Women of Reform Judaism Pacific District
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WRJ Pacific District Board of Directors 2023-2026


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       President:
       Carol Schuster, Temple B'nai Torah, Bellevue, WA

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        Co-1st Vice President:
        Flo Cohen, Temple Sinai of Glendale, Glendale, CA

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        Co-1st Vice President:
       Lillian Silver, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA

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        Vice President Marketing & Communications:
        Naomi Estrada
, Temple Mount Sinai, El Paso, TX

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      Vice President Membership:        
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  Deawn Hermann, Congregation Kol Ami, Vancouver, WA 

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​        Vice President Action & Advocacy:
        Shari Kotzen Shelton, Congregation Kol Ami, Vancouver, WA


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       Vice President Philanthropy:
       Dana Spiel, Temple Emanuel, Tempe, AZ

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        Area Vice President - Pacific Northwest:        
​        Rhonda Daniels, Congregation Beth Israel, Portland, OR

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       Area Vice President - Northern California:
       Karen Peterson, Congregation Shir Hadash, Los Gatos, CA

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       Area Vice President - Southern California:
       Margie Meadow, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA

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       Area Vice President - Pacific Southwest:
       Laurie Kassman, Kol Ami Synagogue, Tucson, AZ

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        Treasurer:        
​        Shari Carruthers, Peninsula Temple Sholom, Burlingame, CA

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       Recording Secretary:
       Tracey Poirier, Temple Judea, Tarzana, CA

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

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

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 Bornstein, Temple Emanuel, San Diego, CA
Joann Kotkin, Temple Beth Ohr, La Mirada, CA
Evelyn Lever, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA
Freddie Goldberg, Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, CA


Northern California:
Melissa Jakubowitz, Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA
Beverly Mendel, Temple Emnanu-El, San Jose, CA
Eve Panush, Congregation B’nai Israel, Sacramento, CA
 
Pacific Northwest:

Shana Aucsmith, Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue, WA
Carol Stoler, Congregation Kol Ami, Vancouver, WA


Pacific Southwest:
Judi Braudy, Congregation Lev Shalom, Flagstaff, AZ
Tina Wolfe, Temple Mount Sinai, El Paso, TX

Committee Chairs

Affiliations Chair: Cher Krichmar
Budget Chair: Jackie Zev
By-Laws Co-Chairs: Edith Caplan, Nancy Marcus
Chai Line Editor: TBD
DEI/Code of Conduct Representative: Laurie Kassman

District Tributes: Julia Weinstein
Engagement and Planning: Lindie Henderson

​Financial Overseer: Robin Plotnik
Hebrew Language Chair: Dina Bedak
Liaisons for URJ Camps: Barbara Merino (URJ Camp Newman), Alisa Delisle (URJ Camp Kalsman)
Merchandise Chair: Sue Meyer

NASHIM Society Co-Chairs: Naomi Glass, Lisa Wise-Wolk
Nominating Chair: Cher Krichmar
Parliamentarian: Janice Brumer
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Program Chair: Wendy Black
Scholarships Chair: Ellen Bick

Social Media Chair: Lori Glasky
Speakers Bureau: Lois Fried
Technology (Google/Zoom) Chair: Shoshana Lewin Fischer
Website Administrator & Tech (Donorbox): Julia Weinstein
YES Fund Chair: Deb Lelchuk
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2026 Convention Chairs: Rhonda Daniels, Laurie Kassman
2026 Kavod Awards Chair: Debbie Braymer, Mady Plumer

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
2020-2023   Cher Krichmar, La Mirada, CA


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
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