Meet Our Staff

Nancy Drapin

Executive Director

Nancy is a specialist in nonprofit management with more than 35 years’ experience in public education, arts and culture, and Jewish communal organizations. After 10 years teaching art to students with learning disabilities in Cleveland and San Francisco, Nancy brought her creative and organizational abilities to the San Francisco Jewish Community Center, where her 18-year career included increasingly responsible jobs in adult programs, public relations marketing and development, eventually becoming executive director. In the mid-1990′s, Nancy moved to Washington D.C., where she opened the District of Columbia JCC as associate director. Returning to the Bay Area in the late 90′s, Nancy joined the staff at Congregation Sherith Israel, where she served as executive director for 10 years. Nancy presently serves as president of the Bay Area Temple Administrators Association and also has been active on the Jewish Community Federation’s capacity building task force for membership development. Her door is always open and she invites everyone into her office for a piece of chocolate and discussion.

ndrapin@kolshofar.org / 415.388.1818 ext. 103

Jonathan Emanuel

Director of Education

Jonathan brings an extensive experience of Jewish education and program skills to Kol Shofar. He has worked with adults and children of all ages for more than 15 years, serving as youth director, religious school teacher, Israel trip education specialist, summer camp and teen retreat director. In Portland, Oregon, Jonathan was instrumental in developing a wide variety of synagogue and community programming for the growing Jewish population. Jonathan’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with a focus on religion and the media from UC Santa Cruz was enhanced by a year with Young Judaea’s Course in Israel, and additional training at the Yeshivat Shalom Rav, in Tsfat, Israel. Jonathan’s teaching philosophy is centered around creating a strong Jewish identity in his students through a strong “literacy” of Hebrew texts and traditions, experiences, and active engagement with the modern world.

jemanuel@kolshofar.org / 415.388.1818 ext. 105