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Board of Directors

Tami Raubvogel

PRESIDENT

My husband Amir and I have been members of CBJ for almost two decades. Both of our kids (Aaron 21 and Sara 18) have attended the CBJ Religious School and Sara even attended the CBJ preschool. They both had their Bar/Bat Mitzvah at CBJ and we remain active members.

Over the years, the majority of my volunteer hours were spent in the CBJ school wing either helping in the preschool or religious school. This makes sense since, professionally, I work as a school administrator in Menlo Park where I coordinate a Spanish Immersion program. I am also a children’s book author. My book, I Keep Kosher, has been translated into three languages.

I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors as the CBJ president. In addition to supporting the Clergy and staff, my main focus for the board is to help reenergize our congregation through engagement and belonging. I look forward to seeing everyone either virtually or in person during this coming year.

Alison Mellon

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

Our family joined CBJ in 2016, when we were looking for a strong religious school community for our kids, and we are thrilled to have found this Jewish home.  After moving around a lot, from Boston to Tokyo to Pittsburgh to Dallas, and experiencing a range of Jewish community cultures at each shul in those homes, it is wonderful now to find such a flexible, “come as you are,” community in CBJ.  I have, so far, been involved in our community through the religious school, as a room parent, school advisory board member, and active parent, and am happy to expand my volunteering in 2021 to serving on the board.  Our family enjoys the community ritual of attending Saturday morning Shabbat programming, including Junior Congregation and Power Hour, as well as our community holiday celebrations.  Outside of volunteering, I work as a Human Resources director at AJ Tutoring, and whenever possible, I love to carve out time to travel and to cook.

Jon Golovin

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

My wife Susan and I are from the East Coast and never expected that we would end up in California. We came to Berkeley in 1975 where I taught in the engineering school and Susan at Merritt School of Nursing. We moved to the Peninsula in 1982  and have been members at CBJ for over 35 years.  Susan was President for three years and has served on the Board. Both of our sons became B'nai Mitzvah at CBJ.

I have been an active participant in the weekly Torah study group since Rabbi Ezray started it and highly recommend it.  Now that I am retired, I have time to be a more active CBJ member. I have founded three companies, taken the first public and sold the other two as well as written a book on Manufacturing Excellence. I now advise startups.

Peter Moskovits

THIRD VICE PRESIDENT

My wife Anna and I joined CBJ in 2001, shortly after we moved to the Bay Area from Budapest, Hungary. Both our children, Daniel (16) and Lea (13) have attended CBJ Hebrew school and had their bar/bat mitzvahs at CBJ. Anna and I were born and raised behind the iron curtain, so Daniel was the first to have a bar mitzvah in many generations, and Lea was the very first, who had a bat mitzvah at all. Anna's mom, Aniko, lives with us. She survived the darkest days in the 1940's in Budapest as a child.

As the religious school transitioned to online classes during the first wave of Covid, I assisted our teachers with the tech. We as a family enjoy being part of the Hanukah Fair, where we sell honey from our own backyard bees, to support the CBJ preschool.

Anna is a pediatric physical therapist, while I studied computer science, and have been working in the industry at private and public companies. We love the outdoors and spend a lot of time staying connected with family and friends living overseas.

Brian Rogol

TREASURER

I have been very involved in synagogue life for as long as I can remember, growing up in a small town in Connecticut where my family was active in the local Conservative Synagogue.  I was a USY chapter President and served on the USY regional board.  After undergraduate studies at Brandeis University and graduate school at NYU for my MBA, my wife Rhonna and I moved to Stamford, CT, where we raised our 3 children. During our 39 years there we were both very involved in community life, particularly volunteer endeavors in the Jewish arena. My primary focus was the local Conservative Synagogue where I served on the board and ultimately as President and United Jewish Federation where, inter alia, I held the Governance Portfolio on the Executive Board. We subsequently spent 5 years in NYC during which we affiliated with Romemu, a Renewal Synagogue, where I served on the membership and member involvement committees and as a “gabbai."  I retired from my aviation finance career in GE Capital in 2018 and moved to Redwood City. Our eldest was starting a psychiatry residency at Stanford and Rhonna and I decided to join her for a West Coast adventure.  After our arrival in the Bay Area, we found CBJ to be a warm and inviting place and immediately felt comfortable here.  I look forward to serving on the board of directors.

Amy Keer

SECRETARY

My husband Harold and I have been part of the CBJ community for over 20 years. It all started one very warm day in July when Rabbi Ezray married us on the Sukkah patio. All three of our boys have attended CBJ Religious School and celebrated their Bar Mitzvahs here, and our youngest attended CBJ’s Preschool too. We are both grateful and proud to be part of this amazing community. I was on the Board in the early 2000s and have served on many committees over the years, including Rockin’ Shabbat and the Religious School Committee. I was also CBJ’s Executive Director from 2004-2009. My background is in Engineering, and before CBJ I worked for several Silicon Valley companies, mostly in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

My current role on the Board is to work with CBJ’s Administrative Staff to help document how we do the many many invisible things that enable our community to be so warm and engaging.

Steve Dines

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

I joined the CBJ board in 2014. I (and my wife Jackie) have lived in the bay area for close to 40 years, having come to California from the UK. We are semi-retired “empty nesters” with three grown up kids, Adam, Elissa, and Ben, and one grandchild Léo.

I spent most of my career in the electronics industry, first as an engineer, then as a marketer, and then as a Chief Executive. We moved to Menlo Park from the South Bay in 2009, and started looking for a shul. The amazing sense of community at CBJ, together with the warm welcome we received made the decision very easy. I feel honored to be of service to the Shul, and hope that my contribution helps CBJ become an even more welcoming presence for Jewish people of all ages in the Bay Area.

Marty Bronk

BOARD MEMBER

Brett Ehrlich

BOARD MEMBER

I grew up in Sacramento and was active at Mosaic Law Congregation, a Conservative synagogue, and its USY youth group chapter.  My wife, Pamela, and I joined CBJ in 1998 and were married at CBJ by Rabbi Ezray that same year.  We were attracted to CBJ by its warm community, diverse and engaging programs, and wonderful clergy.  CBJ was like a second home to our daughter, Julia (18), who grew up attending CBJ Religious School and Junior Congregation.  The three of us all feel very lucky to have made such close friends and connections through our involvement at CBJ.

Professionally, I spent the last 20 years focused on strategic planning, program management, and software product management leadership roles in the banking sector.  Recently, I have been active as a volunteer in advocating for actions and policies that can help mitigate and address the risks of climate change.  And I am now leading CBJ’s Environment and Climate Activism Group.  I am looking forward to serving on the Board in 2023.

Emily Greenwald

BOARD MEMBER

I joined CBJ when I moved to the area in Fall 2018. October 2018 saw the horrible antisemitic shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, and I found such a welcoming, vibrant, and caring community at CBJ and through seeing the support between our Jewish community at CBJ and our sibling Christian community at New Beginnings Community Church (NBCC). I found a home and a family at CBJ that has meant so much to me for the past few years! I grew up at a vibrant but small synagogue in rural Connecticut, and then earned my BS from Brandeis University. I worked in Boston for several years before moving to the Bay Area to pursue my PhD in Genetics at Stanford. It is largely due to my close relationships with my biological and many synagogue grandparents that I am interested in the biology of aging. I am passionate about the empowerment of Jewish women and elders, feminism, anti-racism, and justice. These passions inform my ongoing goals for CBJ’s support and community engagement.

Alana Kadden Ballon

BOARD MEMBER

I’m originally from Salinas, CA where my father served as the local Rabbi and my mom worked as an educator for the Reform movement and a variety of synagogues. I also spent a couple of years living on a kibbutz in Southern Israel, and lived as an adult in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York before settling in Redwood City. My husband Jake grew up at CBJ and we were thrilled to join independently in 2015 and now have two young children who enjoy Power Hour, Junior Congregation, and especially Kiddush. In the greater community, I serve on the board of the Redwood City Education Foundation and as a Wexner Alumni delegate for the Bay Area. Professionally, I work as a revenue operations leader and love growing and nurturing both tech startups and community organizations. 

Sara Gaviser Leslie

BOARD MEMBER

We joined CBJ after attending a potluck Shabbat dinner and experiencing CBJ; it felt—and continues to feel—like home. I am the Founder and Principal of In Other Words, a brand strategy, positioning, and messaging consultancy that serves B2B and purpose-built brands. My passion is leveraging storytelling and narrative for impact.

I served as a board member of Acción Opportunity Fund, the country’s largest micro lender and the Board of Jewish Community Federation where I was also a member of the Executive Committee. I've been an active volunteer for the Menlo Park City School District, Sequoia Union High School District, and a Wexner Heritage Fellow.

I grew up in Minneapolis and was both a camper and counselor at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin for several years. I live in Menlo Park with my husband, Josh, and three sons. Our kids attended CBJ religious school and had bar mitzvot at the synagogue. I am an avid runner, reader, and sweets maker.

Rebecca Levin

BOARD MEMBER

My family and I moved to the Bay Area from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2014 and, after a couple of starts and stops at other synagogues, found CBJ and immediately felt at home. Both of our daughters have had their bat mitzvahs at CBJ and our oldest was lucky to be part of CBJ’s first teen Israel trip in the summer of 2022. Over the last year and a half I have have had the privilege of working with the Tikvah committee at CBJ and I am passionate about fostering respectful dialogue not only amongst our adult congregants but also amongst our middle school and high school students. 

I am a partner at Stross Mass Cutcher & Levin, a family law firm in San Mateo, and my husband, Josh, is a physician at Stanford. In my free time, I love to read, cook, and spend time with my family. I am honored to serve on the CBJ board and look forward to helping grow and strengthen our community.

Nico Lidzborski

BOARD MEMBER

My wife Daphna and I have been part of the CBJ community since 2004. Our four children feel at home at CBJ and miss being able to run the halls and play with friends! I joined the board in 2020 after helping CBJ stay online during the COVID-19 pandemic. We actually did stretch network wires across the parking lot prior to the High Holidays! My current role on the Board is to work on modernizing CBJ’s IT infrastructure and ensure that Internet services are safe and reliable. Professionally, I am a software engineer, designing security and privacy improvements for users and have been working at Google for over ten years.

Van Meak

BOARD MEMBER

When my wife Liza and I moved to the Bay Area from the Midwest we were overjoyed and extremely grateful to have such a warm and inviting Jewish community in our backyard. We’ve been members of CBJ for more than 10 years and all three of our daughters attended the preschool, religious school and celebrated their Bat Mitzvahs at CBJ.

I was born in Cambodia and was fortunate to slip out of the country before the Khmer Rouge’s campaign of genocide. My family settled in central Missouri where I lived for the next 20 years, and still speak with the occasional Midwestern twang. My parents were practicing Buddhists and I also attended Sunday schools at the Mormon church. It wasn’t until I met Liza that I fully learned about the rich history and teachings of Judaism, and we agreed to raise our daughters in the Jewish faith. One thing that has always stood out to me about CBJ is its commitment to fostering an inclusive community.

I’ve been a lawyer for nearly 25 years and am a partner in a San Mateo firm. I am honored to serve on the Board and look forward to contributing my experiences and unique voice.

Diana Moradzadeh

BOARD MEMBER

My family and I became members of CBJ over 25 years ago. We are very happy to be part of this welcoming and evolving synagogue which plays an important role in our lives and in our community. I have had the pleasure of studying Torah at CBJ, attending both Hebrew and B’nei Mitzvah classes, and served on the Care Committee. Outside of CBJ I have been an active member of both ORT and Hadassah. My background is in finance, where I worked mostly at high tech companies including IBM, Amdahl, and Sony and spent the last 10 years of my career as Chief Financial Officer at MTR Inc. prior to retiring. I am honored to serve on the CBJ Board of Directors and look forward to contributing in a meaningful and impactful way.

Jeff Pathman

BOARD MEMBER

My wife, Yuning, and I moved to Redwood City in 2013 and promptly joined CBJ in 2014 due to the warmth of the community and great lay leadership. I come from a Los Angeles, CA and Birmingham, AL Jewish perspective that brings a unique view of what Jewish life can be and how we as Jews see ourselves in the greater society. I bring that Southern Hospitality to our Shaliach and Greeter roles and again appreciate our strong sense of community here at CBJ. The LA Jew in me thinks of how important it is to connect with all the Jews around us. I'm an avid sailor and snowboarder when not volunteering on the board of directors or working at AWS.

Esther Selk

BOARD MEMBER

Esther Selk’s formal Jewish education began on her mother’s lap in Junior Congregation and being with her own daughter each week evokes the powerful experience of l’dor v’dor. She is honored to be serving on the CBJ board and she brings a wide and varied skill set. Esther has been a classroom teacher for almost 25 years, primarily teaching math and science, and is currently the eighth grade Algebra teacher and Alum Affairs Director at The Girls’ Middle School in Palo Alto. Esther directs, acts, and choreographs for community theater productions, and is a dancer and teacher at Zohar School of Dance. She believes the most powerful tool for teachers and students, of all ages and subjects, is a growth mindset. She moves through life with the conviction that each of us can open our hearts and minds to new concepts, struggle and grapple with them, and redefine our strengths. Esther’s experience of Judaism supports and mirrors the learning she experiences with her students.

Adam Taub

BOARD MEMBER

Rabbi Ezray (recently ordained at the time) was the assistant Rabbi at my Bar Mitzvah in the Boston area. I grew up and spent most of my adult life on the East Coast. In 2012, my wife Anna and I moved West to the Bay Area, where we were active members of another congregation for five years. When we moved slightly north to San Carlos in 2017 we visited CBJ and were struck by the connection we felt when we first attended Power Hour; our son who loves music was immediately in awe of the guitars. We joined CBJ shortly thereafter. We regularly attend the Power Hour service with both our young boys and feel at home on Shabbat mornings.

I am new to the Board in 2020 and plan to continue work on member engagement and new member outreach. Professionally, I have spent my career in investing and am the founder and managing partner of a hedge fund which focuses on public market equities. I am an avid reader, tennis player, and lifelong Yankees fan.

Micah Yairi

BOARD MEMBER

My wife, Aimee, and I each came to the Bay Area in the mid-1990’s. In 2012 we moved to San Carlos and joined Congregation Beth Jacob. What drew us most to CBJ was its warm and inclusive atmosphere which really made us feel welcome. Our daughter, Hope, also loves CBJ, having made close friends with other children, starting in CBJ’s preschool. I joined the CBJ Board in 2017, and previously have been involved on Stanford Hillel’s Board, the Young Adult Division of the Federation’s Executive Committee, and leading AIPAC’s San Francisco Leadership Development Program. Professionally, I received my Ph.D. from Stanford in Applied Physics, and subsequently founded and was the CTO of Tactus Technology, a company that develops new user interfaces and materials for mobile devices and display systems. I recently followed a new opportunity and am now working at Apple. I hope that our efforts at CBJ make it an even more inviting and dynamic community.

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784