Officers and Directors

Rich Friedman, President

Adrienne and Rich moved to Sarasota in July of 2018 and soon joined Kol HaNeshama. This will be his second year on the KH Board. Rich has acted as KH Chair of Security for the previous three years before joining the Board and continued to assume that responsibility this past year. He attended Temple University Dental school and received his DDS degree in 1971. Rich spent two years as a captain in the US Army and served as a dentist in Columbia, South Carolina. He and Adrienne moved to Lawrenceville NJ and were active members at the Jewish Center of Princeton for many years.

Marilyn Drukin, Vice-President

Although she moved to Sarasota only six months ago and joined KH shortly thereafter, her involvement with synagogues goes back over 55 years. Marilyn belonged to one of the first Reconstructionist shuls in Pennsylvania, Congregation Beth Israel of Media (and still does) and served in a number of positions throughout the years, including as a member of the Board of Directors and ultimately as the president. She retired in 2008 from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she was Manager of the Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Center to care for her ailing husband. KH feels like home and Marilyn is honored to be a member of the Board.

Jay Leonard, Treasurer

Jay and his wife Iris joined Kol HaNeshama in 2018. What attracted them was the joyous Friday night service. He became Chairman of the Budget Committee two years ago and served as treasurer this past year. He will continue as treasurer for the new Board. Jay and Iris live in downtown Sarasota, from November through March. They live on the upper west side of Manhattan in the fall and spring, and in Napa, California in the summer. Jay studied economics in college and finance and investments in business school, beginning his career on Wall Street as a securities analyst, and then started an investment management firm.

Adrienne Driben, Secretary and Fundraising

Adrienne lived and worked in New York City (Manhattan) for over 50 years where she specialized in affordable housing financing and development: 20 years were spent in public service, 20 years in the private sector, and over 10 years as an independent consultant to New York State. She was a “snowbird” for about five years before retiring and moving to downtown Sarasota where she became a full-time Florida resident in 2020, joining KH shortly before Covid. While living in Manhattan, Adrienne was active in UJA-Federation of New York’s Planned Giving and also in UJA’s Women’s Executive Circle/Women’s Philanthropy.  She also worked as a pro bono consultant to several of UJA’s beneficiary agencies.

Richard Belle, Communications

Seven years ago, Richard discovered the warmth and intimacy of Congregation Kol HaNeshama and has been an enthusiastic member ever since. He has served in many capacities, including newsletter editor, Transition co-chair, Program co-chair of Rabbi Jennifer’s Benefit Luncheon, member of both the Interim and Permanent Rabbi Search Committees and finally as president this past year. He will remain on the Board as the immediate past president. Richard loves to travel and dabble in languages, and has traveled extensively in Europe, as well as to Cuba, China and Korea, and a few Caribbean islands. He has been fortunate to visit Israel three times, including studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem during his third year in college.

Joan Davidson, Holidays and Special Events

Joan has been a KH Member since it began and is serving her second year on the Board. She is an award-winning exhibiting artist who co-coordinated art workshops and art initiatives at KH that resulted in all the tapestries currently hanging at South Gate. During her professional career she worked as an Art Educator K-College (NYU) for over 35 years and held the position of President of the New York City Art Teachers Association/UFT for 38 years. She is currently an active President Emeritus of the organization.  She served as President of the New York State Art Teachers Association and as President of the Becket Arts Center for 12 years.  She is a member of the SAJ in New York City and spends summers in the Berkshires.

Anita Sarno, Membership

Anita is KH’s membership chair. She has been a KH board member in the past and is now happy to help with adding new members to our congregation. In New York City, Anita and her husband Paul were Reconstructionist at Mordechai Kaplan’s original synagogue. She sang in the choir for over forty years and still sings there for the High Holidays. She and Paul have been members of Kol HaNeshama for over ten years. They have traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia and Europe. Anita paints, beads, writes memoirs, and sings with the Venice Chorale

Toby Deutsch, Religious Practices / Facilities Calendar

Toby Deutsch was born and spent most of her life in the greater New York City area until she relocated to Sarasota for the new millennium. She had an eclectic work history until she tackled running her husband’s multi-office audiology practice, which she did for about 20 years.
She has always enjoyed travel, with her husband and two children, and since she became a widow has visited places as diverse as Kenya, Myanmar and Cuba. Toby has been part of KH since its founding, and has served as a Board member and secretary, and for three terms as co-president. She was a co-chair of the move to St. Wilfred and has chaired the Religious Practices committee for many years.

Naomi Schwartz, Volunteer Recruitment

Naomi has been a member of Kol HaNeshama for more than 10 years and a Board member for the last three years. She has participated in many of the social action projects of KH. During the pandemic, Naomi organized a phone squad to call members of the synagogue on a regular basis. She served on both the interim rabbi search and the permanent rabbi search committees. For the past three years Naomi has organized the nominations for various committees and projects at KH. She is a former high school teacher and taught chemistry and health education. Naomi enjoys spending time in Sarasota with her friends at KH and Pelican Cove.

Open Position, Education and Social Action Chair