SOLOMON SCHECHTER
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2018
CONNECTING 41 YEARS OF SSDSEU AND GOA ALUMNI CLASSES
Unlocking Potential Through Social-Emotional Learning Schechter-GOA alumni embrace SEL in their career work On any given day at the Wilf Lower School Campus, you can walk into one of the lower elementary classes and see our teachers at the SMART Board using the Mood Meter with students, asking them to move their photo on the board to the color block that best describes how they are feeling. If they are feeling angry, they will move their photo to the red color block or perhaps, if they are excited, they will move their photo to the yellow part of the chart. Using this exercise to have students “check in” with their feelings at various times in the day has been one of newest techniques implemented at Golda
Och Academy as part of the 2017-18 professional development initiative focusing on Social-Emotional Learning. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is defined as: “the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” (The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Think back to your time here at school. Was there a teacher who truly made a difference in your life? A coach that pushed you and gave you the confidence to become a better athlete? Was there a class or elective you chose that led you to pursue a certain career? This issue of our fall alumni newsletter is filled with inspirational moments—those “aha” moments and inspiring educators that helped shape the alumni of SSDS-GOA and some of whom are continuing to help mold the current student body today. Though our cover story ties in the work we are currently doing with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at Golda Och Academy with the incredible work some of our alumni are doing in this field, it also highlights the classes and teachers who helped influence these graduates. I also can’t help but point out how Emma Glickman’s (Class of 2014) Neshama experience (see page 12) was the catalyst for helping her trace her family’s roots and uncover the story behind her grandmother and great-grandmother’s survival of the Holocaust.
It was during her time in Poland her senior year that she made a commitment to herself to find out how her family survived. Currently, Emma is making a documentary about her family’s history and the righteous gentiles who helped save her relatives. This is truly an inspirational commitment. Of course, we also have our second, 3rd generation family—the Reisbergs—at GOA this year (see page 3). Josh Reisberg ’00 and wife Rachel enrolled their son Benji in Kindergarten and are continuing their family’s legacy here at school. It is an incredible testament to the school and to their family values. While many of these stories and vignettes capture how our alumni were influenced during their time here at school, it nevertheless inspires me to hear about your achievements and to learn how valuable your time here was. Continue to share your stories with us and of course, continue to be the inspiring people you have become.
Adam Shapiro Head of School
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS is published twice a year by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, and the Office of Marketing and Communications. Send your comments, questions, story ideas, photos, class notes, and baruch dayan emets to: Michelle Moallem mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org
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Stephanie Bash-Soudry Director of Development and Alumni Relations Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator Glenn Slavin Director of Marketing and Communications Erin Sternthal Marketing and Communications Associate James Bratek Digital Marketing Strategist
Rebecca Berman Chair, Board of Trustees Adam Shapiro Head of School Julia Malaga Chief Financial Officer Rabbi Elliot Goldberg Upper School Principal Carrie Siegel ’92 Lower School Principal
Golda Och Academy is accredited by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, and is a beneficiary agency of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ. It is affiliated with the National Association of Indepedent Schools, Prizmah, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (NJ Region), and the MetroWest Day School Initiative.
ADMISSIONS
New Enrollments from Alumni Families
Mallory (Goldberg) ’03 and Mark Fisch’s son Drew began Kindergarten this fall.
Rachel (Levy) ’00 and Konrad Konik have enrolled their daughter Keira in Kindergarten this fall.
Alana and Josh Levitt ’96 have enrolled their daughter Samantha in Kindergarten this fall.
Rachel and Josh Reisberg ’00 enrolled their son Benji in Kindergarten this fall, making him a third generation Reisberg at GOA.
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Message from the Alumni Chairs Shalom SSDS-GOA Alumni. We’re so excited to be leading the alumni committee this upcoming year and wanted to introduce ourselves to you. Sarah Schonfeld ’06: I went to SSDS-GOA from first grade all the way through senior year. To this day, many of my closest friends are my Schechter friends, and I even met my husband during my time in school. Becky Isaacson ’04: I have always been tied to my days at Schechter thanks in large part to the values that the community instilled in me and the bonds it enabled me to form, and grow, long after my days in school ended. We are both so excited to help lead the Alumni Society! Schechter has always been an important part of our lives, and it’s important to us to keep the alumni society active.
Last year, we held our 2nd annual Alumni Shabbat dinner, which was another huge success. We gathered about 100 alumni in NYC to celebrate Shabbat, and we are looking forward to hosting it again! We are also planning some fun and interesting events this year, and we hope you will join us! One thing we are considering is planning an Alumni Community Service Day, where we’ll all gather and help give back to our community. If you have any ideas or recommendations, please feel free to contact us — we are always looking for new suggestions! Wishing you and your family a Shana Tova. We look forward to seeing you this year! Becky Issacson ’04 Co-Chair
Sarah Schonfeld ’06 Co-Chair
Message from the Alumni Engagement Coordinator The Alumni Society has been busy since our last issue of this newsletter was published! First of all, I am excited to welcome our two new Executive Committee Co-Chairs, Becky Isaacson ’04 and Sarah Schonfeld ’06. Becky and Sarah have been working behind the scenes of the Alumni Society, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with them to better connect SSDS-GOA alumni to each other. I also want to take the time to mention our collective accomplishment of completing the “Alumni Challenge!” Thanks to the generosity of SSDS-GOA alumni, the dedication of the Alumni Campaign Committee and the leadership of the Fundraising Co-Chairs Arielle Kuzdral ’08 and Arielle Herzberg ’09, our Annual Fund Alumni Campaign was a great success. Not only did we reach 4 ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018
the goal of 150 alumni donations, but we surpassed it and closed out the campaign with 169 donations! We can all be proud knowing that we helped to impact the lives of GOA students and future alumni. As Becky and Sarah shared above, we have some great events coming up: the Alumni Basketball Game in December, our Annual Shabbat Dinner in March and a Community Service Day in NYC (date TBA) to name a few. We hope to see you soon—at events, on Facebook and at GOA when you come back to visit! If you know of any alumni who are not receiving our emails, invitations or this newsletter, please have them reach out to me by email so they can stay up-to-date with alumni news and events. Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator | mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org
Social-Emotional Learning CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER
The focus on SEL as a professional development initiative was officially launched last November at the Quest for Teaching Excellence conference run by the Greater MetroWest Day School Initiative. Yet at GOA, teachers had been implementing certain techniques in their classrooms, such as mindful breathing, giving students time to quiet their minds before beginning their work. “The focus on Social-Emotional Learning at the Lower School has permeated all of our classrooms, across subjects and disciplines,” said Lower School Principal Carrie Z. Siegel ’92. “Students as young as four years old are becoming adept at reflecting on their feelings as part of the learning process, which in turn sets them up for critical development and progress across both academic and social domains. Our faculty have embraced every opportunity for professional development in this area as they see firsthand how impactful SEL is in helping students set and achieve positive goals, establish and preserve healthy relationships, and understand and manage a range of emotions − all of which impact their educational journey.” Upper School guidance counselor Ms. Lori Jaffe teaches a Mindfulness elective in the high school, which she says most of the students have cycled through. “It teaches students to center themselves, be in the moment and de-stress,” she said, “and gives them the skills to use to navigate their day.” Last year, Ms. Jaffe brought mindfulness into the middle school, introducing it to the 6th grade class. “It teaches students to look at themselves and how they relate to others,” she said. “It’s changing the culture of the school.” Looking outside of the classroom, it’s remarkable to see how many careers incorporate SEL. Alumni in the fields of overnight and day camp, social work, school psychology and children’s educational media all use SEL in their work on a daily basis. Highlighted in this article are a few of the many remarkable alumni who are working hard to help others connect with their emotions and build better relationships.
Amy Skopp Cooper ’81 National Associate Director, Ramah Camps Executive Director, Camp Ramah Nyack Fully immersed in overnight and day camp life, Amy Skopp Cooper ’81 understands the importance of social-emotional learning even when school is out for the summer. Having worked for Ramah for 21 years, Amy is currently the National Associate Director of Ramah Camps and the Executive Director of Camp Ramah Nyack. In addition to running the yearround staff training and engagement programs in North America and Israel, Amy also manages many of the organization’s grants, working with all of the Ramah camps. She is also part of the team that creates and implements new year-round and summer programs. On the national level, Amy oversees all of the Ramah staff training programs throughout the year for a variety of cohorts, including training for counselors, rashei edah (division heads), shlichim (Israeli emissaries), special needs educators, lead campercare professionals (psychologists and social workers), education directors, college network weavers and young professionals. Social-emotional learning, she says, is a key part of most of these programs, adding that the newest cohort is the lead camper-care professional unit which was formed because of the pressing need to share best practices in this area. “I became a Jewish educator because of Hirsch Jacobson z”l, who was Head of School,” said Amy. “Early in my sophomore year of high school, he pulled me aside and suggested that I think about this line of work. He continued to encourage me throughout high school and college. He signed our ketubah, and I wrote about him when I received the 2011 Covenant Award.” The Covenant Foundation honors three outstanding Jewish educators each year with the Covenant Award. Winners of this program demonstrate CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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Social-Emotional Learning CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
creative approaches to learning and have made an impact on Jewish life through innovative educational practices and models. Amy received her BA from Hebrew University and MA from Brandeis. She is married to Rabbi Mark Cooper and her five sons are all former students of SSDS-GOA. Her son Josh Cooper graduated in 2009 and made Aliyah four years ago.
Erica Rabner ’09 Research Analyst, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Ilana Herzberg ’09 YAI Center for Specialty Therapy, NYC After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in psychology, Ilana Herzberg ’09 went on to get her doctoral and master degrees in SchoolCommunity Psychology from Hofstra University where she wrote her dissertation on the diagnostic efficacy of a facial recognition measure as a screening tool for children with autism spectrum disorder. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at a community mental health clinic in Brooklyn. Ilana is now a nationally certified school psychologist and last year worked at an elementary charter school in New York City with children with emotional and behavioral needs. She helped students build their emotional and social skills and collaborated regularly with teachers, parents and school staff to develop behavioral and therapeutic interventions for them. Currently, she works at the YAI Center for Specialty Therapy in Manhattan where she evaluates a range of individuals with developmental disabilities for diagnostic and treatment purposes. “I strongly believe that each individual can be successful by focusing on his or her unique strengths,” said Ilana, who adds that part of the reason she chose this field was based on the emotional support she received throughout her Schechter years, particularly from Mrs. Schenker and Dr. Kanrich. “Looking back, all of my elementary, middle and high school teachers gave me both the skills and confidence I needed to make it to where I am today.” 6 ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018
According to Erica Rabner ’09, social-emotional learning is a big focus of her work as a formative researcher for children’s educational media and as a children’s singer/songwriter. Erica said she first discovered the role psychology and curriculum play in children’s television during a senior psychology elective at SSDS, which featured Sue Scheiner, currently the assistant director of content for Sesame, as one of three lecturers. Scheiner discussed how she used her background in psychology to develop a curriculum for the show Pinky Dinky Doo and inspired Erica to pursue a career in children’s educational media. Erica went on to receive a psychology degree from Brandeis University and a Master’s degree in Technology, Innovation, and Education from Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She secured internships in children’s media at Sesame Workshop to work on Sesame Street and WGBH to work on Arthur. At WGBH, Erica worked on the AIM Buddy Project − a social, emotional and character development curriculum that uses interactive media, the characters from the PBS series Arthur and cross-grade buddy pairs. Episodes of Arthur were adapted into eBooks that promoted empathy, honesty, forgiveness, generosity and learning from others. “Kids of different ages (1st and 4th, 2nd and 5th graders) explored the eBook together,” said Erica, “engaging with prompts meant to encourage conversation and reflection. Coincidentally, another SSDS alum and good friend of mine, Sammy Glickman ’09, participated on the research side while studying at Tufts.”
Currently, Erica is the research analyst for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, an animated preschool show based on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is grounded in a social-emotional curriculum, using musical strategies to model key social skills and tackle a variety of emotions and situations. As the research analyst, Erica reads the scripts to preschoolers to make sure they understand the story and message. A Schechter choir alum, Erica has also used her love of music to write her first children’s album, PB & JAMS, to encourage prosocial behaviors and teach life lessons such as sharing, emotion regulation, recycling, curiosity, trying new things and exhibiting confidence. “Using a catchy, sticky, medium to impart important messaging makes sense,” said Erica, who as a singer/songwriter is always looking for non-profits and partners to spread important messages with music.
Shira Lee Segal ’04 Clinical Social Worker As a clinical social worker, Shira Lee Segal ’04 divides her time between The Midtown Practice, a group private practice in Manhatttan, and Fedcap Behavioral Health Services, an outpatient mental health clinic in the Bronx, working as a psychotherapist in both settings. According to Shira Lee, social-emotional learning and clinical social work have many of the same guiding principles. “One of the most important tenets of being a mental health provider is the therapeutic alliance and rapport built between client and therapist,” she said. “Showing empathy, creating a safe and nurturing environment, being culturally competent, and helping a client develop coping strategies is at the core of clinical social work just as it is at the core of social-emotional learning.” Shira Lee added that she has always felt passionate about being a change agent in the community and advocating for individuals (often the underserved and victimized) in their most vulnerable moments. “I feel strongly about empowering individuals to meet their potential while ultimately helping them
to live a life that feels fulfilling and meaningful,” she said. According to Shira, her college psychology courses, summers as a rosh edah at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and her mother’s work as a social worker all inspired her to pursue a career in this field. “One of the most important values instilled in me at Schechter that I believe has informed my work as a social worker, was the importance of community,” said Shira Lee. “There was always a major emphasis on helping those in need in our community. As a student I remember volunteering at Daughters of Israel nursing home, going on organized trips to the soup kitchen with Rabbi Siegel, and visiting sick children at a hospital in Haifa while on Neshama.” Shira Lee attended college at the joint program with Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, receiving a BA in psychology from Columbia and a BA in bible from JTS. She received her MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.
Josh Taffet ’06 Mental Health Cinician at Rutgers University Department of Psychiatry, NJMS After graduating SSDS-GOA, Josh Taffet ’06 attended the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and earned a Bachelor of Science in TV, radio and film, with a minor in psychology, which should come as no surprise to those who recall “SchecterVision” – a school TV station Josh founded his junior year at SSDS-GOA. Though he spent several years working in television production and marketing, his search for a more meaningful career led him to pursue a Masters in Social Work at NYU, which Josh describes as “transformative.” Josh interned at a non-profit agency called Harlem United as well as GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) where he had a chance to fine-tune his skills as a counselor in mental health and substance abuse. “For years, I thought I wanted to produce films or manage actors in their careers,” said Josh. “I spent a summer in Los Angeles working at a talent agency and am so thankful for that time because it made CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018 7
Message from the Parents of Alumni Committee We often hear from so many alumni (and students) that one of the greatest benefits of going to Golda Och Academy is the close relationships formed at school. Of course, as parents, gaining a special community and forming unique bonds were an added benefit for us as well, and made Golda Och Academy a special place. We love to see those relationships flourish even beyond graduation, which is why our Parents of Alumni events are a great way to catch up, update each other on our lives and reconnect.
This past July, we had a great turnout for our Summer Get-Together at the Eric F. Ross Upper School Campus. It was thrilling to see so many parents reuniting at school. In case you missed it, don’t worry, you can join us at our annual winter event, a Ladies Night Out. Stay tuned for details. We would love to see you there! Shari Broder Co-Chair
Amy Borg Glickman Co-Chair
For more information and to get involved, please contact Caryn Rosenberg: crosenberg@goldaochacademy.org | 973-602-3634
Steve and Andrea Kessler
Michele Landau and Shelley Paradis
Karen Aaron, Dr. Jackie Holubka, and Dr. Gil Mayor
Shari Broder, Marian and Keith Marlowe
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Young Alumni BBQ
August 16, 2018 | Eric F. Ross Upper School Campus
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Summer Camp Connections
Head of School Adam Shapiro visited Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and reconnected with (l-to-r): Zehava Finkel ’05, Annie Cannon ’17, Lindsay Biebelberg ’17, Sarah Cehelyk ’18, and Shira Arzt ’16.
Sarah Cehelyk ’18 was a madricha (counselor) at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires.
Mallory Saks Zipkin ’04, Camp Co-Director, and Shira Gladstone ’03 at Camp Yachad in Scotch Plains, NJ.
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Shira Kipness ‘11 (second from right), camp counselor for Havaya: The Summer Experience at Beit Rabban in NYC, accompanied campers and counselors on a trip to the Bronx Botanical Gardens. Danielle Cohn ’03 (not pictured) is one of the camp’s directors.
Director of Israel Education and Jewish Life Programming Rabbi Meirav Kallush (center) visited Rebekkah Lillianthal ’12 (left) and Shana Slater ’19 (right) at Camp Deeny Riback in Flanders, NJ.
At Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, NY, Dean of Students Jordan Herskowitz visited (l-to-r): Mira Blecherman ’16, Haylee Mevorah ’17, Emily Blum ’17, Nadav Aronoff ’17, Sam Lurie ’19, Itai Rekem ’19, and GOA’s Student Life faculty member Jamie Mittleman.
Jesse Ryan Nagelberg ’12 was a program director, and Danielle Rockman ’12 was a mindfulness educator at Camp Ramah in Nyack.
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ALUMNI PROFILE
Emma Glickman ’14
Her grandmother’s locket led her to discover her family’s history and preserve the stories of the Holocaust When Emma Glickman ’14 traveled to Poland during her senior year on Neshama, she knew it would not be her last trip there. “I read about these places in school, but actually being in the place where so many of my ancestors lived and never walked out made such a difference,” said Emma. “I said to myself, ‘Emma, you can never forget this. You have to go back and teach others about discovering their Jewish heritage.’ ” On a mission to uncover the past, Emma is keeping her promise. A recent graduate of Vassar College, majoring in psychology and Jewish Studies with a minor in education, Emma is working on a documentary film about the righteous gentiles who saved her grandmother and her great-grandmother in Poland during the Holocaust. The idea for the documentary, called The Story of the Bitten Locket, began after Emma returned home from Neshama. Though Emma was determined to ask her grandmother Lusia questions about her life during the Holocaust, her grandmother unexpectedly passed away a few months later. Emma’s grandmother was a Holocaust survivor from Brzozów, a small town in southeast Poland. Though she was close with Emma, always cheering her on at the sidelines of soccer games, she never spoke about her experiences. At 15 months old, Lusia was hidden in a closet by a Polish family during the war. Out of respect to her grandmother, Emma said her family never discussed it. 12 ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018
Emma was left with a locket her grandmother gave her with teeth marks on it and two photos: one of Lusia with Lusia’s mother and another of Lusia standing outside of the closet where she was hidden with the locket around her neck. Emma also knew Lusia’s mother, Stefa, hid in the woods during the war with
her three sisters. Stefa gave her daughter Lusia to a kind Polish family to hide her during the war and left Lusia with a locket with her photo inside. Before Lusia passed away, she gave Emma the bitten locket. “It was her way of saying ‘I can’t tell my story, but you have to be the one to tell it,’ ” said Emma. During her freshman year at Vassar, Emma took a course called Archiving Einstein that inspired her to research her family history. After her sophomore year, Emma returned to Poland with funding from the Jewish Studies
department at Vassar College. With a Polish translator that she met through her tour guide on Neshama, Emma and her mother returned to the town in Poland and knocked on almost every door. She went to the Jewish cemetery and found her great, great-grandmother’s tombstone, Rakhel Trachman, which apparently was the only one untouched from the war. She met with the town historian and put an article in the local newspaper asking if anyone had information about the Trachman family. While abroad during her junior year in Denmark, Emma received word that someone had responded to her article. In December 2016, Emma returned to Poland and met with three members of the Kielar family - a son and two daughters - who hid her great-grandmother and her three sisters. The Kielars, now in their 90’s, had 50 postwar photos their parents had kept with Emma’s family. Upon meeting, the two sisters took Emma in their arms and kept calling her “Stefa,” her greatgrandmother. “At SSDS and through my own family, I learned the value of tikkun olam, caring for others,” said Emma. “Being embraced by this family, I felt this is my mission – to inspire people to ask about their own story, to encourage people to knock on every door as I did because you don’t know who is behind it.” Emma’s cousin, who is a documentary film producer in Paris, met her in Poland to
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help document the story. After returning for a third time in June 2017, Emma and her cousin had created an 8-minute trailer for the documentary film, interviewing those who helped risk their lives to save her family. “I wanted them to know they not only saved my great-grandmother and her sisters, but the future generations which now total 30 people.” Emma is currently getting a Masters in Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Psychological Practice at the University of Edinburgh and eventually hopes to become a clinical psychologist for traumatized youth and displaced children. Having been hidden in the closet as a young child, Emma said her grandmother suffered from post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), fearing darkness and enclosed spaces. Yet Emma’s mission is just beginning. She is determined to continue uncovering her family’s story and raise awareness. She has joined Yad Vashem’s Young Leadership Associates (YLA), which is a community of young professionals dedicated to promoting Holocaust education and remembrance, and hopes to present her story to different communities. Emma recently found a photo of her grandmother with the family who hid her and hopes to return to Poland to find them. She has set up a GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/ secondgenerationspeaksout) to raise funds to complete the documentary.
me realize how wrong that work was for me. I wanted to work with people on their actual life story, not an artificial representation of one. I’ve always been fascinated by people’s stories − what makes us unique and similar. Being able to participate in a person’s journey toward growth is, I believe, one of the most rewarding experiences and a great privilege.” Currently, Josh is a mental health clinician at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry providing mental health and substance abuse counseling, primarily to opioidaddicted patients. He also provides psychotherapy supervision to the psychiatry residents at the Medical School. In addition, Josh is pursuing a doctorate in social work at NYU. “The interventions I use with my patients are really the framework of social-emotional learning,” said Josh. “Increasing selfawareness, social awareness, enhancing relationship skills and promoting responsible decision making are at the core of my work in every session. Most of my patients have experienced some form of trauma early on in their lives, so my priority is to provide them with a safe space to understand and manage their emotions while setting positive goals.” ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018 13
Schechter-GOA Alumni Back On Campus ...
Toren Aronoff ’13 made a surprise visit in May!
Emma Glickman ’14 spoke to middle school students this past June. Read the full story on page 12.
... And In Israel
Shira Kleinman ‘08 was a tour guide for Mr. Shapiro’s family who was in Israel in June for a family Bar Mitzvah.
Evan Klein ’14 and Michael Antiles ’17 made Aliyah this summer and will be serving in the IDF as lone soldiers beginning in November 2018.
Hebrew Department Chair Vardit Caspi recently ran into alumnus Julian Biller ‘15 in Machane Yehuda, while he was staffing the Diller Teen Fellows program.
Rabbi Kallush and our alumni living in Israel had a mini-reunion on May 3, 2018 with Shira Kleinman ’08, LeeAnn Langer ‘09, Danielle Felder Reich ‘09, Aly Robinson ‘09, Josh Cooper ’09, and Carmelle Bargad ‘13.
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ATHLETICS
Spring Varsity Sports 2018 BASEBALL
BOYS TENNIS OVERALL W-L
7-8
OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L
BOYS VOLLEYBALL OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L
7-10 5-9
HOME W-L AWAY W-L
3-8 3-7
HOME W-L AWAY W-L
1-5 2-2
SOFTBALL
3-4 4-6
OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L
During this past summer, the Roadrunner attended a transformational program and the new look was revealed on the Upper School gym floor in August!
5-10 5-10
HOME W-L AWAY W-L
3-5 2-5
ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018 15
From The GOA Archive
Can you identify these students from the 1978 yearbook? Post your answers on our Alumni Facebook Page!
Join our LinkedIn Group
Connect privately with hundreds of successful and career-experienced Schechter-GOA alumni!
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Young Alumni Bar Night
May 3, 2018 | Loreley Beer Garden, NYC
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FACULTY/STAFF
Retirements YE ARS O
FS
23 E R V IC E
Grigory Fulman Lead Maintenance Technichian
YE ARS O
FS
27 E R V IC E
Janet Herman Director of Athletics
YE ARS O
FS
29 E R V IC E
Rabbi Herb Kavon Judaics Faculty Upper School
YE ARS O
FS
26 E R V IC E
Neta Shvartsman Lower School Faculty Hebrew/Judaic Studies
YE ARS O
FS
29 E R V IC E
Paula Spack ’84 Lower School Faculty Hebrew/Judaic Studies Mathematics
Grigory Fulman has served with tremendous pride as the Lead Maintenance Technician of the Eric F. Ross Upper School Campus for the past 23 years. His care and dedication can be felt throughout the corridors of our school as our entire faculty and all of our students always know that if there’s a question or something that needs to be fixed that Grigory is the right person for the job. He has worked tirelessly to ensure that our facility is always cared for and his knowledge of even the most minute details of our campus will be sorely missed. Janet Herman has been an incredible leader in our school and community over the past 27 years. Serving valiantly as our Athletic Director and Chair of our Health and Physical Education Department, Janet has made it her life’s work to ensure excellence when it comes to health, wellness and athletic achievement in our school. She has touched the lives of so many students instilling in them the values of leadership, teamwork and road safety as well through her Driver’s Education courses. Janet’s ability to connect with students, teachers and parents alike has made her a fixture in our school and someone who has left an indelible mark on our community. We are also proud to recognize her as an alumni parent of Jason (‘93) and Richard (‘96). A true academic and lover of classical music and world languages, Rabbi Herb Kavon has dedicated the last 29 years to our school and students through his teaching of Judaic Studies and Arabic. Always with an interesting story to tell about past experiences, Rabbi Kavon has found a way to motivate and teach multiple generations of Jewish students about the importance of Jewish text and has ingrained Jewish values in each and every one of them. A collector of foreign currency and old movies from all over the world, Rabbi Kavon has found a way to integrate all of his passions into his teaching in order to further inspire his students. Neta Shvartsman brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to our school, having taught in Israel for many years before coming to Golda Och Academy. Her students have benefited from her expertise in teaching Hebrew language, as well as her passion for Judaic studies during her 26 years in our school. Neta transformed the 3rd grade milestone event to reflect the students’ abilities to lead a full prayer service. Under her tutelage, her students gained invaluable tools that would enable them to become knowledgeable, active participants in their own communities as well as in the larger Jewish community. Paula Spack graduated from the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union (now Golda Och Academy) in 1984 with a love of Hebrew language and Judaic studies. Upon completion of her education degree, Morah P’nina returned to our school to inspire students with her passion for those topics, as well as with her love for our school community. Among her many contributions to Golda Och Academy has been leading our Israeli dance troupe, Raglayim Shel Zahav, directing milestone events for multiple grades, and of course, teaching multiple generations of students. Paula has served as a role model for her students in her commitment to our school and in her engagement in the broader Jewish community. We are also proud to recognize her as an alumni parent of Liat ’10, Avi ’13 and Shachar ’18.
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Class Notes 1988
Jonathan Evan Goldberg and his wife Tara welcomed the birth of their daughter, Amelia Rose, on July 3, 2018.
1997
Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!
SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
1998
Lauren (Rosenbaum) Simhon and husband Ronnie welcomed the birth of their third child, Caleb Samuel, on October 4, 2017.
Congratulations to Dr. Phil Levy on his new position as a Staff Neonatologist at the Boston Children’s Hospital. He and wife Elizabeth have relocated to Brookline, MA with three sons Noah, Jacob and Ben. He also is now a GOA uncle: his niece Keira (daughter of Rachel (Levy) Konik ‘00) just enrolled at GOA this fall!
1998 Seth Weinberger and his wife Amy welcomed the birth of their daughter, Lainey Joy (Freya Yaffa), on May 5, 2018. She joins her two-year-old brother, Eli Ross.
2000
Barry Levine is engaged to marry Jackie Bloom. The couple is planning a June 2019 wedding.
Shai Vichness and his wife Aileen Silbert welcomed the birth of their son, Lev Silbert Vichness, on May 19, 2018. ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018 19
Class Notes 2001
2006 Lisa Kasdan Brenner and her husband Joshua welcomed the birth of their son, Benjamin Jack, on April 1, 2018.
Dori Goldman married Matan Cohen on August 26, 2018. Matan is the nephew of GOA physical education teacher and Girls Varsity Soccer coach Rob Cohen who was also Dori’s soccer coach when she attended SSDS!
Arielle Kallus is engaged to marry Zach Mainzer. The couple is planning a February 2019 wedding.
2007
2003 Ariel (Fried) Behrman married Adam Behrman on June 10, 2018.
2004
Becky Isaacson is engaged to mary Taylor Lustgarten. The couple is planning a March 2019 wedding. 20 ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018
Alex Brien is engaged to marry David Shapiro. The couple is planning a January 2019 wedding.
Lauren Rabner is engaged to marry Liam Krausz.
Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!
SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2008 Raina Dembner and Brandon Davis were married on June 10, 2018.
Alumni Couples Welcome New Babies
Noemi Schor and Michael Goldfarb were married on November 18, 2017. Michael is an alumnus of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School.
2009 Sophie (Milrom) Melamed ’05 and Eitan Melamed ’97 welcomed the birth of their son, Joseph, on April 16, 2018.
LeeAnn Langer and Meir Landau were married on September 2, 2018. The couple met on Nativ 20092010, then reconnected three years ago while staffing Schechter Westchester’s 12th grade Israel trip. They live in Ramat Gan, Israel and married in Rutgers Gardens to be close to family and friends.
Former Students Arielle (Seiden) Bakhash and her husband Ruben welcomed the births of their sons, Ezra Jonah and Simon Matan, on March 22, 2018.
Jocelyn (Levine) Klar ’01 and Gregory Klar ’98 welcomed the birth of their son, Levi Max, on February 19, 2018. Levi joins his big sisters Juliana (Grade 1) and Sydney. ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018 21
Class Notes
Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!
2009
SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2010 Jonathan Rabner is pursuing a Ph.D in clinical psychology at Temple University.
2012
Stacey (Cohenson) Zettler and Benjamin Zettler were married on May 27, 2018.
Danielle Rockman and Sam Feldman Greene were married on August 30, 2018. Samantha Jay is pursuing a Ph.D in clinical psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
2014 Michael Bier married Shelby Swartz Bier on May 27, 2018 in Los Angeles. Also: Mazal tov to Michael on his graduation from Hofstra Medical School!
2010
22 ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018
Jessica Bramnick and Omer Amir were married in a ceremony in Florham Park, NJ on June 17, 2018 and in Caesarea, Israel on July 1, 2018.
Jacob Niebloom and Talia Rosenstrauch were married on June 25, 2018. Classmates in attendance included Jeremy Freeman, Evan Klein, Ben Reydel, and Ari Schlesinger.
Our Sincere Condolences Rabbi Robert Abramson z”l, beloved husband of Charlotte Abramson, former Dean of the Upper School, former Middle School principal of Golda Och Academy and past Director of the Schechter Association. Marion Brod z”l, beloved mother of Gina Brod Vinick, former SSDS PA President; grandmother of Merisa Fink ’00, Benji Vinick ’03 and Haley Vogel ’07; great-grandmother of Clara (Grade 1).
Erica Kempler z”l, beloved wife of Abraham Kempler and mother of Sydney Kempler ’10. Dena Kogen z”l, beloved mother of Rabbi Avram Kogen (Linda Ripps); grandmother of Navah ’04, Seffi ’09 and Matan ’18. Marilyn Kurtzman z”l, beloved mother of Anne Kurtzman Effron (Mark) and grandmother of Leah ’09 and Micah Effron.
Morton David z”l, beloved husband of Pat David, father of Aaron ’08 and Zachary ’11.
Philip Labendz z”l, beloved husband of Lois Labendz, father of Janet ’01 and Barbara ’97.
Martha Eckstein z”l, beloved wife of Sol Eckstein, mother of Steven Eckstein and Mindy Goldman; grandmother of Charles and Joseph Goldman ’13.
Joyce Levine z”l, beloved sister of Bobbie Gelband (David), aunt of Justin and Jamie ’94.
Norman Fox z”l, beloved father of Jonathan Fox and Donna Binstein; grandfather of Emily Binstein ’17 and Gideon Fox (Grade 12). Rabbi Mel Glazer z”l, beloved father of Shoshi ’02, Rafi ’04, Ilan and Avi. Arthur Greenberg z”l, beloved father of Danny Greenberg (Caryl); grandfather of Josh ’09, Kira ’11 and Rachel.
Irving Levinson z”l, beloved father of Barbara Brien (Michael) and grandfather of David ’05, Alexandra ’07, Samantha ’08 and Keith ’11. Dr. Eric Mack z”l, beloved brother of Rabbi Paula Mack Drill (Jonathan) and uncle of Noah Drill ’07, Sarah Drill Fainshtain ’08, Benjamin Drill ’11 and Joshua Drill ’14. Sharon Marcus z”l, beloved wife of Stanley, mother of Josh ’06, Jordan ’08, Chelsea, and Rebecca ’16.
Marilyn Katz z”l, beloved wife of Alfred Katz z”l, mother of Lori Katz, grandmother of Josh Katz ’17.
Simi Moyal z”l, beloved sister of Mordechai Benisty and sister-in-law of Lower School faculty member Natasha Cooper-Benisty, aunt of Manon ’12 and Adiel (Grade 9). Cili Neufeld z”l, beloved mother of Rita Silverstein (Rabbi Alan Silverstein), grandmother of Rebecca Silverstein ’99 and Rabbi David Silverstein ’97. Cantor Ralph Nussbaum z”l, beloved husband of Avrille, father of Brett ’91, Brad ’92 z”l, Martin ’94 and former student Stacey. Barry Nydick z”l, beloved husband of Marjorie Nydick; father of Harris Nydick; father-in-law of Lower School faculty member Carol Nydick; grandfather of Alyssa Cohen ’08, Jonathan ’07 and Philip Nydick ’11. Albert Sandler z”l, beloved father of Robin Sandler Milrom (Sam), grandfather of Sophie (Milrom) Melamed ‘05 (Eitan Melamed ‘97) and former student Abe Milrom. Marion Shulman z”l, beloved mother of Lois Shulman Kaminsky (Jerry) and Jill Shulman Wolberger z”l (Moshe); grandmother of Blair Kaminsky ’01, Dustin Kaminsky ’03, Danielle Wolberger ’11 and Gabrielle Wolberger ’13.
Submit your condolences at www.goldaochacademy.org/baruchdayanemet
ALUMNI NEWS FALL 2018 23
ERIC F. ROSS UPPER SCHOOL CAMPUS 1418 Pleasant Valley Way West Orange, New Jersey 07052
TO THE PARENTS OF ALUMNI: If this issue is addressed to your daughter/son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Office of Development and Alumni with the correct mailing address. Call 973-602-3621 or email mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org.
Upcoming Events October 27 Class of 1998 20-Year Reunion November 27 #GivingTuesday December 20 Alumni Basketball Game