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2023-2024 Board of Trustees Bios

Mount Sinai Jewish Center 2023-2024 Board of Trustees Bios

 
OFFICERS
President: Gilad Kopelman
Gilad is originally from Sunnyvale, CA and has lived in Washington Heights since 2007 as a YU student. He is co-chair of the Gabbai Committee, and is excited to serve a second term on the board, and his first as an officer. Professionally, he works as a credit analyst at S&P Global Ratings. Gilad, his wife Elisheva, and their daughter Maytal enjoy trying out new restaurants, jogging across the

 
Vice President: Shani San Solo
Shani, originally from Miami, has lived in Washington Heights for 10 years. She works as an engineer designing medical devices and spends her free time on DIY projects, puzzles, drinking coffee or doing any water related activity. After serving on the board of trustees for 4 years and having been involved in numerous Shul events and committees, she looks forward to another great year!
 
 
Michael-Altaras.jpg Recording Secretary: Michael Altaras
Michael is originally from New Jersey (Clifton or Passaic, depends on the day) and moved to Washington Heights over 9 years ago. He joined Mount Sinai after marrying his wife, who has been a member at Mount Sinai for far longer than he has. Michael works for a marketing firm, Storytribe Media, as the Director of Operations. He is a proud member of the hashkama minyan fan club (even if he doesn't always wake up on time) and is looking forward to joining the board for his second year.
AriRieser.jpg
Treasurer: Ari Rieser
Ari works locally in the Heights as a physical therapist and acupuncturist. He joined the MSJC Board 9 years ago and for the past 5 years he has served as a shul officer. Ari enjoys grilling at shul bbq events, is co-chair of the Safety and Security Committee and is gabbai of the Hashkama minyan. He is married to Shuli and they have 2 children.
Financial Secretary: Shira Bindiger
Originally from West Hempstead, NY,  Shira Bindiger has lived in Washington Heights (another WH) for the last seven years.   Shira joined the board in 2020 as the financial secretary and is excited to continue serving on the board.  During the day, she can be found working as an Assistant Controller for a large Jewish non-profit and hopes to continue to use that experience to contribute to the shul.
 
 
TRUSTEES
Atara Blicker
Atara is originally from Lawrence and has lived in Washington Heights for 4 years. She works as a software developer for Broadridge, a financial tech company. Atara can often be found taking long walks around the Heights with her husband Josh and adorable baby Yosef. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, talking about books, cooking, and reading about cooking. She has served on the Events Committee and is looking forward to joining the board for the first time!
Evan Finkelstein 
Evan moved to Washington Heights in 2018 after graduating Rutgers University with a Bachelor's in Information Technology and Psychology. He works at Ben Porat Yosef as the Director of Technology. Evan previously served on the MSJC Board of Trustees from 2019 to 2022, and has helped plan and run events such as communal shabbat meals and "Tackling Taboos."
Shaya First
Shaya has called the Heights home since 2009, and currently lives across the street from Mt Sinai along with his wife Ayelet. He spends his days teaching Physics and Judaics at Torah Academy of Bergen County, where he also runs the Scholars program and is the 11th grade Mechanech. He is co-chair of the Mt Sinai Education Committee, and is also involved on the gabbai committee, where he serves as the leining coordinator. His hobbies include exploring nature, making groan worthy puns, and studying Jewish History. 
Becca Gelberman
Becca Gelberman is excited for her first year on the board! Originally from Teaneck, New Jersey, Becca has been living in the heights since 2016. Working as a non profit accountant, Becca enjoys being involved in organizations both professionally and personally. She has volunteering as a member of the events committee this past year and looks forward to growing her involvement. 
Davida Kollmar
Davida Kollmar is excited to serve on the board for her seventh term! She grew up in Edison, NJ, but has been living in the Heights since August 2013 (with a hiatus for the pandemic) and has been a shul member since that December. She has been a Gabbai since 2014 (co-chair since 2019) and has been a member of the education committee since 2016 (co-chair from 2017-2020). She is a data scientist by trade and also has a degree from GPATS.
Arel Levkovich
Raised in the holy city of Woodmere, Arel returned to the Washington Heights community in 2021 after attending YU for college and going to graduate school in Long Island. He works as a psychologist and is passionate about helping people achieve their goals. Before joining the Board, Arel assisted with event planning and is now looking forward to serving Mt. Sinai in this new capacity. He is a diehard Islanders fan and enjoys spending time outdoors.
Batsheva Loeb
 
 
Sarah Ratner 
Sarah moved to Washington Heights from Philadelphia in 2017. She is an attorney for Fryman PC, a law firm founded by former heights resident and Mount Sinai board member David Fryman. Sarah joined the Board of Trustees in 2018. She has worked on Mix-it-Up Shabbat meals and onegs, led the Membership Drive, co-chaired the 2021 journal dinner, and served as co-chair of the Welcoming Committee. Sarah and her husband Yitzchak are also members of the Eruv committee. Sarah frequently attends Dr. Schwartz’s fireside chats. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys cooking with her husband Yitzchak and spending time with their daughter Naomi and cat Falafel.
Michael Feuerstein Rudin
Michael moved to the heights from Teaneck when he started YU in 2015. When not working, I like to play board games, go on walks, and drive around the heights for hours looking for parking.
Sarah Schnoll
Sarah grew up in Cedarhurst and has been a member of Mt. Sinai for six years.  She is proud to call the Mt. Sinai community her home.  She studied Electrical Engineering at Cooper Union and works as an Engineer on Long Island. She also loves to bake and decorate cakes.  She has been involved with Women’s Hakafot and Women’s Megillah reading at Mt. Sinai as a member of the Gabbai Committee, and is chairing the Construction Committee. She looks forward to continuing to serve the community. 
Rivka Press Schwartz
Rivka Press Schwartz has lived in Washington Heights since 1999, and remembers when the Heights had multiple kosher butchers, bakeries, and a kosher grocery store in what's now the Spoiled Brats pet store. She has been active in Mt. Sinai since 2009, as Rebbetzin for 10 years and as a frequent speaker at various shul programs. Rivka's five children have grown up in the embrace of the Mt. Sinai and Washington Heights community. In her day job, Rivka serves as an administrator at SAR High School and its affiliated research arm, Machon Siach. Much to her own surprise, Rivka has in recent years become a fairly serious hiker.
Daniel Shlian
Originally hailing from Central New Jersey, Daniel has lived in Washington Heights for somewhere between 6 and 11 years, depending on how one counts. By day, he works in chemistry and/or software development, and he enjoys exploring the city by train and on foot with his wife Eleorah and their two children. Daniel deeply values the Mount Sinai community for the passion and dedication its members have for God and for one another, and is a member of the defending Panoply championship team.
Gila Stadler
Gila has lived in Washington Heights since 2006, and has been an active member of Mt. Sinai since then. She and her husband Naftali Polachek have three sons.  Gila has served on the board and several committees, including the meals for new parents committee. Naftali and Gila have also worked to create busing options to Jewish elementary schools, to give more educational options to those who want to raise families in Washington Heights. Professionally, Gila works in public health, supporting primary care practices around NYC through her work at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
 
 

 

Sun, April 28 2024 20 Nisan 5784