About Us
Temple Shaaray Tefila is a Reform Jewish congregation with a traditional spirit. We celebrate, teach, and observe the most worthy values and ideals of our Jewish tradition: Torah, mitzvah, and tzedakah. In doing so, we connect our members and their families to each other, to the greater Jewish community, and to Israel. Anyone who seeks a warm and vibrant Jewish community will feel comfortable in our congregation.
Top 5 Facts and Figures
- Founded in 1976, we are the largest synagogue in Northern Westchester, drawing members from Armonk, Bedford, Bedford Hills, Chappaqua, Goldens Bridge, Katonah, Pleasantville, Pound Ridge, Somers, South Salem, and other Northern Westchester areas.
- We are located on a beautiful 10 acre campus with three buildings, an awesome playground, a community garden, and a gaga pit.
- Our multi-generational community is diverse, encompassing members from a wide variety of backgrounds. We warmly welcome everyone who wants to be part of us.
- We offer a large number of excellent educational, spiritual, and social programs for people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds.
- We have a dedicated team of volunteer leaders, clergy, and staff to address our congregants’ needs.
Our Clergy
Rabbi David Wilfond, Senior Rabbi
Rabbi David Wilfond joins Temple Shaaray Tefila as our Senior Rabbi on July 1, 2020. He comes to us with a wealth of Jewish experiences and achievements, spanning four continents and including congregational leadership, teaching, and pastoral care positions.
Rabbi Wilfond’s Jewish education and leadership began at an early age. As a teen growing up in Edison, NJ, he taught Hebrew School, led the Junior Congregation, and served as the Temple youth group president. While a student at Rutgers University, he taught simultaneously at two Hebrew schools and was a founding member of the Rutgers Progressive Zionist Caucus. After earning a B.S. with Honors, Rabbi Wilfond received a full scholarship for an M.S. at the University of Florida in Gainesville. There, he received the Hillel award for Outstanding Jewish Leader in the State of Florida. Living in Israel has always been a priority. During high school, Rabbi Wilfond spent six months on a NFTY high school exchange program in Israel, which inspired him to spend three summers on staff at URJ Eisner Camp. Later, he spent a year on a work-study program milking cows on Kibbutz Tzora and, before attending Hebrew Union College to study for the Rabbinate, he worked for a year in the date fields of Lotan, the Reform Kibbutz. While in Rabbinical School, he also spent a year at Pardes, an egalitarian yeshiva in Jerusalem, and another year at Hebrew University as a visiting graduate student in Jewish studies. After receiving Rabbinic Ordination and second MA from HUC, Rabbi Wilfond served for two years as the first reform Rabbi in Kiev, Ukraine. He returned to the US to serve as a congregational Rabbi in Boston for five years. In 2004, he made Aliyah and worked for six years at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem as the Director of Admissions and Rabbi of the Murstein Synagogue. Rabbi Wilfond is married to Deborah, a lawyer, yoga instructor, and writer of a weekly blog called "Mindful Torah." In 2010, they moved to her native England, where he served as the associate rabbi at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London, England. After their son Isaac was born there, the Wilfonds returned to Jerusalem where David worked for seven years as the Director of Education for NFTY in Israel. In addition to Isaac, they have two other children, Eliora and Rafi, who were born in Jerusalem. The Wilfonds also have a Hebrew speaking cat named Ruby. Rabbi Wilfond loves bike riding, ice cream, singing with others, and sharing a good conversation. He looks forward to being a part of the Temple Shaaray Tefila Community.
Rabbi David E. Greenberg, Rabbi Emeritus
After 44 years as Senior Rabbi, Rabbi David E. Greenberg became Temple Shaaray Tefila's Rabbi Emeritus in July 2020.
Rabbi Greenberg grew up in San Francisco, California. He received a BA from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1972, and a Master of Hebrew Letters degree from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in 1976. After completing rabbinic school in New York, he became the “weekend student Rabbi” at Temple Shaaray Tefila in Bedford, New York. Rabbi Greenberg received his rabbinical ordination from HUC-JIR in 1978 and has been with our congregation ever since. Temple Shaaray Tefila grew and flourished under his outstanding leadership. For so many, he is a source of inspiration and an example of dedication to our most worthy Jewish values and teachings. Rabbi Greenberg lives in Mt. Kisco with his wife, Cindy, and they are blessed with three children, Alisa, Amanda, and Jared and grandchildren Mason, Harper, and Jagger.Jewish Music to Soothe the Soul
CD available now. Please click here for details. To read an article about the CD, please click here.
Meet our professional staff
Alli has been a steady and strong presence on our staff for the past 11 years, having worked in nearly every area of temple life. As our recent Director of Next Generation Engagement, she spearheaded successful congregation wide events such as 'Night of Light' and the 'The Women's Wander', creating meaningful opportunities for all generations to connect with Jewish teachings and traditions. She has also touched the lives of our B'nai Mitzvah cohorts for the past 8 years as our Associate B’nai Mitzvah Director, enriching the lives of our learners and guiding families on their journey to this special milestone . Alli has also served on our Religious School faculty and as our Senior Youth Advisor, teaching and engaging students of all ages. Many of you have come to know Alli through music and liturgy, as one of our Cantorial Soloists, where she regularly engages with our entire congregation, singing at Shabbat and B'nai Mitzvah services as well as at Caramoor during our High Holidays. She also served as the Director of Programming for the Westchester Youth Alliance for 7 years and led our Interfaith Family Initiative called "Connect" for 3 years. Alli is looking forward to working with our rabbis, staff and lay leaders to build community among all of our temple members and strengthen our membership and outreach efforts.
Prior to joining the Shaaray Tefila team, Alli enjoyed a career as a professional actor, appearing in plays and musicals in NYC and at some of the top regional theaters across the country. She has also worked extensively as an acting, vocal and public speaking coach and for several years, she ran the Pre-College Acting Intensive & Shakespeare workshops at SUNY Purchase. Alli lives in Ridgefield, CT with her husband, Jason, and their two children, Jack and Olivia. She is a graduate of The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Patty Goldstick has a Master's Degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from the Bank Street College of Education. Before coming to ST, she was Director of the Temple Israel Center Nursery School in White Plains. She also ran Kulanu, a supplemental Hebrew High School in Stamford, CT and has worked as a Special Educator in dozens of Nursery schools throughout Westchester and the Bronx, helping children with special needs reach their goals. She is a founding member and former Executive Director of Congregation Tehillah in Riverdale, NY. She was also instrumental in the revitalization of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in Manhattan where she served as the Director of Family & Youth Activities and then as Director of Programming & Volunteers. Patty has three children, Caleb, Isabela, and Max, and a sweet labradoodle named Ziggy.
Liz grew up in Old Westbury, NY on Long Island. She graduated from Hofstra University with went on to get her Master’s Degree in Westchester, NY. For the past 23 years Liz has worked with temples and Jewish Organizations in Northern Westchester in the role of classroom educator, Curriculum Coordinator, Programming Coordinator and Director of Education. For the past 6 years, at Temple Shaaray Tefila, Liz has taught in the classroom, coordinated social action speakers and events, written curriculum, managed 42 madrichim (teen guides), designed Hebrew, and special family education programs for our primary and post B'nai Mitzvah classes.
As the Director of Education it is of paramount importance, Liz believes, to provide excellence in curriculum planning and implementation along with creating a warm, nurturing environment for all our students and their families. Liz strives to provide meaningful, positive and poignant Jewish memories for our young people. As a corollary to this, her hope is that each of our youngsters develop a strong connection to the temple and an armored, everlasting and infrangible Jewish Identity.
After studying History and Judaic studies at Dickinson College, Jessica headed to Philadelphia where she spent two years with Repair the World. In Philadelphia Jessica built community, facilitated social educational events, brought Jewish values to life through meaningful service projects, and found her passion for bringing Judaism into the
now. She spent the past year in Washington, DC as a resident of Moishe House hosting seven events a month to cultivate community among Jewish
young professionals. Jessica studied at George Washington University where she received her Master's of Experiential Education and Jewish Cultural Arts. In DC Jessica implemented experiential education methodology into Temple Micah's educational programs. In her free time you can find Jessica farming in a community garden, struggling to train for her upcoming half marathon, or cheering on the Yankees.
Mona is originally from Brooklyn and attended Brooklyn College where she received her BS in Biology and minored in Art. While attending college, she worked in retail and eventually found her way to accounting and earned her MBA from Pace University. By chance, she landed a job in NY Botanical Gardens and ever since, has remained in the non-profit sector. Mona lives in Brewster with her husband of 24 years, 19 year old son and her adorable miniature dachshund.
Lay Leadership
OFFICERS
- Sharon Feldman, President
- Stuart Zaro, First Vice President
- Andrew Samalin, Second Vice President
- Richard Chassin, 3rd Vice President
- Lesa Levine Greenfield, Treasurer
- Harriett Zeller, Secretary
- Mark Tabs, Financial Secretary
Board of Trustees
Steve Adler
Richard Chassin
Carey Hollander
Dena Kopleff
Lesa Levine Greenfield
Samantha Mann
Jackie Moskow
Stacey Simensky
Jessica Tabankin
Carrie White
Harriett Zeller
Sharon Feldman
President
Sharon Feldman and her husband, Rod have been members of Shaaray Tefila for over 20 years. They raised four boys in Waccabuc and each one attended the ECC and Religious School, and stayed on through Confirmation. Sharon has been active in Temple life for many years. Before joining the Board, Sharon participated in the Lech L’cha program and was Co-Chair of the Religious School Committee. Since joining the Board, Sharon has worked passionately on engagement of all temple members and helping to found the Find YourSelf initiative. Sharon also actively works on Fundraising. She was Financial Secretary and currently is First Vice President. She also currently serves as Chair of the Engagement Team and the Strategic Advisory Council (SAC).
Stuart Zaro
First Vice President
Stuart Zaro and his wife, Keri have been members of Shaaray Tefila for close to 35 years. We have lived in Armonk for over 40 years where we raised all of our sons, Michael, Brian, Scott, AJ, and Jared. They all went to Religious school and were Bar Mitzvahed at Shaaray. Rabbi Greenberg has married the two of our sons who are married. All of their children went to the ECC (or are going this year), and two are in the religious school now that they’ve graduated from ECC.
Stuart is the former chairman of The Israeli Task Force at Shaaray Tefila and is currently an officer on the board of the temple. He is on the board of AJC Westchester/Fairfield and LiveOnNY Foundation the organ procurement organization in New York. He also works with and has travelled with IsraAID, an Israeli NGO that goes to natural disaster sites all over the world to help rebuild the lives of those who have been profoundly affected by hurricanes, earthquakes, and other devastating events.
Stuart’s family owns and operates Zaro’s Family Bakeries in Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station, and other locations. He has worked in the family business for over 40 years.
Andrew Samalin
Second Vice President
Andrew Samalin, his wife Gina, and two children, Matthew and Talia, live in Bedford and have been Temple members since 2012. Prior to being named Treasurer, he was Financial Secretary and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees. Professionally, Andrew is the principal of a fee-only SEC registered investment advisory firm in Westchester and NYC.
He’s a graduate of New York University for both his undergraduate and Master’s degrees. Andrew is the Vice Chairman and Treasurer of Bethel Companies, a Westchester-based not for profit chain of senior healthcare facilities.
He plays keyboards and vocals in an 80s rock cover band, and is a mediocre but optimistic golfer.
Richard Chassin
Third Vice President
Bio Coming Soon.
Lesa Levine Greenfield
Treasurer
Bio Coming Soon.
Harriett Zeller
Secretary
Harriett Zeller better known as Gigi or the “Hat Lady” has been a member of Shaaray Tefila since 1999 and a Board Member since 2006. As a result of her commitment to Shaaray Tefila, Gigi has performed many leadership roles over the years. Her mantra is “to give back” for all of her blessings. She is presently the newly installed Madame Secretary on the Executive Board and Co-Chair of the Caring Community. If you need something done just call Gigi!
Her involvement over the years include:
Membership- Co-Chair
Ushering - Chairperson
Night of Stars co-chair
Israel 60th Anniversary Chair
Sisterhood= past Co President
Israel Action – past co-chair
Caring Community – Co-chair
25th Year Dinner Dance Co-Chair
Monte Carlo Night co-chairGala 2021 to honor Rabbi Greenberg - Co-chair
Besides her involvement with Shaaray Tefila, Gigi sits on the Boards of the American Jewish Committee and the Westchester Jewish Council. She is a volunteer at Northern Westchester Hospital and a substitute teacher in the Chappaqua school system. Gigi is an avid exercise enthusiast rarely sitting still. When not working with her many Temple responsibilities she spends time with her loving family: Randi and Bill, Lori, Barry and Robyn, and six grandchildren.
Marc Tabs
Financial Secretary
Mark Tabs and his wife Lisa have been active TST members for the past 12 years. Mark joined UBS in 2001 where he is currently a Managing Director in UBS’ Technology organization. Mark has been a member of the Temple’s Board of Trustees since 2019 and organized the 2019 TST Golf Outing. Mark has enjoyed participating in the Temple basketball league, pancakes and poker, and other Brotherhood sponsored events. Lisa is a School-Clinical Child Psychologist in Northern Westchester and enjoys volunteering at the Temple. They live in Katonah and have 3 sons: twins Jacob and Samuel, who are 19, and Jordan, who is 11 years old.
Past Presidents
- Ron Braun
- Ron Gassman
- Allan Schefler
- Frank Neubauer
- Cary Baer
- Neil D. Klar
- Douglas Benach
- Susan Glickman
- Carl Grossman
- William Greene
- Stephanie Garry
- Jeff Cohen
- Jeff Simon
- Suzanne Fromm
- Jeff Kohn
- Hugh Lewis
- Vicki Gelbtuch
- Joel Adelberg
- Jeff Tanenbaum
- Lisa Roberts
- Sheldon Goldfarb
- Jodi Kimmel
- Karen Spiegel