Meet Our Staff

Naomi Tucker – Founding Executive Director 

As Shalom Bayit’s founding Executive Director, Naomi can guide Rabbis, Jewish organizational leaders, survivors, educators, and colleagues in the field of violence prevention. Naomi has served in staff, board, and volunteer capacities in battered women’s programs in the US and abroad for over 37 years, including a five-year term as board secretary of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Since founding Shalom Bayit in 1992, her work builds linkages between the Jewish community and the secular domestic violence movement.

Naomi has been instrumental in developing the national Jewish communal response to gender- based violence, and faith-based approaches to addressing violence in the home. She co-authored some of the first Jewish healing rituals for survivors of abuse (1992), the Love Shouldn’t Hurt Jewish teen dating violence prevention curriculum (2007), and Faith in Violence-Free Families, an interfaith clergy training in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health. Her writing on domestic violence in the Jewish community has been published in Sh’ma: Journal of Jewish Ideas, the JPS LifeLights series, and the anthology Righteous Indignation.

Naomi sits on the National Task Force to Combat Jewish Poverty, the We Commit Steering Committee promoting respectful Jewish workplaces in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Steering Committee of the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium, and the Advisory Board for REVEAL, a national research study on domestic abuse in affluent communities.

In her own words: “I am truly proud of  the scope and growth of Shalom Bayit over the past 30 years and the ways that we have shifted the Jewish communal response to abuse. What I love most about my work at Shalom Bayit is that every day I get to witness women turning their lives around and finding hope. There is no greater honor than being able to support that change and journey to freedom.”

Lev Amor – Director of Programs & Operations

As the Director of Programs & Operations, Lev is available to discuss how your organization can partner with Shalom Bayit. Lev supervises Shalom Bayit’s Prevention Team and oversees the organization’s overall operations. Lev joined the Shalom Bayit team in 2016 and previously served as the Community Outreach Program Manager for 5 years. They have a decade of experience in education program management. This experience spans across higher education, edtech, and nonprofit settings, with a specialization in gender justice and violence prevention.

In their own words: “I believe that Bay Area Jewish communities have a unique opportunity to leverage the strength of our values and close connections to end abuse and create safety. ”

David Cohen – Manager of Strategic Advancement

As Manager of Strategic Advancement, David can guide individuals to find meaningful ways to support Shalom Bayit and have an impact. Whether you are considering a one-time gift for a special occasion, a regular monthly or annual gift, or a legacy/estate gift, David is ready to assist you in finding the best fit for meeting your personal philanthropic goals.  David brings over thirty years of Bay Area Jewish nonprofit experience to Shalom Bayit. After proudly advocating for many years for social justice with the Anti Defamation League and representing institutions which “put Israel’s best foot forward” (Weizmann Institute of Science & Shaare Zedek Medical Center), David embraces a very personal mission as part of the Shalom Bayit family.

In his own words: “Shalom Bayit combats significant and deeply disturbing ills in our society, and in our Jewish community. As a proud father of three children, I am humbled to be part of a passionate, multi-talented team of professionals and volunteers who want to eradicate destructive oppression, especially against women.”

Deb Fink – Direct Services Manager

Deb provides compassionate support, crisis intervention and safety planning for domestic violence survivors through individual counseling, support groups, and advocacy. Leading our counseling team, Deb coordinates all client programs and is available to guide community members who are supporting friends or family experiencing abuse. Deb earned her Master’s in Counseling from the University of Maryland in College Park and spent her early professional life on the East Coast and in Israel. She moved to the Bay Area in 1997 and has served the Jewish community through a wide range of organizations. Deb was a fellow in the Tauber Program for Holocaust Educators and the Tikea Fellowship for Educators of Jewish Teens. She continued her professional learning at the Melitz Center for Jewish Zionist Education, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Yad Vashem and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

In her own words: “I am passionate about the transformative healing that can take place within the warm embrace of Jewish community. I’m thrilled to be part of the incredible team at Shalom Bayit that is doing this sacred work.”

Tamar Altfest – Office Manager

As Shalom Bayit’s Office Manager, Tamar serves as a resource and go-to for information about Shalom Bayit’s operations, programs, and services. She helps the office run smoothly by providing support to the team and the larger community. Her 15+ years of professional experience includes a range of services—from client, project, and office management to Human Resources and People Operations. She is happiest when in service of others and is thrilled to champion the important work of Shalom Bayit. Born in Israel, Tamar feels a deep connection to Jewish culture and has enjoyed volunteering for Wilderness Torah and attending Urban Adamah’s Kabbalat Shabbat. Tamar grew up in New Jersey and Northern Virginia, and attended Santa Clara University where she obtained her BA in English and French.

In her own words: I’m passionate about nurturing Shalom Bayit’s vital mission of helping women in the Jewish community find their wings to safety and freedom.

Noa Oberman – Domestic Violence Counselor/Advocate

As a Domestic Violence Counselor/Advocate, Noa works with clients as part of the direct services team. She provides individual counseling, DV resource navigation, and helpline support. Noa was an Intern for Shalom Bayit’s Love Shouldn’t Hurt internship program back in 2017 and returned to the organization after spending time in college working as a peer counselor.

In her own words: I am so honored to be a part of this community and take part in this work. It is a joy and a privilege to help our remarkable, resilient clients in any way I can.”

Lorianna Seidlitz-Smith – Events and Engagement Manager

As Events and Engagement Manager, Lorianna helps individuals and community groups connect in meaningful ways to make a difference at Shalom Bayit. Lorianna oversees all agency events including our annual Creating Hope dinner, and coordinates our volunteer program. With over 15 years’ professional experience in business operations and event planning, as well as many years in executive lay leadership positions, Lorianna passionately produces powerful experiences that connect people to meaningful causes. A Berkeley native, Lorianna serves on the Board of Congregation Beth El as Vice President of Membership, the board of Berkeley Lacrosse Club and her children’s school PTA board where she works on diversity, inclusion and equity of Jews and persons of color.

In her own words: “I’m proud and grateful to be part of Shalom Bayit’s incredible team working to end gender-based violence.”

Leo Thomason – Community Educator

As the Community Outreach Program Manager, Leo can help you find ways to better prepare your friends, colleagues, and Jewish community to address and prevent gender-based violence. Call Leo to schedule an adult education program or staff training. Leo got their start in gender-based violence prevention work in 2014, when they co-founded Berkeley High School Stop Harassing, an award-winning youth movement designed to combat sexual harassment at the high school level. They deepened their commitment to Jewish social justice causes in college as one of the founding members of the Judaism On Our Own Terms conference, a nationwide network of independent Jewish groups on college campuses. They holds a BA in English Literature from Bryn Mawr College.

Most recently, Leo worked in community education at First Shift Justice Project in Washington, DC, where they educated women on their workplace rights related to sexual harassment and domestic violence. As a former Love Shouldn’t Hurt intern, Leo is thrilled to be welcomed back onto the team as the Community Outreach Program Manager.

In their own words: I am honored to have the chance to engage the Bay Area Jewish community in creative, compassionate, and sustainable responses to domestic and gender-based violence. Change begins with us.”

Kinneret Katz – Development Assistant

As Development Assistant, Kinneret supports our Development and Event Management team with administrative tasks. Kinneret has been involved in a variety of community and Jewish nonprofits, ranging from local food insecurity to Uyghur Genocide advocacy, and thrives in helping behind the scenes. She received her B.A. in East Asian Studies from the University of Rochester.

In her own words: “Shalom Bayit saw a vital need in our community and ran to fill it, and that ethos carries us through all the work we do. I’m so grateful to be part of such a mission-driven space.”

Shalom Bayit Advisory Board
Vivien Braly and Stephanie Levin, Co-Chairs
Shannon Edelstone
Allie Emrich
Jerilyn Gelt
Tracey Klapow
Dyanna Loeb
Talya Monasch Marcus
Sandi Morris
Janet Schneider
Kate Taffel

Honorary Board
Minouche Kandel, JD
Pam Kramer
Roselyne C. Swig