David joined our board in August 2016 after being a dedicated member since 2012 with his wife, Michelle, and children, Abby and Julia. They live on the Eastside and happily make the trek in to Bet Alef frequently. They moved to the Seattle area from Chicago in 2010.

David is currently serving as President and has contributed to our membership committee since 2015. David works internationally as a global finance director, and is excited to bring his organization, communication, and financial skills to Bet Alef.

Email: board@betalef.org

Originally from Costa Rica, Andrés was an active member of an Orthodox Jewish community before moving to Seattle with his partner Cristian and their beloved rescue dog, Cosmo. Together, they found a spiritual home in Bet Alef—a community that beautifully blends Judaism with meditation and inclusivity.

Andrés is a long-time Vipassana meditation practitioner, now exploring how contemplative practice deepens his connection to Jewish heritage. A serial volunteer with a passion for service—especially through cooking—he finds joy in supporting others and building community.

Andrés is currently pursuing a degree in Psychology, driven by a deep interest in the mind, healing, and human connection. With a background in communication and marketing, he brings empathy, clarity, and presence to everything he does. 

Bet Alef has been Jim’s spiritual home since 2021. His long-term partner Linda B Morris has been a member for over 25 years.

Jim’s career was in civil / municipal engineering with a focus on planning and budgeting utilities. He has served as Water District Commissioner, a project manager at St

Andrews Catholic Church in Sumner, and as a finance committee member at Saltwater Unitarian Universalist Church in Des Moines.

In his free time, Jim is busy woodworking, tending to the garden, and traveling. He enjoys spending time with his two daughters and his three siblings, all living in the Puget Sound area.

Tara and her family are  long-time Bet Alef members.  Initially drawn by the meditation and Kabbalistic teachings, Tara reconnected with her Jewish heritage and felt welcomed by Bet Alef’s caring community.

She has been active on the mitzvah committee and co-chaired the Oneg committee. She enjoys exploring cuisines both as a cook and taster.  She is a regular theater-goer and loves to immerse herself in the everyday wonder of the natural world.  Now that she is an empty nester, she is grateful for the opportunity to serve and nurture the community that has given her so much.

Aliza is passionate about Jewish education and community building. She is thrilled to serve on the Board of Bet Alef while also leading the Youth and Family Programming.

A love of Torah and mitzvot blossomed early in her life. She began her formal education at the Ahavath Achim Religious School in Atlanta, GA and was a Hebrew tutor as a teenager. She went on to study language and history at the University of Washington and has owned and operated a number of small businesses in the area.

Aliza comes from a blended family of diverse backgrounds and is grateful for the inclusive and loving environment of our synagogue; a place where everyone is welcome and Jewish Spirituality is celebrated. Bet Alef is where she feels at home. When not teaching, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, practicing aikido, and making music.

Alan grew up in the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Hampshire College in Amherst Massachusetts for his undergraduate degree, and the Boston Architectural College for his professional degree in Architecture.  After working in the field for 12 years, he opened his own firm in 1990 in Seattle, specializing in residential remodeling with a green touch. After 30 years he retired and closed his firm. 

He currently contributes tips on Green Remodeling through the “Touch the Earth Collective.”

He lives in Wallingford with his wife.  Nearby lives his daughter, her husband and their three-year-old son. His adult son also lives in town. Alan enjoys birdwatching and the Seattle Storm (WNBA).  He is a longtime meditator with the Shambhala Center, where he teaches classes and guides meditation students.

Jan grew up in the Detroit suburbs, the oldest of 4 in a family deeply invested in music and education.  She majored in anthropology at Eastern Michigan University.  After numerous years of service, activism, and adventure, she completed a joint PhD in Clinical Psychology and Gender/Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan. In 2011, she moved to California, where she works as an associate professor at Palo Alto University.

Finding Bet Alef in 2020 felt at once like coming home and opening a window to deeper meaning in spiritual practice and community. She attends services remotely and comes up to Seattle whenever possible for High Holy Days and Passover

With a Modern Orthodox, Sephardi background, Rabbi Olivier has been a student of  Torah and of the Jewish way for most of his life. He lived in Israel for close to 10 years, where he studied in Jerusalem with many teachers of the Jewish spiritual path, both in Yeshivas and scholarly circles. He received a B.A. and a Masters Degree in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College in Newton, MA. He was ordained as a Rabbi in 2009.

Chanté, having recently relocated from Southern California, is grateful to be a part of the Bet Alef family. She has over 15 years of bookkeeping experience and is the owner of Mama Bear Bookkeeper, a company committed to helping small businesses & entrepreneurs. Chanté enjoys the beauty & weather of Washington, baking for others, and spending time with her husband, son, and her tuxedo cat Mew.