Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Shirat Goldstein, a Full Stack and Game Developer whose career is a fascinating journey of continuous evolution. Starting in graphic and web design...

Joomla in Faces. Shirat Goldstein (Full Stack Developer)

Published: 30 December 2025
Last modified: 04 January 2026

Shirat

Eugene

Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Shirat Goldstein, a Full Stack and Game Developer whose career is a fascinating journey of continuous evolution. Starting in graphic and web design, she deeply immersed herself in programming, and has now expanded her creative passion into the realm of game development. Beyond her technical work, Shirat is a dedicated community builder, actively volunteering with the Israeli Joomla community and contributing globally on the Joomla Marketing Team, where she's also shared her insights on stages worldwide.

Shirat, welcome! Let's dive into a conversation about your journey, your projects, and the intersection of code, creativity, and community.

1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself, please?

My name is Shirat Goldstein, I am 43 years old and live in Israel. I am married to Paulie and a mother of four. Professionally, I am a Full Stack Developer and Game Developer.

I started my business at the age of 26. Apart from a few years where I worked as a developer for the organization 'she codes;', I have been self-employed throughout my entire career. My professional journey has evolved over the years—starting as a graphic designer and website builder, progressing into programming, and in recent years, expanding into game development.

2. How did your first encounter with Joomla happen?

Back in 2010, I was just starting out as a web builder. In those days, we were still building websites page-by-page, hand-coding everything with direct href links.

I had a client who required a larger website, and I had heard colleagues mention concepts like 'Content Management Systems' (CMS) and 'Open Source.' I began searching for a system that would suit my workflow - specifically one that offered flexibility in both design and client management - and that’s when I discovered Joomla.

Over the years, I have built many Joomla websites. I quickly found the Israeli Joomla community on Facebook and connected with its founder, Ofer Cohen. When they organized 'JoomlaDay' events in Israel, I initially volunteered to help with graphic design, which was my entry point into the community.

3. Have you worked with other Content Management Systems besides Joomla?

Certainly, I have worked with other systems. Many of my clients today specifically request WordPress. I also have experience building sites on Wix, Shopify, and various proprietary systems, depending on what the client needs.

4. Do you contribute to the Joomla community?

I actively contributed to the Joomla Marketing Team for several years and had the privilege of giving presentations at various Joomla events worldwide.

Shirat

Yes, my involvement deepened significantly over the years. After starting as a volunteer designer for local events, I eventually took on the role of Community Manager for the Israeli community alongside Dror Lamdan.

On a global level, I actively contributed to the Joomla Marketing Team for several years and had the privilege of giving presentations at various Joomla events worldwide. While the local community is smaller and less active today, I still step in to assist with discussions around new versions or requests regarding Hebrew translation fixes.

5. Why do you contribute—what motivates you, and what do you get out of it?

I think, first and foremost, the core value of Open Source—where everyone contributes what they can to create a large system that works for the benefit of our clients—is extremely powerful. On one hand, it is about giving back to the platform that provides my livelihood; on the other, every user working with the system can provide feedback and actually influence the code development.

However, in Joomla, what really sustains the volunteers is the deeply significant community surrounding the product. The people you volunteer with become friends, and sometimes even more than that. You travel the world—virtually or physically—and meet people from places you would never have encountered otherwise.

In fact, people I attended conferences with back in 2016 and 2017 were the first to reach out and ask how my family and I were doing after October 7th in Israel.

And in general, volunteering, contributing, and doing good for the world raises endorphin levels. It’s addictive :)

Shirat Goldstein

6. A developer’s professional journey starts with learning. Are there local educational resources or influencers in your country that set trends, or does everyone have to rely on foreign resources—which then depends on knowing a second language?

It is definitely both. We have very large local communities of 'Web Creators' and key influencers in the web development field here in Israel. While there is a significant amount of discourse specifically around WordPress, we also actively discuss other systems and broader topics like accessibility, user experience, and e-commerce.

At the same time, we rely heavily on global resources—we follow international trends, invite key speakers to conferences here in Israel, and some of us travel to conferences in Europe.

7. How well does Joomla support RTL languages in its core, and what about popular templates and frontend frameworks for Joomla?

Joomla offers full support for RTL languages, with a complete translation that is constantly being refined for every version. As for templates, I design and build them from scratch, so I don't rely on third-party frameworks. However, I know many colleagues who have successfully used various popular frameworks over the years.

8. What is the state of the e-commerce market in Israel, and which online payment systems are the most popular?

The e-commerce market in Israel is thriving and very advanced.

Shirat

The e-commerce market in Israel is thriving and very advanced. Israelis are avid online shoppers, purchasing everything from groceries to fashion and tech, both locally and from international giants like Amazon, Shein, and AliExpress.

Regarding payment systems, credit cards are still the primary method. For online clearing, developers typically integrate local gateways like Cardcom, Tranzila, or Grow (Meshulam), alongside PayPal. In recent years, digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay have become standard, and local payment apps like Bit are also widely used.

9. What key advantages of Joomla would you highlight?

First, the MVC architecture, which effectively separates design from content. Second, the immense flexibility regarding the addition and placement of modules and plugins across the site. And finally, the built-in User Management and native Custom Fields. There are many other advantages, of course, but these are the most critical ones from my perspective.

10. Joomla turns 20 this year. What are your thoughts on this milestone?

First of all, a huge congratulations! It is such a joy to be part of this milestone and to have played such a significant role in the ecosystem for so many of these years.

My wish is for the system to remain stable—and for the incredible community surrounding it to stay large, caring, and dedicated to driving technological progress while remaining mindful of existing clients.