BT Insider Spring 2024

BETH TFILOH

SPRING 2024

BT INSIDER T Z E DA K A H | L E A D E R S H I P | I N V E S T M E N T

BETH TFILOH STANDS WITH ISRAEL! p.4

A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE TO OUR DONORS Beth Tfiloh’s warm, supportive, and diverse community is rooted in Torah values and Jewish traditions. Our proudly Jewish and Zionistic community drives our mission. It is the foundation of everything we do as an organization and is only made possible by supporters like you.

We invite you to read about the remarkable impact of your generosity on our community, and we thank you for making these programs and experiences possible.

If you would like to know more about any of our specific programs or initiatives, please reach out to a member of the Beth Tfiloh Development Team at development@btfiloh.org. TODAH RABBA!

IN OUR SCHOOL HUMANITIES Beth Tfiloh students have multiple opportunities to explore cultural differences and divergent perspectives throughout their day. Sometimes these experiences happen in the classroom, and other times through experiential learning.

Learning About Human Origins Ms. Liz Shrier’s 8th grade history classes learned about human origins - what makes us human, the beginnings of the theory of evolution, and innovations of our human ancestors. Our students experimented with the process of making early stone tools and discovered that the process was very loud, and much more challenging than it looked!

Assessing Our Children to Support Learning and Growth BT PreSchool teachers use the GOLD Assessment tool to track student development and progress. GOLD uses a whole child approach, including Social-Emotional, Physical, Language, Cognitive, Literacy, Mathematics, and Art. This tool highlights each children’s strengths and areas in need of growth, and helps identify any need for further support.

Experiential learning and research based instruction in our new Faith and Dr. Edward Wolf Biotechnology Center

STEM EDUCATION Beth Tfiloh students experience a holistic approach to STEM education through classes in our science labs, Middle School STEM center, High School Messing STEM center and our new Faith and Dr. Edward Wolf Biotechnology Center.

Biotechnology Mr. Jeff Jennings is leading a once-a-week SWAP (school-wide arts program) class in our new Faith and Dr. Edward Wolf Biotechnology Center, a space for experiential learning and research-based instruction to help prepare students for career opportunities in the burgeoning biotechnology arena. Students are involved in various labs that typically involve the amplification of DNA via PCR testing, and then running gels to separate out the results. Our initial labs are focused on developing our students’ techniques before they dive into more investigative findings.

PreSchool students prepare for Kindergarten and beyond through our “GOLD” assessment program.

2

Math Club Awardees

COMMUNITY WORK

The High School Math Club is coming off a tremendous year as they placed first in the MDML (Maryland Math League) Baltimore County division. They started off brilliantly on MDML 1 this year. Zach O. ’24 led the team with a perfect score in the first contest and four students only missed 1 question. Congrats to Alec G. ’24, Michelle R. ’24, Ryan S. ’24, and Noah S ’27.

Women Empowerment Club and Dignity Grows Beth Tfiloh High School students – members of the Women Empowerment Club - were inspired to help the Baltimore chapter of Dignity Grows, a non-profit organization working to provide feminine hygiene and personal care products to those with financial limitations. Our students noticed how these products are not typically covered by supplemental government programs and are scarcely available in food pantries.

Club members are working on interesting problems, strategies to solve different equations, and competing against other schools in competitions such as the MDML, UMCP (University of Maryland College Park), and MMATHS (Math Majors of America Tournament for High Schools) at Yale University, and the American Mathematics Competition for the first time.

Focusing on our Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and tzedakah (righteousness), our students not only organized, but also baked items for a sale that raised close to $500 for Dignity Grows. The organization shared how impressed they were with our students’ initiative to partner with The Associated on a Dignity Grows project and how BT is the first school to initiate such a collaboration. They hope BT students have set an example for other schools and support our students’ desire to empower and advocate for the success of all women in our local communities.

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING Through age-appropriate methods across all divisions, our students are building self-confidence through individual student support, social and emotional learning, and a team-focused approach in the classrooms, which enhances all aspects of their learning at BT and beyond.

LEADERSHIP Women Who Launched We are so proud of our young students who created and spearheaded “Women Who Launched,” a series of lunchtime discussions featuring powerhouse female professionals from our community. The goal with this incredible program is to inspire students with professional aspirations by showing them just how powerful women can be. The program kicked off with guest speakers Traci Lerner, Hedge Fund President/Co-Founder of Chesapeake Partners Management, and Rachel Monroe, President and CEO of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, seamlessly moderated by Noa R., ’24. Our speakers shared different paths to professional success, and what it means to be a woman in the modern working world.

Our 1st graders are being introduced to our “Zones of Regulation” curriculum - a unique program to give children the social and emotional skills to manage their feelings, states of alertness and energy levels, and ensure that students are ready and available to learn.

Noa R. ’24 interviews Traci Lerner (left), Hedge Fund President/CoFounder of Chesapeake Partners Management and Rachel Monroe (right), President and CEO of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for our “Women Who Launched” lunchtime series.

“Zones of Regulation” practice with our first graders, led by Lower School Guidance Counselor, Lisa Greenberg

3

250 BT students attended the historic March for Israel in Washington D.C.

Dr. Zipora Schorr, Rabbi Chai Posner, and Rabbi Yehuda Oratz visited the University of Maryland, College Park to show support and care for our BT alumni who are now UMD students facing rising antisemitism on campus. Their visit to UMD was prompted by a scheduled anti-Israel protest on campus. In response, UMD Hillel planned a “Day of Kindness,” which was attended by many BT alums, and of course their special BT guests.

ISRAEL ADVOCACY Historic March for Israel in Washington, DC More than 250 students ranging from 7th through 12th grades, along with faculty members and staff, joined the greater Baltimore Jewish community and Jewish communities from around the nation to show their support for Israel. Our students stood side-by-side with their teachers, administrators and fellow BT community members and were counted amongst the nearly 300,000 peaceful gatherers who went to the National Mall in solidarity for Israel.

JEWISH HERITAGE

Medabrim Ivrit

Chumash Program

Hebrew teachers Mrs. Schachar Cohen and Mrs. Edya Zana kicked off a new project for our BT seniors called Medabrim Ivrit. Through video chat, our students communicated with 5th grade students from the Shivat school, located in the West Bank settlement of Bruchin, who were currently home from school due to the war. The conversations allowed our students to practice their Hebrew while the Israeli students practiced their English. BT students could be found giving school tours to their students, while others gathered in groups in our newly refurbished Louise D. and Morton J. Macks Library, conversing and playing board games together during the on-screen calls.

Our BT second graders recently received their first Chumash!

Their teachers have been introducing the concept of shorashim (root words) and milim (vocabulary words) as foundational concepts for learning Chumash, and using songs and art to help our students master these words.

Mr. Brian Singer with his musical expertise led a beautiful program for 2nd graders and their families.

This annual BT tradition is made possible through the generosity and support of the Deborah & Searle Mitnick Chumash Program Endowment.

BT High School students met with Israeli students over zoom to converse in both English and Hebrew and play games while students in Israel are home from school due to the war

Beth Tfiloh 2nd graders receive their chumashim

4

Girls Varsity Tennis IAAM C Conference champions BT Middle School tech crew hard at work preparing for a production

ATHLETICS Champions

Mazel Tov to our Varsity Girls Tennis team for being named as the 2023-2024 IAAM C Conference Tennis regular season and tournament champions! The team was coached by Mr. Millad Sajjad, who was named the 2023 MIAA Coach of the Year.

ARTS Our Creative Arts department provides instrumental, drama, music, visual art, choral, dance and creative movement classes.

Our concerts and theater productions are performed in front of a live audience, providing our students the opportunities of set design, tech crew, choreography, costume design, and more.

Our Boys Varsity Soccer team also had an outstanding season, and narrowly lost a hard-fought game in their MIAA C Division championship game against Friends School.

Tech Crew

The Weiner Family Tournament

BT is fortunate to have many talented singers and actors, but we also have a formidable tech crew whose efforts ensure that our productions go on without a hitch. From lighting and sound effects, to managing the sound board so that our performers can be heard with clarity and balance, to set design and creation, there’s something for everyone – especially students who don’t feel comfortable center stage and would rather shine behind the scenes.

BT hosted our 35th Annual Weiner Family Tournament this past fall, with our BT Boys team and the CHAT girls team winning the championship. Considered one of the premiere Jewish High School basketball tournaments in the U.S., BT welcomed boys’ and girls’ teams from Toronto, Dallas, New Jersey, and New York.

The four-day tournament, filled with its contagious energy, is an all-school experience. Each division from PreSchool through High School has an opportunity to watch and cheer during at least one game during the day. The bleachers and gyms are filled with visiting families, alumni, teachers and staff, members of our BT community, and even prospective BT families. The tournament week truly catches Beth Tfiloh displaying the best version of ourselves. It’s an experience filled with friendly competition, a meaningful Shabbaton, and making friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

We express our gratitude to the Weiner family for their vision and generosity in making this tournament possible.

Silk Screening Mrs. Shelley Buckner’s fine arts studio provides students with the chance to work with a variety of mediums including clay, paint, pencil drawing, textiles, and silk screening. Additionally, students can register for Open Arts studio during their SWAP (school-wide arts program) rotation where classes are comprised of 9th through 12th graders. Recently some of our seniors collaborated when running their final colors on their year-long silk screen projects.

Silk screen projects in our High School

Boys varsity basketball were champions at this year’s Weiner Family Tournament

5

Simon Blekhman ’03 speaks to our High Schoolers about Jewish life on college campuses

ALUMNI Senior Seminar At a recent senior seminar program, BT graduate, Simon Blekhman ’03 spoke to our 12th grade students about Jewish life on college campuses, and the valuable talking points our students can share when confronted with difficult interactions.

Our Chayalim (IDF Soldiers) We are humbled and proud of our alumni who have selflessly volunteered to serve in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) - many as lone soldiers - protecting the state of Israel and standing up for Jews all over the world.

After graduating from BT in 2003, Simon went to the University of Maryland, College Park, where he double majored in Finance and Economics. He spent a few years working as a pricing analyst for Thomson Reuters Pricing Service, and later joined Tikvah, a non-profit ideas institution committed to supporting the intellectual, religious, and political leaders of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. In his ten years at Tikvah, Simon has worked on a wide range of Tikvah’s educational initiatives, including several years working directly with college students as Associate Director of Tikvah’s university programs and college summer fellowship. He is now the Director of Communications and Special Projects.

Adam Cohen ’90 Joel Rubenstein ’90 Jack Bennett ’91 Eric Kornblit ’91 Ezra Olman ’91 Amit Nadiv ’94 Ian Merles ’96 Jeremy Bob ’96 Yonah Russ ’96 Michael Mashbaum ’98 Joseph Rombro ’00 Yoni Birnbaum ’02 Scott Blumberg ’03 Moshe Goldberg ’03 Amir Tsemach ’03 Elie Berman ’04 Yoni Rose ’04 Zachariah Alter ’06 Alex Simone ’06 Traci Siegel ’07 Ephraim Shapiro ’08 Ari Benjamin ’09 Joshua Rosen ’09 Arky Staiman ’09 Aaron Edelman ’10 Binyamin Goldman ’10 Lillian Walder ’11 Joshua August ’12 Channa Rifkin ’12

Alumni Teaching Day Beth Tfiloh welcomed back 12 BT graduates as guest teachers in our classrooms the day before Thanksgiving. Our alums shared their expertise in geopolitics, technology, history, physics, and math with our current High School students. They also spoke about Jewish campus life, internship opportunities and campus safety during these times of rising antisemitism. Special thanks to Dr. Lea Scheffer for her hard work in organizing this program.

6

Yossi Kuttler ’13 Jordan Low ’13 Noah Abromowitz ’13 Danny Gross ’14 Gilbert Rifkin ’14 Hilla Singerman ’14 Gil Kuttler ’15 Josh Schwartz ’15 Dean Shalem ’15 Daniel Goldman ’16 Shuli Klein ’16 Sammy Friedmann ’17 Yael Muroff ’18 Sammy Cohen ’18 Guy Mei-Tal ’19 Emma Rifkin ’19 Evyatar Singerman ’19 Natalie Grossman ’19 Naomi Bennett ’20 Eden Shoshan ’20 Gaya Friedman ’20 Ari Heyman ’20 Max Goldman ’20 Gavriel Leichter ’20 Allison Schwartz ’21 Noah Rubin ’21 Gabrielle Moshkatal ’22

IN OUR SYNAGOGUE Recently, our BTRP group enjoyed a session diving into the world of Bereshit and the beautiful concepts of Jewish creativity.

Our participants then used their own creativity to paint bowls for St. Vincent De Paul Empty Bowl Fundraiser, which helps to feed 5000 people daily. We are now one of the organizations which lovingly paints over 1,500 bowls for them annually.

Chesed Committee This year BT worked closely with congregants to reestablish our commitment to Chesed. The Chesed committee is a diverse group of staff and lay people. They have facilitated projects such as creating care packages for homebound congregants with our b’nei Mitzvah students, making and delivering kindness kits for homeless veterans, and monthly service trips at local soup kitchens in Baltimore. In addition, we created a congregationwide survey to assess the most pressing needs of our community. The Chesed committee is facilitating volunteer visits to elderly and isolated congregants, essential drives, and various other projects that will help BT continue to foster a kind and caring community.

Beth Tfiloh hosted a community gathering in solidarity for Israel, an event that welcomed over 2,000 guests

Solidarity for Israel Beth Tfiloh has and continues to put the state of Israel on the forefront of our community programming, davening, and advocacy efforts. From our Tefillin and Tehillim event, to the Show Up for Israel program, our congregation and school are keeping our prayers deep and spirits high as we continue to support and advocate for Israel. On October 11, Baltimore’s Jewish community came together for the Community Gathering in Solidarity with Israel event. The religiously diverse crowd filled the Dahan Sanctuary in an overwhelming show of support, love, Jewish pride, and solidarity. Baltimore-area clergy and guest speakers thoughtfully led a heartfelt, impactful program filled with prayers, songs, and reflections.

Willie and Sophie Mazer Holiday Staff Luncheon Tina and Abraham Mazer z”l, were founding members of Beth Tfiloh. Their son, Willie, and his bride, Sophie, were married at Beth Tfiloh in 1944, and remained active and vibrant members of the community throughout their lives. As a measure of their gratitude to Beth Tfiloh, they established an endowment to honor BT’s faculty and staff at an annual Chanukah luncheon.

Continuing the tradition means that faculty are treated to a sit-down lunch and have a chance to honor and remember this special family.

BTRP Beth Tfiloh Congregation offers programming and learning opportunities for individuals and families of all ages. This year, the newly established BTRP (Beth Tfiloh Retired People) invites community members to nosh, socialize, and enjoy a series of unique activities together. Activities will include speakers, entertainers, and hands-on projects of Jewish interest.

Sophie and Willie Mazer

Beth Tfiloh congregants socialize and enjoy unique projects and activities as a group

7

Roz and Marvin H. Weiner Family Campus 3300 Old Court Road | Baltimore, MD 21208

BETH TFILOH DEVELOPMENT TEAM Mandi G. Miller Director of Institutional Advancement Michelle Cherry ’02 Director of Development Lisa Silverstein Development Associate Julian Sless ’13 Development Associate