Meet our 2025 candidates!

This month we will elect a slate of officers and 6 at-large board members. We asked each candidate to share their personal background and how they hope to contribute to the management and growth of the shul.

Members-in-good-standing will receive a unique link by email to vote online. If you have not received a link and believe you should have, please contact Jonathan Abbett, Clerk, at jonathan@abbett.org.

board member at-large
FOUR 3-year SPOTS, ONE 2-YEAR SPOT, ONE 1-YEAR SPOT

WARREN BACKMAN

I grew up in Manchester, England, then completed medical school in London. I moved with my wife Hannah to Boston in 2015 to further my medical training. I now work as a geriatrician and internist at Massachusetts General Hospital. We have been living in Brookline and attending Young Israel all along, and now `have 3 young kids who were all born here. We love to explore New England as much as possible and we try to take full advantage of all of the outdoor activities available.

As a board member I would like to support the shul in continuing its existing endeavors while remaining financially sustainable. I would also like to explore how to reach and attract as many members of the community as possible and find growth areas even as the population of Orthodox families faces obstacles to expansion.

CHANA (ANIA) MILER

I have been a YIB member for about two years. My involvement thus far has been somewhat limited to helping with kiddush and shul events. As a prior member of Shaarei Tefillah, I have been very dedicated to the community. My primary goal was to bring members/families closer together through a mitzva of kiddush participation, which was a great success.

Past volunteering activities: Student Academic Council at Simmons MBA program; ROFEH - respite and fund raising outreach “Walk for Rofeh”; Yachad NE Tu biShevat events. Board Member & Director of Programing at WMCN; Food Pantry; Big Sister educational program.

Current engagement: Member of AZM; APAC; JGSGB; JRI Poland. Supporter of Leket Israel; MDA (blood donor); Zaka Tel Aviv; Israel Cancer Centers; Meir Panim; JCC Krakow.

Based on two decades of experience in banking, I have managed clients financial portfolio of over 300 commercial transactions; interacted with related parties such as clients, attorneys, accountants, appraisers, etc.; structured commercial and nonprofit financing up to $20MM per exposure, in accordance with risk and compliance principals. Analyzed financial statements and budget proposals.

Prior to my MBA from Simmons in Boston, I hold MA in Philology from the University of Wroclaw. By profession I am a rationalist and at heart a humanist. I have a deep commitment to support variety of views and a believe that solving a problem shall be based on an open-ended discussion while maintaining respect for differences.

Goals: As a Board member, upon given directives or independently, I would contribute my energy and enthusiasm in combination with professional and personal experience to enrich the growth and prosperity of the YIB Community. I would be committed to take an active part in resolving challenges and celebrating successes.

CARRIE BENEDON

I am excited for the opportunity to continue to serve the YIB community as a member of the Board. My husband Matt and I have been active YIB members since we moved to Brookline from Wisconsin 13 years ago; we’ve since added two children who love the community as much as we do. I grew up in Milwaukee, attended college and law school at the University of Wisconsin, and love cheese. I’ve held various roles at YIB over the years, including Board Chair.

My goal is to work together with a committed and talented Board and broader shul community to ensure YIB’s growth and stability for the next generation.

LAURA SZALAT

My name is Laura Kanter Szalat, and I have been a proud member of Young Israel of Brookline for the past 10 years, since moving to Brookline from France. My husband Raphael and I, along with our three children (ages 15, 13, and 10), have built strong connections within the YIB community and deeply value the central role the shul plays in our family.

Over the years, I’ve been involved in many aspects of YIB life—hosting shiurim and activities, organizing cooking classes, Chanukah and Purim celebrations, women’s events at the Clayroom, and more. These experiences have given me the opportunity to connect with many individuals and families, from whom we’ve learned so much through their beautiful middot. It brings us great joy to share Shabbat meals, smachot, holidays, and everyday moments with our community, and we find strength in supporting each other during difficult times.

Professionally, I work as a regulatory affairs pharmacist at a pharmaceutical company, ensuring compliance with health authority regulations and supporting the development of safe and effective medications.

As a board member, I hope to contribute to YIB’s continued growth and ensure it remains a warm, inclusive, and spiritually enriching home for all. I am passionate about building friendships, fostering connections, and supporting programs that engage families, children, and teens. I also serve on the board of Ma’ayan, an organization dedicated to Torah learning for women across Brookline, Newton, and Sharon, and I look forward to exploring more opportunities for collaboration.

It would be an honor to help serve and strengthen the community that has given so much to my family.

KOBY BLEIER

MERV ALGE

OFFICERS (1 year term)

PRESIDENT: Yitzi Ehrenberg (Incumbent)

CHAIR: JUNE GERRIE

Hi! My name is June Alison Gerrie. I am a proud Boston native with strong Brookline roots. I attended Maimonides School K-12, matriculated to Brandeis, and then Boston College for my graduate studies. My husband, David, and I have been part of the YIB community for the last 10 years; now we are raising our 4 girls here in this shul. Over the years I have enjoyed running Tot Shabbat, children’s programming, and helping with the Chanukah raffle each year.

I am also a piano teacher in the Greater Boston Jewish community, where I have been teaching for 21 years.

I am humbled to be nominated for the position of Board Chair. It is my hope that in this role I will continue to strengthen our already vibrant community. I would love to further unite, engage and reinvigorate YIB.

Since 10/7, I have used my role as piano teacher to put on “unity concerts” bringing over 300 people together from across the diverse Jewish Boston community to unite as one. I believe my experience with these concerts will serve me well as Board chair. I truly believe we are “״עם אחד בלב אחד. We are are strengthened when we work together and it would be my privilege to work with you in this role.

TREASURER: BEN FELDMAN (INCUMBENT)

CLERK: ITHAMAR JOTKOWITZ

Ithamar Jotkowitz and his wife Tova, along with their four children, have been members of Young Israel of Brookline for over 15 years. Tova’s family has deep roots at YIB dating back to the shul’s founding. Ithamar grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where he was active in Mizrachi—a Modern Orthodox, Religious Zionist community similar in spirit to YIB.

Ithamar has served on the Board since 2021 and regularly volunteers as a chazan and ba’al tefillah on weekdays, Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Yamim Noraim. Outside of shul, Ithamar owns Outback Physical Therapy, with locations in Brookline and Somerville.

I’m running for Clerk because I care deeply about the future of our shul and want to ensure that our leadership is thoughtful, transparent, and responsive to the needs of our diverse community. Over the past 4 years on the Board, I’ve seen how essential it is to have strong systems in place—clear communication, accurate record-keeping, and efficient follow-through—to support the values and vitality of YIB.

In my professional life, I run a multi-site physical therapy practice where I oversee staff coordination, compliance, and operations. I’m used to handling complex logistics, staying organized under pressure, and making sure things run smoothly behind the scenes—all of which I believe are directly relevant to the role of Clerk.

But beyond systems and structure, I’m guided by a simple conviction: YIB should continue to be a shul with a big heart and open doors. A place where tradition is honored, new voices are welcomed, and every member—from students to seniors—feels seen and valued. I’m honored to contribute to that vision and look forward to helping YIB continue to thrive.

CHIEF GABBAI: ZEV BLECHNER (INCUMBENT)

As native of Brookline, I have been a member of Young Israel for over 50 years and represent the continuum of generations in our community. I attended the shul’s nursery school in the 60’s, was a member of YIB’s children's choir, had my Bar Mitzvah here and, over the years, have become a vital member on the Board. Together with my wife Irene, we have raised our four children, Zehava, Shoshana, Rena and Noach in the YIB community and they always say that Young Israel of Brookline is home, no matter how long they’ve been away. While running my own business, I have volunteered in many shul committees. I am co-chair of the Cemetery association, the Plaque committee and the Yizkor Book committee. I communicate daily with Rabbi Hellman on many different shul items as well as with Carol, YIB’s executive director, on the Kesher, Yahrzeit letters, sponsors for MB learning, the Rabbi’s Friday afternoon Drasha and much more. I was Gabbai Sheni for many years before becoming Gabbai Rishon/Chief Gabbai 10 years ago.

With your support, I look forward to continuing my role as Chief Gabbai in the upcoming year

CHAIR EMERITA: LEAH SOLODOKIN

Hi! My name is Leah Solodokin. I am from Brooklyn, NY, and joined the Brookline community in 2016. While I originally intended to shul hop until finding the right fit for me, after davening at YIB for the first time, I immediately felt an affinity to the shul and its warm community. Throughout my years at YIB, I have served the shul and the local community in a variety of ways. For the past 2 years, it has been my honor to serve as Board Chair. Through that position, I have learned an incredible amount about our shul and community and have tried my best to advance the mission and vision of YIB in an array of capacities. As important as leadership is, however, being a team player is at the heart of success. It is for this reason that this year, I look forward to serving on the Board in an emeritus position – a honorary role serving a purpose described most eloquently by Maya Angelou, “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.” I will always have things to learn and I am excited to share my experiences with the incoming Board Chair, to help ease her transition and ensure the long term success of the Board.