Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation
Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation
Board of Directors 2025-2026
President: Ellen Siegel
Our new president, Ellen Siegel, hails from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She attended Rutgers University, concentrating in Classics, Religion and Art History. Despite her liberal arts background, Ellen found her career in Management for various corporations, including Vice President of Sales and Operations for a motor coach and tour company, administrator for a nationwide computer training company, and as head of Human Resources for a statewide hospice corporation.
As a young girl, Ellen grew up in a religious home which left her with a great appreciation and love for all the traditional rituals as well as the community gained from belonging to a synagogue. Ellen sang in the choir and today, continues to treat our congregation to her lovely voice. Sadly, Ellen lost her mother at an early age, but feels spiritually close to her every Shabbat when the candles are lit, since this is the strongest memory she has of her mother.
Ellen moved down to Lakeside in 2009 and promptly joined the synagogue where she has held many offices throughout her membership, including Member-at-large, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President (twice) and now President. She has also worked on or led numerous committees.
For 16 years, the synagogue has been Ellen’s anchor here at Lakeside, her Lakeside family, and her community. She is and has been totally committed to the growth and continuance of our congregation.
Vice President: Ilanit Levinstein
Info Pending
Treasurer: Robin Hayden
(Immediate Past President)
Robin Hayden moved to Ajijic with her husband, Neal, in late 2017. She is a retired CPA from Washington state. Robin has previously served as treasurer in two other synagogues.
Robin served on a variety of non-profit boards over the years, and understands what makes a board run well and what causes issues. Robin believes the financial records of the shul belong to the congregation, while protecting individual privacy.
She is happy to answer any questions she can while respecting the privacy of individuals. Although qualifying members may pay for half a year, Robin encourages all who come to consider paying a full year’s dues as the shul must pay expenses for the entire year.
If a member needs reduced dues, they should speak with the membership committee chair, who will work with the member to find a dues level that is affordable. That information will be passed on to the Treasurer, who uses this information to budget income and to plan the synagogue’s spending accordingly.
Secretary: Laura Dewey
Info Pending
Member At Large: Mel Goldberg
A Chicago native, Mel published his first play while in high school. After teaching literature in Los Angeles for thirteen years, and finishing his MA at California State University, he won a Fulbright Exchange Scholarship and taught writing for a year at Stanground College, Cambridgeshire, England.
Mel has published four novels, two books of short stories and three books of poetry.
For seven years, Mel and his wife, Beverly, traveled the U. S., Canada, and Mexico in a small motor home until they landed in Ajijic 17 years ago.
Mel has been a member of the congregation for all the 17 years he has lived down here, and has held numerous board positions, including member at large for two non-consecutive terms and secretary.
Mel is well versed in Jewish education and contributes to the weekly Shabbat services by offering his weekly Haftarah commentary, which he hopes gives people an understanding of the prophets. His contribution to the service gives him a special feeling of unity with the congregation.
Mel’s books are available at Diane Pearl’s and on Amazon.
Member at Large: Louise Drummond
Info Pending
Member at Large: Devorah Kruger
Deborah Kruger moved to Lake Chapala in 2010 and promptly joined LCJC. She has been a member ever since. When her parent’s moved to Mexico at the end of their lives, they too joined LCJC and were regular attendees until they passed in 2020.
Deborah’s early retirement from being CEO of a New England company allowed her to pursue her art fulltime. In 2012, she founded 360 Xochi Quetzal, an international artist and writers residency https://www.360xqmx.com/ . Hundreds of creatives attended the residency and many have made their home here on Lake Chapala. The residency is now located in Ajijic and run by the new Director, Bethany Ann Putnam.
Deborah creates her large-scale environmental artwork in Chapala, where she employs 6 local Mexican women and also additional administrative staff. Her artwork balances making objects of beauty that convey layered meaning about habitat fragmentation, bird migration, species extinction and loss of indigenous languages. All of her art is made with recycled plastic screen-printed with images of endangered birds and languages. Deborah considers her artwork her personal Tikkun Olam and speaks at shuls about the Jewish roots and content of her art.
Recent career highlights include winning the First Prize for the Wynnewood Juried Art Show in Miami; selection of artwork for the Art in Embassies program which is now on view in Ashkabat, Turkmenistan; inclusion in Coined in the South: 2024 Biennial at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, a Solo exhibition at the Block Gallery in Raleigh; Visiting Artist at Duke University; Acquisition of artwork by the City of Raleigh’s Permanent Art Collection; exhibiting in Venice, Italy in the finalist exhibition for the Arte Laguna Prize and in the International Fiber Art Biennial at the Museum of Textiles in Valtopina, Italy. The Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in New York City recently acquired two large environmental pieces.
To learn more about Deborah’s artwork, watch a documentary on YouTube (please subscribe!) titled Deborah Kruger: Art & Process. Follow her on Instagram @deborahkrugerstudios, where she shares her complex process.
Member at Large: Betty Shiffman
Betty Shiffman grew up in Tampa, Florida, where she attended the University of South Florida, earning a B.A. in elementary education. She taught upper elementary grades for eight years before following her husband Bob, a career navy officer, around the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines. During those 20+ years, the couple had three children and eventually, four grandchildren. After Bob retired from the Navy and entered a career in business, the couple settled in Louisville and then Lexington, Kentucky.
As she settled in Louisville, Betty returned to graduate school, earning a Masters of Arts in linguistics and a Ph. D in English from the University of Louisville, at which time she began a second career as an English professor. She taught composition, linguistics, and literature at the University of Louisville, Jefferson Community College, and Spalding University. Betty retired in 2015 as a full professor of English. Betty’s greatest joy, after her family, has been teaching.
Betty and her husband, Bob, moved to Ajijic from Louisville KY in September 2016, when they joined LCJC and soon became active participants in the life of the synagogue. Both of them served on the board for several years in various capacities. Their connection to the synagogue and fast friendships among the lakeside Jewish community have brought great pleasure.
Unfortunately, Bob, Betty’s life partner of 50 years passed away in August 2023. Thankfully, her family and the friendships of their close-knit Jewish community have sustained her in this time of loss.
Betty looks forward to another term on the Board of Directors contributing to the growth and vitality of LCJC.
Member at Large: Maureen Tarnopol Sullivan
(past president of LCJC)
Maureen attended public schools in Detroit and upon graduation, entered Michigan State University. Teaching the visually handicapped was her major and she completed her student teaching at the Michigan School for the Blind, during the same period when Stevie Wonder studied there.
Five years of teaching Special Ed, brought her to Omaha, Nebraska where she met Michael Sullivan, her soon-to-be husband. Together they worked and saved every penny to allow them to quit their jobs and travel and study in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. When their savings needed replenishing they returned to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where Michael worked for the government and Maureen spent five years providing therapy to children and families at the Adams County Mental Health Clinic.
In an effort to improve her skills, Maureen continued her education at University of California Berkeley, earning a Master’s degree in Organization and Planning in the school of Social Welfare. With degree in hand, she entered the field of Jewish Communal work, first at the San Francisco JCC, then the Peninsula JCC and finally as the Executive Director at Kol Emeth, a Conservative Synagogue in Palo Alto. During their time in the Peninsula, Maureen and Michael became parents to Adam and Anna, who still live in the Silicon Valley.
A few years after their first visit to Ajijic, they took the plunge and bought a home in Lower La Floresta. Travelling back and forth to the U.S. worked well for a while but this year the decision was made to settle here for at least nine months of the year.
Maureen is also a dedicated volunteer at Northern Lights, and receives great satisfaction from working with glass in her free time.
Immediate Past President: Robin Hayden
See Treasurer: Robin Hayden