Meet the Staff

Rabbi Jill Borodin
Phone: (206) 524-0075
contact form

Rabbis Corner

Sabbatical Information

Rabbi Jill Borodin is a native of Toronto, Canada. Rabbi Borodin graduated with a joint honors degree in Jewish and Middle East Studies from McGill University. In 2001 she was ordained as a Conservative rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and received her Masters of Arts in Jewish Education. Rabbi Borodin has lived in Canada, Israel, France and the United States and volunteered with the Jewish community in Romania under the auspices of the Joint Distribution Committee. Prior to coming to Seattle, Rabbi Borodin was the Rav Sheni at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania. In her spare time, Rabbi Borodin likes to read, rollerblade, bike, and work with clay. Rabbi Borodin lives with her twin daughters in the north end of Seattle. She has served as Congregation Beth Shalom's rabbi since 2005, and looks forward to getting to know you.

Tzachi Litov
Phone: (206) 524-0075
contact form Executive Director

Tzachi brings an eclectic background and a lot of energy to CBS. He made aliyah in 1982 and served in the IDF before returning to the US to pursue other interests. His varied experiences from corporate America to small fishing villages in Alaska bring a unique quality to all he does. He has worked exclusively in the Jewish world for the last 8 years as religious school administrator at Temple Beth Or in Everett and then Program Director at Herzl-Ner Tamid on Mercer Island before coming to Beth Shalom. His background in non-profit management and his genuine way with people have made him a wonderful fit as our Executive Director.

Tzachi, his wife Lara (a northwest native) and their 2 boys live on the Eastside and can often be found roller blading, hiking or building milk carton boats. His office is always open to those wanting to chat or looking for ways to connect with the greater CBS community.

Kellogg Conference for Jewish Leaders
Our executive director Tzachi Litov recently attended this invitation only conference.  Click here to read more...

Irit Eliav, MSW
Phone: (206) 524-0075, ext. 2503
contact form Director of Education

Leah Lemchen
Phone (206) 524-0075 ext. 2516
contact form ECC Director

Leah Lemchen is the director of the Early Childhood Center. She and her husband Matt have two daughters, Heather and Madeline, who attend the Seattle Jewish Community School. Leah has worked in the field of childcare for twenty years. Her experience includes supervising the after school program at the Jewish Community Center, teaching extended day Kindergarten and preschool, teaching at an English immersion preschool in Japan, running her own home based childcare and most recently working as a Mentor Teacher at Kidspace Childcare Center in Seattle.

Leah is a certified childcare trainer through the Washington State STARS program. She received a degree in Early Childhood Education from Bellevue College in 1998. Since then, she has worked to keep current in the field of early childhood by taking classes and attending conferences. She and her husband have been involved in the Seattle Jewish Community in a variety of ways since childhood.

Carol Benedick
Phone: (206) 524-0075, ext. 2504
contact form Program Coordinator

Carol Benedick has been a member of Congregation Beth Shalom for over twenty years, and, except for spending a year in Israel in 2007-08, she has been the Program Director since 1999. Carol has a Master’s degree from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Before working at CBS, Carol worked in the Russian – American fishing industry and in Refugee Resettlement at Jewish Family Service.

In her free time, Carol likes to sew, knit, garden and enjoy life with her husband, Joe Orzech and their two teenage daughters.

Marjie Cogan
Phone: (206) 524-0075, ext. 2500
contact form Front Office Coordinator

Marjie Cogan hails from Portland, Oregon, where she spent 12 years in Sunday School at Neveh Shalom. She moved up to Seattle to go to college at the University of Washington. Marjie loved college. "I would have stayed there for the rest of my life if I could have." In spite of that she did finally graduate with a degree in Drama - Stage Management. She worked for many years as a stage manager, including Julliard in NYC, Intiman, The Group Theater, NW Asian American Theater and New City. To supplement her income, Marjie worked a number of office jobs. You may have spoken to her on the phone many times without even realizing it. She sends out the cybershul, edits the Shavu'on and the Ruach, and sells and sends out the High Holiday tickets. Give her a call if you need anything.

Ann Kelly
Phone: (206) 524-0075 ext.2512
Assistant to Director of Education

Ann Kelly has been the Assistant to the Director of Education and Chaverim advisor at Congregation Beth Shalom since January of 2007. She is currently in the Masters in Teaching program at the University of Washington and is a student teacher at Newport Heights Elementary in Bellevue. She was an active participant in the Pinwheel Region of USY, where she served as the Membership/Kadima Vice-President for the region. Ann is the backbone of the Religious School and Prozdor programs, where she is responsible for ensuring that the administrative operations of the program run smoothly. Her incredible organizational skills, creative talents, and natural ability with children make her an extraordinary asset to our community.

Sandy Sloane
Phone: (206) 524-0075, ext. 2508
contact form Lifecycle Coordinator and Rabbi's Assistant

Sandy is brand new to both Beth Shalom and Seattle. She and her husband moved here from South Florida to be near their daughter, son-in-law and 2 adorable grandsons. She was a stay at home mom until her children were in middle school at which point she began her career in administration and human resources.
Sandy and her husband enjoy exploring the trails, markets and restaurants in the Seattle area. They both agree that “warm climates are completely overrated” and are enjoying the four seasons that we have here.
This is a lovely community and I am so happy to be a part of it. If we haven’t met, please come by or call and introduce yourself.

 

Emma Shusterman, MA
Phone: (206) 524-0075, ext. 2505
contact form Bookkeeper

Emma was born in Russian in Kazan, the capital of a big Muslim autonomous republic, Tatarstan, located in the center of Russia. She received her masters in Accounting from the Finance-Economics Institute of Kazan. In 1991, she made aliyah to Israel, and then moved to Seattle in 1996, with her two daughters, to be closer to her parents and her three sisters, (all Beth Shalom members) who already lived in this city. She started working for Beth Shalom almost right after arriving in the US. During the ten years she has worked at CBS, the shul and its members have become a tremendously significant part of her life. Her family could not have survived without this support and help. She came to this country without a word of English, but spoke Russian, Hebrew and German. With that she worked as a Shabbat babysitter (with her daughters' help) and RS ozeret. While improving her English she started to volunteer for the synagogue's office and then was offered a part time position. From 1999 until 2004 she was working a full time as a Rabbis assistant and assistant to Director of Education. Since the summer of 2004 she has been the Beth Shalom Bookkeeper. "If you have questions regarding your statements, account, stock transfer, donations, credit card payments, etc, please contact me, and I will be more then happy to assist you."

Sandy Sloan
206-524-0075
Contact Form Lifecycle Coordinator and Rabbi's Assistant