OUR STAFF AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chief Operating Officer

On maternity leave

Madeline Dzamba is a Bay Area native with operational and leadership experience in for profit and non-profit organizations. These range from the Jewish Community Federation to Just Date, a consumer packaged goods company. Madeline is passionate about people management, technology solutions, and, of course, Beth Sholom! She lives with her partner, Misko, and their dog (Poppy) and cats (Daisy and Bubbles). In her free time, Madeline enjoys baking, hiking, and spending time with the aforementioned family.

Interim Chief Operating Officer

mrapaport@bethsholomsf.org
(415) 940-7092

Michael Rapaport has been a member at CBS since 2013, a board member since 2017 and served as President of the Board from 2021-2024. Professionally, Michael spent his career in financial services, including 14 years at FICO, where he helped develop the FICO credit score. Most recently, Michael was President/COO at Accion Opportunity Fund, a non-profit small business lender. Michael is also Treasurer at the Hebrew Free Loan Association. Michael and his wife, Ruth Katz, live in West Portal with their sons, Julian and Manu. Both Julian (Feb 2018) and Manu (March 2020) celebrated Bnei Mitzvah at Beth Sholom.

Director of Membership

apaz-priel@bethsholomsf.org
(415) 940-7097

Adie comes to us from the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation where she worked as the administrative coordinator in the early childhood education initiative for nearly 7 years. Originally from Israel, Adie was the first baby to be named in the conservative congregation her parents helped found in her hometown, Rehovot. She holds a master's degree in Geography from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, but her passion has been raising her four kids.

Director, Office of the Rabbi

helfman@bethsholomsf.org
(415) 940-7095

Hilary started her journey at UW Hillel where she honed her teaching and leadership skills. With an M.A. in Education, she taught for six years at SFUSD, bringing invaluable experience to her role as Director of the Office of the Rabbi and leader of our vibrant young adult community Youngish. Hilary supports congregants through life cycle milestones, offering compassionate guidance and logistical support. She is passionate about enriching our community both spiritually and organizationally.

Facilities Manager

alevy@bethsholomsf.org
(415) 852-3905

Allen Levy is an invaluable member of Congregation Beth Sholom. Working for CalTrans for 43 years makes his responsibilities as a Facilities Manager second nature. He is thrilled to be part of a fantastic team of professional, creative, motivated individuals who make this work a labor of love. Allen is motivated by performing the many maintenance, safety, and management tasks that promote a clean and safe working environment for our staff, preschool, congregants, and guests.

Executive Chef

mmacmillan@bethsholomsf.org
(209) 740-8474

Marlene is a Bay Area native with a B.A. in Human Development from CSU, East Bay and a certification in Culinary Arts and Hospitality from CCSF. She started working in early childhood education at Beth Sholom in 2014, and began leading our kitchen as Executive Chef in 2018. Marlene provides meals for Kiddushes, life cycle events, and more. Her chili, burrekaas and mudslide cookies are legendary! Marlene enjoys basketball, hiking, catching sunsets, cooking (at home too!), doing puzzles, and singing.

Facilities Coordinator

President

Jerilyn spent her career as a mediator and hearing officer for the California Public Employment Relations Board. Inspired by a Rabbi Lew sermon, she became a tutor with the Jewish Coalition for Literacy, a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). She served as JCRC Board President, also representing JCRC on the Jewish Coalition to End Human Trafficking and the Interfaith Committee of the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking. Jerilyn served as Board Chair of the Jewish Public Affairs Committee and Shalom Bayit, an organization working to eradicate domestic violence in the Jewish Community. She is a Regional Council member of the New Israel Fund.

Treasurer

Mark Gunther worked in staff or board roles in small businesses and nonprofit organizations for forty years. In 1999, he and his wife started the Eva Gunther Foundation, giving to girls and girls programs. He remains Managing Director there. Mark, a co-founder, chaired the Board of Alliance for Girls from 2012-2022. In December of 2015 Mark received an MFA in Creative Writing from USF. He has since been published in several literary journals, and in 2018 published his novel of child loss, Without Jenny. A member of CBS since 1986, Mark chaired the Building Committee throughout the reconstruction of the CBS campus (2000-2008), was a member of the Finance Committee for a number of years, and served one term on the board from 2009-2011.

Secretary

As a San Francisco native, Jenny grew up at Beth Sholom. Following a childhood spent attending services, Sunday and Hebrew School, celebrating her Bat Mitzvah, and participating in USY, she returned to CBS to teach at the CBS Family Preschool for more than eight years. In 2012, she and her husband, Mark, were married right here in the CBS sanctuary. Today, Jenny proudly serves as co-chair of our Education Committee. An educator through and through, Jenny holds a BA in Child Development and a Master’s in Special Education from San Francisco State University. She is currently a kindergarten teacher at The San Francisco School. Jenny and Mark's blended family has deep roots here: their four older adult children, Anastasia, Alexander, Daniel, and Emma, all celebrated their B'nai Mitzvah at Beth Sholom, and they are now grandparents of two! Their youngest son, Dylan, a seventh grader at The San Francisco School, proudly continues the family legacy as a Shabbat School student and a member of the current CBS B'nai Mitzvah class.

Ritual Chair

Coby joined Congregation Beth Sholom in Summer 2022 along with his wife Naomi and children Ezra and Eliana. Coby grew up in Berkeley at Congregation Netivot Shalom. His connection to CBS started as a teenager when his mother Janet Harris worked as CBS program director, and Coby would tag along every so often to come visit his Camp Ramah friends. Since 2008, Coby and Naomi have lived in San Francisco where Coby works on state energy policy at the California Public Utilities Commission. CBS has been a special place for Coby and his family to call home — to daven, participate in community, deepen Jewish learning and more.

Board Member

Sam Berkowitz grew up in Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, PA, where he was deeply involved in his local Conservative congregation (also called Beth Shalom!), including serving as head of religious education for the shul's USY group. After stints in Chicago, Beijing, and DC, he moved to San Francisco in 2015. He and his now-wife, Yuxi, were invited to CBS by friends in 2020 and were immediately drawn in by the shul's history, knowledgeable congregants, egalitarian spirit, and warm intergenerational community. Sam disappeared for a few months in mid-2021 to solo mountain bike 5,500 miles across the country. Upon his return, he and Yuxi were married by Rabbi Russell on Mount Tam, after which they both dove into more active roles at CBS. These days, they are both regular Torah readers and serve as leaders in our young adult community, including creating and hosting the Third Fridays young adult Shabbat dinner series. In his professional life, Sam is a software engineer, though you're equally likely to find him working heads down on a bicycle project, brushing up on his classical Chinese, or playing a bit of music.

Board Member

Pat Blackburn, a member of Beth Sholom since 1977, converted to Judaism before marrying her husband Icek Moses (z”l). Her children Alex and Jessica celebrated B’nai Mitzvah at CBS under Rabbi Lew. Pat helped organize Purim Carnivals, and has recently taken on the delivery side of the Chicken Soupers program. She also volunteers with JFCS assisting in the food pantry and working with elderly/disabled adults. Pat dined often at Rhoda Goldman Plaza, her in-laws residence and retired in 2018 after a 40-year at Cardea Services, where she served as the Executive Director.

Board Member

Craig Cohen has been a member at CBS since moving back to San Francisco with his wife Elin in 2003. Craig’s family has over a 100-year history in San Francisco; his father had his Bar Mitzvah at CBS in 1946. Craig is a physician and professor of OB/Gyn at UCSF, and has committed his career to advancing health in low-income countries (mostly in Africa) and mentoring the next generation of global health leaders. Craig helps CBS to build a stronger Jewish future for every generation. With his youngest child (Ari) off to college in the fall, he serves as a bridge to families with school aged children, and early-phase “empty nesters.”

Board Member

Wendy joined Beth Sholom in 2009 with her husband (and past CBS Board President), Ben Chinn. CBS has been a central part of their lives and of many life cycle events, including the births and b’nei mitzvah of their two children, Asher and Ella. Wendy has a 25+ year career as a user experience leader helping companies and universities create compelling digital experiences. She has recently shifted careers to a nonprofit and education focus and is working as an operations and finance specialist for a local school. She enjoys volunteering with Beth Sholom, beginning with preschool days as a room parent and growing over the years.

Board Member

Jonathan Crosby, along with his wife Susan Belau and their sons Simon (19) and Daniel (11), has been a member of CBS since 2014. Jonathan grew up in San Diego and attended UC Santa Cruz where he double majored in Filmmaking and Psychology. After college, he moved to San Francisco and began working in film and television with a focus on documentary. For the past 20 years, he has also been teaching documentary filmmaking and is currently teaching film and animation at San Francisco Waldorf High School. At CBS, Jonathan is a co-chair of the Chessed va Tsedek Committee and a member of the Education Committee.

Board Member

Gabi Handler Marks is an attorney who conducts impartial investigations in workplaces and schools. A longtime CBS member, Gabi met her husband, Don Marks, at a Young Adults of Beth Shalom (YABS) Third Friday in 2001. Their children, Noa and Saul, both attended CBS preschool and celebrated their b'nei mitzvah at CBS. At CBS services, Gabi especially enjoys singing along to familiar melodies she learned growing up in Cape Town, South Africa. Gabi previously served on the CBS Board from 2014-2020, including as a Vice President and Chair of the Governance Committee.

Board Member

Adam Hertz and his wife, Joan Gelfand, have been members of Congregation Beth Sholom since 1999. Adam and Joan were early and are still active members of Makor Or, the Jewish meditation group founded by Rabbi Alan Lew (z”l) and Zoketsu Norman Fischer. Rabbi Lew married Adam and Joan in 2002. Adam was a member of the CBS Board of Directors for 10 years, during which time he served as Secretary, Religious Committee chair and Co-president. He is a frequent lay service leader and Torah reader on Shabbat, High Holidays and daily minyan.

Joan and Adam have three children and four grandchildren. Their kids and grandkids live in San Francisco, Denver and Berlin. In his professional life, Adam is a retired. Engineering and Product executive, with over thirty years of experience in the software, consumer electronics and internet industries. His most recent professional role was Senior Director of Engineering at YouTube, where he worked on YouTube’s music services.

Board Member

Caroline Landau grew up in New York City and moved to San Francisco in 2010. She and her husband, Alex Goldberg, found an instant and warm community at Beth Sholom in 2019. Caroline and Alex, and their two kids, Zach and Gabriella, are avid Tot Shabbat attendees and preschool enthusiasts. Caroline serves on CBS’ development committee, and is committed to supporting CBS’ amazing rabbi, staff, and programming for the long-term. Caroline’s career is in biopharma marketing and strategy. She holds a BA in Brazilian history from Brown University and an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Board Member

Seth, his wife Jamie, and their three children (Kenny, Miles, and Tilly) have been Beth Sholom members since moving to San Francisco nearly 10 years ago. Kenny and Miles had their Bar Mitzvahs at Beth Sholom. As a teen, Seth was a youth leader at his Reform congregation in Providence, Rhode Island; he gravitated toward the Conservative movement after spending time in Israel and at the Conservative minyan in college. Seth enjoys this opportunity to give back to this warm and vibrant community.

Professionally, Seth has been in the consumer marketing world for more than 20 years and is excited to bring this perspective to the Beth Sholom board. He ran marketing at a number of companies large and small before starting a marketing agency for early-stage consumer health businesses. Seth has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Board Member

Ron joined CBS shortly after moving to San Francisco in the late 1980s. Ron’s three adult children went through the CBS religious school and celebrated their b’nei mitzvot at CBS. Ron has served as a leader in volunteer positions with Congregation Beth Sholom, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Jewish Community Federation, Rhoda Goldman Plaza and the Pacific Council on International Policy over the years. Professionally, Ron has worked in the financial services industry for the last four decades, currently as the founder and managing partner of Catapult Advisors where he specializes in advising CEOs and boards of technology companies on their capital raising and M&A strategies. Previously, Ron was an executive with Banc of America Securities (fka Montgomery Securities). Ron began his business career with Salomon Brothers in New York. Ron holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley and an MA in International Economics and International Relations from The Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Board Member

Samantha Mostovoy is a Massachusetts native who joined Beth Sholom in 2019 with her husband, Dima, for its inviting nature, egalitarian approach, and what can only be described as its great balance of East Coast and West Coast energy. Samantha is a graduate of Beth Sholom’s Introduction to Judaism’s course, and Rabbi Russell led her conversion. Her children, Emmett, Toby, and Sadie, have all been enthusiastic CBS Preschool students. Samantha was most recently an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, and holds a BA in American Studies from Wellesley College and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Board Member

Joseph and Julie Ratner, came to San Francisco in 2011 and joined CBS, where all 4 of Joe’s maternal great-grandparents are on the Yarzheit wall. They have 3 daughters, Zehavah, Ellianah, and Adinah. Joe worked in retail management, buying, and product development with RadioShack and Walmart, Julie retired from medical ethics and patient advocacy at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Joe was a synagogue Board member for over 15 years prior to CBS with 2 terms as president, and has served 3 terms on the CBS board.