Meet the Team

  • Executive Administrator

    Cylis and his family were thrilled for him to join the staff of Temple of the High Country in 2023. He returned to NC highlands in 2020 with his wife, Crystal, and two wonderful kids, Lilly (12) and Charlie (10) after ten years in Texas. Cylis has worked for many years as an administrator in various settings. He has also worked as a performer at many of the institutions of the greater Houston area such as the Houston Grand Opera, Old West Melodrama, Shakespeare in the Shade, and Cone Man Running as well as Tweetsie Railroad here locally. Cylis hopes to use his varied background along with his interest in culture and language to help promote the growth of Temple of the High Country.

  • President

    Kurt I. Love has served the Temple of the High Country as its president since 2018. The great-grandson of R. Alexander Kisch, the Chief Rabbi of Prague, Kurt is one of the Temple’s shlichei tzibor, the team of lay leaders who lead services when Rabbi Alty is unavailable. Kurt uses his degrees in information technology and cybersecurity to guide the IT work that makes the Temple accessible to congregants and guests. Prior to assuming his duties as President, Kurt honorably served 20+ years in the U.S. Army. He uses many of his skills to enhance our security practices to keep our building and its inhabitants safe. Kurt is the father of two children, Ada and Daniel, who have grown up in the Temple. He is a proud partner in an interfaith marriage to his Episcopalian wife Margaret.

  • Hebrew School Teacher

    Chuck has served for decades as the “supporting central cedar pole” of the Boone Jewish Community and the Temple of the High Country. He served as the BJS’s last president for eight years, overseeing the construction of the Temple from its initial vision in 2008. Before we had a rabbi, he also served as the lay leader for Passover Seders, Sukkot events in the sukkah he would build every year, and many Shabbats. Since those days, he has been patiently offering B’nei Mitzvah instruction to the Temple’s youth, and prayerbook Hebrew and Pirkei Avot classes to its adults. Chuck sings in our High Holy Days choir; his renditions of “Avinu Malkeinu” and the Yiddish children’s song “Oyfin Pripetchik” are staples for many. He is known and loved in the High Country as a family-friendly Christmas-tree and blueberry farmer, and many locals remember him as their longtime mail carrier. He wrote a regular piece for the Watauga Democrat called “Annals of a Jewish Christmas-Tree Farmer;” the bound two-volume collection is available for sale in the Temple gift shop.

  • Vice President

    Dr. Carol Nudelman Blumberg is a Bronx girl who has lived in Boston, Miami, Aspen, Juno Beach, Asheville, and now between Atlanta and Banner Elk. She worked as a licensed clinical psychologist who focused her career in the areas of neuropsychological testing and evaluation. Carol comes to us with a wealth of temple and board experiences. She was Chairperson of Membership and on the Board of Temple Beth Am in Miami. In addition, she was Chairperson of Membership, Secretary, and President of the Board at the Aspen Jewish Congregation in Colorado. Her other board experiences include having been the first president of the Board at the Children’s Bereavement Center in Miami; serving 10 years on the board of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, Hollywood, Florida. For the past two years Carol has served on the Appalachian Summer Festival Advisory Board as well. Carol is married to Dr Morty Blumberg, a retired Chief of Radiology. Carol and Morty have one daughter, Ashley; a 2-year-old granddaughter, Lenny; and two children from Morty’s first marriage, Rachel and David.