Our Board of Trustees 2018-2019

Martin Altschul

Social Action Chair

Marty Altschul is excited to return to the board after an absence of 15 years. Over the past 24 years that he and Paula have lived in Pittsburgh, he has been chair and an active member of Temple’s Social Action, House and Grounds, Technology, Worship and Communication Teams. He has also served as webmaster for earlier iterations of the Temple website. Prior to that, Marty served in a number of roles including President at Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville, Virginia (yes, that Congregation Beth Israel!). But Marty is probably best known as husband and occasional helpmate to Paula Altschul, the Temple’s librarian. In his professional life, Marty is the University Engineer at Carnegie Mellon University. He has also served as a board member of SHIM and the Mt. Lebanon Environmental Sustainability Board.

Artie Baran

Brotherhood Co-Chair

Originally from New Kensington, I spent 20 + years living on the West Coast where I met my wife, Lori (Mannheimer), a Mt. Lebanon native and second generation Temple member. My first introduction to Temple Emanuel was when Rabbi Mahler performed our wedding ceremony in San Diego in 2004. We returned to Pittsburgh in 2009 and have two children, Kurt and Kylie. I’m an attorney licensed in California and Pennsylvania, with my practice focusing on consumer fraud class action work. I’ve been part of Temple’s Larry Miller Caring Community team for a few years and previously served on the new executive director search committee. I look forward to serving on the Temple board.

Mitch Bober

Adult Education Co-Chair

Mitchell has been a Board member since 2016. A Mt. Lebanon native, Mitchell grew up at Temple Emanuel, attending services with his sister, Sharon, and parents, Stanley and Marilyn. After graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School and Duquesne University, he made stops in Philadelphia, Guam (yes, Guam), and Washington, D.C. before returning home to Pittsburgh in 2013 with his wife, Itzel, and three children, Shai, Marissa, and Zach. Mitchell currently works as in-house litigation counsel for FedEx Ground, and he is also active in local government, serving on Mt. Lebanon’s Civil Service Board, where his duties include hearing appeals of disciplinary actions and dismissals of police and fire personnel, and supervising the appointment and promotion process used by these agencies.

Adam Brufsky

Human Resources Chair

I am a medical oncologist who is co-Director of the Breast Cancer Program at Magee-Women’s Hospital and Associate Chief of the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh. I have been a Temple member since my wife Jill and I moved here from Boston in 1996. Jill was a Vice President of Temple Emanuel and a member of the Temple board for many years, and I am looking forward to contributing to Temple during my term. When I am not attending to my cancer patients at Magee, administering my Division, or traveling for lectures, I can usually be found with my wife Jill driving my children Eliza, Alex, and Josh to dance, hockey, soccer, cross-country, or baseball practice.

Nate Eisinger

Brotherhood Co-Chair

Nate has been in the Pittsburgh area and a member of Temple for about nine years after moving from West Virginia. He is married with two girls that have been through ECDC and are currently enrolled in Torah Center. He lives in Upper St Clair and works as a metallurgist for The Perryman Company in Washington County. Nate believes that the community offered by Temple Emanuel is a wonderful resource that he hopes to enhance through his board service. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing and ultimate Frisbee.

Sara Frey

Caring Community Chair

Sara has been a Temple member since moving to Pittsburgh in 2001 with her family. For 16 years she has taught fifth grade Hebrew and tutored Hebrew, and served on the Temple Worship Committee.  She graduated from Colgate University and is active as the Colgate Alumni Admissions Chairperson for the Pittsburgh region. For Sara, being involved at Temple and educating the next generation strengthens her sense of Jewish community. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, Mah Jongg, square dancing with the Peanut Squares Square Dance Club, and Israeli folk dancing.

Kathy Ginsburg

Worship Co-Chair

Kathy has been a member of Temple Emanuel since 2006 when she, her husband Howard, and infant son moved back to Howard’s native Pittsburgh from North Carolina. Two weeks prior to her son’s birth, Kathy became a Jew by Choice and considers it one of the best decisions she’s ever made. Before becoming a mother, Kathy worked as a high school English teacher and school library media specialist. Since arriving at Temple, she has volunteered in various capacities, including serving on the ECDC Advisory Board, Technology Committee, and Worship Team. Her other Temple connection is teaching both 5th grade Jewish Lifecycle and 7th-grade Introduction to the Holocaust at the Torah Center. Kathy, her husband, son Henry, daughter Lauren, and rescue pup Lucy live in Upper St. Clair.

Kate Louik

Engagement Chair

Kate Louik has been a Temple Emanuel member since she and her husband, Max, moved to Mt. Lebanon in 2012. Kate and Max have two daughters, Mavis and Emilia, who currently attend ECDC and Torah Center classes. Kate has served as a member of the ECDC Advisory Board, the Worship Committee, the Larry Miller Memorial Caring Community and is currently a part of the Settled Rabbi Search Committee.  She teaches at Torah Center and starting in the fall will be teaching at ECDC and serving as the South Hills Ambassador for PJ Library. Kate has a Master’s degree in early childhood education from Bank Street College and is a trained birth and postpartum doula.

Marsha Morgenstern

Communications Chair

Marsha, her husband (Eric), and their son (Zachary) have been members of Temple Emanuel since 2010. Since then, she has served Temple Emanuel in numerous roles and capacities, including working with Temple Emanuel’s youth group, helping create care packages for members away at college as part of the College Connections team, serving on the Interim Rabbi Search Committee, and currently serving on the Settled Rabbi Search Committee.

Marsha teaches for Pittsburgh Technical College and the University of Phoenix in the content areas of business, general education, academic writing, and critical thinking. In addition to teaching, Morgenstern works as a freelance writer and has been published in various newspapers, magazines, and the Virgin Atlantic Airlines blog. Experienced in Jewish Communal Service, Marsha formed the first Jewish student organization on campus at Florida Gulf Coast University and was a Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow for Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She holds a Master’s in Business Communication and a Master’s in Adult Education and Training.

Marsha looks forward to serving alongside fellow congregants on the Board of Trustees and is excited about the future of Temple Emanuel.

Ron Richards

House & Grounds Chair

Ron has been a member of Temple for 17 years. In addition to being president of Brotherhood, he is often seen helping out whenever possible.

Jo Schuman

Diskin Chair

My parents, Lillian and Lou Mitchell, were founding members of Temple. I was confirmed here and my two daughters grew up amid a vibrant youth group. For 27 years I taught religious school (kindergarten and Confirmation) and served as Chairman of “Arts and Gifts” on the board in the 70s. As a Bridal Consultant and Bridal Registry Director at Kaufmann’s for 25 years before early retirement, I enjoyed a fascinating career and hope to add my skills as a board member.

Bob Shure

Fundraising Chair

Bob is happy to return to the board after a long absence. He is from Washington, PA. Bob and his wife, Lori, raised their three children in Mt Lebanon and at Temple Emanuel. Lori is also a former Temple board member. Bob has previously served on the board of the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, has been a Big Brother for Big Brothers and Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, and currently serves on the board of the Western PA Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He works in the financial services industry.

Jeffrey Weiner

Cemetery Chair

Jeff has been a Temple Emanuel member since before he was born. His parents were members when Temple was just a foundation. Jeff was born in Mt. Lebanon and now lives in Upper St Clair. He and his wife Suzanne officially rejoined when their eldest daughter was starting kindergarten over 20 years ago. Prior to his current stint on the Board, Jeff served as Brotherhood president and was on the fundraising team. Jeff feels that it is important to be involved with Temple in ways other than just financial. Suzanne and Jeff own and operate Eden’s Market – a Gluten Free Emporium in Mt Lebanon; the store specializes in natural and organic allergy-friendly foods and food-based nutritional supplements. The Weiner household currently consists of Jeff, Suzanne, their children Chelsea, Zoe, Taylor, and Eden, three cats and a dog. In addition to his involvement at Temple, Jeff is the head of The Gluten Intolerance Group Western PA chapter, a national organization providing information and education regarding Celiac disease and Gluten Intolerance. He is on the board of The Mt. Lebanon Partnership and is a member of the Dallas Lodge of A&FM (Masons).