23 years ago, on the Shabbat when Saul was turning 6 years old, he asked his parents, Vicki and Mark Rothman, to visit his baseball friends at BDJ. All 3 boys marched up to Rechov Yeladim and stayed. It was the first time Vicki and Mark sat through an entire Shabbat service. The Rothmans came back the next week. They were invited to lunches by members. After about 6 weeks, someone asked, “Are you going to become members?” They did.

 

Fast forward through the amazing simchaot of b’nai mitzva for each of Saul, Eitan and Noah. The heart-breaking funeral for Vicki’s father, Elliot Bernstein, ז׳ל, whom the Rothman and Bernstein families lost far too soon. The innumerable meals and simchaot Vicki and Mark experienced with the many life-long friends they’ve made at BDJ.

 

Vicki, from Salt Lake City, and Mark, from Los Angeles, have been part of many schul programs. Mark has played many roles: he planted trees along Pico Boulevard; helped form Boy Scout Troop 360; was part of the LGBTQ inclusion Shabbaton; managed the bollard installation; and lead Nosh n’Drosh. Among his current activities, he serves on the Sustainability Committee, manages RSVPs for BDJ East and makes a regularly irregular appearance at daily minyan. He also cherishes his annual role as ba’al tekiyah.

 

Vicki considers BDJ her family, and as such serves on the Board to help any way she can. You will find her greeting women on many Shabbat mornings and finding the women to carry the torahs back to the ark. One of Vicki’s greatest strengths is making people feel welcome at BDJ and like they are part of the community that she holds so dear.