Members of Tikvat Israel will be able to fill seven seats on the synagogue’s board of directors at a congregational meeting on Sunday, Jan. 19 in the sanctuary.
The following seven members were nominated by the congregation in mid-December to serve terms beginning in January 2014: Michele Eisenberg, Jay P. Goldman, Melanie Grishman, Kelcey Klass, Louis Lefkowitz, Rob Kline and Bob Silverstein.
Goldman, Grishman and Kline currently hold board seats. The others will fill spots vacated by Stu Turkewitz, Sara Harris and Joshua Pollock. Steve Raucher left his board spot when he assumed the vacant treasurer’s position in early fall.
Assuming they receive approval from a quorum of the congregation, the newly elected members will serve two-year terms through December 2015, leading the board through a critical stage in its history that includes decisions about the state of the rabbinate at the synagogue.
Mini-profiles of the candidates, based on information provided by the individuals, follow.
Michele Eisenberg:
>Member of TI since 2003
>Native of Skokie, Ill., and Chicago
>Occupational life: previously a paralegal and still a notary public.
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: member of Chevra Kadesha, environmental and adult education committees and serves on the Yad Squad and Gabbai rotation; Torah trope teacher; previously edited ECC newsletter; initiated the last Adult Bat Mitzvah class; directed a Purim shpiel; reading tutor at Olney Elementary School; periodic horse groomer
Jay P. Goldman:
>Member of TI since 1987
>Native of Auburn, N.Y.
>Occupational life: editor of monthly magazine, School Administrator; adjunct professor at University of Maryland’s College of Journalism
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: TI board member for a dozen years; chair, TI’s strategic communications committee; editor of synagogue Bulletin
Melanie Grishman:
>Member of TI since 1991
>Native of Louisiana and Mississippi
>Occupational life: retired social worker with the Department of Veterans Affairs and supervisor; consultant to VA hospitals.
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: current member of the TI board; past member of adult education committee, Member of the bereavement committee: advisory board member, Misler Adult Day Center.
Rob Kline:
>Member of TI since 1995
>Native of Kingston, NY
>Occupational life: logistician and software designer
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: TI board member since 2005 and Sunday morning minyan captain since 2004.
Kelcey Klass:
>Member of TI since 1973 (Temple Israel)
>Native of Ling Island, N.Y.
>Occupational life: substitute teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools; previously, 17 years with U.S. Department of Education as budget analyst and program and management analyst; earlier, a teacher and principal.
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: past member, Montgomery County Commission on Children and Youth; currently chairing TI membership directory project.
Louis Lefkowitz:
>Member of TI since August 2013.
>Native of Wayne, N.J.
>Occupational life: Attorney with own firm in Rockville.
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: currently member, TI’s Early Childhood Committee and the ECC advisory subcommittee; treasurer and past co-chair, ECC Parent Committee; and board member, Kid Power.
Bob Silverstein:
>Member of TI since 1981.
>Native of Elizabeth, N.J.
>Occupational life: senior-level sales and marketing management positions with associations and commercial publishing companies; adjunct professor teaching marketing at University of Maryland.
>Volunteer roles at TI or elsewhere: past president, Beth Tikva; communications section chair of American Society of Association Executives and publishing track chair of Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives.
