Jeremy Rosen, President

Jeremy, his wife Jodi, and their son Ethan joined Stephen Wise Temple in 2006. Jeremy was elected to the Board of Directors in 2015 and currently serves as Temple President. He also serves on the Board of Wise Readers to Leaders. Outside of Wise Temple, he is a partner at Horvitz & Levy LLP, where he specializes in handling civil appeals in state and federal appellate courts. In addition to his corporate clients, Jeremy has an active pro bono practice where he has represented victims of domestic violence, individuals seeking to uphold their civil rights, and individuals seeking to advance their religious liberty. Jeremy graduated with a B.A. in History and Government from Cornell University and received his J.D. and L.L.M. in International and Comparative Law from Duke University School of Law.

Andrew Berman, Vice President

Andrew and his wife, Marci, have been members of Stephen Wise for close to 30 years. Wise Temple has given so much to the Berman family in terms of education, spirituality, and pure joy. Both Berman daughters attended Hebrew School and became Bat Mitzvah at the temple. Andrew is currently a global content distribution consultant. Prior to that, Andrew formed and headed-up worldwide sales efforts serving as V.P. Of Distribution for FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment. He has also worked in various senior executive capacities in sales, marketing, and worldwide distribution at such companies as Starz Media, TMS Entertainment, Harvey Entertainment, New World Pictures, and MGM, and is also a licensed California Real Estate agent. Andrew graduated from California State University at Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio Television and Film. He is a past President of the Board of Trustees of the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter and currently serves as a Board member with Connecting to Cure, Tomorrow’s Women, and is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aged. He is also actively involved with Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services serving as Co-Chair of their Mental Health is Health fundraising event and serves on the Cancer Mentorship Committee at St. John’s Hospital.

Alexsondra Fixmer, Vice President

Alex has been a member of Stephen Wise Temple her entire life. She was raised in a Wise Temple home, attended Wise School since early childhood, and her commitment to our community has extended into adulthood. Alex and her husband were married by Rabbi Eli Herscher and their two children attend Wise School at the Elementary School. She currently serves on the temple’s Board of Directors as a Vice President on the Executive Committee. Additionally, Alex is the current Chair of the Governance Committee, a member of the Human Resources Committee, Nominating Committee, and Center for Tikkun Olam Advisory Committee. She previously chaired the Educational Advisory Committee. Alex is also involved in the Wise Parent Association as a Room Parent. In addition to her work for Wise, Alex volunteers year-round at Public Counsel, where she represents low-income families through the adoption process. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, an organization dedicated to advancing the rights of children in foster care so that they have access to stability, healthcare, education, and family support. Professionally, Alex is the managing attorney for Disney’s global media businesses, responsible for its domestic and international technology operations and engineering teams. In this role she oversees the legal function related to the production, infrastructure, transmission and media services for Disney’s streaming products: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+ Hotstar and all traditional domestic and international broadcast and cable television networks (ABC, Fox/FX, Disney Channels Worldwide, ESPN, and NatGeo). Alex is also the managing data attorney for Disney’s technology products and platforms. Alex draws on her personal and professional experience to help support and advance the temple community, which has been so near and dear to her and her family for more than three generations.

Lori Goodman, Vice President

Lori and her husband Rob have been Stephen Wise Temple members for over 40 Years. They joined Wise Temple after moving to Los Angeles from Toronto, Canada. They have three children Mitchell, Jordan, and Dani who attended the Parenting Center, the Elementary School, became Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and were confirmed at the Temple. Their daughter, Dani, recently married Josh Keiles, with Rabbi Laufer officiating. Lori began her temple involvement on the Social Action Committee many years ago and it continues to be one of her passions. She joined the Board of Wise Readers to Leaders, the summer literacy program for underserved students in Los Angeles in 2020. Her other community activities have included chairing events for Oakwood School and Jewish Federation. Lori has been on the Board of Women’s Conference, the Bureau of Jewish Education, and her Neighborhood Association. She works on the ArtWorks committee for the Anti-Defamation League and helped with the Wise School WASC Accreditation process. Lori is honored to have been on the Wise Board of Directors for the last 7 years and the Executive Committee for 4 years. She is a member of the Development and Tikkun Olam Committees.

Philip Koosed, Vice President

Philip has served on the Board of Stephen Wise Temple and the Financial Oversight Committee for the past few years. Wise Temple has been an incredibly significant part of Philip’s life and the lives of his entire family. Philip is a Wise School alumni and Wise School parent. He began at Wise Temple in Mommy and Me and continued through to become Bar Mitzvah, and eventually went through the Confirmation program. His two sisters also attended Wise School and his three sons (Asher, Itzhak & Avraham) and three nephews (Ollie, Sawyer & Archie) all attend or attended Wise School. Philip is deeply passionate about the continuation of the Jewish tradition and truly believes that Stephen Wise Temple is an instrumental part in continuing these traditions.

Roya Melamed, Vice President

Roya is a life-long member of Stephen Wise Temple. Roya’s parents, Kamran and Jila Hekmat, joined the temple over 40 years ago and have been active members of both the Temple and the School. As a product of the Wise Mommy-and-Me program, Preschool, and Religious School, Roya credits this community for shaping her Jewish identity. She and her husband, Farhad Melamed, continued this tradition at Wise; their three children, Micah, Mia, and Luca, attended the Wise Mommy-and-Me program and Wise Early Childhood Center. Micah and Mia attended the Religious School program, and currently, Mia participates in WTY. Luca attends Shabbat Torah Study and T’Filah Tuesdays Hebrew classes. Roya has proudly served this year on the Executive Committee and on the Wise Temple Board of Directors for the last six years. Additionally, she has served on the Nominating Committee, Temple Development Committee, and CYE Development Committee. Outside of Wise, Roya serves on the Board of Directors of the American Friends of Beit Issie Shapiro, a special needs organization in Israel, as well as the Board of Directors at Warner Avenue Elementary School. Roya attended UCLA and Loyola Law School and works in Los Angeles as an attorney, specializing in music rights and royalties.

Ira Pianko, Vice President

Ira, his wife Robin, and their two sons, David and Brian, moved to Los Angeles more than 30 years ago and immediately became part of the Stephen Wise Temple community. Both David and Brian eventually graduated from the Elementary School and over the years, Stephen Wise Temple continues to be an important part of their family. Rabbi Herscher and Cantor Lam both officiated at David and Brian’s Bar Mitzvahs, Brian and Marissa’s wedding, the baby namings of their children, as well as other life cycle events. The love and support from the community when David passed was a source of strength for the family. Over the years, Ira has been a partner with an International Accounting firm as well as the Chief Operating and/or Chief Financial Officer at a music publisher, real estate firm, and K-12 school. Ira has served on the Board of the Oakwood School since 1991 and Stephen Wise Temple since 2018. He has also been involved in a number of community-based organizations. Both Robin and Ira participate in the Florence Melton program as well as community learning opportunities at Wise Temple. Since becoming a member of the Board of Directors, Ira has served on the Executive Committee, Financial Oversight Committee, Audit Committee, Nominating Committee, and co-chaired the advisory committee of the Center for Jewish Life.

Victor Svilik, Vice President

Victor and his wife, Mariya, became members of Stephen Wise Temple in 2004, the year they were married by Rabbi Ron Stern, who also married Victor’s sister and her husband. Rabbi Stern has also officiated at all Svilik lifecycle events—weddings, funerals, bris/simchat bat ceremonies, and mitzvahs. Victor’s three children, Eliana, Jonathan, and Sarah also attend/attended Wise School, Wise Religious School, and Camp Wise. Mariya is an active parent in the Religious School community. Since joining the Board in 2013, Victor has served on the Membership Committee and is currently the Chair of the Financial Oversight Committee. Victor enjoys working with Board members, clergy, and staff, as Stephen Wise Temple is a wonderful institution that plays an important role in his family and community at-large. Victor is a member of AIPAC and supports Jewish causes such as the Jewish Federation, Stand With Us, and Friends of the IDF. He is a commercial real estate developer and investor, and his wife is a physician at UCLA. Victor holds a B.A. from Stanford University, J.D. from Harvard Law School, and M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He grew up and still lives in Encino, CA.

Erin Bina, Congregational Director

Erin was born and raised in Los Angeles, California to a family heavily committed to cultivating a strong Jewish community. While growing up, her family were members of University Synagogue in West LA, where her grandparents helped build the Chapel and where her parents were married in 1981. Her family’s commitment to Jewish values and traditions inspired Erin to get involved as an adult, not only to continue building our community, but also to instill that same responsibility in her children. Erin and her husband, Edmond, who attended Wise School and Milken Community High School, were married by Rabbi Yoshi in 2016 and have been proud members of our Temple ever since. In her early years at Wise, Erin committed much of her time to being a Community Building Chair, developing and producing parent and family experiences that were not only enriching and enjoyable, but raised funds for Wise School and Aaron Milken Center as well. In 2022, Erin was asked to join the Wise Parents Association as Co-Vice President of the Aaron Milken Center. During her time as Vice President she oversaw parent relations, connecting our youngest families with our Temple, faculty, and clergy, creating lasting connections and friendships. She was also responsible for implementing countless school-wide events and got involved in several charitable organizations, helping to raise thousands of dollars for Israel-based organizations. In her professional life, Erin is busy running her event production company, Erin Bina Events, creating even more moments for loved ones to gather and celebrate life’s special celebrations. Erin has two adorable young children, Ethan (6) and Ezra (3). She looks forward to sharing this experience with her family and continuing in her grandparents’ footsteps of embracing our traditions and strengthening our Jewish community.

Brian Cohen, Congregational Director

Brian and his wife, Randy, have been members of Stephen Wise Temple for nearly 20 years. Both Cohen daughters had their baby namings and became B’not Mitzvah at Wise and have many fond memories over the years from Mommy and Me classes to the Wise family trip to Israel with Rabbi Stern. Brian is involved in various charitable activities including the United Way initiative co-sponsored with the L.A. Unified School District to provide internships to students from economically disadvantaged communities. For the last seven years Brian has mentored Jose through his work with the Fulfillment Fund. Brian previously served as the Chairman of the Wellness Community and is the past President of the L.A. Chapter of the Berkeley Haas Business School Alumni Association. Brian has also been involved with the American Jewish Committee as a member of the board of the Los Angeles Chapter and as a participant in the AJC Adenauer Leadership Exchange Program to Germany. Professionally, Brian is the founder and CEO of Arden Insurance Services, a multi-state specialty MGA that focuses on Community Associations. Brian is also an operating partner with Altamont Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Palo Alto. He bleeds blue and gold but has a little cardinal and gold in him having earned his law degree from ‘SC.

Robert Glassman, Congregational Director

Robert has served on the Stephen Wise Temple Board of Directors for several years and has been a member of the temple for over a decade. After growing up in the St. Louis area and attending college on the east coast, he moved to Los Angeles for law school in 2006 and joined the temple shortly after. Robert is a partner with Panish, Shea, and Ravipudi LLP, and has held several leadership positions in the Los Angeles legal community, most recently serving as President of Southwestern Law School’s Alumni Association. He is active in other local, state-wide, and national bar associations, and public interest activities as well. Robert has been named a Top 40 lawyer under 40 by the Daily Journal. Robert is also an active participant in the Center for Social Justice at the temple. He and his wife, Layla, and their three children live in Pacific Palisades.

Gary Lazar, Congregational Director

Gary and his wife, Carole, have been Wise members for more than 40 years. All four of the Lazar children attended Wise Elementary School and became Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the community. The Lazar family has also celebrated many other simchas at Wise including baby namings, weddings, and holidays. Carole and Gary take part in many of the activities of the Center for Jewish Life and other educational events. Gary studies Torah with Rabbi Woznica and is on the Financial Oversight Committee. Gary’s outside activities include Co-Chair AIPAC Valley Political Group, the Los Angeles Leadership Council of Birthright, the L.A. Leadership Council of ELNET, and Gary is also a member of the Impact Forum (fighting antisemitism). Gary’s professional life began as a practicing Oncologist at UCLA and more recently, he has been involved in starting, operating, and funding early-stage companies in the biomedical field. His current volunteer professional activities include Co-Chair of Innovation Catalyst Program of the Southern California Biomedical Council and member of the patent review committee of Lundquist Institute at LA Biomed.

Barry Levin, Congregational Director

Barry is honored to have been a member of the Stephen S. Wise Temple community for more than 35 years. Rabbi Zeldin officiated Barry’s wedding to his wife Wendy Colman Levin, whose parents were among the ‘Builders of the Sanctuary’ and whose family has been deeply involved in the temple since 1966. Wise and its clergy have guided Barry and his family through life’s most important moments, including the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and weddings of Barry’s children, Brandon and Brooke, who attended Wise preschool and often sing alongside Cantor Lutz during the high holidays and at Shabbat. Barry is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Snak King, a snack food manufacturer he has led for over 45 years. For his service in the industry, Barry was inducted into the Snack Food Association’s Circle of Honor in 2021. An active member of the small business community, he was named the California State Small Business Person of the Year in 2011 by the Obama Administration’s Small Business Administration, and, that same year, was honored by the White House as one of the country’s 18 Small Business ‘Champions of Change.’ Previously, Barry received Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award for Greater Los Angeles in 2007. He has been actively involved in the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) for over 30 years. Barry enjoys participating in triathlons, water and snow skiing, and spending time with his family. He received an undergraduate degree in business from University of the Pacific.

Golareh Ramin, Congregational Director

Golareh and her husband, Soroush, were married by Rabbi Ron Stern in 2005. Since then, they have been active temple members, and are deeply connected to Wise School and Temple. Golareh’s three children, Alex, Gabriel, and Remi, have attended Wise School since Mommy and Me. One is currently in Wise for elementary school and two are alumni of Wise School. Golareh graduated from UCLA and earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. Her area of expertise is in the field of civil litigation. Golareh’s husband is a surgical oncologist in private practice. At Wise School, Golareh is chairing the Education Committee and over the years has been involved in many other ways including the Wise Ambassadors, Wise Hearts Caring Community, Annual Giving Campaign, and Melton Advisory Board. Golareh has been a member of the Temple Board of Directors for the past 7 years. Currently, Golareh is a member of the Wise Temple Board’s Nominating Committee, Governance Committee, and also serves as a Temple Ambassador.

Alex Raminfar, Congregational Director

Alex Raminfar, a graduate in Business-Economics from UC Santa Barbara (’04) and recipient of a Juris Doctorate from Southwestern Law School (’07), is a seasoned professional, visionary leader, and compassionate advocate committed to community impact spanning over two decades of dedicated service. A child of Iranian immigrants, Alex and his family joined the Wise community over 40 years ago. He attended Wise Elementary and graduated from Milken Community High School (’00). Within Wise, Alex has held diverse roles, from serving as a camp counselor and swim teacher to supervising youth services at the Shabbat minyan. More recently, Alex participated in Wise’s Inclusivity Cohort and the 2023 Hineni Leadership Cohort, demonstrating his ongoing dedication to improving as a lay leader and strengthening the Wise community. Passionate about philanthropy and youth empowerment, Alex founded The LEV Foundation, focusing on educating young individuals about responsible choices, as well as the Warrior One Project, supporting organizations, communities, and individuals dedicated to resolving issues facing women and children. In recognition of his commitment to strengthening both his Jewish and legal communities, Alex has been honored as a member of the Jewish Federation’s Rautenberg New Leaders Project and as a Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. His participation in these programs underscores his dedication to his Jewish community and advocacy at both the civic and federal levels. Throughout his career, Alex has utilized his legal expertise to make significant contributions to the entertainment industry, working with entities such as Warner Brothers, MGM, and Sony Pictures Television. Currently, as Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Hallmark Media, he oversees all aspects of development, production, programming, and distribution of the network’s movies and series.

Alex’s journey exemplifies a commitment to excellence, leadership, and service, leaving an indelible mark on both the legal and philanthropic landscapes.

Sandy Sigal, Congregational Director

Sandy joined Stephen Wise Temple over 45 years ago. He became Bar Mitzvah by Rabbi Herscher and Cantor Lam (who let him join the Choir despite being tone deaf) and went through Confirmation. Sandy was married by Rabbi Zeldin and Cantor Lam, who also named all four of their kids. He is blessed to share Torah Study with Rabbi Woznica, who continues to inspire him. Wise has helped him define his early, teen, and young adult years and is now helping to teach him to raise his kids, lead his business, and grow his mind. Sandy currently is chairman of the Board of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters, which sponsored him as a young boy to attend Camp Bob Waldorf. He serves on the Board of the Jewish Federation and is a mentor for young adults for the Community Leadership Institute, which teaches young leaders how to balance Judaism with work and personal development. Sandy is also a member, and former chair of RPO, the Real Estate Principals Organization, which is made up of Jewish Real Estate leaders who are committed to using their real estate skill to advance Jewish causes. He was the Honoree at the Jewish Federations Real Estate Cabinet dinner in 2019, as well as an E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year for Greater Los Angeles in 2016. Sandy is Founder, President, and CEO of NewMark Merrill Companies—owner, developer, and manager of shopping centers in California, Colorado, and Illinois. He is married to Allison, and is the proud parent of Hayden, Thea, Sabrina, and William, and grandfather of Carina and Giovanna.

Allison Sipes, Congregational Director

Allison is a marketing executive with a proven track record of launching and building global brands through content, partnerships, experiences, influencer marketing, and PR. For more than two decades, she led cross-functional teams and developed 360° integrated campaigns including social, digital, and all traditional forms of media at global network advertising agencies such as Ogilvy and GREY. At PepsiCo she led global teams across their portfolio of beverage, snack, hydration, and nutrition brands. In her current role at Claire’s, Allison leads a team transforming the mall retailer into a global brand that is now culturally relevant with Gen Z and Alpha. During her tenure, Claire’s has garnered 12B+ earned media impressions and won the Most Innovative Company award from Fast Company Magazine. Prior to joining the Wise Board, Allison has been a Board Member of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and Co-Chair of Young Literati, a membership group that raises funds to provide libraries in underprivileged neighborhoods access to technology. Allison is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University. She lives in Beverly Hills with her husband, Andrew, and their sons, Donny and Elijah.

Jeff Sklar, Congregational Director

Jeff Sklar has been a member of Stephen Wise Temple since shortly after he and his wife, Roya, were married in July 2000. Roya and Jeff loved the community and the significant programming that they felt Wise could provide for their family. Their daughter, Emma, attended the Early Childhood Center and both Emma and their son, Jacob, attended Wise Religious School. Jeff is a founding partner of Sklar Kirsh LLP and is Co-Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice. His clients range from individuals and early stage companies, to family offices and major corporations. Jeff advises clients in a variety of industries including advertising, alternative energy, apparel, consumer products, entertainment, healthcare, restaurants/hospitality, social media and technology. Jeff is a strategic advisor and outside general counsel to his clients, providing decades of experience resolving day-to-day and mission critical situations. In 2022 and 2023, the Los Angeles Times recognized Jeff as a “Legal Visionary” for his contribution to the legal profession. Best Lawyers in America named Jeff a “Best Lawyer” for the last three, consecutive years (2021, 2022, 2023). Born and raised in Michigan, Jeff received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Michigan State University and Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School. Jeff is a member of the State Bar of California and the State Bar of Michigan. Jeff is active in the Los Angeles community and in addition to serving on the Board of Directors at Stephen Wise Temple, he also serves on the Advisory Board for the Transactional Lawyering Institute of Loyola Law School, as well as the Board of Directors of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Western Region and de Toledo High School. He is also a volunteer with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in its Election Protection program. In his free time, Jeff is a competitive swimmer and is a certified Level 2 swimming coach with U.S. Masters Swimming.

Drew Steinberg, Congregational Director

Drew grew up in the Stephen Wise Temple community. She started in Mommy & Me and continued Wise Early Childhood all the way through Wise School. Drew participated in the inaugural cohort of Stephen Wise Temple’s Hineni Leadership Cohort, and currently sits on the Temple’s Center for Youth Engagement (CYE) Committee. Drew’s involvement in Judaism continues with her work at the Jewish Federation. She joined the Jewish Federation’s Community Engagement Committee in 2018 after chairing the Federation’s Rautenberg New Leaders Project (NLP) Steering Committee. Professionally, Drew dedicates herself to public service. She is currently the Public Safety Risk Manager for the City of Los Angeles Fire Department. Together with her husband, Jesse, Drew has three boys. Her older two attended Aaron Milken Center at Wise, and when he is old enough, the youngest will follow in their footsteps. Drew is humbled by this opportunity to join Stephen Wise Temple’s board to follow in her mother’s (Eve Kurtin Steinberg (z”l)) footsteps in service to Stephen Wise Temple.

Felice Williams, Congregational Director

Felice, and her husband Doug, have been actively involved members of Stephen Wise Temple for over forty years, celebrating weddings, baby namings, Bnai Mitzvahs for each of their three daughters, as well as an Adult B’nai Mitzvah for herself, and each significant lifecycle event of their lives with Wise clergy officiating. Felice currently serves as Co-Chair of the Ambassador Program on the Wise Temple Board, which aims to welcome new members and involve existing members more fully in the Wise Temple community. She was an enthusiastic participant of the Melton Adult Education Program for many years and served on the Melton Advisory Board. Additionally, she is an avid Zionist and recently traveled with Rabbi Yoshi and Jacqueline on an Israel Solidarity Mission. She is an active supporter of many of the services, programs, and events that the temple offers, and especially enjoys the Friday night services (both ‘in person’ and live-streamed) as well as many of the Center for Jewish Life programs and speakers. Recently, the Williams Family was honored with the Midor L’dor Award for generational involvement with Stephen Wise Temple during its 60th year anniversary, as Felice and Doug’s parents, Marilyn and David (z’l) Williams, were founding members of the Temple. Outside of the Temple, Felice and her husband, Doug, are supporters of the Jewish National Fund (JNF), AIPAC, and the Builders of Jewish Education (BJE). She especially loves spending time with her friends and family and three grandchildren, as well as participating in pickleball, hiking, book group, and mahjong! She looks forward to continuing to serve on the Wise Board of Directors in order to aid in sustaining and growing the Congregation in the years to come.

Lori Wolf, Congregational Director

Lori grew up attending Sunday school and was confirmed as a teen at Stephen Wise Temple. Both Lori and her wife, Carol, have been members for over 25 years and in 2004, both became B’nai Mitzvah in the adult program, and 11 years later, were married by Rabbi Stern and Cantor Lam. Their son, Bruno, became a “COVID” Bar Mitzvah with Rabbi Stern and Cantor Lutz this past summer. A Los Angeles native, Lori is a real estate professional with over 30 years of experience. She is a former Regional Vice President of Arden Realty/GE Capital, where she was responsible for overseeing commercial real estate operations in West Los Angeles. Lori has served on several nonprofit boards, including the National Foundation of Jewish Culture, Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, and the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. Lori is currently a member of the UCLA Division of Geriatrics Board of Advisors, Brentwood Country Club, and Board of Trustees at Milken Community School. Lori, her wife Carol, and her son Bruno enjoy golfing together, and spending time with their rescue dogs, friends, and family.