Tevy Pilc

Jerry Colomby, CPA, CGA

Family: Married with 2 children and 5 grandchildren. Married to Evie Jesin.
Occupation: Accountant
Synagogue Involvement: As a Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda since 1978, I have the knowledge and experience of the synagogue through my past and present involvement:
Past – Vice-President, Board member, Treasurer, Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee,   Chair of the Audit Committee, Chair of Governance and Administration Committee (GAASC). I have also served as a member of the Rabbi Joseph Kelman Endowment Fund, Brotherhood Executive, Israel Fund, Adjustment Committee and Catering Committee.
Current – Board member, co-chair of the Kelmaln Fund.

I am also a co-founder of the monthly minyan dinner and the Shabbat Hashkama Minyan.

Principal Objective: My objective is to ensure the continuity of the synagogue through membership growth, involvement and retention.  I want to see a revitalization and reconnection of all generations to Beth Emeth.  The relevance of synagogue membership and activities must be a priority for all.  We must continue to strive for new membership coupled with retention of current members through new innovative programming and initiatives. Beth Emeth has a rich heritage of outreach to the community.

We must continue to be at the forefront and reach out to the changing population including young families, university students, single parents and individuals who have lost their loved ones. New programming, interaction with members and a collaborative approach to challenges are needed.  My past experiences enable me to approach everyone with respect and encourage participation. It is time to re-energize synagogue life for all.

Dr. David Esser
I am honoured to have been nominated to run for the Board of Directors of the Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda. I, along with my wife and three children, have been members of Beth Emeth for almost 20 years and we have had the opportunity to celebrate three Bar Mitzvot here.  I am also part of a multi-generational BEBY family as my mother, aunt, uncle and cousins are all members of the shule.

I believe that I bring a wealth of experience that can be helpful to the Beth Emeth Board.  I am a practicing physician and currently the President of the Ontario Medical Foundation and the Coordinator of Surgical Assistant Services at the Scarborough Health Network, General Site. In addition, I have served on the Board of the Ontario Medical Association and have been a member of the OMA’s budget and governance committees. This experience has provided me with a strong understanding of board processes and of how to contribute to the goals of a not-for-profit organization.

I have participated in many BEBY events over the years and know that our shul’s lay leadership has worked hard with the clergy and other professional staff to improve both the physical premises and the quality of the programming and services. I would like to be part of this ongoing process and I really think that I can help.

I would greatly appreciate your support for my candidacy. 

Eric Goldberg
I grew up in BEBY and have been active here since my youth. I have been a member of the synagogue for over 50 years and a member of the Board for the past 45 years. I am a recipient of the Ontario Volunteer Award for my dedicated years of service to the synagogue.

As a Past President of BEBY, I understand all of the inner workings of the Executive, Board and Committees, having served over the years as a member or chairperson of nearly every synagogue committee. I have been integral to shaping and determining synagogue policies and direction. I know what is required to move the synagogue forward while upholding its traditional religious stance and will work to ensure that our synagogue maintains and enhances its status among the great synagogues.

Ella Jacobs
My name is Ella Jacobs, member of the BEBY since 1976, first with my parents and now with my own family. I was married here in 1983 and our kids were all Bat Mitzvah here. I have a very strong connection with this shul and many of its members.

I became more and more involved in the life of Beth Emeth 8 years ago by taking part in the play and volunteering with the Special Events Committee. Four years ago I was elected to the Board of Directors and since have served 2 terms. I would love to continue and to be active in different aspects of our shule life and the one where I believe I can have the most impact is serving as one of your Board members for this upcoming election . I believe that together we have the ability to bring great ideas together that can positively influence all aspects of our shule.

Eleanor Minuk
My family have been members of Beth Emeth for over 60 years. Starting in the 1970s, I helped out in the library. I have been writing book reviews for the Kesher for over 10 years and have been knitting with the Chesed Knitters since my retirement 8 years ago.

For the past 3 years as a Director-at-Large,

• I managed the amalgamation of the Shaar Shalom library into our collection, and organized the Books and Bagels and the Lunch and Literature series.
• I oversaw, along with Sheldon Zelsman, the revamping of Aleph Beit Chadash Hebrew School.
• I collected, organized and created, along with Deanie Rumack, a digitalization of the contents and annotations of the Time Capsule.
• I co-chaired, along with Joan Segal, the Food for Thought program, a highly successful 5-part series on financial elder abuse. This year I am chairing the Seniors Matter program.
• I am co-chairing the Czech Torah Project with Sheldon Zelsman.
• I have been Recording Secretary of the Board for the past 2 years and have been invited to sit on the Executive as Secretary starting Nov. 2018

I was most honoured to be named Volunteer of the Year for BEBY for 2018.

I want to continue to bring programs of interest and importance to all demographic groups in the shule and to ensure that I help to move the shule forward in an open, positive and fiscally responsible manner.

Barry Ross
BEBY has been our family’s synagogue for more than half a century and for five generations. My beautiful wife Donna and I, were married in our Synagogue. We have three wonderful, grown children, each had their respective Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s at BEBY. We're also are very proud grandparents of two precious grandsons.

Education – HBA – University of Western Ontario (aka IVEY School of Business) with a focus on accounting. For 24 years I was an Independent Business Broker and for the past 17+ years, as an independent entrepreneur and property manager.

I was encouraged to run for the Board by a long standing, senior member and Past President of BEBY. Having run my own business and evaluated many businesses for sale, I bring a unique perspective to the challenges in running a Synagogue as a business. My approach to decisions is one of common sense, reasonableness, always with a view to ‘does it make sense’? within the bounds of empathy and compassion.

I am excited to give back to BEBY in the role of a prospective Board member.

Barry Stork
My name is Barry Stork and I am an associate lawyer at Clyde & Co Canada LLP.  I handle a wide range of commercial and insurance dispute resolution work and I have represented clients at all levels of court in Ontario.  I have been involved in numerous reviews commissioned by professional regulatory bodies, the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.  I also have expertise in defending police entities in civil matters and in coroner's inquests.  Prior to pursuing a law degree, I worked at Bathurst Lawn Memorial Park as an office employee for over ten summers. I am currently the Second Vice President on the board of Bathurst Lawn Memorial Park.

I have been a member of Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue since childhood and a member of its Cemetery Committee since 2014.

I am very interested in continuing my contributions to Beth Emeth by becoming a board member.  I believe my unique background will assist in providing new perspectives to various matters that face Beth Emeth's Board on a continuing basis.

Sheldon Zelsman
Beth Emeth is a community that inspires personal growth, spiritual passion, love of Judaism and Israel, interpersonal connection and commitment.  This is what I felt since I began attending in January, 2014.  All of this is embedded in our shul community because of staff, but mostly, because of you—the shul member.  As a member of the Board, that is what I would nurture, foster and develop as part of a team—supporting our shul community, moving it forward and helping it grow.

My commitment to our shule is quite visible.  Every day, I attend all services—morning and afternoon.  I read Torah most often at Shabbat Mincha and for the 2^nd weekly minyan.  I became gabbai sheini recently, where I am happy to participate, help with the operations of the service and support those receiving honours to the bimah.  I am also a member of the Ritual Committee.  I co-chair two committees with Eleanor Minuk—the Aleph Beit Chadash School and the Czech Torah Restoration Project where we set direction for these initiatives and help build community involvement and shul capacity.  I am also the photographer/author of the weekly photo journals for the Czech Torah on our website.

As a secondary vice-principal of 13 years, I managed organizations as large as (and larger) than ours.  I offer strong leadership skills in goal-setting, community building; conflict resolution, crisis management, team building, health/safety, transparency and accountability.

I thank you for your support and welcome the opportunity to serve on our Board.