Jackie Loren
Jackie came to Judaism as a young adult and formally converted in 2000. She and her husband, Adam, have three daughters: Rachel, Emma and Sasha. Jackie and her family have been members of TST since 2016 and a member of the TST choir since 2018. The entire Loren family were drawn to TST because of the passion of the clergy, the dedication of the educators, and the welcoming spirit of the community.
Amy O'Donnell
Rebecca Chasen
Rebecca Chasen is a Partner at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP and is the Strategy & Alliance Leader for the Accounting and Internal Audit Offering. Rebecca has more than 25 years of experience in accounting and financial experience that covers a wide range of services including auditing of public and private companies, assisting companies with accounting standard implementations and financial reporting and investigating various aspects of fraud. Rebecca is happily married to Allan and they are parents to two boys Noah and Sam. Rebecca and her family have been members of Shir Tikva for 8 years and they love the fact that the TST blends Jewish traditions with modern day life. They enjoy being part of such a warm and welcoming community.
Michael Cohn
Mike is a Principal in Risk Management Services and Director of the Strategic Management Services for Wolf & Company, P.C. He’s responsible for leading the strategic and actively participates in client engagements including Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), ESG, Virtual CRO, board training, and others. With over 25 years in the banking and technology industries, he has extensive knowledge in strategic planning, corporate governance, technology strategy, and fintech management issues. Mike regularly presents strategy, ESG and climate risk, and ERM trends and techniques at conferences and for industry professionals.
Mike is an avid extreme adventurer, enjoying snowboarding, rock climbing, and acting as a high mountain alpine guide. When not fulfilling his role as a “soccer dad,” he tries to convince his teenage children that Mom is really going ice climbing on the family vacation.
Brian Phair
Brian (he/him) is the Director of Donor Relations at the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. He’s spent his entire career in the non-profit or higher education world including past work at Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Brandeis University, and 18Doors (formerly InterfaithFamily). Brian is a proud UConn alum, avid sports fan and Lego fanatic. He lives in Natick with his wife Sarah and two daughters Mira and Elana.
Roy Lurie
TST has been a key part of Roy’s family life for many years. He has had many roles on the board over the last 10 years and is currently focused on governance, leadership, and strategy development. Roy holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and has worked at MathWorks as the head of MATLAB engineering for almost three decades. Originally from South Africa, Roy now lives in Natick with his wife, Mary Beth Rettger, and their two children. Their children have grown up in the TST community and their family has built strong relationships there. As an interfaith family, Roy appreciates the welcoming community they have found at TST. In his spare time, Roy kayaks, reads science fiction, flies drones, and creates things using 3D printers.
Richard Kaye
As an engineer, working for an Israeli software company, Richard has put his technical skills to good use, supporting the temple’s A/V and technology needs to ensure that services, High Holy Days, B’nei Mitzvot, and other events. Richard, his wife Leslie, and children Melody and Sam, joined TST in 2013, when they moved to Wayland from the Philadelphia area. Being close to their new home, Shir Tikva was the first temple they visited, and immediately felt at home – between the wonderful music, the people, and the modern approach to Judaism, TST just “felt right.” Being part of the TST community – both as a member, and now on the Board – really has made Wayland feel like home. When not working on TST projects and his “day” job, or with his family, Richard can often be found out on his mountain bike, or playing his electric guitars.
Jay Lieberman
Jay has been a member of TST since 2019, along with his wife Nurit, daughters Maya (13) and Hannah (10), and guinea pigs Cocoa and Princess. They have lived in Framingham for the past 18 years. Jay earned his MBA from Northeastern University with a dual concentration in Marketing and Management. Currently, he works as a Senior Communications Manager for Examity in Newton and has his own freelance company named The Better Writer. Previously, Jay has worked in various marketing roles at a variety of companies, including WGBH, Unilever, and KPMG. As a second year trustee, he is most excited about continuing to let the world know about all of the amazing things that TST has to offer, while, at the same time, keeping the TST community engaged and informed.
Ginny MacDowell
Ginny has been a member of TST since the very beginning, as she and her family are founding members. She is well-established in the Boston Jewish community- serving in most Jewish organizations in the Greater Boston area. She is married to Roy and has 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and two adorable dogs. Ginny looks forward to continuing her role as the Development Trustee and the privilege of supporting the TST community through philanthropy.
Sasha Tulgan
Sasha has been a member of TST since she moved to Wayland two years. She grew up in Weston, attended (along with sister Rachel) West Area nursery school (earlier iteration of the TST Early Learning Center) and sang in the TST choir in high school. A lawyer with a background in commercial litigation, Sasha now works at Harvard Law School. She and her husband Adam have two sons, Ben and Sid, both of whom attended the Early Learning Center after moving from Rochester, New York. Sasha is an avid skier and fan of acappella and karaoke.
Meiko Bauchman
Meiko (she/her), along with her husband Andrew, their two children Sadie (12) & Sam (10), and 2 dogs moved to Weston from San Jose, California in the Fall of 2020. Having never been to Boston, and knowing hardly anyone, Meiko started looking for a warm, welcoming community for her family in the only place she knew to find it – a synagogue. Temple Shir Tikva was recommended by a friend and member, and it was the perfect fit for the Bauchman family. Though everything was virtual that first year, the warmth and sense of community was certainly apparent.
This will be the second time Meiko has been honored to serve on a temple board, having been the board representative for the Early Childhood Center at Temple Shir Hadash in Los Gatos, CA.
Since moving to Weston, Meiko has stayed busy taking care of 9 pets (2 senior rescue dogs, 2 rescue rabbits, a gecko, and 4 ducks), walking the trails in Weston, knitting, baking, gardening, and staying involved in social justice causes. She is also a brand advocate for a clean beauty company.
Cici Leffell
Cici (she/her) and her husband Josh joined TST when, shortly after relocating from California, their children began attending the Early Learning Center. The wonderful people they’ve met there immediately made them feel at home in their new town. Her son Zev completed his final year of preschool in the Eagle Room before heading off to kindergarten, and daughters Noemi and Margo are currently enrolled. Cici has a PhD in medieval Iberian literature from Stanford University, where she taught Spanish and Catalan language classes for several years before moving with her family to Wayland in 2022. When she isn’t wrangling toddlers, Cici enjoys cooking and spending time outdoors in all of New England’s seasons.
Jill Abend
Jill has been a member of the Temple Shir Tikva community since 1993 when joining as a young family. She has a financial background working in the leasing and mortgage industries. Jill has been active in many aspects of the temple participating in a variety of committees. Recently, her focus at TST has been adult engagement, including Sisterhood, Reyim, and now ACE (Adult Community Engagement). TST has been a big part of her life and she considers it her second family. The most important aspect is the sense of community and the long-lasting friendships.
Jonathan Zarkower
A member of Temple Shir Tikva since 1997, Jonathan Zarkower is a first-time board member, but has been recognizable to many as a prayer and song leader and a member of the TST Players. Jonathan also taught music in our religious school for 15 years, co-directed our youth choir, Shir Yeladim, and has served as bandleader and participant for many Purim spiels. By day, Jonathan is a senior product marketing manager for ThousandEyes/Cisco Systems.
Jonathan has two beautiful daughters, Rebecca and Samantha, and lives in Framingham with his wife Rhonda and their dog, Mojo. Jonathan is excited for the opportunity to collaborate with our clergy, spiritual lay leaders, other board members and congregants on making Shir Tikva’s worship services and other spiritual activities accessible, inclusive, meaningful and thoroughly joyful for our entire community.
Michael J. Wadness
Michael Wadness joined TST back in 2013 after his family was invited to a Friday night Shabbat service and has never looked back. Michael is exceptionally proud of the social justice work that TST has done from the simple food drives all the way up to the complex work for the homeless and its partnership with our neighbors at the Islamic Center. As trustee for Social Justice and Community Connections, Michael looks forward to TST taking Tikuun Olam (repairing the world) to its most literal meaning in its work with the environment and the numourous advocacy positions that include anti-racism, fighting voter suppression, and transgender rights.
Professionally, Michael Wadness has a doctorate in science education and teaches high school physics in Medford. Michael has been a national leader working as a fellow for QuarkNet bringing particle physics into classrooms across the world and a lead ambassador for StepUp Physics, a grant funded program which trains teachers to address the problem of under-representation of women in physics.
Jen Weiner
Jen, her husband Mike, and four children are long time members of TST. She is excited to continue her time on the TST Board in a new role as the Interfaith Families & Inclusion Trustee.
Rachel Welt
Rachel has been in tech marketing for over a decade. She has expanded the capacity of multiple start-up marketing teams, focusing her efforts on product adoption and activation, brand advocacy and community building. Currently, Rachel is working as a product marketer at Customer.io, a customer engagement software platform. Rachel is a child of TST and has returned to put down her own family’s Jewish roots at Shir Tikva. She is excited to continue to build and cultivate Shir Tikva’s thriving community. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, gardening and adventuring with her husband Will and daughter Sophie.
Adam Umina
Jill Zukerman
Michael Henrich
Michael leads Henrich Communications, a nimble consultancy providing public relations, executive communications coaching and media training services to organizations large and small, from nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies. Previously, Michael spent 15 years as an Emmy Award-winning television anchor and reporter, highlighting community stories throughout Greater Boston and the country. Most important to Michael is his family: wife Renee, an inspiring early childhood educator; and sons Graham and Theo, both bright, hockey-loving teens who serve on the TST Youth Group Board. Michael joined TST upon moving to Wayland in 2015 and previously served on the Board as Membership Trustee from 2019-2021.