Board of Directors
Alison Mellon
PRESIDENT
Our family joined CBJ in 2016, when we were looking for a strong religious school community for our kids, and we are thrilled to have found this Jewish home. After moving around a lot, from Boston to Tokyo to Pittsburgh to Dallas, and experiencing a range of Jewish community cultures at each shul in those homes, it is wonderful now to find such a flexible, “come as you are,” community in CBJ. I have, so far, been involved in our community through the religious school, as a room parent, school advisory board member, and active parent, and am happy to expand my volunteering in 2021 to serving on the board. Our family enjoys the community ritual of attending Saturday morning Shabbat programming, including Junior Congregation and Power Hour, as well as our community holiday celebrations. Outside of volunteering, I work as a Human Resources director at AJ Tutoring, and whenever possible, I love to carve out time to travel and to cook.
Jon Golovin
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
My wife Susan and I are from the East Coast and never expected that we would end up in California. We came to Berkeley in 1975 where I taught in the engineering school and Susan at Merritt School of Nursing. We moved to the Peninsula in 1982 and have been members at CBJ for over 35 years. Susan was President for three years and has served on the Board. Both of our sons became B'nai Mitzvah at CBJ.
I have been an active participant in the weekly Torah study group since Rabbi Ezray started it and highly recommend it. Now that I am retired, I have time to be a more active CBJ member. I have founded three companies, taken the first public and sold the other two as well as written a book on Manufacturing Excellence. I now advise startups.
Bret Ehrlich
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
I grew up in Sacramento and was active at Mosaic Law Congregation, a Conservative synagogue, and its USY youth group chapter. My wife, Pamela, and I joined CBJ in 1998 and were married at CBJ by Rabbi Ezray that same year. We were attracted to CBJ by its warm community, diverse and engaging programs, and wonderful clergy. CBJ was like a second home to our daughter, Julia (18), who grew up attending CBJ Religious School and Junior Congregation. The three of us all feel very lucky to have made such close friends and connections through our involvement at CBJ.
Professionally, I spent the last 20 years focused on strategic planning, program management, and software product management leadership roles in the banking sector. Recently, I have been active as a volunteer in advocating for actions and policies that can help mitigate and address the risks of climate change. And I am now leading CBJ’s Environment and Climate Activism Group. I am looking forward to serving on the Board in 2023.
Peter Moskovits
THIRD VICE PRESIDENT
My wife Anna and I joined CBJ in 2001, shortly after we moved to the Bay Area from Budapest, Hungary. Both our children, Daniel (16) and Lea (13) have attended CBJ Hebrew school and had their bar/bat mitzvahs at CBJ. Anna and I were born and raised behind the iron curtain, so Daniel was the first to have a bar mitzvah in many generations, and Lea was the very first, who had a bat mitzvah at all. Anna's mom, Aniko, lives with us. She survived the darkest days in the 1940's in Budapest as a child.
As the religious school transitioned to online classes during the first wave of Covid, I assisted our teachers with the tech. We as a family enjoy being part of the Hanukah Fair, where we sell honey from our own backyard bees, to support the CBJ preschool.
Anna is a pediatric physical therapist, while I studied computer science, and have been working in the industry at private and public companies. We love the outdoors and spend a lot of time staying connected with family and friends living overseas.
Dena Koren
TREASURER
Amy Keer
SECRETARY
My husband Harold and I have been part of the CBJ community for over 20 years. It all started one very warm day in July when Rabbi Ezray married us on the Sukkah patio. All three of our boys have attended CBJ Religious School and celebrated their Bar Mitzvahs here, and our youngest attended CBJ’s Preschool too. We are both grateful and proud to be part of this amazing community. I was on the Board in the early 2000s and have served on many committees over the years, including Rockin’ Shabbat and the Religious School Committee. I was also CBJ’s Executive Director from 2004-2009. My background is in Engineering, and before CBJ I worked for several Silicon Valley companies, mostly in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
My current role on the Board is to work with CBJ’s Administrative Staff to help document how we do the many many invisible things that enable our community to be so warm and engaging.
Tami Raubvogel
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
My husband Amir and I have been members of CBJ for almost two decades. Both of our kids (Aaron 21 and Sara 18) have attended the CBJ Religious School and Sara even attended the CBJ preschool. They both had their Bar/Bat Mitzvah at CBJ and we remain active members.
Over the years, the majority of my volunteer hours were spent in the CBJ school wing either helping in the preschool or religious school. This makes sense since, professionally, I work as a school administrator in Menlo Park where I coordinate a Spanish Immersion program. I am also a children’s book author. My book, I Keep Kosher, has been translated into three languages.
I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors as the CBJ president. In addition to supporting the Clergy and staff, my main focus for the board is to help reenergize our congregation through engagement and belonging. I look forward to seeing everyone either virtually or in person during this coming year.
Marty Bronk
BOARD MEMBER
Nico Lidzborski
BOARD MEMBER
My wife Daphna and I have been part of the CBJ community since 2004. Our four children feel at home at CBJ and miss being able to run the halls and play with friends! I joined the board in 2020 after helping CBJ stay online during the COVID-19 pandemic. We actually did stretch network wires across the parking lot prior to the High Holidays! My current role on the Board is to work on modernizing CBJ’s IT infrastructure and ensure that Internet services are safe and reliable. Professionally, I am a software engineer, designing security and privacy improvements for users and have been working at Google for over ten years.
Talia Perlman
BOARD MEMBER
My family joined CBJ when we moved to Redwood City in 2012. My kids are now in the religious school, and you will often find us at Junior Congregation and Rockin' Shabbat. I am grateful to now be part of our board and work collaboratively with fellow board members, clergy, and congregants to address the needs and concerns of our special community, while also exploring creative opportunities for growth and innovation. Outside of synagogue life, I serve on the Redwood City Transportation Advisory Committee, lead bicycle rides for women as part of Team Velo Girls and volunteer with Nursing Mothers Counsel. Professionally, I work in clinical trial quality, currently at Gilead Sciences.
Astrid Rieber
BOARD MEMBER
CBJ has been home to my husband David and I and our children for over 20 years. Our kids --Noemi (24), Joshua (23), and Raquel (19)-- grew up at CBJ attending preschool, religious school, going through their b’nai mitzvahs, and working in the religious school as madrichim. I too had the experience of having my adult b’nai mitzvah at CBJ, a very happy day for me. My favorite part of CBJ is attending Shabbat services followed by sharing Kiddush with community. I have been involved in volunteerism at CBJ over the years in a variety of capacities and am honored and excited to continue to dedicate my time to CBJ as a member of the Board. Professionally, I am a Speech Language Pathologist for the Menlo Park City School District. I enjoy hikes, yoga, reading, travel, and learning Italian.
David Ron
BOARD MEMBER
From my perch, CBJ means community. When we come together, either in learning, prayer or social action I feel lifted and strengthened by our power. Over the last year, as co-chair of the Am Israel Task Force, I have seen the effectiveness of combining our voices as we address issues of antisemitism in our community.
My wife Susan and I live in San Carlos and have been members since 1984, soon after we moved here from Boston. We raised two children (Elana and Erik) at CBJ and have been active in the community ever since including previously serving on the board.
Professionally, I have had a career as a CFO and company-builder in the innovation world of Silicon Valley. I have founded tech companies that have been acquired by Salesforce, IBM, Microsoft, FactSet and others.
Together we can accomplish so much more than as individuals and am honored to serve on the board to help make this so.
Susan Rose
BOARD MEMBER
Our family joined Congregation Beth Jacob in 1987, shortly after Sarah was born and then we welcomed David in 1989. Both of our children went to Toddler Time with Teacher Karen (Stein) and then to the Keshet Preschool, Sarah in the inaugural class. My husband Jon served on the Board for eight years and I was active as our kids went through the Religious School and became b’nai mitzvot. Recently, my husband and I became involved with CBJ’s Welcome Circle and supporting a refugee family. I am a retired non-profit director and am eager to provide ways to support the programs and clergy as a board member .
Esther Selk
BOARD MEMBER
Esther Selk’s formal Jewish education began on her mother’s lap in Junior Congregation and being with her own daughter each week evokes the powerful experience of l’dor v’dor. She is honored to be serving on the CBJ board and she brings a wide and varied skill set. Esther has been a classroom teacher for almost 25 years, primarily teaching math and science, and is currently the eighth grade Algebra teacher and Alum Affairs Director at The Girls’ Middle School in Palo Alto. Esther directs, acts, and choreographs for community theater productions, and is a dancer and teacher at Zohar School of Dance. She believes the most powerful tool for teachers and students, of all ages and subjects, is a growth mindset. She moves through life with the conviction that each of us can open our hearts and minds to new concepts, struggle and grapple with them, and redefine our strengths. Esther’s experience of Judaism supports and mirrors the learning she experiences with her students.