Germantown Jewish Centre

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Staff | Board Members

Staff : Rabbi Leonard Gordon

Rabbi, Ext. 30 (voicemail, ext. 18), rabbi@germantownjewishcentre.org
Rabbi Leonard Gordon has served as Rabbi at GJC since 1994. Rabbi Gordon came to GJC with a background in teaching and community building and has continued to teach adults and children at the Centre and rabbinical students at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He chairs the recently created Commission on Social Justice and Public Policy of the Conservative movement and also chairs the Rabbinical Assembly's Social Action Committee. For the past decade he has been active on the Rabbinical Assembly's committee to create a new Conservative High Holiday Mahzor (due out in 2009). He is on the board of the Religious Leaders Council of Philadelphia, the Jewish Publication Society, and Rabbis for Human Rights-North America. Recently, he published an article on religious pluralism and Mishnah tractate Eduyyot in the journal Conservative Judaism. A past chair of the National Havurah Committee, he has taught Comparative Religion and Rabbinic Literature at Columbia University, Brown University, Ohio State, and Kenyon College, where he directed the Integrated Program in Humane Studies. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1985 and holds masters degrees in Religious Studies from Brown and Columbia Universities. Rabbi Gordon is married to Dr. Lori Lefkovitz, Gottesman Professor and Director of KOLOT: The Center for Women’s and Gender Studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Their daughter Ronya is a senior at Brandeis University and Samara will study this year in Israel at the Alexander Muss School (as part of her 11th grade experience at Barrack Hebrew Academy).

Staff : Rabbi Adam Zeff

Assistant Rabbi, Ext. 16, adamzeff@verizon.net
Adam Zeff has served the Germantown Jewish Centre community since 2002, first as Student Rabbi and now, since his ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2007, as Assistant Rabbi. In addition to his other responsibilities, Rabbi Zeff enjoys bringing music and storytelling into his rabbinic work at GJC, where he also serves as the hazzan and choir director. He has trained as a singer and musician for many years, studying western classical music, South Indian classical music, and diverse Jewish musical traditions. Rabbi Zeff holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Cheryl, a physician with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, live in Mt. Airy with their three sons, Zeke, Avi, and Mati.

Staff : Rachel Gross

Executive Director, Ext. 12, director@germantownjewishcentre.org
Rachel Gross joined the staff of Germantown Jewish Centre in January 1996 as the youth advisor. She has worked at GJC in the capacity of Program Director and Managing Director, and is currently our Executive Director. She oversees building operations and maintenance, programs, publicity, and membership relations.

Staff : Gloria Geissler

Finance Director, Ext. 15, finance@germantownjewishcentre.org

Staff : Rabbi Kevin Bernstein

Education Director, Ext. 24, education@germantownjewishcentre.org
Rabbi Kevin Bernstein joined the staff at GJC as Education Director in the Summer of 2008. He has served as a Jewish Educator in many capacities, including our Perelman Day School system, Gratz College Jewish Community High School and several summer camps. He and his family, wife Rebecca and three daughters, made aliyah and lived in Israel for six years. It was upon his return to the United States that he embarked on his journey to a full-time career in Jewish Education. Kevin is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, joining the rabbinate as a second career after a first career in veterinary medicine. He also serves new Jewish parents in the community as a mohel.

Staff : Mindy Pitkofsky

Early Childhood Program Director, 215-844-1510, ecp@germantownjewishcentre.org
Mindy Pitkofsky joined the staff at GJC in August 2008 as our Early Childhood Program Director. She brings unique and diverse experiences to her position at GJC. After having taught in many pre-schools in Bucks County, she began her Jewish education career as a pre-school teacher for Jewish Federation of Philadelphia. As Pre-School Director for Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, N.J., Mindy was responsible for the daily administration of the center. Mindy set up and ran a full-day Head Start program for the homeless, and designed marketing and promotional materials for the Agency. She also has extensive managerial experience in workforce development. Mindy lives with her husband, Gary, in Holland, Bucks County. She is the proud mother of two children and an adoring grandmother.

Staff : Elana Shaw

Program Director, Ext. 19, program@germantownjewishcentre.org
Elana Shaw began working part-time for GJC in September 2004 as Synaplex Coordinator. She eagerly joined the staff in a full-time capacity in August 2005 as Program Director. Elana brings with her a wealth of knowledge, passion and experience working with Jewish communities in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. After completing a Joint M.A. in Jewish Communal Service and Judaic Studies at the Hornstein Program of Brandeis University, she most recently worked as Assistant Director of the Community Youth Initiative of the JCCs of Greater of Philadelphia. Elana, her husband Brian, a physician at Chestnut Hill & Roxborough Hospitals, their daughter Hannah, and dog Nava, live in Mt. Airy.