Board of Trustees

NJC BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2022-2023 Board
President: Rachel Green Giarraputo
Vice President: Gilad Bockman
Secretary: Bri Steilberg
Treasurer: Mark Wolfe
Trustees:
Mark Gold
Ellen Kaplan
Jenny Ziglin

Please note that the NJC Bylaws are currently under review by committee.

Any member desiring access to Board of Trustee Meeting, Annual, or Special Meeting Minutes, please contact the Business Office and these will be made available.

2022-2023 Trustees Bios

Rachel Giarraputo - President

I grew up in Metairie, LA, and attended Gates of Prayer Congregation under Rabbi Loewy in my youth. I moved to Mandeville in 2000, and continued to attend NJC services with my father, Robert Morris Green. I graduated Mandeville High School with honors in 2006. My father passed away in 2010, with services led by Rabbi Nimon from NJC. I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Art History in 2011, and was married to my husband, Leonardo in 2012 in Sicily. My son, Robert, was born in FL in 2014. We were able to move back to Mandeville in 2016 with a promotion from my company, Zales to be the District Manager over 16 stores in the Gulf coast area from Pensacola to central MS. My husband opened an Italian restaurant in Mandeville in 2017, and I've helped manage the IT and social media aspects of the business. It has recently expanded to include a cafe with gelato made fresh in house. I rejoined NJC in 2018 to attend services for my faith, and for my son to attend Sunday school. In 2020, I volunteered to teach the youngest Sunday School class of 4 students. It was a blessing to give my time, while watching the children learn the stories from the Torah.

I care deeply about my family, community, and faith. I want to help keep NJC prosperous and profitable, and to be a home for the Jewish community on the Northshore for generations to come.

Gil Bockman - Vice President

I was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on October 24, 1974. When I was 4 years old my Parents, Sister, and I moved to Israel and lived in a Kibbutz called Chanita. While living there my younger Brother was born. After living In Israel for a couple years we moved back to Philadelphia Pennsylvania. I attended Hebrew Academy in Philadelphia until 7th grade, at which time I transferred to public school. I attended George Washington High School in Philadelphia from 1989 until 1993. Upon graduating from High School, I attended Temple University in Philadelphia from 1993-1998 where I received my B.A. in Criminal Justice. I have been married to my wife Sun-Day for nearly 20 years and together, we have three children who attend NJC Religious School.

In 1999 I was hired by the New Orleans Police Department where I worked until 2001. In 2001 I was hired by the Town of Palm Beach Police in Palm Beach Florida where I worked until 2012. During my time with Palm Beach, I was assigned to the Bomb Squad from 2003-2012 and the Emergency Field Force. I am currently employed at Shell Oil. I also serve as a Sheriff's Deputy in the Reserve Division of the Orleans Parish Sheriff Department.

My family lives in Mandeville and we love it here. I am interested in serving on the board at the NJC because I believe I can draw on my Police training and experience with the goal of helping to provide the safest possible cultural environment for our children and congregation. I currently am on the security committee working to accomplish that goal. I am at Religious School almost every Sunday to help out. I am also interested in helping to expand the services provided by the NJC.

Bri Steilberg - Secretary

Northshore Jewish Congregation holds a particularly special importance to me as a place to have for my three children to experience the calls of their Jewish faith. I personally grew up with my family as active members of the congregation; my dad has served on the board, my mom converted to Judaism with the same NJC community that prepared me to become a B’nai Mitzvah. When my mom passed away in 2018, NJC hosted her celebration of life in the same walls that housed our family my entire life.

I graduated from LSU and had strongly considered becoming a rabbi. I took Hebrew as my foreign language and multiple entry courses before graduating with a degree in Sociology. I have taught Hebrew school and privately tutored in Hebrew throughout high school and college. The last three years I have taught religious school at NJC as my daughter Gabrielle has started her own spiritual journey.

Professionally I own Kinder Haus Montessori Preschool in Mandeville. At home I am fortunate to have a supportive partner that embraces all my endeavors and helps me try to raise kind human beings. I am honored to serve as a board member and help carry on a future of having a Jewish home on the Northshore.

Mark Wolfe - Treasurer

NJC has long been a part of my heart. My involvement began at its inception and in fact, my wife Rosalie and I hosted the first Exploratory Committee meeting at our home in 1996. I became a member of the first Board of Directors and the first, First Vice President to our then President, Joan Cox. I became the second President of the NJC and served four terms (two years 1998 - 2000 and two years 2004 - 2006). I was President when Katrina hit New Orleans which was a great time of uncertainty and stress for our Congregation. I chaired the Reform Movement's National Mission to New Orleans, post Katrina, to insure inclusion of the NJC on the Mission tours. I attended the Houston National Reform Conference representing NJC and as a member of the New Orleans Reform Synagogue President's Committee, helped craft National Support for our synagogue.

I taught the NJC Confirmation Class for six years, first with Bonnie Bernstein and then with Stephanie Biller. Along with the help of Dave Simon, I negotiated the NJC Cemetery at Fielding's Funeral Home; Spoke on behalf of the NJC at the Parish wide Ecumenical Memorial after 9/11; chaired six successful annual Fund Raising Galas and cleaned the Synagogue and set it up for Shabbat Services and Religious School. I was always happy to be at the NJC in good times and in bad.

After 10 years on the board, I took a step back for numerous reasons, mostly health, becoming less of a regular at NJC, however, always staying in touch with other members and leadership. With joy, I have watched my Confirmation Students grow to adults and start families of their own. I have also witnessed a decline in Membership over the past few years for a variety of reasons. This saddens me greatly. I am moved to return to the board to help in any way I am needed to help assure continued success of the NJC and share the benefit of my experiences. I ask for your support.

Mark Gold - Trustee

I was born in Shreveport, LA but my family moved to Leesville, LA when I was one. Growing up in Leesville, my siblings and I would carpool with the two other Jewish families in town every Sunday to Alexandria, LA to attend religious school there. At age ten, my family moved back to Shreveport where we became members of B’Nai Zion congregation. I graduated from Captain Shreve High School in 1994 and from LSU in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2003 I received my teaching certification and have been a social studies teacher in St. Tammany Parish ever since. I married my wife Aimee in 2005 and we have two children. While I have attended High Holiday services at Northshore Jewish Congregation a few times over the years since moving to St. Tammany, I only became a member about three years ago. I am very grateful to NJC for the opportunity be part of our Jewish community, and for the Jewish foundation it provides for my family. I hope that I may be able to return the favor and give back to NJC, as a member of the board, by helping it to live on, thrive and grow.

Ellen Kaplan - Trustee

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge Louisiana so, of course, I attended LSU to complete my bachelor’s degree. Geaux Tigers!!! I had thought about converting to Judaism prior to meeting my husband but the notion became a reality when my husband proposed. I completed my conversion with Rabbi Natan Trief with Beth Shalom Synagogue. I most recently worked for the legal department of a large insurance agency but I am currently staying home to raise my son. As a relatively new convert, wife and mother, I welcome the opportunity to serve as a board member and to grow as a leader and a Jew in our congregation.

Jenny Ziglin - Trustee

I was born and raised here on the Northshore. I am a 2002 graduate of Covington High School and a 2008 graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University, where I majored in History.

In 2011, I met my now husband, Eric, who was raised Jewish. I had entertained the thought of studying different religions and theology during my upbringing, but really gave my heart to the practice and study of Judaism after Eric and I moved to San Antonio, TX in 2012. I completed my conversion to Judaism in June 2012 under the leadership of Rabbi Leonardo Bitran at Congregation Agudas Achim in San Antonio, TX. In 2014, Eric and I were married, moved to Austin, TX, and later that year welcomed our son, Mason. Our daughter, Bailey, followed in 2016 before we made our move back to Louisiana.

I am delighted to be a member of the NJC Board of Trustees and recently served as a co-Sunday School teacher for the 2nd-4th grade students. It has been a wonderful experience watching NJC's growth during my time on the Board and I look forward to the bright future of the congregation.