Staff : Rabbi Adam Zeff

Rabbi, Ext. 18, adamzeff@verizon.net
Adam Zeff has served the Germantown Jewish Centre community since 2002, first as Student Rabbi then, after his ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2007, as Assistant Rabbi, and now as 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 : Jill Levy

Student Rabbi, Ext. 16, studentrabbi@germantownjewishcentre.org
Jill Levy is a fifth-year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary and a Wexner Graduate Fellow. Her congregational experience includes serving as the Legacy Heritage Rabbinic Fellow in Orlando, Florida, as a student rabbi in Huntsville, Alabama, and as a Resnick Intern in Pelham, New York. Jill's work in Jewish education includes teaching adults in congregational settings, including GJC, as well as informal youth education at Camp Ramah and various Hebrew schools. She also has an M.P.A. with a concentration in Environmental Policy and Non-profit Management from Columbia University and an undergraduate degree in Biology and Jewish Studies from the University of Washington. Jill is married to Matthew Silverman, a second-year rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. They are proud parents to daughter Nava Silverman.

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 : Nina Peskin

Membership Director, Ext. 28, membership@germantownjewishcentre.org
Nina Peskin joins GJC after serving as Director of Membership Services at Temple Beth Zion Beth Israel. Nina has dedicated the last several years to community building and we believe she will bring that special talent to her position here. She moved to Philadelphia two years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was a public school teacher as well as cantorial soloist at Chochmat Halev. Nina earned her BA in History at UC Santa Cruz, and her Masters in Education at Chapman University. Nina has performed with women's ensemble groups Ya Elah and Kitka, while living in California, and facilitated a poetry class in the San Francisco County Jail's Right to Write Project. She is thrilled to be joining the staff of Germantown Jewish Centre and looks forward to making connections with members here. Nina lives in Mount Airy with her husband, Josh, and their golden retriever, Manny.

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 the Raymond and Ruth Perelman Jewish Day School system, Gratz College Jewish Community High School, and several summer camps. He and his wife Rebecca Meyer and their three daughters lived in Israel for six years. It was upon their return to the United States that he embarked on a career change from veterinary medicine to Jewish Education. Kevin is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, joining the rabbinate in 2007. 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.

Staff : Gloria Geissler

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

Staff : Tracy Feldstein-Gardner

Administrative Assistant, Ext. 14, tracy@germantownjewishcentre.org

Staff : Julie Braman

Administrative Assistant, Ext. 10, office@germantownjewishcentre.org

Staff : Terry Smerling

Religious School Administrative Assistant, Ext. 13, tsmerling@germantownjewishcentre.org

Staff : Eric Word

Maintenance Supervisor, Ext. 11, maintenance@germantownjewishcentre.org

Staff : Rabbi Leonard Gordon

Rabbi Emeritus, rabbi@germantownjewishcentre.org
Leonard Gordon served as Rabbi at the Germantown Jewish Centre in Philadelphia from 1994 to 2010. Before taking this pulpit, he held teaching positions in Religion and Humanities at Kenyon College and the Ohio State University. He has also taught at The Jewish Theological Seminary, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Brown and Columbia Universities.

He graduated Columbia College in 1976, studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1985 and has Masters degrees in Religious Studies from Brown and Columbia Universities.

His wife, Dr. Lori Lefkovitz, is the incoming Ruderman Professor of Jewish Studies at Northeastern University. They have two daughters, Ronya, a recent graduate of Brandeis University and Samara, who begins the University of Pennsylvania this fall.