| A Journey of Learning and Discovery | Spring 2022
Magazine
included inside!
CONTENTS 03 Leadership Letter 04 Davis Together 06 Around Campus 12 Spreading Kindness 14 Lion Pride 16 Congratulations Class of 2022
CONTENTS 18 Happenings & Events 20 Shehecheyanu Moment 22 Difference Makers 24 Alumni Spotlight 26 Class Notes 32 Life After Davis 33 Simchas
Dear Davis Academy Families:
2021–2022 Board of Trustees
his edition of The Journey magazine celebrates our winter & spring happenings and the great spirit of our Davis community, as we count down toward the culmination of the 2021-2022 school year. While the school year began with much continued uncertainty around the pandemic, our optimism grew with the availability of vaccines for children ages 5+ years, and our collective commitment to our children, and to our goals of staying as healthy as possible while maximizing the school experience, was achieved!
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President
Together…
Kevin Levingston
We collaborated to foster academic, spiritual, social and emotional growth in each child and as a community. The many accomplishments highlighted here are a testament to our shared values and communal commitment.
Evan Toporek
Vice Presidents Mark Edelstein Micah Goldstein Brian Mand
Secretary Lisa Haynor
Treasurer Immediate Past President
We evolved to include some of the opportunities we had been missing. With parent and grandparents back in our buildings, field and overnight trips back on the calendar, and students back together again across all grades for assemblies and Kabbalat Shabbat, our ruach has continued to grow with each new day. We celebrated many “firsts” and numerous important milestones. New parents entering the building for the first time, 2nd graders receiving their first siddur, 5th graders reading Torah for the first time, and a packed theater together for our musical production of Frozen Jr. are just a few examples of the many moments in 2022 that will form lasting memories.
Trustees
Amy Shafron Head of School
Lisa Freedman President, Board of Trustees
We are thankful. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that every day is a gift. We appreciate the blessings of each new day, whether a day of special celebration, or a day that may otherwise seem more ordinary. A day spent learning, laughing, singing, praying, giving and growing together on our state-of-the-art campuses, in and of itself, is a blessing. When our Middle School kehillah gathers for tefillah, we recite the words from Psalm 90:12 and note the passage of time by moving small rocks collected from around the world from one jar to another, visualizing and counting the days that have come and gone, and those that are ahead, while showing our gratitude for all that is ours today. As we count the few remaining days of this school year, we hope you will enjoy reading about many of the exciting experiences we’ve shared, the outstanding efforts by our beloved faculty, and the diverse accomplishments of our amazing alumni. Amy Shafron Head of School
Lisa Freedman
Lisa Freedman President, Board of Trustees
Karl Atlmann Abby Bechler-Karsch Mara Berman Dana Bernath Scott Bohrer Barbie Bregen Steven Cohen Ann Davis Elizabeth Davis Russell Falkenstein Vanessa Frank Julia Galanti David Goldberg Billie Greenberg Jeff Hopkins Bennett Kaplan Hope Kaufman Jamie Kohn Debbie Kurzweil Bobbi Perlstein Josh Perlstein Michelle Rosenberg Stacey Rothberg Bill Rothschild Carol Rubin Linda Selig Stanley Sonenshine Jason Tessler Sam Tuck
Trustees for Life William Breman (z’l) Jay Davis Sidney Kirschner Dulcy Davis Rosenberg
Past Presidents Jan Epstein (1990-1992) Carol Nemo (1990-1996) Dean Benamy (1996-1999) Harriet Zoller (1999-2000) Bryan Fields (2000-2003) Ben Sillins (2003-2005) Billie Greenberg (2005-2007) Tonia Sellers (2007-2011) Sam Tuck (2011-2014) Debbie Kurzweil (2014-2016) Jon Leven (2016-2018) Evan Toporek (2018-2020)
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Together
There is nothing like the incomparable feeling of being together as a kehillah!
With declining COVID cases and growing optimism, we finally opened our doors to welcome parents, grandparents, and friends at our very first all-school Kabbalat Shabbat since March of 2020. Everyone was invited to join Mechina - 8th grade students as we celebrated being together, a very exciting milestone and what turned out to be an incredible and memorable Davis experience. This was the start of many joyous occasions this spring for our incredible kehillah. While the pandemic is not yet fully behind us, we have certainly made tremendous progress as a school community, and our children continue to be the beneficiaries of our collective spirit and dedication. Together we have ensured that their days have been joyful, through extraordinary learning experiences, strong social ties, reliable emotional support systems and meaningful spiritual connections. The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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around
campus 100th Day = Davis Doors Open The 100th day of school featured many traditional festivities among our youngest students: Mechina students dressed up like seniors, while kindergarten students creatively decorated shirts with 100 items, and first grade students used technology to add wrinkles to their self-portraits so they could look 100 years old. We also celebrated this special milestone by finally opening our doors to parent volunteers. Since then hundreds of parents have volunteered in varied ways: they have shared their expertise throughout grades, helped in homerooms, assisted with the many components of the school musical, chaperoned field trips and celebrated birthdays. What a blessing to have the Davis kehillah back in the building.
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Holocaust Remembrance Day
In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, sixth graders learned about the stories of children that perished in the Holocaust and participated in an annual tradition— planting daffodils in a special garden on our Middle School campus in memory of these children.
Visiting Holocaust Survivor Speaker
As part of an 8-week Holocaust study unit, seventh graders welcomed Davis grandmother Louise Baum, child of holocaust survivors, and an incredible speaker and presenter. Mrs. Baum shared her amazing story with powerful photos, personal family items and deep lessons. We are blessed to have living witnesses in our community who encourage the reflection and the responsibilities we must carry on as human beings and citizens of the world. The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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Visiting Authors An array of well known authors visited The Davis Academy, infusing their love for writing with deep and beautiful messages. Jordan Gillman and Michael Tyler, authors of Mirror Face, spread their message of self-love. Cindy Zeldin, author of Lily Tova the Theray Dog, shared how kindness affects others while showing some fun tricks with her therapy dog. Dori Weinstein, author of the YaYa & YoYo Jewish children’s book series, students learned about the creative writing process. Sarah Weeks, author of more than sixty books and best known for the award winning novel So B It, shared her advice on how to be a good writer. Students loved asking questions to the authors and having the opportunity to receive signed copies of their books.
Experiencing Math with Robotics Eighth grade students complete math challenges using TI-rovers—a robot coded with Python programming and a TI84plus calculator. Robots enable math to be viewed in a way that encourages students to ask “what if…?” and inspires them to persist in finding solutions to making the robot move the way they intend. Students were motivated to think differently with a new way to experience—not just see—math. The physical representation created an additional entry point to problem-solving that connected math, coding and movement.
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Purim—One of the Most Fun-filled Days of the Year! Our school was filled with little ones dressed in character from the Purim story alongside a wide array of animals, storybook characters, M&M’s, athletes, bunnies, babies and more, while our Middle Schoolers went all-in with their “from the decades” theme. In lower school, every student listened to the reading of the Megillah (Purim story) and in Middle School, 114 students learned how to chant it! In addition to providing traditional hamantaschen and other treats, our awesome PTO volunteers oversaw a Purim Carnival at the Lower School complete with exciting activities and games, and Middle Schoolers enjoyed special activities such as a “latke vs. hamantaschen” debate and a talent show. It was a fun-filled, action-packed day!
5th Grade Torah Readings For the first time in over two years, parents and grandparents were present in our chapel alongside 5th Grade students to witness their first time ever, reading from the Torah. As students chanted their Torah portions and explained their meanings, family members, friends and teachers felt a great sense of pride as we gathered to celebrate this important milestone in our students’ Jewish journeys. The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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Beautiful Siddur Ceremony Second graders received their very first “official” Siddur (prayer book), personally inscribed by their parents, and shared their learning of prayers and songs at a special Kabbalat HaSiddur ceremony. This year, current 3rd graders participated as well, as they missed this in-person opportunity last year.
School Partnership with Friends in India Davis students have been engaged in a wonderful collaboration with a partner school in Noida, India. First grade students shared a Purim spiel while students in India shared customs of the ancient Hindu festival, Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors. Third graders learned about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and created indigenous art surrounding one of the goals which they shared with their student friends across the globe. Fifth grade Library Ambassadors asked questions about their culture and exchanged book recommendations. Through this partnership our students have expanded their perspective about the world, understanding the wonderful diversity that defines humanity, while cultivating empathy and curiosity, and helping lay a foundation for global citizenship.
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Davis Rocks! Parents enjoyed a variety of incredible inperson fusion band, ukulele and keyboard concerts: The Davis Decibelles, 7th & 8th grade Fusion bands, brought live music & performances back to Davis with their “rocking” Winter Concert; sixth grade rock stars performed Seven Nation Army, Love Me Do, Free Fallon’, Twist and Shout, Play That Song and Dreams; fifth grade ukulele students played clean and harmonic tunes of One Day, Chicken Nugget Hora, All Too Well, Don’t Stop Believing, Riptide, and Demons, including an original song, The Cheese Song; and fourth grade keyboard students played popular songs showing off finger placing, scales, pedaling and keen listening skills. Congratulations to our talented studentmusicians, and their awesome teachers, Michelle Gimpelevich and Bob Michek!
Field and Overnight Trips Are Back! Since the start of 2022, field trips are back on the calendar! Teachers amplify the learning happening in the classroom with excursions to a variety of exciting local venues as well as to cities across the Southeast, such as Birmingham and Charleston. Spring plans include 5th graders heading to Savannah, seventh graders to Washington DC, and 8th graders to Israel. Promoting shared learning and growth as a grade-level community, the field trips tie into our student’s curriculum, add a deeper layer of learning and exploration, and contribute to an incredible Davis experience.
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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Kindness SPREADING Heat Up for Hanukkah Coat Drive
The Davis Academy’s PTO Tzedek Committee partnered with One Warm Coat to benefit the Atlanta Children’s Shelter, with our students participating by donating coats and making cards placed in the pockets of donated coats. Thank you to the many students and families who participated and mazel tov to the wonderful volunteers who organized such a successful drive, with the Davis Kehillah collecting 116 coats and raising $664 in just two weeks!
Annual Bake Sale Second Grade students collected more than fifteen hundred pounds of food that the Atlanta Kosher Food Pantry desperately needs by organizing our annual bake sale as a Purim activity. All students had the opportunity to “buy” baked goods prepared and “sold” by Second Graders, in exchange for boxed and canned items for the pantry. This collective act of kindness was a tremendous success!
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Helping Hands Help the Homeless In lieu of National Random Acts of Kindness Day, Davis parent Lori Cahill, helped Third Grade students create care bags for the homeless. The “bundles of love” included cards with beautiful uplifting messages, and each student created two packages that they took home to keep in their cars to give away whenever they’d see someone needing a helping hand.
B’tzelim Elohim (Created in God’s Image) Fourth grade teamed up with the Jewish Abilities Alliance to provide students with an incredible learning opportunity by participating in a variety of activities that exposed them to how children with varying needs and abilities perform everyday tasks. Students split into groups and rotated between different stations, where they learned how to say their names using sign language, how to write using the tactile writing system braille, how to fill a cup of water blind folded and how to draw using a mirror reflection. The goal for this experience was to continue to help our students develop empathy and tolerance, in alignment with their grade level tzedakah theme of B’tzelim Elohim (created in God’s image).
Camp Jenny Backpack Drive Camp Jenny, located at Camp Coleman, provides a summer camp experience for children who are less-fortunate and unable to afford camp. This unique experience takes place during Memorial Day weekend and relies on donations to make it possible. As part of their Tzedakah project, the 5th graders collected many new and gently used backpacks to donate to the campers of Camp Jenny. Kol Hakavod Fifth Grade!
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Davis Athletes Throughout the fall, winter, and spring our two gyms and multiple athletic fields have been filled with motivated student-athletes participating in soccer, cross country, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, track & field and tennis. The values and skills learned on the court and on the field, reinforced by our dedicated coaches, are ultimately beneficial to students beyond any game, meet, or match, in their everyday experiences. The school’s athletic program is at the core of how Davis builds positive character, selfrespect and respect for others, confidence and kindness in our students. Thank you to our parents for supporting Athletic Director Loren Spaulding, our teams and their coaches and congratulations to all our Davis athletes. Go Lions!
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Frozen Jr.—Finally Defrosted! In March 2020, Frozen Jr. was shut down the week before performances due to COVID-19. Fast forward to 2022, a new cast of young thespians finally took the stage and delivered four magical performances in the school’s incredible Rosenberg Performing Arts Theater. Countless hours of hard work took place prior, under the leadership of Kendrick Philips, Director of Visual and Performing Arts, bringing together a cast and crew of over 120 students ages 4- 14 years, for what was truly a magnificent production. Ms. Phillips, creative vision and steadfast devotion to The Davis Academy’s theater program, along with Mr. Michek and other dedicated faculty, parent volunteers, alumni mentors, administrators, staff members and sponsors, brought the show to life.
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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& Adele Davis Acade d e r f l A my e h T
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Lauren Amato
Benjamin Barkan
Blake Cohen
Moncie Cranman
Alanna Diamond
Alex Dunowitz
Sharla Dunowitz
Joshua Eichenholz
Peyton Frank
Sadie Ganz
Alina Gluzman
Jack Goldstein
Devin Golivesky
Zoe Gordon
Joshua Greenberg
Ari Iroff
Adam Jacobson
Nina Joshua
The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Josh Kaplan
Sophie Katz
Drew Kaufman
Max Kaufman
Joshua Layton
Dylan Lichstrahl
Daryn Mand
Annie Marcus
Mason Maslia
Abbi Meyer
Ari Milrud
Aubrey Nelms
Gavin Nelson
Ava Peck
Ethan Peck
Levi Perlstein
Henry Reizenson
Ryan Retter
Layla Rothberg
Rafael Saitowitz
Tahel Shantzer
Aaron Shenk
Scott Silverman
Avery Slipakoff
Andrew Smolen
Danny Sobel
Jamie Steuer
Gabrielle Swartz
Tyler Swartz
Mason Toporek
Jordan Ulin
Harris Unell
Ava Wilensky The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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HAPPENINGS&events
The Davis Academy Alumni Association hosts a series of gatherings for graduates of all ages where alumni can catch up with one another and reconnect with the faculty that influenced their lives. The strong sense of community formed at Davis is long-lasting and seeing how these relationships have flourished post-graduation is a true testament to the Davis experience and the lifelong friendships that take root during the childhood years. This year we were thankful to gather our alumni together once again.
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Class of 2011 10-Year Reunion
Class of 2021 Hanukkah Candle Lighting
Members of The Davis Academy Class of 2011 came together at Bar(n) for their 10-year reunion over Thanksgiving break. Alumni were very excited to reunite and reconnect. They even had a surprise guest, Mrs. Mirsky! Thank you to the event chairs, Jay Edlin and Matthew Kurzweil ’11, for their leadership in planning this get-together.
In December, The Davis Academy Alumni Association hosted a mini-reunion for our most recent graduates, the Class of 2021. Alumni and their parents came together over Zoom to share updates about their high school experience. Together, Rabbi Micah and the alumni said the blessings and lit the candles for the 2nd night of Hanukkah.
The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Senior Send-Off Each year, we welcome back Davis alumni who are graduating from high school for our annual Senior Send-Off, with the goal of bringing together faculty, staff and alumni parents, to wish our college-bound alumni good luck as they embark on the next step in their journey. The Class of 2018 came together on April 25th to share their individual plans for post-high school, see their beloved teachers, enjoy watching their Davis graduation video together, and further strengthen the bond of their class community. We loved seeing our graduates and wished them b’hatzlacha next year!
Frozen Jr. Alumni Reunion The annual Davis musical has always been a highlight for our students, and we were thrilled that after two years the students were able to showcase their hard work during the Frozen Jr. production this spring. Alumni were invited back for this special performance and before the show they enjoyed catching up with teachers and staff, pizza and a frozen treat!
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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Shehecheyanu
moments
The school year has been filled with many “Shehecheyanu moments,” moments of gratitude as we continue to celebrate the blessings of our kehillah. This year we celebrated a very special communal “first-ever Shehecheyanu moment,” with the enrollment of our first ever “next-generation student.” The Davis journey of alumna Stefanie (Solmson) Boxer ’01 continues as her daughter Eleanor experiences Davis as a Mechina: Kindergarten Prep student. We honor and celebrate Stefanie’s Davis journey coming full circle.
MY
journey at The Davis Academy started 29 years ago when my parents took a leap of faith in 1993 and signed me up for first grade in a school that was only in its second year. Fast forward to 2001 and I was graduating eighth grade ready to begin my life outside of the Davis walls. I eventually made my way to the College of Charleston where I earned my degree in elementary education and knew that becoming part of “Team Davis” as a teacher was the next step for me. After teaching third grade for seven years and seeing the deep love that the school has for its students, my role changed. Most recently, my oldest child, Eleanor, became a Lion in Ms. Rosenbluth’s Mechina class. I have gone from student, to teacher, to parent at The Davis Academy, and can say with complete confidence, that this is a special place. The community that Davis offers is unmatched. As a student, I created bonds with my teachers that went beyond the classroom. They showed me what it meant to be a good person and ultimately paved my path into entering the teaching field. As a teacher, I learned how to weave Jewish values and strong character building themes into my everyday lessons, and watched as my students thrived in the warmest of school settings. I worked alongside some amazing colleagues who taught me what it meant to inspire children. Their love for working at the school was contagious and I cherish every moment that I got to work with them. Now, as a parent, I have been given the best gift of all—seeing my daughter find a passion for learning, Judaism and friendship just within her first year. I have such special memories of this school that I now get to share with my daughter. I imagine her walking the halls with her friends, laughing and giving hugs to her teachers, just as I did as a little girl. She is at the beginning of her Davis journey and I can’t wait to see where the path leads her.
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
I have gone from student, to teacher, to parent at The Davis Academy, and can say with complete confidence, that this is a special place.” — Stefanie (Solmson) Boxer, Class of 2001
OPPOSITE: Stefanie Boxer and her daughter Eleanor. ABOVE: Stefanie and Josh Boxer with their children Zachary and Eleanor. TOP RIGHT: Eleanor with her grandparents Jim and Marcy Solmson. BOTTOM RIGHT: Eleanor Boxer in the Davis Nature Sanctuary. INSET: Stefanie and her sister Catherine Cohen when they were Davis students.
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The 2021-2022 Tzedek Grant Recipients Founded in 2016, The Davis Academy Alumni Tzedek Grant recognizes and supports charitable initiatives by our graduates. These efforts exemplify The Davis Academy’s menschlichkeit value of Tzedek, a Hebrew word that means righteousness or justice. Open to high school and college-age alumni, the grant is an opportunity to advance the efforts of our alum who continue to carry our Davis values out into the world beyond their years at Davis. This year, we are proud to award 2022 Tzedek Grants to two outstanding recipients: Isabelle Mokotoff ’16 and Caitlyn Pinsker ’19.
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ur Davis Academy alumni are making a positive impact wherever their journey takes them. The Davis Alumni Tzedek Grant is a special resource that we extend to help them continue to live the values we instilled during their years at The Davis Academy. Grant recipients receive a financial grant as well as marketing and media support that shines a spotlight on their good work.
Isabelle Mokotoff ’16 After years of sending handwritten letters back and forth with her grandfather, their tradition was cut short because of his Parkinson’s symptoms. Inspired by her grandfather, Isabelle Mokotoff, a junior at Northwestern University, developed SteadyScrib to enable people with Parkinson’s Disease to independently transcribe their thoughts with dignity and ease. As the Founder & CEO, she was profoundly moved by SteadyScrib’s organizational purpose. “Because my grandfather lacks writing utensils compatible with his manual dexterity, he can no longer do so many things that he loves. We aim to enable people with Parkinson’s to independently transcribe their thoughts because the inability to write can be isolating, debilitating and inconveniencing.” At SteadyScrib, Isabelle and her team are personally motivated to eliminate the need for complicated and impersonal communication aids for the 10 million people living with Parkinson’s worldwide. Both personal insight and market research informs the SteadyScrib team that their Parkinson’s pen set is valuable and desired. Isabelle and her team began working on this project in September of 2021 and have conceptualized a detailed roadmap toward the beta-testing, manufacture and distribution of their SteadyScrib pen set, as well as prototyped preliminary iterations of the pen set. Most people with Parkinson’s experience three main writing-inhibitive symptoms: tremors, slowness of movement and manual rigidity. With this in mind, the SteadyScrib team experimented to determine features that would successfully offset these writing-inhibitive symptoms, selecting three in particular that we expect
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
We aim to enable people with Parkinson’s to independently transcribe their thoughts because the inability to write can be isolating, debilitating and inconveniencing.”
to be fruitful: a magnetic pen and clipboard set which stabilizes the movement from tremors; a weighted grip that accelerates movement; and a reimagined, cuvier pen shape which improves one’s ability to grip and mitigates the effects of manual rigidity. Isabelle plans to use the Tzedek grant award towards buying materials for prototypes of the pen set. Though the SteadyScrib team has access to Northwestern maker spaces, their materials are not fully sufficient to create their desired prototypes. “With the support from the grant, we will be able to order specialized materials like the Liftware spoon, so we can study previous tremor-stabilizing technology, as well as magnetic 3D printing filament, so we can prototype our vision for the future of tremorstabilizing technology.” Update: “We have been awarded $10,000 in non-dilutive capital to accelerate our venture this summer! My team is so grateful for the Davis community, as funds from the Davis Alumni Tzedek Grant helped us build a first-generation prototype and laid the foundation for future success.” — Isabelle Mokotoff
Caitlyn Pinkser ’19 A junior at Pace Academy, Caitlyn has always wanted to spread positivity to make the world better. Through the Positive Mirroring Project to Support Young Girls she hopes to spread awareness about women’s mental health issues and spread positivity. By setting up manned popup mirror exchange booths with hand-held mirrors around middle and high schools, participants will be invited to write generic positive messages and decorate a mirror with drawings that will be given to the next participant. This person will leave that mirror behind for the next person and then take the mirror made by the person before. Before taking the mirror, participants will write at least one positive affirmation on their own mirror. “Body image is an important issue for young girls, and it is said that by the time they reach 17, 78% of young women have body image issues. This issue has gotten worse with Covid-19 and the increased usage of social media, so I hope to address it with my project.” She hopes this project will be extended past her time in high school and that it’s an opportunity for younger girls to carry on the message of support and awareness for mental health issues. “The simple act of decorating the mirrors for others can serve as a way to spread positivity and remind ourselves and others that they are loved and valued.” As we follow our alumni along their journeys post-graduation, it brings us great joy to see the many ways that they live our values. With more than 1,000 alumni, The Davis Academy takes tremendous pride in knowing that our L.O.V.E. reaches far beyond the walls of our wonderful school. We wish a mazel tov to Isabelle and Caitlyn as they join the list of previous recipients.
The simple act of decorating the mirrors for others can serve as a way to spread positivity and remind ourselves and others that they are loved and valued.”
Past Recipients of the Tzedek Grant Nikki Berne
Class of 2010 Miracle Children
Zoe Light
Class of 2012 Sustainability
Emily Brothman
Class of 2013 Terps Against Hunger
Jacob Cohen Class of 2013 JAM Bowl
Max Kamean Class of 2013 JAM Bowl
Max Rubenstein Class of 2014 Game Givers
David Antonino Class of 2013 Homelessness
Amalia Haviv
Class of 2018 Nutrition Education
Maya Laufer
Class of 2018 Foster Care Support
Zoe Bober
Class of 2016 Services at The Refuge House
Josh Isaacs
Class of 2018 Pressure Wish
Alon Rogow Class of 2018 Pressure Wish
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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alumni spotlight Alon Rogow
The Davis Academy, Class of 2018 Dunwoody High School, Class of 2022
My Davis experience prepared me more than enough for high school and I am grateful for the academic, athletic and social skills I learned to help me succeed on and off the field.” 24
The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
I
started at The Davis Academy as a Mechina student, excited to be with my brother, Jacob, who was a second-grader. I loved my time at Davis, where I made lifelong friendships and developed many of my core values including the importance of Kavod, Tzedakah and Chochma. Davis is also where I developed my love for pole vaulting. My interest in pole vaulting began in 7th grade after I watched Nick West (Class of ’17) compete and set the school record. With the support and encouragement of my teacher and coach, Mr. Barry, I began training as a pole vaulter and fell in love with the sport. By 8th grade, I stopped playing competitive team sports and focused on cross country and track and field. The thrill of running down the runway, planting the pole and flinging myself high into the air and over a bar got me hooked. I’ve been fortunate to have Mr. Barry as my Coach, at Davis and at Pole Vault Atlanta, where I train year-round. Like his teaching, he is always there to help me get better and fuel my competitive nature to be the best I can be. He has cheered me on when I’ve won competitions, set school records, earned All-American honors at the Junior Olympics, and when I signed my letter of intent to compete next year for the University of Georgia. He was also there for my lows like when I broke a pole and went through a season where I was having trouble actually getting off the ground and vaulting. For me, one of the greatest things about pole vaulting is the comradery. I’ve been fortunate to travel the country and compete against some of the best athletes around. No matter what team you’re on and no matter how well you do, we are always there to cheer on and support each other. In addition to pole vaulting, academics are very important to me. As a student at Dunwoody High School, I have been on the Principal’s List, was accepted into the National Honor Society, and was one of the first members of the DHS Athletic Honor Society. Outside of academics, I partnered with Josh Issacs (Class of ’18) and started a pressure washing business where we were able to donate $1,000 to Make-A-Wish Foundation over the last two summers. I have also been a part of the Creating Connected Communities (CCC) Leadership Development Program where we bring life-enhancing programs to children in need. As I look toward college, I am excited about the new challenges that I will face in the classroom, but I am most excited about competing on a team with other talented track athletes who will push me to be my best every day with the goal of winning a National Championship. And, one day, I hope to realize my dream of competing for and winning an Olympic medal.
alumni spotlight Sammy Weiss-Cowie
The Davis Academy, Class of 2014 PhD Candidate at The University of Cambridge
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
My time at Davis provided me with the foundational skills that drive my work today: managing my time, being open to new ideas, taking responsibility for my own work, listening to others and treating them with respect. Davis gave me a love for learning that has followed through to today, motivating me to continue my studies in graduate school.”
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fter graduating from Davis and The Weber School, I went on to earn my degrees in Neuroscience and Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies (Korean), as well as a minor in Linguistics from Georgia Tech. In December 2021, I graduated and was awarded a Gates Cambridge Scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge where I will start my PhD in Cognition and Brain Sciences, studying how language is processed in the brain. I first became interested in neuroscience while self-studying the Korean language in high school. I began learning Korean as a hobby and quickly grew fascinated with the ways in which the language differed from those I knew, English and Hebrew. This curiosity led me to read about language acquisition and ultimately drove me to double major in neuroscience and Korean. More than anything, I feel driven by curiosity and a passion for empirical research. As an undergraduate at Georgia Tech, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to work on several research projects in the Neuroscience and Linguistics departments. Such experiences introduced me to the research process from question formulation through journal article publication and taught me how satisfying it can be to explore unanswered questions. As I prepare to begin my PhD at Cambridge, I am excited to be immersed in an environment of open intellectual inquiry, one where I can share ideas with and learn from my peers and mentors. Over the years, I've been granted several intellectually formative experiences that would not have been possible if not for the support and trust given to me by my mentors despite my inexperience. Perhaps the most direct influence was my Hebrew education; differences between my experiences learning Hebrew and Korean are what originally drove me to my field of study. I would encourage future Davis graduates to explore a wide range of fields and to be unafraid of trying something even if it is unfamiliar or difficult. High school and college present a unique freedom to sample diverse topics, and you never know what experience might grow into a new passion. Neither neuroscience nor Korean were topics I ever expected to study when I was younger, yet through a series of minor, chance events they became a central part of my life.
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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s ClanisJosurneNysobyte Year Alum
2001 Leslie Mintz graduated from The University of Georgia with a BA in Journalism. She is the Director of Media and Communications at the United States Eventing Association in Virginia. Leslie is married to Jon Friedenthal and the couple welcomed their first child, Iris, in May 2021.
2003 Nika Arkhipov Freudenberg is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist working in the Fulton County School System. She graduated with her Master’s in Health Science in Occupational Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia. She lives in Roswell, GA with her family. Caroline Patterson Goldberg is a beloved fourth grade teacher and cantorial soloist at The Davis Academy, and is receiving this year’s Marilyn Shubin Professional Staff Development Award in recognition for her many contributions to Atlanta’s Jewish community as a communal professional. She shares her beautiful voice as a lead vocalist in Rabbi Micah’s Hello, Goodbye, and Peace ensemble and leads High Holy Day and monthly young professional Shabbat services at The Temple. Caroline and her husband, Alex, were married in 2020 and are expecting their first child in June. Mazel tov! Davis helped shape me into the confident, compassionate Jewish woman I am today. I knew that, as a teacher, Davis was the only school I wanted to work at, so I could instill in my students the same values
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2004 Robbi Scheuer Hoff graduated from The University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) and is currently a Registered Dietician in Atlanta, GA. She married Alex Hoff in October 2019 and the couple have a little boy, Maddox, born in February 2021.
2005 that my Davis teachers instilled in me—L’dor V’dor.” Max Miller is an Associate Rabbi at Temple Emanu-el in Atlanta, GA. He and his wife Rachael have a beautiful daughter, Zohara. Seth Eisenberg graduated from The University of Missouri and is an Anesthesiologist with Wellstar Health System. He serves as the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology. Seth married Kristen Spicher in May 2021 and the couple resides in Atlanta. Pamela Chaliff Margolis serves as the Director of Growth Programs at Peloton. She graduated from Columbia Business School with an MBA in 2017. Pamela married Alex Margolis in March 2020 and the couple welcomed their first child, Corey, in October 2021. Rebecca Schneider received her BA from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her PhD from The University of Colorado Boulder. She is an Assistant Professor, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA. She is a board member of OCD Georgia as well as the founder and director of the Child OCD Program at Emory (COPE), which is a telehealth-based intensive outpatient program for adolescents with OCD. She and her husband, Frederick, have a son, Benjamin, who was born October 2021. Davis inspired my love of learning and helped me connect to my Jewish faith. I am so glad that I went to Davis, and I would love to send my son there too when he is old enough!”
The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Sarah Silver Kleiman graduated Vanderbilt University in 2013 and is the Technical Project Manager at Foursquare in Atlanta, GA. She married Sammy Kleiman in September 2019. Davis was a great school that helped set me up to continue my educational career, while also giving me a Jewish education. I met life-long friends there as well.” Jonathan Paz is the Founder of Privee Diamonds Direct in Alpharetta, GA. 1 Davis is the greatest decision a parent can make in their child’s life. It will shape them into a mensch for life!” Lindsay Tuchman is an Emmy nominated news anchor for Newsy. Her love of journalism began when she was an anchor with the inaugural staff of Davis TV in 2004. She received her B.A. in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the University of Southern California. She resides in Atlanta, GA. 2
2006 Joshua Jacobs is a Senior UX Designer at Mural in Atlanta, GA. He graduated from The University of Tampa with a BFA in Graphic Design. He and his wife welcomed their first child, Julian, in September 2021. Catherine Patterson Crum is a graduate of The University of Georgia with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She is a news anchor for WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama. She married Richard Crum in January 2020. 3
Davis is more than a school—it’s a family. Going to school felt like an extension of my home. The teachers are your biggest supporters, and they want to see each child succeed.”
2007 Rachel Hirsch Bernstein received her Master’s in Speech Language Pathology from The University of Alabama in 2018 and works as a Speech Language Pathologist in Atlanta, GA. She married Mark Bernstein in June 2020 and the couple is currently expecting their first child this summer. The Davis Academy provided me with a strong educational foundation that has allowed me to have a successful career. I learned to respect and form connections with others, which is necessary to succeed!” Ashley Rosenberg Carey is a graduate of The University of Georgia with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She is the Digital Marketing Manager for Mud Pie. In 2021, she was nominated for Gift Shop Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40. Congratulations!
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Joey Galanti is a graduate of The University of Georgia. He is a Real Estate Acquisition Analyst at Sylvan Road Capital in Atlanta, GA. Joey is engaged to Carly Shapiro and will be getting married June 18, 2022. Sarah Scheuer Koenig graduated from The University of Georgia in 2016 receiving her BS in Human Development and Disability Studies. She is the Director of Inclusion at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and is a recipient of the Robin Berger Emerging Leader Award from the Jewish Abilities Alliance for her work in the community. Max Shafron works as a Space Policy Advisor for the Department of Defense in Washington, DC. He was a John S. McCain Strategic
Class Notes
Defense Fellow in 2020-2021. He graduated from George Washington University with a Masters in International Affairs in 2020. Max is engaged to Stephanie Bekerman and will be getting married May 22, 2022.
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2008 Paige Weinberg Feldman graduated from The University of Mary Washington with a BS in Business Administration in 2016. She married Samuel Feldman in 2020. She is a Sales Representative at Surfaces Southeast in Atlanta, GA. 5 Davis gave me a strong foundation including how to be successful when studying and interacting with others. I took this foundation and used it to be successful in high school, college and now my career.” Jason Friedman is graduating this spring from The University of California Berkeley with an MBA and MPH. He will begin working at Bain & Company in San Francisco following graduation. 6
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Marlee Jones is a Collegiate Support Manager at Sigma Kappa Sorority in San Diego, CA. Marlee serves on the Elon Jewish Alumni Network board and is also a National Volunteer for the National Panhellenic Conference. 7
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It is not the “what”, the curriculum, that makes a Davis education any more valuable. It is the ”how” and the “why”; my Davis education taught me how to be a learner and instilled the value of lifelong learning.” — Marlee Jones ’08
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Davis provides so much more than an education; it’s the foundation, the experience that will define who they are and who they become later in life. I loved growing up with a small group of kids who I could get to know really well. The intimacy of the experience not only benefited me as a student but also helps me today in my career. The Davis network is small yet powerful, and I feel comfortable reaching out to anyone I knew at Davis—even those who were a few years younger or older than I am—because we are all inexplicably tied to each other via that shared experience.”
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— Jay Edlin ’11
Rachel Whiteman accepted a position in the Tasting Department at Wine Spectator Magazine, where she coordinates tastings, wine reviews, and cellar management. Rachel is currently studying for her Level 3 Sommelier Certification, all while continuing to pursue her love of acting, which was originally fostered on the Davis Academy stage.
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2009 Danielle Altman is a graduate of The University of Georgia. She recently served as Head of Projects at Wazimo, an ad-tech startup in Tel Aviv, Israel. She recently moved to Los Angeles, CA and is working in strategy and operations at a pre-launch web3 startup company. 8 My mom, Morah Galia, is celebrating her 25th
The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
year at Davis! While I may be a bit biased, I think that this is a testament to the commitment Davis has to a fulfilling Jewish, Israel, and Hebrew education. My mom knows that it’s a great place to work, and I know that it was a great place to learn. I carry the lessons I learned and the friends I made to this day, and it’s in part due to the wonderful teachers and staff at Davis.” Haley Greenberg received her BA in Marketing and Consumer Economics from The University of Georgia. She is a Sales Representative for Republic National Distributing in Atlanta with a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certification Level 2. Haley also serves as the secretary for Athena Women’s Associate Resource Group. Lindsay Kraun is a graduate of The University of Tampa and Georgia State University. She holds a Masters in Occupational Therapy and is a pediatric occupational therapist at Kids Creek Therapy in Suwanee, GA. She is also the co-chair of the Georgia State University OT Program’s Alumni Association and a Member of Georgia State University Occupational Therapy’s Community Legacy and Leadership Board. 9 Renee Lewis is a Marketing Manager at DoorDash in New York, NY. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2017. I built a strong Jewish identity at Davis and created life long friendships. I currently live in NYC with my best friend from Davis—we met in the 4th grade, are now 27 years old and have lived together for almost 5 years!” Sara Weiss-Cowie currently lives in Virginia and will be graduating in May from The George Washington University with a Master’s degree in Education and Human Development through their School Counseling Master’s program. She hopes to become a school counselor and a licensed professional counselor.
2010 Nikki Berne graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelors in Deaf Education. Marc Bernstein is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Duke University where he received his Masters in Biomedical Sciences. He is currently a medical student at Medical College of Georgia. There are many schools where you will get a great education. However, there are few schools that will provide you with a Jewish centered education and with faculty who are there to support you every step of the way.” Marissa Rubin is a Social Media Specialist at Marbury Creative Group.
2011 Juliana Abel is studying to become a Physician’s Assistant at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. She is active in the Jewish young professionals group at Hillel in Houston and serves as President of her class at Baylor. 10 The Davis Academy fosters a community for Jewish children (and their parents, too!) At Davis, you get a well-rounded and worldly education with an emphasis on what it really means to be Jewish— something I’m grateful for living In a world where we are a minority. I have formed life-long relationships and connections through my time there and can confidently say that Davis Academy gave me the building blocks I needed to build my Jewish identity.” Carly Edlin is a graduate of Tulane University with a degree in Communications and Public Relations. She is a Scheduling and Advance Associate at the Treasury Department in Washington, DC. Jay Edlin graduated from Georgia Tech with a BS in Business Administration. He is the Co-Founder/CEO of Wove,
a collaboration meta-layer for work for apps. 11 Matthew Kurzweil is a Chartered Financial Analyst having completed his last exam in the fall of 2021. He is currently an Investment Banker at Ernst & Young Capital Advisors, LLC. Becca Nadolne is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools. Ashley Siegel is a graduate of The University of Georgia with a Bachelor and Masters in Early Childhood Education. She is a first grade teacher in Atlanta, GA. She is a participant in the Jewish Family & Career Services Tritt Leadership Program. The Davis Academy taught me the value of education and community. The teachers at Davis set such a great example of the kind of teacher I wanted to be and the type of lasting relationships I wanted to have with my students.” Emma Spiegel was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year for her leadership and contributions to society. She has been serving as an English Teaching Assistant at ROC van Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Jack Zucker is a graduate of University of Georgia and is currently a J.D candidate at Duke University School of Law. 12
2012 Mallory Goldenberg recently returned from Israel after serving as a Masa Fellow and attending Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is continuing her love of Judaism and Israel as a Hillel International Engagement Professional in Boca Raton, FL. Jamie Greenberg is an Auditor at Deloitte in Atlanta, GA. She is a certified CPA who holds a Bachelors in Accounting and a Masters in Accountancy from The University of Georgia.
Class Notes
Rachel Kaufman is currently a medical student at the Medical College of Georgia.
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Rebecca Meline is a Registered Behavior Technician at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, GA. After graduating from Tulane University she served as a Teaching Assistant at The Davis Academy. Having been both a student and a teaching assistant at Davis, I can only say great things! The Davis community truly fosters an amazing environment for growth, both as a student and as a Jewish individual.”
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Max Miller graduated from The University of Alabama in 2020. He currently works at Deloitte in Atlanta, GA and is involved with the JF&CS PAL Program serving as the Chair for the Havinagala fundraiser.
2013 Emily Brothman is currently a 5th grade teacher at Farmland Elementary School in Rockville, MD. She graduated Cum Claude from University of Maryland as a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honors Society and Maryland Medallion Society, which recognizes the top 20 graduates. The Davis Academy helped me develop the academic and social skills that enabled me to succeed in college and in my first post-graduate job.” Benjamin Cohen is a graduate of The Georgia Institute of Technology. He and his team, GT-21 Stinger, took the top prize for Best Aerospace Engineering Project at Georgia Tech’s Spring 2021 Capstone Design Expo.
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Matan Diamond is a graduate of The Georgia Institute of Technology where he was a member of AEPi. He works as a Software Engineer at Facebook. 14 Max Ervin graduated from The University of Alabama in 2021. He is currently living
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Davis taught me the importance of Kehillah, and how special it was to be a part of a strong community in my childhood years when I started discovering who I was. This community carries you long beyond your years at Davis, and teaches you the importance of supporting others in many aspects of life.”
in Atlanta working as a Research Associate at Savills North America. Davis helped instill values of hard work, community, compassion and kindness. The subject matter and course delivery, offer a rewardingly challenging foundation for high school and college level academia.” David Glass is a Data Analyst at Cisco, Co-Founder of Mindflow and author of Tech for Hoomans. He is a graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Entrepreneurship and Business Analytics. He currently lives in California.
— Leah Tuck ’15
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The foundation of writing skills that I developed in Ms. Field’s 8th Grade Language Arts class has made such an incredible difference, and has become doubly useful as I write my own book now.” Jaron Longo is a graduate of University of Georgia and is currently a student at the Medical College of Georgia.
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Sam Kuttner graduated from Oglethorpe University Summa Cum Laude. My experience at The Davis Academy helped teach me the way to be a virtuous person. I bring the values I learned at Davis with me in my everyday life.”
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Caroline Perlis received her Bachelors and Masters at Tulane University, graduating with a Master’s in Accounting. She is part of the Incoming Audit Staff at Ernst & Young in Atlanta, GA. Although general education is important, Davis is unique in that it allows students to learn about their Jewish identity and how they want it to influence their lives.”
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Ben Bernstein is the head student-manager for the Tulane University Baseball team. He has received Dean’s list every semester while earning his Bachelors
Class Notes
Sammy Weiss-Cowie graduated from Georgia Tech in December 2021 with dual degrees in neuroscience and Korean and was awarded the GatesCambridge Scholarship to pursue his PhD at Cambridge University starting in the fall. He intends to investigate the neural underpinnings of speech perception at Cambridge’s MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit. He was also awarded a Critical Language Scholarship from the US State Department to participate in an immersive Korean language program and was recognized with the Outstanding Senior in Korean award from the Georgia Tech School of Modern Languages.
Matthew Winston is a student at the University of Georgia. He was accepted into the Terry School of Business Department of Finance and will be graduating in 2023. He is active in the UGA Hillel and Chabad as well as the fraternity Tau Epsilon Phi.
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My teachers were great and the Davis values taught me the importance of giving back to the community and treating everyone with respect and kindness.”
2016 Abigail Barkan is a student at the University of Texas Austin studying Journalism.
2015
Jessica Thompson ’13 lead guitarist and vocalist of the band Hotel Fiction took on their biggest headlining show February 18, 2022 at the legendary Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia. Younger brother Justin Thompson ’15 played back on the drums. The band will be touring this spring supporting Proxima Parada and SUSTO.
of Science Management at Tulane University. 17 Sam Brothman will be graduating with an Accounting degree from the University of Indiana this spring.
The Davis Academy gave me a solid foundation of Jewish values. Attending a religious school helped me connect with Judaism and grow as a Jew.”
Hazel Rose Durbin is a student at The University of Massachusetts Amherst majoring in Sustainable Food and Farming with a minor in Jazz Studies. Hazel received Dean’s List and is active in a variety of community and sustainability efforts.
Lilei Turiansky is earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She will be graduating this spring and starting work as an Analyst at BlackRock. Lilei received the Dean’s List and Faculty Honors List.
Erica Rubin graduated from Georgia Southern University with a BS in Child and Family Development. She is an intern at the Georgia Southern University Child Development Center. While at GSU she earned the President’s and Dean’s List. 18
Maqueline Weiss is a student of Biochemistry at Elon University. She was on the Dean’s List, Tri-Beta and American Chemical Society. She also served as the President of Elon Hillel and the President of Women in STEM. 19
Samuel Mahle attends The Georgia Institute of Technology studying Computer Science. He is active in organizing LifeSouth blood drives on campus. Over the summer of 2021, he participated in the Onward Program in Israel working for a start-up called Tagbox. When not in school, he DJ’s at some of Atlanta’s biggest bars and nightclubs as well as Georgia Tech basketball games. His goal as an artist is to bring people together with music and experience that make people come alive.
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Leah Tuck is earning a Bachelors in Biology at The Georgia Institute of Technology. She is the Assistant Finance Director for Miracle, which is a student-led organization that fundraises for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She is on the Senior Support Committee of a student hospital organization, where she volunteers at nursing homes. Leah is also an undergraduate teaching assistant at Georgia Tech.
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Sloane Warner is a student at Northwestern University studying Art History. She is a marketing and public relations intern at Northwestern University Press.
Isabelle Mokotoff is a junior at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She is earning her B.S. in Journalism with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and a certificate in Integrated Marketing and Communications. Her project SteadyScribe, a biomedical technology startup dedicated to building a writing tool for people with Parkinson’s Disease, was selected as 1 of 3 teams to participate in the Northwestern Leadership Ventures Program. Davis acted as the foundation of my Judaism, and I try to lead my life every day with the Menschlichkeit Values in mind. Davis also prepared me for academic success in high school and beyond, as well as instilled in me a hunger for knowledge in all forms.” Jenny Rice is a Bulldog at The University of Georgia where she is working as a marketing intern with UGA’s start-up program. Arie Voloschin attends the University of Georgia where he is a member of the UGA Swimming and Diving Team. During the summer of 2021, he qualified to compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Tokyo swimming 100 meter breaststroke. Mazel tov! 23
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2017 Jordy Elster is a sophomore The University of Miami. I learned the Jewish values that I will forever live by.” Maddie Fellner is a student of Political Science at The University of Richmond. Halli Friedman is a Finance and English major in The University of Georgia’ Honors College and received the Presidential Scholar Award. She is a member of UGA Chi Omega Sorority and is currently involved in the Kennedy Program and Magellan Program, which are business societies within the Terry College of Business. Davis is incomparable to other elementary and middle private schools. The relationship with teachers is invaluable and provides students with all necessary support to
push themselves to work their hardest.”
2018 Maya Laufer is a senior at Dunwoody High School. She is the DECA President, Rho Kappa President, a Strong Women Fellowship Teen Board member, and Mu Alpha Theta Secretary. She placed 3rd in the state for her DECA International Business Plan. She is also a JumpSpark Strong Women’s Fellow. Ezra Mahle will be graduating from Dunwoody High School this spring. He is Treasurer of the DHS Key Club and actively volunteers with Second Helpings Atlanta and the Community Assistance Center. At Davis, the small class sizes really allow strong teacher-student connections that foster learning and development as individuals.”
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Danny Kobrinsky is a senior at The Weber School and will be attending Northwestern University. He is a Valedictorian of his graduating class. 24 Matthew McCullough is a senior at The Weber School and is the STAR student. A Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) is awarded by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators to seniors from participating high schools who achieve the highest SAT score on any single test date and is in the top 10 percent of their class based on grade point average. Matthew will be attending Vanderbilt University. 25 Jacob Mirsky is a senior at North Springs High School and will be attending The University of Georgia after graduation. He is the Valedictorian of his graduating class, is a six time Student of the Week recipient, placed top-three
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in Georgia in HOSA Bowl Competition then qualified for the International Competition, Georgia Rotary club “law of life” essay competition winner, and received the North Springs soccer coach’s award. He is also President of HOSA, President of the Young Entrepreneurs Club, President of Habitat for Humanity Club, VP of tutoring for National Honors Society, a Jewish culture club officer and North Springs Varsity Soccer Captain. Outside of school, he is active in Creating Connected Communities, is a Medical Assistant at Piedmont Eye and CEO of Resell Atlanta. 26 By going to Davis, your child will form relationships with their peers and teachers that will last a lifetime.” Sy Polekoff is a senior at The Weber School. He was inducted into the National Honors Society. Alon Rogow is a senior at Dunwoody High School and will attend The University of Georgia after graduation. He signed with UGA’s track & field team to pole vault.
2019 Kaitlyn Goldberg is a student at Pace Academy and is a member of the Junior Varsity Debate Team. She recently won 1st Place with her partner at the 2022 Western Championship— Novice Policy Debate. Mazel tov Kaitlyn! 27
Congratulations, All Around! Class of 2019 alumni Miriam Barkan, Maggie Deutsch, Sammy Effron, Jamie Leaf, Ben Lefkovits, Emily Mand, Jaclyn Marx, Ava Moradi, Leah Moradi, Jackson Nozick, Calbel Ouanounou, Josh Retter, Jake Sucan, Connor Swislow, Lia Toporek, and Gavin Ulin for their induction into the National Honors Society at The Weber School. The members of the Class of 2019, who were recognized in the top 30 of their class at North Springs High School, for their strong academics and superior grades: Gavin Friedman, Matan Gal, Eran Krug, Eva Serotta, Carly Tauber, and Carson Wolff. Congratulations to these Super Achieving Spartans! North Springs Charter High School students Bradley Amato, Jordan Frank, Emily Hoff, and Ari Levy who were named as part of the Top 50 Super Achieving Spartans.
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Rian Gordon attends North Springs High School. Outside of school she enjoys cheer, and this year her team competed against the top team in the country and won the Cheersport and NCA Championships. 28 Jaclyn Marx attends The Weber School. She is a board member for Creating Connected Communities, a peer mentor and cross country team captain. She is also involved in WAGS for Weber. Because of my Davis education, I was well prepared for high school.”
Caitlyn Pinsker is a junior at The Pace Academy. She is part of the National Honors Society, the Cum Laude Society, and serves as coleader of the La Amistad, where she tutors younger kids. Josh Retter is a junior at The Weber School where he is part of the National Honors Society. He was selected to join St. Jude’s Leadership Society in Atlanta, a small group of high school juniors and seniors that work towards raising funds for St. Jude’s Hospital where he has raised approximately $3,000 for childhood cancer research since his bar mitzvah. 29 The teachers at Davis truly care about you and your education and have you well prepared for high school. They give you the right amount of independence, while also being on top of you and your work habits. Davis created an amazing learning atmosphere and a place I felt comfortable to learn.”
2020 Jordan Frank is a student at North Springs High School. He is a Fulton County Pole Vault Champion, Two Time All American Pole Vaulter, and current record holder for pole vault at The Davis Academy and North Springs High School. He is active in AJC Leaders for Tomorrow, Creating Connected Communities, and Best Buddies. One of my favorite Davis memories was winning the MAAC Track and Field Championship. We had such a great team who came together to truly support and encourage one another.” Ava Galison is a sophomore at Riverwood High School. She is a volunteer with the Best Buddies program at school. I use the values taught to me every day, and the memories I’ve made hold a special place in my heart. At The Davis Academy, you truly learn life lessons that most people don’t think
about until they’re adults. The friends you make there never leave you, and you get to feel more connected to your Jewish identity as well.” Logan Katz is a sophomore at Dunwoody High School where he is on the cross country and track teams. He is also the Vice President of his BBYO chapter and volunteers with Creating Connected Communities.
2021 Sylvie Bella Brown is a student at Dunwoody High School. She is on the Junior Varsity tennis team at school.
Class Notes
Communities. She is also an active member of BBYO. Avi Nebel is a freshman at North Springs High School. Outside of school, he is an assistant teacher at Temple Emanuel Sunday School and active in BBYO.
of the Westminster Debate Tournament, 9th best speaker at Johns Creek Debate (Novice), 8th best speaker at Alpharetta Debate (JV) , 4th best speaker at Westminster Debate (Novice) and 3rd best team Alpharetta (Novice).
Eleonora Perez-Rubio attends The Galloway School and is actively involved in debate. She is the winner
Be sure to follow The Davis Academy Alumni Association on Facebook and Instagram and to share your news and updates at alumni@davisacademy.org.
Stella Galanti is a freshman at Riverwood High School. She was awarded the Chesed Award and a Varsity Flag Football letter. She is a volunteer with Creating Connected Communities, BBYO and JumpSparks Strong Women’s Fellowship. I learned so much attending Davis and all of the teachers are amazing! They are always there to help and guide you to succeed.”
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Gabby Haviv is a freshman at The Pace Academy. She is a cheerleader and a member of the Women’s Professional Group at Pace and is active in Creating Connected Communities’ Leadership Development Program. She also serves as a dance mentor to younger dancers in Luma Dance Company. My favorite Davis memory is the Simchat Torah celebration where we would unravel the torah in the gym, put on white gloves and hold the torah and sing!” Lindsey Mirsky is a student at North Springs High School. As a freshman, she played on the Varsity Softball team. She was awarded Student of the Week and Month, while also receiving superior honors in Spanish competition. Outside of school, she enjoys participating in the leadership development program and volunteering for Creating Connected
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My favorite Davis memory is going with the Decibels to sing at Cafe Europa. After we sang, we would get to talk to the Holocaust survivors and hear their stories.” — Caitlyn Pinsker ’18
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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Continues…
Life After Davis: The College and University Journey The graduating Class of 2022 will be attending the schools noted in bold (list as of 4/27/2022).
Agnes Scott College
Harvard University
University of Central Florida
Air Force Academy
Indiana University
University of Chicago
Arizona State University
Kennesaw State University
University of Cincinnati
Auburn University
Kent State University
University of Colorado – Boulder
Berklee College of Music
Louisiana State University
University of Delaware
Binghamton University
Macalester College
University of Florida
Boston University
McGill University
University of Georgia
Brock University
Miami University – Ohio
University of Mary Washington
California Institute of the Arts
Mississippi State University
University of Maryland
Case Western University
New York University
University of Miami
Chapman University
North Carolina State University
University of Michigan
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Northeastern University
University of Minnesota
Clemson University
Northwestern University
University of Mississippi
Colby College
Oberlin College
University of Missouri
College of Charleston
Oglethorpe University
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Columbia University
The Ohio State University
University of North Georgia
Cornell University
Peking University
University of Pennsylvania
Culinary Institute of America
Penn State University
University of Rochester
Dartmouth College
Purdue University
University of South Carolina
Davidson College
Queen’s University
University of Southern California
Dickinson College
Rice University
University of Tampa
Duke University
University of Texas – Austin
Elon University
Ringling College of Art and Design
Emerson College
Sarah Lawrence College
University of Virginia
Emory University
Southern Polytechnic State University
University of Wisconsin – Madison
Endicott College Florida State University Franklin & Marshall College George Washington University Georgia College and State University Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Southern University Georgia State University Gwinnett Technical College Hamilton College Hampton College
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
Stanford University Syracuse University Texas Tech University The Citadel Tufts University Tulane University Union College University of Alabama University of Arizona University of California – Los Angeles
University of Vermont
Vanderbilt University Vassar College Virginia Tech University Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis Wesleyan University
Simchas A
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Samuel Altman ’06 is engaged to Reilly Alu . The couple will be married on May 14, 2022. B’hatzlacha! A
Mazel tov to Jason Bohrer ’09 on his recent marriage to Talia Brown on April 2, 2022. D
Russell Falkenstein ’02 and his wife, Corinne, welcomed their second child, Ari, in September 2021.
Mazel tov to Rachel Hirsch Bernstein ’07 and her husband, Mark, who are expecting their first child, a baby boy, in July. B
Catherine Solmson Cohen ’05 and her husband, Brad, welcomed their second child, Miles, in March 2022. Congratulations to the family of four! E
Mazel tov Nika Arkhipov Freudenberg ’03 and her husband who welcomed a daughter, Luna, in 2021. G
Hannah Bock ’06 married Daniel Habif on February 20, 2022 at The Roof at Ponce City Market. The couple just returned to live in Atlanta after several years in Washington, DC. Welcome home and mazel tov! C
Seth Eisenberg ’03 married Kristen Spicher in May 2021. The couple resides in Atlanta, GA. F
Congratulations to Leslie Mintz Friedenthal ’01 and her husband, Jon, on the birth of their daughter, Iris, in May 2021. H
The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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N O Adam Friedman ’07 is engaged to Carly Russo. A wedding is planned for August 2022. I Joey Galanti ’06 is engaged to Carly Shapiro. They will marry June 18, 2022. Mazel tov! J Joshua Jacobs ’06 and his wife, Tesi, welcomed their first child, Julian, in September 2021. Congratulations! K Mazel tov to Marlee Jones ’08 on her engagement. She and her fiance are planning a 2023 wedding. Sara Citron Kandel ’02 and her husband, Mike, welcomed their second child, Emma in May 2021. Sarah Scheuer Koenig ’07 married Danny Koenig in October 2021. The couple reside in Atlanta. L
K L
Dana Berger Kirschner ’05 and husband Josh recently welcomed their first child Jordan Francis. Mazel tov! M Allison Ladden ’08 married Robert Matthew Zale on Saturday, April 2, 2022 in Miami Beach at the Faena Hotel. The newly married couple live in Dallas, Texas. N Celebrating with Allison were Davis ’08 classmates Erin Blasberg, Ally Eisenberg and Victoria Goldstein. Mazel tov to Rachel LaVictorie Mann ’08 and her husband, Omer, on the birth of their son, Elai Carmel, in May 22, 2021.
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Pamela Chaliff Margolis ’03 and her husband Alex welcomed a son, Corey, on October 1, 2021.
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Lee Perlis ’07 married Rachel Goldberg in June 2021. The wedding was officiated by Davis classmate Drew Zucker ’07. The couple resides in Atlanta, Ga. O Mazel tov to Lindsey Rosenberg ’07 who married Steven Lubel in May 2021. Sally Galanti Rovinsky ’03 and her husband Jeffrey welcomed a sweet baby boy, Elliot in March 2021. Congratulations to the family and big sister! P Michael Rosenberg ’05 married Lydia Hires in March 2022. Also in attendance was Davis alum Leo Falkenstein ’05, who served as Michael’s Best Man. Q
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The Davis Academy | davisacademy.org
M
Alex Rubin ’07 married Jared Sands in February 2022 in New Orleans, LA. The couple currently lives in Washington DC. Congratulations! R Nathaniel Rubin ’07 proposed to Hayley Perlis in March 2022. The couple met at The Davis Academy when they were classmates in kindergarten - a special milestone for their families and for our entire Davis community! S Mazel tov to Rebecca Schneider ’03 and her husband, Frederick, who welcomed a son, Benjamin, in October 2021. R Amanda Schwartz ’10 became engaged to Bryan Koblitz in January and a wedding is planned for early 2023. Mazel tov! U
R
Mazel Tov to Lauren Siegel ’08 on her engagement to Kris Khalil. The couple is planning for a January 2023 wedding in New Orleans, LA. V
S
Mazel tov to Alana Schube Teitell ’06 on her marriage to Brian Teitell on October 9, 2021!
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Congratulations to Will Van Gelderen ’01 who married Lura Blumenfeld in October 2021. Mazel tov to Sarah Weiss-Cowie ’08 who is engaged to James McDonald. A June 2022 wedding is planned! X
V W
Ari Whiteman ’05 married Lillie Kline on April 30, 2022 at Zoo Atlanta. Y Drew Zucker ’07 proposed to Leah Staenberg. A September 2022 wedding is planned. Z
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U The Journey Magazine | Spring 2022
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