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Jewish Community News
News: September 2006
New presidents take on SVYAD
By Cecily Ruttenberg
Incoming Silicon Valley Young Adults Division presidents Shai Goldman, 28, and Ruth Zaltsmann, 27, have more in mind for SVYAD than just cocktail hours and annual ski trips. They want to cultivate future leaders for the South Bay Jewish community.
“In 20, 30 years, the old guard leadership of the Federation is
going to be gone and who is going to be the new guard?” asks Goldman.
Their answer: SVYAD members.
SVYAD came into existence in December 2003 with founders Lindsay Greensweig
and Ephraim Lindenbaum. At the time, there was no organized group in the
South Bay bringing together Jewish adults aged 21-40. SVYAD filled the
missing gap between Hillel at the college level, and adults participating
in synagogues and Federation.
Since its inception, SVYAD’s mail-ing list has grown from 100 to
800 names. Social events take place monthly and social action events quarterly.
Goldman and Zaltsmann say the next steps are to grow the mailing list
even more, increase fundraising, cultivate leaders and redefine SVYAD’s
current image as a singles only group. “We’re also for young
couples, young married couples and couples with kids,” said Zaltsmann.
Shai Goldman was born in Israel and moved to the San Jose area at age
eight. At Santa Clara University (SCU), he became involved with Hillel
on the San Jose State University campus because there was no active Hillel
group at SCU. His senior year in school Goldman re-launched SCU’s
Hillel group. He credits his grandparents, Marion and Harry Goldman, for
setting an example of service and tikkun olam in the Jewish community.
Marion Goldman was the first woman president of the Jewish Federation
of Silicon Valley.
Ruth Zaltsmann was born in Estonia and moved to the San Jose area as a
10 year old. Her family became members of Congregation Beth David, where
both she and her sister celebrated their B’not Mitzvah. Zaltsmann
was very involved with BBYO, Israel trips and Hillel at San Jose State
where she attended the nursing program. Zaltsmann talks about her recent
trip to Poland and then Israel with the March of the Living as reigniting
her passion for being involved. “The trip changes you,” she
said. “You’re in Poland and you cry as a group and then you’re
in Israel. You know the Federation made this trip possible for many kids
and you want to work for it.”
For more information on the Silicon Valley Young Adults Division, please
visit www.jvalley.org.
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