When Rabbi Michael Goldstein becomes the new religious leader of Temple Beth Torah in Ocean Township on Aug. 1, he plans to share with his new congregation his passion for the State of Israel and his pride in his Jewish heritage.

For the past year, Goldstein has served as interim rabbi at Congregation B'nai Tikvah in North Brunswick. As he, his wife Annette, and the couple's three children — Michal, 16, Gila, 14, and Ari, 12 — prepare to move to Ocean Township, a sense of excitement and anticipation has become a driving force within the family.

"The children were an important part of the search process," said Goldstein. "They came with us when we visited different synagogues during this past year. We all felt a great sense of warmth and welcome from the congregation at Beth Torah, and the decision to come here was very much a family decision."

Goldstein becomes the Conservative congregation's first full-time rabbi since the departure of Rabbi David Booth, who returned to his native California in 2006. Rabbi Robert Fine has been serving as interim religious leader at the synagogue.

Goldstein grew up in Houston and was part of a "suburban, Conservative" Jewish family. His active membership in Young Judaea, Hadassah's Zionist youth organization, played a significant role in fostering his Jewish identity, he said. While attending Brandeis University in Massachusetts, he began to examine his religious heritage on a more introspective level, and subsequently made the decision to attend the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.

"As a rabbi, I felt I could encourage people to share in my personal journey and to learn more about those factors that influence Jewish identity," said Goldstein. "I wanted to try and share through example and through religious education in the classroom and from the pulpit."

He graduated from Brandeis in 1981 and was ordained by JTS in 1987. He served as religious leader at Glen Rock Jewish Center in Bergen County for 14 years before assuming the position as interim rabbi at B'nai Tikvah.

He met his future wife in Israel in 1988; both had made aliya that year and became acquainted while working on kibbutzim in the lower Galilee. They spent four years in the Jewish state, during which time Goldstein served as director of seminars and tourism activity at Kibbutz Hanaton.

"My passion for Israel and for the northern region in particular was greatly enhanced during those four years," he said.

Israel continues to play a prominent role in the lives of Goldstein and his family; they have made many return visits, most recently in February, and often spend time with Goldstein's mother, who lives in Netanya for four months each year. Goldstein, his wife, and their oldest daughter, who was born in Israel, have dual citizenship.

"I look forward to the opportunity of traveling to Israel with members of the Beth Torah congregation," said Goldstein. "I want to share my 'personal Israel' with them."

He has never regretted his career choice and said his experiences as a rabbi have added a rewarding dimension to his life on personal and professional levels. His affiliation with Temple Beth Torah will continue the trend, he added.

"I look forward to becoming an integral part of Monmouth County's Jewish community and to becoming involved in the many different aspects of Jewish life here," Goldstein said. "I want to share my passion for all things Jewish; I want to hit the ground running."

The friendship and warmth that the Beth Torah membership has extended to his own family have heightened his sense of commitment, he said.

"I want to help ensure that Temple Beth Torah continues to be a warm, welcoming place that is open to Jews of every variety," said Goldstein. "These are traits that were obvious to me when I first met with the congregation, and they made the decision to come here a very easy one. The years ahead will be full of exciting prospects."