Jemi Kostiner Mansfield has been hired as the new Director of Spiritual Life for the Cedar Sinai Park campus. Jemi began her role on July 6, overseeing the Judaic content on the campus, organizing volunteers to lead Shabbat and holiday services and coordinating with Life Enrichment to present a well-rounded roster of programming designed to nurture the soul.
Since 1992 Jemi has served the Portland Jewish community through her work at Congregation Beth Israel. Originally hired as a temp, her solid Judaic education and a lifetime of community involvement quickly led to her advancement throughout the organization with a focus on life cycle events, clergy management and congregant relationship. Most recently she has filled the role of Congregational Affairs Director under the guidance of senior clergy Rabbi Michael Z. and Cantor Ida Rae Cahana.
A Pacific Northwest native, Jemi grew up at Neveh Shalom and attended Hillel Academy (now Portland Jewish Academy) at Shaarie Torah. Parents, Priscilla and Tony Kostiner, emphasized the importance of living a Jewish life, arranging for a year-long sabbatical in Jerusalem in 1982, where Jemi and sister, Dana, were fully immersed in the public school system.
Jemi met her husband, Greg, while still in high school. Following graduation from UCLA with a degree in theatre, Jemi and Greg returned to Portland and were married in 1992. They have two sons: Alex, 19, will start his sophomore year at Northern Arizona University in August. Ben, 15, will be a sophomore at the School of Science and Technology in the fall. Both boys are proud PJA graduates.
At CSP, Jemi can be reached at: Jemi.Mansfield@cedarsinaipark.org or 503-535-4038.
In a tribute to Jemi in the Beth Israel newsletter, CBI Executive Director Sydney Baer wrote:
“It is bittersweet to share the news that Jemi Kostiner Mansfield has left our team after 23 years. She was an integral member of our Senior Staff and will be deeply missed. …
When I say this news is bittersweet, the bitterness is the huge loss this will be for CBI. When Jemi started at CBI in April 1992 as temp for our front desk, neither she nor we knew what an amazing journey and career it would be for her. Jemi has worn almost every hat and worked in every department. From the front desk, Jemi soon became our Life Cycle Coordinator, organizing our weddings, baby namings, circumcisions, funerals and all events in between. She served as Associate Director of Congregational Affairs under Cindy Bambam for many years and then took over the administration for the Education Department for 12 years. Jemi has been a member of the Senior Staff for the past 9 years and has served as our Congregational Affairs Director for the past three years, managing the clergy schedules, cemetery, database, and social media; writing our press releases; helping with logistics and general operations; and continuing to support our life cycle events. Jemi was our Purim Schpiel-er extraordinaire, weaving together her love of theater, acting, directing, singing, and dancing with Jewish celebrations. Jemi is our institutional knowledge and keeper of our memorable moments. She has been patient and wise counsel to many of our Bar/Bat Mitzvah families, a thoughtful collaborator, and our in-house calligrapher. Her job titles have never really done justice to all her contributions to CBI. The bottom line is that she has been our go-to person for 23 years.
We thank Jemi for being the best long-term temp ever, and we thank her family for sharing her with us for all these years. It has been a pleasure to watch Jemi grow, but like all good nests, it is time for her to go and share her leadership with others. With the greatest of respect and gratitude, we say yasher koach for a job well done.”
