B’nei Mitzvah Policies, Budget, Personnel, Board Development, Fundraising, Planned Giving, Archives, Facilities & Grounds
Nina Peskin has served GJC’s community as Executive Director and Cantorial Soloist since November, 2010. She is grateful to be able to engage in so many aspects of our rich community life, from the administrative and leadership roles she plays, to the spiritual work of service leading. Nina co-leads our monthly Kol Zimrah service and participates in High Holiday service leading with Rabbi Zeff, as well as S’lichot services and other special performances and a recording with the GJC band, G’vanim. In addition to learning from the wonderful community members who make up our congregation, she derives deep fulfillment from collaborating with GJC’s talented and dedicated staff team.
Finance, HR, Budget, Collections, Membership billing
Gloria Geissler joined the staff of GJC as Finance Director in November 2004. She came with over 15 years of experience working with both for-profit companies and non-profit organizations in the Philadelphia area. She has worked with law firms, a housing counseling agency, women’s rights organizations and for several related organizations based at Reading Terminal Market. She spends her spare time pursuing her hobbies of gardening and botanical art.
Membership, Programming & Publicity, Centre Call, GJC Weekly & Listserv, Kiddush Sponsorship, Kashrut Policy, Building Space Requests, Website & Social Media, Shabbat & Holiday Childcare
Kate is thrilled to have a home in the GJC mishpoche! With a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall in Theatre and Russian Literature, Kate appreciates being able to use her creativity to bring GJC’s inspiring programs to life and has discovered a love for graphic design throughout her time here. She started working for GJC in 2010 in the administrative department and grew into her role as Program Director in 2015. In 2019, Kate took on the additional role of Membership Director. She values positive energy, honesty, and the connections she builds with people. When not at work, Kate can be found gardening, baking, reading, and playing board games.
Scheduling with Program & Membership Director Kate Lawn, Synagogue Calendar, Building Space Usage & Room Rentals, Constituency Group Liason
Jared Jacobson joined the GJC team in June of 2022. He holds a B.A. in Classical Studies. He lives in Mt. Airy with his sweet older cat. Jared is an avid content consumer (podcasts, books, television, movies), and in his spare time likes to cross-stitch and build LEGO. He is passionate about Jewish faith and very excited to be serving this “community of communities!”
Office Management, Registrations & Billings, Book of Remembrance, Collections
Rebecca has been an integral part of the office staff since 2015 and now holds the role of Operations Coordinator. She brings with her a can-do spirit and creative thinking skills. Rebecca earned her B.F.A. in Writing for Film & Television from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. In the United Kingdom, she earned her M.A. in Creative Writing at the University of Newcastle. She has previously worked for a financial planning firm and was a customer service liaison for a major retail chain. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys writing, reading, rock climbing, and biking.
Grounds & Facilities
Eric Word has been working at GJC since 1988 and values the relationships he has formed within the community since he first came to the Centre at age 5 and started working here at age 14. Needless to say, he knows the building inside and out. Eric was born in Germantown and has lived in Philadelphia his whole life. He enjoys sports, movies and learning new things. In his free time, Eric likes to relax and spend time with his son.
Maintenance
Jose Toro was born in Puerto Rico and has worked at GJC for over a decade. He is kind, dedicated, possesses an excellent work ethic, enjoys helping others, and deeply understands how important services and programming are to serving this community. Jose appreciates the camaraderie of the staff and the warmth of our community. Above all, Jose values his beautiful family, and prioritizes spending time with them, especially with his daughter, who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016.
Early Childhood Program Director
Catherine joined the GJC ECP staff as the assistant director in 2022 and has moved into the role of program director. She began her career in Health Care Administration after earning a Masters in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Rochester. After working in the healthcare sector, Catherine changed directions and earned a Masters in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, taking additional coursework to become dual-certified in both Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. Over the past 18 years, she has taught all ages from birth through first grade. Last year, Catherine also completed work for her Director’s Certificate. She has always been drawn to the early childhood environment, as she believes these years to be so incredibly important to a child’s lifelong development.
Early Childhood Program Administrative Assistant
Cece Schocken is the administrative assistant for the ECP! She has worked in the ECP previously as a teaching assistant and is excited to take on this new role. She is currently a Drexel student finishing her Bachelors in psychology. She plans on obtaining her Masters in public health focused on maternal and child health and working toward her medical degree. She hopes to work in the women’s health sector and provide necessary prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care for expecting parents and their babies. Outside of work, Cece enjoys being the best pup-parent possible to her 4-year-old mini Australian lab mix, Molly, which includes many whipped cream cups and long hikes around Philadelphia.
Religious School, Teen Tuesdays & Confirmation Class, B’nei Mitzvah, Children’s Services & Holidays, Youth Activities, Library
Abigail Weinberg celebrated her Bat Mitzvah, wedding, and children’s B’nei Mitzvah at GJC and is thrilled to now be facilitating all aspects of youth and family education. After graduating from Barnard College in 1992, where she studied political science, religion, and education, Abby taught environmental education for one year and in Hebrew Day Schools for three years. She then turned to a career in organizational and non-profit management primarily in the Jewish community. She has worked for a variety of Jewish social justice organizations, both in Israel and the US, as well as within schools and synagogues in areas such as recruitment, marketing, fundraising, event planning, and outreach. Since receiving her Masters in Urban Studies from Temple University in 2006, Abby has served as the Administrative Director of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia and the Associate Director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Religious School Assistant
Caroline Hicks joined the GJC team in August of 2021. She was born and raised in Germantown and loves being a part of the local community which is why she enjoys and appreciates her position at GJC so much. She holds an A.A.S. in Visual Communications, Video Production, and Professional Photography. She received all three degrees from Cecil College which is in North East, MD. When she is not working, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, watching movies and reading. She is a proud cat mom to her two cats Milo & Betty. Also, after working within the restaurant industry for many years, she considers herself an extreme “Foodie” who loves to explore the many wonderful restaurants, food trucks, and take-out spots throughout the city and the regional area, to find that perfect place that can provide good vibes and good food.