Our Rabbi
Rabbi Elana Zelony joins PSC after almost 10 years in Texas, where she was the first female rabbi in the Conservative Movement to lead a synagogue in that state. Prior to that, she worked as the Director of Congregational Learning at Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco, and as an Assistant Rabbi at Shearith Israel in Atlanta. Her rabbinate emphasizes pastoral care, inclusion, interfaith work, spirituality, and involvement with the community. Rabbi Zelony received ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in 2009 and holds a Master’s Degree in Education from American Jewish University. She is a member of the Richardson Interfaith Alliance as well as Rabbis Without Borders—a network that emphasizes pluralism, innovation, and service in the rabbinate. Recently, she finished a fellowship with the Institute of Jewish Spirituality. She is also the author of the children’s book, Peril the Dragon Saves Chanukah. Rabbi Zelony was born and raised in Sunnyvale, CA. She makes her home with her husband Adiv and their two children, Ness and Magen. She is an avid reader of poetry and enjoys yoga, martial arts, and creating healthy meals for her family and friends.
Our Cantor
Cantor Doron Shapira was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and raised in San Francisco. He has been involved as a singer and percussionist in Jewish music since 1968. This is his 41st year working in all facets of Jewish education in the Bay Area. He has been Cantor at Peninsula Sinai Congregation since 1994. Doron also served as the Peninsula Sinai Congregation Ritual Director 5771 (2010-2011) and will once again fill that role through the culmination of our search for a new Rabbi. He looks forward to the privilege of serving PSC members’ pastoral and life-cycle needs as well as developing PSC’s programming, education, Jewish music, and ruach (spirit), for both adults and children throughout the year! Cantor Doron and his wife Jocelyn have three children—sons Elijah & Eitan and daughter Yael.
Our Education Director
Branden Johnson (he/him) has an MA in Jewish Educational Leadership from the Davidson School at JTS, and is an alumnus of the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators and the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He recently completed the Pardes North America Mahloket Matters Fellowship for Jewish Educators. He currently lives in San Francisco, where he is a New Leaders Fellow with Jewish Family and Children’s Services, and regularly attends Mission Minyan. Before moving to the Bay Area, Branden spent more than five years living in Israel. In his spare time, he likes to swim, kayak, travel, cook and bake, and read a variety of things from Jewish texts to graphic novels and magazines. As a Jewish educator, he is passionate about Hebrew, Jewish history, and helping both children and adults access and develop meaningful connections to Jewish texts and prayer.
Our Director of Operations
Cat Bernard has lived in Foster City for more than a decade and comes to us with over twenty years of experience in facilities and operations management as well as IT development and support. She is excited to return to a smaller office management environment with multiple roles and a community to serve. Cat and her husband Steve spend most of their free time watching their daughters play soccer. They often travel to the east coast to visit extended family. Fun Fact: There is always a 1,000 piece puzzle in progress at her house and she has over 50 puzzles that she lends out to others.
Our Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Marvin Goodman was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1975. He studied at the seminary after having earned his BA from Indiana University in 1970. From 1975-1988 he was the Executive Director of the Northern California Region of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, as well as the Regional United Synagogue Youth Director. From 1988-2007, he was the Rabbi of Peninsula Sinai Congregation. Upon his retirement as Peninsula Sinai Congregation’s Rabbi, he became Peninsula Sinai Congregation’s Rabbi Emeritus. From 2007 through 2017, he served as the Executive Director of the Northern CA Board of Rabbis and the Rabbi-in-Residence of the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation. Since retiring in 2017, he has become actively involved in a variety of social justice volunteer efforts. His current involvement includes being on the Steering Committee of CA Interfaith Power & Light, an organization whose work is centered on climate change issues. Additionally, he is a San Mateo/San Francisco County Master Gardener. As a Master Gardener he is working with a team that is focused on encouraging home gardeners to grow extra vegetables in their gardens and donate to local food pantries so that more people have access to fresh produce. Rabbi Goodman and his wife Debbie Kelman have two daughters–Naomi and Rena. Rena is married to Jonathan Mizrahi and they have a son, Ayden.