Board of Directors
The Bet Haverim Board of Directors conducts congregational business with oversight of all synagogue finances, facilities, and human resources.
The Board of Directors also ensures that the by-laws of the congregation are upheld. Each member of the Board is elected by the membership to a three-year term. Elections for new directors are a part of our Annual Partner Meeting.
The Board of Directors additionally issues an Annual Summary each year at the congregation’s Annual Meeting. The report details the activities of the committees, groups, staff, and others working to execute programs, services, and special events at Bet Haverim.
For this year’s Annual Report click here.
Questions can be directed to President, Rob Egel or Vice President, Liz Bader-Natal through the form below, or contact the Executive Director.
Send a message to the President or Vice President
Meet our Board of Directors
Rob Egel
President
Rob Egel and his wife, Dotti, have been members of CBH for 25 years. Their children attended CBH religious & Hebrew school, had their B’nai Mitzvahs, confirmations, and participated in the synagogue youth group, DRTY. Rob recently served as the co-chair of the Rabbi Search Committee. Rob also previously served on the CBH Board of Directors for 5 years (2009-2014) where he served as Vice President, co-chaired the Distinguished Volunteer Committee for several years, and helped to establish and manage the CBH Men’s Club. Rob and Dotti also managed the CBH Progressive Dinners for 4 years and Friday night Onegs for 2 years (prior to the pandemic). Rob recently retired after 36 years working for the State of California, including having served for the Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs for the State Water Resources Control Board for the last 16 years of his career.
Liz Bader-Natal
Vice-President
Liz Bader-Natal and her family moved to Davis in the spring of 2019 after over a decade in the Bay Area. Professionally, she is the Director of Styling at Dia&Co, a subscription and ecommerce business focused on women who wear plus size clothing. Outside of work she’s dedicated to establishing her family’s place in the Davis Jewish community and helping to plan for the future of CBH as Chair of the Strategic Planning Team and a member of the Rabbinic Search Committee. Liz is passionate about Jewish Summer Camp, hosting epic Passover Seders and all the details surrounding her kids’ future bar and mitzvahs (not until 2024 and 2027 respectively).
Robin Kulakow
Immediate Past President
Robin Kulakow joined CBH as a UCD graduate student in 1984. Robin and her husband, Bill Julian, married at CBH and their three children attended religious & Hebrew school, had their B’nai Mitzvahs and confirmations, and participated in the synagogue youth group, DRTY. Robin has served on the CBH Board of Directors and on the Tree of Life Committee. Most recently, Robin served on the hiring committee to select our new Executive Director and as co-chair for the Rabbi Search Committee. Robins professional background includes Co-Founder of Putah Creek Council, serving on their Board for 15 years and Founder of Yolo Basin Foundation and leading the effort to create the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, serving as their Executive Director for 25 years.
Stephen Fineberg
Treasurer/Executive Commitee
Steve Fineberg and wife Barbara met at CU Boulder, survived his Navy stint, and then eventually arrived Davis in 2006, joining CBH with two young children who attended Gan Haverim preschool and the religious school curriculum though their bat and bar mitzvahs (mitzvot?). Steve has previously served on the Finance committee. To the role of Treasurer, Steve brings 20 years of finance and public accounting experience. Steve enjoys gardening, singing in the shower, walking his 2 adorable pug’s short distances, and watching his wife build out their camper van.
Maurice Pitesky
SECRETARY
Maurice Pitesky and his family live in Davis and have been members of CBH for over 10 years. All 3 of his children went to Hebrew school, religious school and had their B’nai mitzvah at CBH. Professionally Maurice is an associate professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine where he focuses on poultry health and food safety epidemiology. He currently serves on the Jewish Climate Committee at the School of Veterinary Medicine and, as a start-up co-founder and CEO, has experience in business management and financial management software. Maurice looks forward to working with the board and the greater CBH community to continue to enrich and support CBH.
Steven Folb
Steven and his wife, Deborah, moved to Davis in 2007 with their two children Brandon and Alexa. After joining CBH, both children attended religious and Hebrew school through their Confirmations. Steven and Deborah have been involved with various committees over the years, with Deborah focusing on EYC while Steven has previously led the Partnership Committee, was a member of the Executive Director Search Committee, and the Rabbinic Process Team. Both of their children have been involved in leadership with DRTY and NFTY as Past Presidents and Regional Board Members. Professionally, Steven has had a long career in the wine industry with several executive positions managing sales and operations. He currently the SVP of Sales & Production for the Avaline Brand.
Harriet Gadisman
Harriet moved to Davis with her husband Meir in 1984. Both Ma’ayan and Jordan (their kids) were raised and went to Sunday School and Hebrew School at Bet Haverim and had B’nei Mitzvot here. Harriet has a rich cultural and religious background in Judaism. She served at CBH as the first Teen Group Director. She was on both the Ritual Committee and School Committee and served on the Rabbi Search Committee that chose Rabbi Greg Wolfe. She is a retired Davis elementary school teacher with a Master’s in Educational Administration and National Board Certification. Harriet is currently chair of the Countering Antisemitism Committee. She loves forests and oceans, doing yoga, swimming, music, literature, and art. She attends Shabbat morning services and Torah Study at Congregation Bet Haverim regularly.
Eliana Kaimowitz
Eliana has called Davis home since 2009. Her family’s first experience at CBH was enrolling her child at Gan Haverim Preschool and attending community events geared toward families with young children. She has participated in the Rosh Chodesh group, enrolled her children in religious programming, and enjoys attending the family services. Professionally Eliana has worked as a nonprofit immigration attorney, a human rights researcher, and more recently, she serves as the Immigrant Integration Branch Chief at the California Department of Social Services. She is looking forward to supporting Board initiatives that ensure our CBH community is welcoming to all and actively supporting interfaith families and community-building initiatives. She believes community-building happens when we are intentional about creating the time and space to talk, eat, celebrate, and act together. She looks forward to serving on the Board and helping our new Rabbis turn their ideas into reality here in Davis.
Jaime Ordonez
Jaime and his wife, Carmia, moved to Davis in 1996 and have been long-time members of CBH. Their daughters, Talia and Leila, have grown up in the CBH community, from attending Gan Haverim through Confirmation to being active in DRTY and NFTY, being madrichot for Sunday School, and spending most of their summers at Camp Newman. Jaime graduated from medical school in his home country of Ecuador and now works as the Program Director for Children’s Medical Services at the Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency. Jaime was honored to become a Bar Mitzvah in 2020 with Rabbi Greg’s Adult B’nai Mitzvah class (virtually!). Jaime is currently serving on the CBH COVID-19 Taskforce and looks forward to expanding his service to CBH on the Board.
Laurie Stillman
Laurie Stillman first attended CBH in 2003 and officially joined Bet Haverim several years later, when Laurie and her partner Catrina Wagner began bringing their son Jordan to programs and services for young families. Jordan became a Bar Mitzvah with the Zoom Mitzvah Class of 2020 after going through Religious and Hebrew School at CBH, and he is now a rising 10th grader involved in our Teen Programs. Whether helping her grandma set up the cookies with the temple Sisterhood for Shabbat Onegs, leading her BBYO chapter in high school, or celebrating holidays and festivals with Hillel in college, Judaism and involvement in Jewish organizations have always been an important part of Laurie’s identity and experience. It followed then that Laurie would engage in the CBH community as well. She has served for seven years on the Education & Youth Committee, with three years as Chair. During that time Laurie supported the transition of staff leadership, helped to create new programs and initiatives, and developed relationships that have enriched her life. Laurie was also involved in the work of the Hate Incident Task Force and, most recently, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. Laurie’s personal interests include food, politics, and podcasts. She is happy to chat about any of these with you. In the professional sphere, Laurie is a Student Development Consultant and Diversity & Inclusion Educator. Laurie is skilled in advising, training, and facilitation, with a background in social justice and deep engagement in higher education communities. Laurie seeks to help individuals and groups reach their full potential to make a positive impact in the world. She is excited about what the future holds for CBH and looks forward to bringing her skills to the CBH Board in the coming years. Laurie’s ultimate goal is to extend the sense of belonging so many people feel at CBH to everyone who wants to be a part of our community.
Eric Crane
Eric Crane joined CBH in 2002, with his partner, Karen, and then-1-year-old daughter, Molly. He credits CBH with supporting his religious practice and grounding his spiritual growth. Eric regularly attends Friday night services and has studied Mussar and Torah. He previously served on the Board from 2011 to 2015, where his responsibilities included Board liaison to the Building and Grounds Committee (B&G). During his tenure, B&G oversaw the design and installation of the sanctuary doors, memorial wall, CBH sign on Anderson Road, and pomegranate donor recognition art. An experienced education researcher and technical assistance provider, Eric has progressed into increasingly responsible roles supporting children, families, educators, and policymakers since leaving actuarial work for education in 1994. He is a past president of the California Educational Research Association. An avid hiker and geocacher, Eric can often be found in the hills of East Bay or Napa/Sonoma Counties with his two “purse dogs,” Fitz and Jemma.
David Moldoff
David Moldoff and his family live in Sacramento and joined CBH in 2023 after attending community events geared toward families with young children. He has participated on the Purim Committee, enrolled his children in religious programming, and enjoys attending family services when possible. Professionally David has worked as an environmental scientist on Tribal, agricultural, flood protection and habitat restoration, and more recently, he serves as a deputy program manager for complex water management issues. David is interested in grant writing and he looks forward to engaging and supporting our CBH community through Board initiatives that are welcoming to all. David believes communities are built through trust, friendship, and shared goals. He looks forward to serving on the Board and helping sustain this community.
Betsy Elzufon
Betsy Elzufon and her husband, Steve Brown, moved to Davis from Maryland, had their first child, Valerie, and joined CBH in 1992. Their children attended religious and Hebrew School and had their B’nai Mitzvahs at CBH. Their son, Tim Brown, worked in the CBH office in high school and taught religious school at CBH in 2020-2022. Their daughter, Valerie, teaches Jewish studies at a Jewish middle school in Brooklyn. Betsy served on the Board, including as President, from 2010-2015 and helped develop a Community Engagement program during that time. Professionally, Betsy works as an environmental consultant helping cities and special districts in California to comply with water quality and water resources regulations.
