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Board Members

SJC's Board, aka its Steering Committee, is the anarchistic, democratic leadership team behind the organization. They vote together on decisions such as (but not limited to) which organizations to collaborate with, what programming to offer our community, and what regions we are able to host in and serve.

If you'd like to help shape SJC's artistic design/theming, community programming and reach, impact in your community, or anything else you have in mind, reach out today! All voices are valued, and there is no limitation on the size of the Steering Committee.

Please note that, both for the current Board and for prospective Board Members, SJC is an entirely volunteer-run organization, so Board Members are not compensated for their labor with the organization, however, by that same token, they have no minimum time commitment to the organization, either.

Jacob Kosman (he/him) President/Secretary

Headshot of Jacob Kosman

Jacob grew up in an observant Jewish household outside Philadelphia, and went to a private Jewish day school, and then public school, before moving out west for college. Settling in Seattle, he sought a Jewish group that focused on the cultural, moral, aesthetic, and intellectual aspects of Judaism, not on the theistic aspects. That's how he discovered SJC and broader secular humanistic Judaism.

Jacob was elected to the Board in 2021.

Jeff Treistman (he/him) Vice President, Madrikh

Headshot of Jeff Treistman, a man with a receding hair line of dark gray hair, a light gray chinstrap beard, and thick glasses, wearing a dark brown windbreaker.

 

Jeff grew up in a Secular Jewish household in the Philadelphia suburb of Springfield Township. He moved to Seattle in 1976 and has been involved with the Secular Jewish Circle for more than 20 years. He retired from teaching in Seattle Public Schools after 18 years, and 14 years as a school librarian. He is the Founding Director of the Jewish Comics Library of Seattle.

Jeff was elected to the Board in 2017.

Jeff graduated from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in 2024 as a certified Madrikh. (In Humanistic Judaism, a Madrikh/Vegvayzer is an ordained ceremonial leader/officiant.)

Seth Levenson (he/him) Treasurer

Headshot of Seth Levenson, a man with dark hair, a receding hairline and chinstrap beard, wearing glasses and a purple dress shirt, and smiling.

Seth is a trans man born and raised in an interfaith home (Conservative Judaism and Roman Catholicism) in Buffalo, NY. The push-and-pull nature of living under two strict religions simultaneously, which both insisted they were the correct one, drove him to question theism itself. He relocated to the Puget Sound in 2009 in pursuit of higher education, and brings more than a decade of financial services experience to the Board.

Seth was elected to the Board in 2022.

Diamond Crawford (they/them) Social Media Manager

Headshot of Diamond Crawford, a non-binary transgender woman wearing a shoulder-length dark brown wig, an indistinct dark shirt, and round glasses. They are happily smiling.

Diamond is a patrilineal Jew and non-binary trans woman born and raised in the Seattle area in a non-Jewish household. They began learning about their culture as a teenager before returning to it decades later, after feeling the call of secular/cultural Judaism.

Diamond was elected to the Board in 2023.

Sun, 16 February 2025