Germantown Jewish Centre

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Staff | Board Members

Staff : Rabbi Leonard Gordon

Rabbi, Ext. 30 (voicemail, ext. 18), rabbi@germantownjewishcentre.org
Leonard Gordon has served as Rabbi at Germantown Jewish Centre since 1994. He has taught rabbinic literature at the Jewish Theological Seminary and is a member of the Chancellor’s Rabbinic Cabinet. Rabbi Gordon currently serves on the Rabbinical Assembly’s Social Action and Mahzor committees. At the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, he has taught the seminar in Rabbinic Civilization and was a member of the College’s task force on Spiritual Direction. Rabbi Gordon has published articles on the history of rabbinic Judaism and issues of gender and Judaism in scholarly and popular publications including Conservative Judaism, The Journal of Reform Judaism and The Reconstructionist. 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, Academic Director of KOLOT: The Center for Women’s and Gender Studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. They have two daughters, Ronya and Samara.

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

Staff : Early Childhood Program Director

215-844-1510, ecp@germantownjewishcentre.org

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.