the opportunity to inspire a new generation of Reform Jews, or sitting across the table with members of other faiths and joining together to repair the world, every aspect of the rabbinate provides an opportunity to be a part of people’s lives."