Women of Reform Judaism Pacific District
  • Home
    • President's Message
    • Pacific District Statements
    • Tributes
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • History >
      • Camp Newman 2017 Bucket Brigade
      • Jane Marcus Social Justice Fund
    • FAQ
    • Officers / Area Directors/Committees
    • VP & Departments >
      • Organizational Chart
    • Job Descriptions
    • Past Presidents
    • Social Action >
      • Social Action Rings
      • Mental Health Overview
    • WRJ YES Fund >
      • YES Fund Tea
    • Nashim Society
    • Kavod Awards
  • Resources
    • District Dues Update
    • Bylaws
    • Policies and Procedures
    • Speakers Bureau >
      • Speaker Request Form
      • Speakers Bureau Guidelines
      • Sisterhood's Evaluation
      • Speaker's Evaluation
    • Zoom Request Form
    • District Scholarships
    • Reimbursement Voucher
    • District Logo
    • Board Nominations
    • Style Guide
    • WRJ Acronyms
    • Useful Links
  • Sisterhoods
    • Sisterhood Leadership Contact Update Form
    • New Sisterhood President Guide
    • Yammer
    • Sisterhood Board Training
    • Find a Sisterhood
    • Sisterhood Resources >
      • Fundraiser Ideas
      • Icebreakers
      • 2015 PD Passover Recipes
  • District Events
    • WRJ Covid-19 Covenant Of Care
    • WRJ Accessibility Policy
    • 2022 Pacific District Retreat
    • Pacific Northwest Area Events
    • Northern California Area Events
    • Southern California Area Events
    • Pacific Southwest Area Events
    • 2021 All District Area Event
    • Area Event Planning Guide
  • PD Conventions
    • 2023 PD Convention >
      • 2023 Convention Covid Policy
      • 2023 Registration
      • 2023 Schedule
      • 2023 Pre-Convention Schedule
      • 2023 Hotel, Meals, Travel
      • 2023 Special Guests
      • 2023 Sponsorships
      • 2023 eTribute Book
      • 2023 Chance to Win
      • 2023 Social Action Project
      • 2023 Kavod Awards
      • 2023 PD Board Nominations
      • 2023 Convention Scholarships
    • Past Pacific District Conventions >
      • 2018 PD Convention
      • 2016 PD Convention
      • 2020 PD Convention >
        • Special Guests
        • Social Action Project
  • Programs
    • WRJ PD Cookbook
    • Sisterhood Program Exchange >
      • Social Programs
      • Community Service Programs
      • Fundraisers
      • Combo Programs
      • Virtual Programs
      • In-Person Programs
      • Hybrid Programs
    • WRJ & PD Award Winners >
      • 2020 Kavod Award Winners
      • 2018 Kavod Award Winners
      • 2016 Kavod Award Winners
      • PD 2015 Or Ami Winners
      • 2014 Kavod Award Winners
      • PD 2013 Or Ami Winners
      • 2012 Kavod Award Winners
      • PD 2009 Or Ami Winners
    • The Bubbe Project
    • A Place Called Home: The Senior Homelessness Project
    • Empty Bowls, Hungry Children
    • Charoses Around the World
    • All Things Hanukkah >
      • Hanukkah Recipes
      • Hanukkah Crafts
  • Pacific District Store
    • PD Cookbook
    • Clothing
    • Pins, Lanyards & Totes
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
    • Find Us On Social Media
    • Content Submissions
    • Questions and Comments

WRJ Pacific District Board of Directors 2020-2023


Picture
​        President:
       Cher Krichmar, Temple Beth Ohr, La Mirada, CA

Picture
       1st Vice President:
       Carol Schuster, Temple B'nai Torah, Bellevue, WA

Picture
        Area Vice President:        
​        Shari Carruthers, Peninsula Temple Sholom, Burlingame, CA

Picture
      Area Vice President:        
​   
  Deawn Hermann, Congregation Kol Ami, Vancouver, WA 

Picture
       Area Vice President:
       Flo Cohen, Temple Sinai of Glendale, Glendale, CA

Picture
​        Vice President Action & Advocacy:
        Karen Goldberg, Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA



Picture
        Vice President Marketing & Communications:
       Shoshana Lewin Fischer
, Temple Adat Elohim, Thousand Oaks, CA

Picture
       Vice President Membership:
       Stacy Nagel, Individual Member, Yorba Linda, CA 

Picture
       Vice President Philanthropy:
       Julia Weinstein, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles, CA

Picture
       Treasurer:
       Jackie Zev, Temple Ahavat Shalom, Northridge, CA

Picture
       Corresponding Secretary:
       Aime Friedman, Temple Judea, Tarzana, CA

Picture
        Recording Secretary:
       Lillian Burkenheim Silver, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA

Picture
       Immediate Past President:
       Dana Adler, Congregation Or Chadash, Tucson, AZ

​
       

Area Directors

Twelve warm and energetic women serve our sisterhoods as Area Directors. Together we contact, connect with, support, and visit the fifty-six sisterhoods of the Pacific District. The role of the director is to build a relationship with the sisterhood presidents assigned to her and to get to know about each sisterhood. Area Directors are available just to chat, share concerns, be guests at board meetings, events such as Sisterhood Shabbats, installations or special programs and to assist in a myriad of ways.

Our Area Directors complete reports quarterly after speaking with sisterhood presidents or appointed contacts and after visits. This woman to woman contact makes it possible for us to know what is really happening in Pacific District and to meet the needs of our affiliated sisterhoods. 
We are women as sisters - stronger together.
Southern California:
Flo Cohen, Temple Sinai of Glendale, Glendale, CA
Joann Kotkin, Temple Beth Ohr, La Mirada, CA
Evelyn Lever, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA
Ronni Udoff, Individual Member, Congregation Beth Israel, San Diego, CA


Northern California:
Karen Peterson, Congregation Shir Hadash, Los Gatos, CA
Nancy Sturm, Peninsula Temple Sholom, Burlingame, CA

 
Pacific Northwest:
Debbie Braymer, Congregation Beth Israel, Portland, OR
Shari Shelton, Congregation Kol Ami, Vancouver, WA
Carol Stoler, Congregation Kol Ami, Vancouver, WA


Pacific Southwest:
Judi Braudy, Congregation Lev Shalom, Flagstaff, AZ
Laurie Kassman, Or Chadash, Tucson, AZ
Tina Wolfe, Temple Mount Sinai, El Paso, TX

Committee Chairs

Affiliations Chair: Dana Adler
Budget Chair: Robin Plotnik
By-Laws Chair: Nancy Marcus
Chai Line Editor: Naomi Estrada
District Tributes: Julia Weinstein
Engagement and Planning: Lindie Henderson

​Financial Overseer: Cindy Weschrob
Kavod Awards: Rhonda Daniels
Liaisons for URJ Camps: Barbara Merino, Elizabeth Goertzel, Dr. Madelyn Katz
NASHIM Society Co-Chairs: Naomi Glass, Lisa Wise-Wolk
Nominating Chair: Dana Adler​
Program Chair: Wendy Black
Scholarships Chair: Ellen Bick

Social Media Chair: Lori Glasky
Speakers Bureau: Julia Wackenheim
Website Admin: Julia Weinstein
YES Fund Chair: Dana Spiel
​​
2023 Convention Chairs: Karen Goldberg, Robin Plotnik

Past District Presidents

1932-1934   Mrs. Jules Kaufman, Los Angeles, CA *
1934-1935   Mrs. Nathaniel Kessler, Oakland, CA *
1935-1937   Henrietta Hirshfield, Los Angeles, CA *
1937-1939   Bessie Barnett, San Francisco, CA *
1939-1941   Pearl Friedman, Los Angeles, CA *
1941-1943   Mrs. Leon Rosenberg, Fresno, CA *
1943-1946   Miriam Jacobs, Los Angeles, CA *
1946-1949   Zara Shapiro, San Francisco, CA *
1949-1951   Dorothy Hardman, Seattle, WA 
1951-1953   Gertrude Kallin, Los Angeles, CA *
1953-1955   Minna Thor, San Francisco, CA *
1955-1957   Gustine Weber, Encino, CA *
1957-1959   Rose Lewis, Glendale, CA *
1959-1961   Rita Lubliner, Portland, OR *
1961-1964   Bertie Rasky, Palm Springs, CA 
1964-1966   Betty Openheim, Mill Valley, CA *
1966-1968   Elizabeth Chesler, Phoenix, AZ 
1968-1970   Harriet Katz, Phoenix, AZ 
1970-1972   Beverly Singer, Garden Grove, CA *
1972-1974   Zara Jaffe, Hillsborough, CA 
1974-1976   Bernadine Brenner, Portland, OR *
1976-1968   Marcia Levin, Downey, CA *
1976-1978   Juliette Nathan, Sacramento, CA *
1980-1982   Esther Saritzky, Northridge, CA *
1982-1984   Susan K. Wolfe, Tiburon, CA 
1984-1986   Phyllis Shapiro, Phoenix, AZ *
1986-1988   Jane Schwartz, Sparks, NV*
1988-1990   Ruthanne Begun, Westlake Village, CA 
1990-1992   Michele Zwerin, San Rafael, CA 
1992-1994   Maryann Fenster, Los Angeles, CA* 
1994-1996   Nancy Marcus, Costa Mesa, CA 
1996-1998   Cherie Half, Palo Alto, CA 
1998-2000   Elaine Saperstein, Thousand Oaks, CA 
2000-2002   Fran Sherman, Anaheim, CA 
2002-2004   Ricki Oleon, Orinda, CA 
2004-2006   Ellen A. Pollack, Chatsworth, CA *
2006-2008   Edith Caplan, Fremont, CA 
2008-2010   Sandy Gatlin, Des Moines, WA 
2010-2012   Lindie Henderson, Sacramento, CA 
2012-2014   Ellen Bick, Portland, OR 
2014-2016   Phyllis Bigelson, Northridge, CA 
2016-2018   Judith Shor Ning, Albuquerque, NM *
2018-2020   Dana Adler, Tucson, AZ


Honorary Presidents: 
Deborah Hirschberg,* Portland, OR 
Eleanor Kretzer,* North Hollywood, CA 

* Of Blessed Memory 

WRJ Board Members

Dana Adler, Congregation Or Chadash, Tucson, AZ​
Shari Carruthers, Peninsula Temple Sholom, Burlingame, CA
Elizabeth Goertzel, 
Temple DeHirsch Sinai, Seattle/Bellevue, WA
Karen Goldberg, Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA (WRJ Secretary)

Madelyn Katz, WRJ Individual Member, Van Nuys, CA (WRJ Executive Committee)
Alyse Kirshen, Temple Beth Tikvah, Fullerton, CA
Linda Kramer, Congregation Beth Am, Los Altos, CA
Cher Krichmar, Temple Beth Ohr, Anaheim Hills, CA
Deb Lelchuk, Temple Beth David, Westminster, CA
Robin Lilien, Temple Israel of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

Eve Panush, Congregation B'nai Israel, Sacramento, CA
Carol Schuster, Temple B'nai Torah, Bellevue, WA
Lauren Shapiro-Milana, Temple Adat Shalom, Poway, CA
Dana Spiel, Temple Emanuel of Tempe, Tempe, AZ

Lillian Burkenheim Silver, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA (WRJ VP of Philanthropy)
Gail Spivack,
Irvine, CA
Julia Wackenheim, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA (WRJ Executive Committee)
Lisa Wise-Wolk, Congregation Emanu El, Redlands, CA

Tina Wolfe, Temple Mount Sinai, El Paso, TX
Picture
Picture
Picture
©  Women of Reform Judaism Pacific District, 2022. All rights reserved.