Alumni Society News – Spring 2018

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Classes of 1996-1997 20-Year Reunion Pro-Israel Activism on College Campuses Alumni Back on Campus

9 L’hitraot Morah P’nina 12 Class of 2018 College Acceptances 14 From the GOA Archive 15 Where Are They Now? 17 ICYMI 19 Class Notes

NEWS

Profiles in News Journalism

These alumni journalists take time out to share their accomplishments and how Schechter/GOA was an important foundation of their success These days there is tremendous pressure on the media to keep the public informed and updated.

With the fast-paced world we live in, it seems everyone needs to have the latest information at their fingertips. When you look at the media, it’s pretty remarkable to see that many of our alumni have become so accomplished in this field, whether it’s in the form of television anchors or editors at newspapers and magazines. We’re proud to see our alumni reaching their goals and striving for success.

We’ve highlighted a few of our graduates with impressive careers in the field.

Jonah Kaplan ’04 Political and Investigative Reporter for ABC11 Award-winning writer and journalist Jonah Kaplan ’04 is currently the political and investigative reporter for ABC11 Eyewitness News in Raleigh, NC. His work has been seen on ESPN, CNN, CBS and NBC. Jonah has also been nominated twice for an Emmy and has won top awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and Missouri Broadcasters Association.

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Jillian Rayfield ’04 The New York Times

Joanna Stern ’02 The Wall Street Journal Jonah Kaplan ’04 ABC11 Eyewitness News

Message from the Head of School Often I am fortunate enough to find myself walking the halls of our school hearing stories from both students and teachers about the successes and wonderful interactions that happen throughout the day. Whether it’s at the Upper School campus hearing about a new college acceptance or watching our first grade students receive their first siddur with great anticipation and excitement, I know these are the moments that will stand out for years to come.

In an effort to savor some of these moments, I find myself making countless connections. I often glance up towards the ceiling in the gym to see the championship banners and the list of 1,000-point scorers knowing that new basketball records are being made. When our students put on one of their incredibly professional performances at the JCC, I think back to the amazing-caliber plays that happened on the stage in our Wilf Lower School Campus many years ago. And when I visit our Dr Lynne B Harrison STEM Center and see our students collaborating, I am reminded that our school has been­­­—and will always be—a place where group study and creativity are valued. These moments— the ones that connect our present to our past—are a constant reminder that our school continues to grow and strengthen itself after 53 years of existence.

We often send surveys to gain feedback about the most important aspects of our school, and one of the top answers time and again is community.

Community matters to our Golda Och families and graduates. Community means we stand with

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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one another at times of joy and times of pain.

Community means that we have established tremendously strong roots over the past half century and that we have to continue to nurture that growth so that we continue to blossom for the next half century and beyond.

Yet there is no greater reminder of the power of community and continuity than that of the 72 children of alumni that currently roam our halls. To witness these students having valuable Jewish learning experiences every day as their parent (or parents) once did adds a level of meaning that deeply enriches our school. Just recently at the end of our second grade Chumash Celebration, one of our parent volunteers spoke about her excitement seeing her child on stage showcasing his Hebrew learning throughout the year and how it brought back memories of her own celebration as an SSDSEU second grader­­—including the beautiful recollection of what it felt like to receive her chumash from S. Hirsch Jacobson z’l. It’s these types of connections that matter and strengthen the ties between our families and our school.

As alumni, you are creating new moments for yourself and new connections, but we hope your ties to our school will always remain strong. Continue making us proud in countless ways. Keep up the great work and keep sharing the news of your triumphs and successes along the way!

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

Adam Shapiro Head of School

Atara Jacobson ’87 Chair, Board of Trustees Adam Shapiro Head of School Julia Malaga Chief Financial Officer Christine Stodolski 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.

Classes of 1996 and 1997 20-Year Reunion October 21, 2017 | Eric F. Ross Upper School Campus

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Message from the Alumni Chairs If you are reading this, then there is a high likelihood that you participated in one of our recent alumni events/campaigns. Did you join us for our alumni Shabbat dinner, joining over 80 fellow alumni and guests for a dinner spanning 12 graduating classes on the Upper West Side? Did you watch the alumni play Coach Sandy’s current Roadrunners at the Alumni Basketball Game? Were you out with the rest of the Classes of 1996/1997 celebrating your 20 year high school reunion? Did you support GOA on Giving Tuesday, helping us raise crucial funding to support tuition assistance for the school? Are you one of the 123 alumni who made a contribution to the Annual Fund?

Well, if not, fear not, there are tons of upcoming events currently in the works. You won’t want to miss the Bar Night in NYC, a community service/ volunteer day, or for those in milestone years, your reunion. As you get nostalgic about your SSDS-GOA experience while reading the newsletter, please note that we are just 27 gifts away for our goal of 150 alumni who are paying it forward to give others the same opportunity to attend SSDS-GOA that we all were fortunate enough to receive.

Evan Majzner ’01 Co-Chair

Danielle Rockman ’12 Co-Chair

Message from the Alumni Engagement Coordinator I can’t believe it has already been a year since I started as the SSDS-GOA Alumni Engagement Coordinator. In that time, I have learned so much about just how special our alumni are—as individuals and as a community. At the Alumni Basketball Game, it was so touching to witness how excited our newest alumni were to see each other after their first semester of college. At the Alumni Shabbat Dinner, it was powerful to experience the energy in the room as 84 alumni and guests joined together to celebrate Shabbat as a community. And throughout

the Alumni Giving Campaign, it has been inspiring to see so many of you willing to volunteer your time and money to raise funds for scholarships and programming to benefit our current students (and future alumni). We have some exciting events coming up, including Bar Night in NYC, the Annual College BBQ and, of course, reunions!

To get more involved, please reach out to me at mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org.

Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator

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Schechter-GOA Alumni Journalists CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER

In 2013, the Religion Communicators Council recognized Jonah with the Wilbur Award for his reporting and producing a five-part series called “Journey to Jerusalem,” an award he shared with the late 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon.

With his current career, it’s no surprise that Jonah led the Current Events Club at SSDS-GOA and was also fond of the High School plays, mock trial and even serving lunch. “The core foundational skill of any journalist is writing, and as Hillel would say­—all the rest is commentary,” said Jonah. “I learned that at SSDS, and I also gained a broad understanding of history and social studies that are essential to my reporting.”

As for the teachers that were most influential, Jonah points to his English and Social Studies teachers, but also gives a nod to his Hebrew and Judaic Studies teachers for “solidifying my uncompromising Jewish identity in a secular world.”

No doubt with two parents as rabbis, Jonah also had a strong Jewish foundation at home. Yet he says he was nevertheless hesitant to go into what he calls the family business. “So instead I’ve chosen this [journalism], which ironically has a lot of the same job descriptions: connect with people at their most vulnerable moments, educate and inform people about issues important to them, and bring about positive change to the community through stories of challenge and inspiration.”

Jonah’s innate ability to connect with people at vulnerable moments also brought him back to school last October for our Names, Not Numbers Holocaust documentary film project. Through this program, high school students in grades 10-12 interview Holocaust survivors on camera to create their own documentary film that will premiere on June 3 to the public and will also be archived in Yad Vashem. To help perfect their interviewing skills, Jonah returned to school to work with these 20 high school students, teaching them important skills on how to connect with interview subjects and react in difficult situations.

Jillian Rayfield ’04 Digital Editor, The New York Times Though Jillian Rayfield ’04 initially had plans to go into the film industry, having studied film and government in college, her career took a different turn. During the 2008 election, Jillian actually became very interested in politics and applied for a video internship at Talking Points Memo, a news and politics website. The internship, she felt, was the perfect balance of both of her interests; however, she soon discovered that she took a deeper interest in the news portion of the job of as opposed to video part.

Jillian ended up covering politics at Talking Points Memo for three years. She then continued working as a political reporter for various digital news sites before joining The New York Times in 2014.

Currently, Jillian is a digital editor for The New York Times desktop and mobile homepages. Additionally, she writes, edits and sends breaking news alerts and other mobile push notifications. “Since the 2016 election kicked off, the pace of the news cycle has become increasingly grueling, and over that time push notifications have become an important way for news organizations to inform readers of breaking news and other important stories,” said Jillian. “It’s been really exciting to help experiment with the form.”

As for her time at SSDS, Jillian said, “There was a culture of hard work, curiosity and competition, all of which are important qualities for a journalist.”

While she thanks her English teachers for helping to sharpen her textual analysis skills and focus on attention to detail, she credits Mrs. Jane Freeman’s class with helping her to become a strong and confident writer. Jillian also fondly remembers working on the school plays, including a small part in Guys and Dolls her senior year. While she sees some former classmates every now and then, Jillian is, of course, in touch with Becky Isaacson ’04 since she works on the business side of The New York Times. But then again, Jillian says, “In New York you tend to run into Schechter alums on every corner!”

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Joanna Stern ’02 Personal Technology Columnist, The Wall Street Journal With the consistent advances in technology and an abundance of choices in the marketplace, many consumers are thankful to have Joanna Stern ’02 as a guide. As the personal technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal, Joanna assesses the latest gadgets and tech trends through her weekly reviews and live videos.

After graduating from Union College in Schenectady, NY, Joanna began her technology writing career at Laptop Magazine, where she reviewed laptops and netbooks. She then spent three years at Engadget as reviews editor before leaving in March 2011 with some fellow co-workers to create This Is My Next, which is now The Verge.

Joanna’s career path led her to ABC News in February 2012, where she became a technology editor. At ABC, she had her own video series and made numerous appearances on the network’s various shows as a tech expert. She then went on to become a personal technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal in December 2013. Joanna received a Gerald Loeb Award in 2016 for her Wall Street Journal videos, including her video review of the Apple Watch.

Message from the Parents of Alumni Committee We are so excited to be co-chairs of the newly-formed Golda Och Academy’s Parents of Alumni Committee. Our wonderful group of SSDSGOA alumni parents meets twice a year to reunite and participate in special events. Our committee meets every few months to review and plan our events. Stay tuned for details on our upcoming mid-summer get-together!

In addition to catching up with friends, our group gets to touch base and find out what our kids are doing. We also hear what’s happening at school, and share what we are doing at other volunteer endeavors and network.

It’s truly an amazing connection we have when we get together. With our common bond, we always feel like “our cup is full” upon leaving! Hoping all parents of alumni will join us!

Last year, our kick-off event was a winter Paint and Sip Ladies Night Out with more than 30 women. Last July, 45 parents attended our BBQ at the Upper School, and in January, we enjoyed an Israeli Cooking Workshop hosted at Susie Bruch’s home.

— Shari Broder and Amy Borg Glickman, PAC Chairs

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For more information and to get involved, please contact: Caryn Rosenberg | crosenberg@goldaochacademy.org | (973) 602-3634

Hayley Nagelberg ’15

Pro-Israel Activism on Campus

How my SSDS-GOA education helped shape my love of Israel

By Hayley Nagelberg ’15 I remember learning the Hatikvah in Pre-K and mimicking my teacher as she rocked back and forth on her heels while singing with her hands folded behind her back. In elementary school, my favorite part of Hebrew class was when the Israeli shaliach would come into our class to play games with us.

When I got to Middle School, my favorite day of the year was Yom Ha’atzmaut.

As a freshman in High School, I went to my Israel Club meeting, which then became a weekly routine.

These events were the catalysts for a profound love of Israel that has grown in my heart and impacted my life in so many ways.

As I prepared to apply to colleges, my parents made sure the universities I looked at had a strong and active Jewish and Pro-Israel community. A month and a half into my time at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, I went downtown with two new friends to listen to a lecture from Steven Salaita, a professor who had had his offer to teach at my university revoked after a series of anti-Israel tweets during the summer 2014 Operation Protective Edge in Israel.

That night, the then president of the campus’ Students for Justice in Palestine chapter got up and spoke to the room encouraging them to bring the “spirit of the intifada” to campus. As the room erupted in applause, my friends and I slunk back in our seats. These words did not match our desires for our campus.

Almost immediately, I joined the Illini Hillel board and served as the vice president of Israel affairs for two years. I got involved in the AIPAC-trained

cadre on campus, IlliniPAC, and have been serving as co-president for the last year.

During the spring of my freshman year, I experienced anti-Israel rhetoric on my campus like nothing I could have expected. I saw my name and pictures of myself shared on social media with a slew of hatred attached. The word “zionist” was somehow supposed to be an insult. My friends were afraid to walk on the main quad to campus when there was a mock “apartheid” wall set up.

So my friends and I came together. We launched a campaign called Illini Building Bridges. We bought a thousand Legos in our school colors, and we stood out on the quad physically building bridges for a week. We asked students to sign their names to the Legos symbolic of their commitment to building a unified campus. Our efforts went beyond anything we could have imagined; hundreds of signatures, TV news coverage, even a letter from The Lego Group commending our work. We reframed the conversation on campus to one of coexistence and love.

During my spring semester sophomore year, a boycott, divestment and sanctions referendum was introduced to be voted on by the entire student body. With the help of Jewish and pro-Israel leaders on campus and across the country, we launched an effort to vote down the referendum. For six weeks, I lived in my Hillel. I sat in meetings with top university administrators. I had phone calls with legal aids all over the country. I learned what it meant to CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2018 7

Schechter-GOA Alumni Back On Campus ...

Last fall, Jesse Nagelberg ’12 stopped by for a visit and made sure to visit his old Middle School locker with Development Director Stephanie Bash-Soudry and Alumni Engagement Coordinator Michelle Moallem.

To arrange a visit to GOA, contact: Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org

Jonah Kaplan ’04 returned to work with our students participating in the Names, Not Numbers Holocaust documentary film project, teaching them important interviewing techniques.

... And In Israel

Great to see our 2017 grads on Birthright meeting up with Rabbi Rob Kahn in Israel over winter break: Nadav Aronoff, Emily Binstein, Emily Blum, Alex Brodsky, Shira Kalet, Mathan Poller, Hannah Sturm, and Nava Wasser.

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L’hitraot Morah P’nina

Lower School Judaic Studies teacher Paula Spack ’84 prepares to make Aliyah, but knows Golda Och Academy will always be her home

By Michael Lurie ’21 The beginning of the 2018-2019 school year at Golda Och Academy will be met with sadness, not just because the summer will be coming to a close, but because one of the most talented and influential teachers will be 6,000 miles away. Paula Spack’s Lower School students will miss her dearly, but the life lessons she has taught every one of them will live with them forever.

Morah P’nina and her husband, Mike, will be making Aliyah over the summer, fulfilling a longtime dream of hers. “We had to take our opportunity when it came,” she said of her moving, now that all of her children have finished high school. Had it not been for commitments in the United States in her earlier life, she would have moved long before now.

In her early years, Morah P’nina found a love for the Hebrew language at her synagogue’s Hebrew school in Metuchen. “I could tell that I was very strong with languages,” she said, “so I was able to just jump right in.”

She actually asked her parents to send her to Solomon Schechter. “At my Bat Mitzvah age I had friends who went to Solomon Schechter Day School” she said. “I went to my parents and said, ‘You know, I think that’s what I want.’”

Morah P’nina spent the rest of her school years at the Schechter in Cranford,

starting in eighth grade. She easily rose to the high-level Hebrew class with her prior knowledge. “I was excited, I was passionate and I was motivated,” she said.

Her time at Schechter not only strengthened her bond to Israel, but also the American Jewish community. In 11th grade, Morah P’nina was chosen along with just 13 other kids in the country to live in Israel for a month through a program called Israel Connection. “It was living with families and speaking in schools about what it was like to be an American Jewish teenager.”

After visiting the country for the first time, Morah P‘nina fell in love with the people, the land, and most of all with the Hebrew language. “Being able to speak the language was huge,” she said. Because of her time in Israel in 11th grade, her family decided not to send her on the Solomon Schechter Israel trip the following year. However, Paula was able to have an important introduction to the world of Jewish education through an internship at The Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE). The organization’s goal was to innovate Jewish education for both kids and adults throughout the country, whether through technology or new curriculums.

It was at CAJE that Morah P’nina discovered her identity as a Jewish educator, though with two parents who were teachers themselves, it was no surprise that she would pursue a career in teaching. “Being able to be a conservative, Jewish female teacher,” she said, “as an example and a role model was very important to me.”

She attended Brandeis University for undergraduate and graduate school and found her first job at Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union.

As a teacher, one of her philosophies is to take on whatever challenge comes her way. In her early years at SSDS, she exercised her wide range of teaching ability doing just that. “For my first seven years I taught seven different things,” she said, “I kind of liked it because it let me learn new curriculum. It didn’t get boring.”

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Paula Spack ’84 to Leave SSDS-GOA for Aliyah CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Over her 29 years teaching at the school, Morah P’nina has taught both Judaic and General Studies in almost all grades in the Lower School, before teaching the first integrated class that combined both Judiacs and General Studies in the same classroom. “I was their ‘everything’ teacher,” she said.

Besides a love of Judaism and a yearning to be a role model, Morah P’nina said she teaches because of the potential she sees in her students. “What makes me passionate about what I do has nothing to do with imparting ‘book knowledge,’ ” she said, “but I spend way more time teaching life lessons.”

Whether it’s teaching her students to be independent learners, to be mindful or kind, Morah P’nina incorporates life lessons into everyday class. Especially on the younger spectrum of students, she teaches her kids that “pobody’s nerfect,” helping them understand an important idea in an engaging way.

What are her best moments being a teacher? “Whether it’s one minute face to face with one child or an entire fifth grade up on stage making me so proud, that’s why I do what I do.”

She knows she has done her job correctly when her students carry a piece of her with them, forever.

This past year Morah P’nina received the Jerry Gottesman Award for the Pursuit in Teaching Excel-

Pro-Israel Activism on Campus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

implement a social media campaign to be seen by 40,000 students.

When the results of the vote were finally released, you could have heard the singing and celebrating from a mile away. The collective pride in voting down this referendum reverberated through the walls of our community and showed everyone what I had always known to be true – the University of Illinois is a pro-Israel campus.

I have been to Israel four times since committing to college. I have traveled to Washington D.C., Boston,

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lence, given to a Jewish educator from each of the day schools in the MetroWest region. She felt most touched at the ceremony when a video played of her first grade students honoring her.

Through Golda Och, Morah P’nina gained an increasing amount of connections in Israel, making it more and more appealing to her and her family. “When you’re leaving such amazing places like Agudath [Israel] and Golda Och, it’s much harder to go if you’re not moving towards something.” She has friends like family living in her soon to be neighborhood in Be’er Sheva.

Israel offers a new chapter for Morah P’nina. Although she intends to continue to educate in some way, she knows her days of classroom teaching are over. She also intends to be an Israel connection to anyone from the Golda Och community when they visit, especially on Neshama. “I hope much of what I left behind will stay,” she said. “I hope to always be a part of it in whatever way I can. I’m not leaving. I may be moving to Israel, but on a daily basis I have a conversation with somebody about how I can stay connected.”

Morah P’nina will miss Golda Och as it has become her family’s home over the years. “Thirty-four years of a person’s life, connected to the same place means this is always home,” she said. “This will always be home.”

Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Chicago (and soon Las Vegas) to attend and speak at conferences. Since my time at Golda Och Academy, my connection to Israel has molded me into who I am today. My leadership experiences are derived from planning pro-Israel events. My public speaking and writing skills come from lectures I’ve spoken at and articles I’ve written regarding Israel.

Israel is not just some place we read about in the Torah, hear about in the news and visit on a summer teen trip. It is a place of history, a placed mixed with ancient significance and modern vibrancy. It is really and truly my home, and when I graduate from Illinois next spring I intend to make that not just a metaphorical statement but a true reality.

GOA Alumni Shabbat Dinner

January 19, 2018 | Kasbah BBQ & Grill, NYC

(L-to-R) Event co-chairs Sarah Schonfeld ’07 and Becky Isaacson ’04 with Stephanie Bash-Soudry, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs, and Michelle Moallem, Alumni Engagement Coordinator.

The Golden Ochtaves Annual Choir Benefit Concert February 11, 2018 | Congregation Beth El, South Orange

Jessica Abramson Mass ’07

Zahava Finkel ’05

Reisha Goldman ‘98

GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND

10% We need

Help us meet our goal of alumni participation!

27 As of March 7

ANNUAL FUND GIFTS SUPPORT: FINANCIAL AID FINE ARTS, MUSIC, AND DRAMA ATHLETICS & PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY AND STEM EDUCATION

FACULTY RESOURCES AND RECRUITMENT CAMPUS ENHANCEMENTS ISRAEL EXPERIENCES ALUMNI OUTREACH

more gifts by June 30 Any amount is greatly appreciated! goldaochacademy.org/alumnigiving ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2018 11

COLLEGE GUIDANCE

Class of 2018 College Acceptances

Look for a Facebook update in May with official matriculation decisions, but here’s a sneak peak of where you may find incoming GOA freshmen in the fall As of March 7, 2018

Binghamton University Boston University Brandeis University Dartmouth College Drexel University Elon University Emerson College Emory University Grinnell College Hofstra University Indiana University at Bloomington Ithaca College Johnson & Wales University (Providence) Lehigh University Lesley University Miami University, Oxford Montclair State University

Muhlenberg College Northeastern University Pennsylvania State University Princeton University Quinnipiac University Rollins College Rowan University Rutgers University, Newark Rutgers University, New Brunswick Skidmore College State University of New York at Albany Stony Brook University SUNY College at Brockport SUNY College at Oneonta Temple University The George Washington University Towson University

Tufts University Tulane University University at Buffalo The State University of New York University of Delaware University of Florida University of Maine University of Maryland, College Park University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Michigan University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island University of Rochester University of Vermont University of Wisconsin, Madison

Share your college experience tips and advice with the Class of 2018 graduates!

Send your Alumni Words of Wisdom to Michelle Moallem, Alumni Engagement Coordinator: mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org 12 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2018

ATHLETICS

Winter Varsity Sports 2017-2018 BOYS BASKETBALL OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L HOME W-L AWAY W-L

13-8 8-8 9-3 4-5

GIRLS BASKETBALL OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L HOME W-L AWAY W-L RECORDS

16-5 13-3 7-2 9-3 Sophomore Ally Landau ’20 scored her 1,000th career point on February 12, 2018

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From The GOA Archive

Can you believe its been 30 years since the Class of 1988 graduated Schechter? Share your reflections with us as you celebrate this milestone year! #classnotes #GOA1988

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Where Are They Now? The S. Hirsch Jacobson Fellowship was established in 1998 in the memory of S. Hirsch Jacobson z”l, former Principal of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union. This fellowship is awarded to a graduating senior who demonstrates strong commitment to Jewish life and practice, a solid academic record and a love of Jewish learning, and a commitment to become involved in Jewish life on campus at the college or university which the Fellow will attend.

We wanted to get updates from some past recipients, and this is what we learned: Ayelet (Rabinowitz) Teitelbaum ’98

Ayelet is currently a Sr. Human Resources Business Partner at TD Ameritrade. She lives in White Plains with her husband Jeff and three kids: Jeremy, Lyla and Caleb. Ayelet is a proud Schechter Westchester parent. She and Jeff are active volunteers at their shul, Temple Israel Center in White Plains, at the Solomon Schechter School in Westchester, and at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. They hope to instill in their kids the love of Judaism, Torah, Israel, and community that Rabbi Jacobson did so intensely, as a beloved teacher, devoted principal, and strong influence in the Golda Och community and beyond.

Sarah (Cohen) Portilla ’99

Sarah is currently a program coordinator at the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish life at Rutgers University. She is part of the public facing side of the Jewish Studies Department. She coordinates the Rutgers Jewish Film Festival which just completed its 18th year. Sarah also works with the Holocaust Resource Center which hosts the Master Teacher Institute in Holocaust Education, teaching middle and high school teachers the history of and pedagogy of how to teach the Holocaust.

Dr. Jason Rogoff ’99

Joshua Kipnees ’02

Josh is counsel at a law firm in Midtown New York.

He married the girl of his dreams and fellow GOA alum Tara (Strogov) Kipnees ’03. They have two children. Their daughter predictably attends GOA and their son will soon.

Rebecca Linfield ’07

Rebecca is a fourth-year medical student at UCLA, where she is a Geffen Scholar and will be graduating Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA). Rebecca and her husband Leon live in San Diego, where they enjoy hosting Shabbat meals, and Rebecca enjoys leyning.

Simona (Caplan) Savitt ’07

After receiving her BA in Religious Studies from NYU, Simona worked as an event planner for JNF and community organizer for JCRC-NY. Looking to switch careers after a few years, Simona received her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and now works as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte.

Simona lives in New York City with her husband Joshua and daughter Tal.

Eliana Light ’08

Jason is the academic director of Israel Programs and assistant professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS’s Jerusalem campus, located at the Schocken Institute. He is co-author of Reconstructing the Talmud (Hadar Press 2014) and Scholar-inResidence at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires.

Eliana is a singer-songwriter and educator who works with Jewish communities to create meaningful musical moments through concerts, services, and workshops. She also recently founded the G!D Project, an initiative to expand understandings of the Divine and provide space for exploring issues of belief. www.elianalight.com

Blair Kaminsky ’01

Etan Heller ’09

Blair is a partner at the New York City boutique litigation firm Holwell, Shuster & Goldberg, where she has represented major financial institutions like Visa and HSBC and is the firm’s corporate representative to the nonprofit Her Justice. She has been recognized as a Woman Worth Watching by Profiles in Diversity Journal and a top litigator under 40 by Benchmark Litigation. Outside the office, Blair spends time with her family, especially her son David Robert, born in March 2017.

Etan has been living in Madison, Wisconsin for the past 4 ½ years, where he moved after finishing his philosophy degree at the University of Chicago. After changing directions a bit, he is now a professional welder, repairing linear particle accelerators for a medical device company called Accuray.

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Where Are They Now? CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Joshua Sauer ’09

Josh has continued expressing his love of Judaism through music by traveling the world as a member of the award winning Jewish a cappella group Six13. He is also working in executive management as the third generation of his family’s electronic component distribution business, leading the company through technological and strategic changes.

Aaron graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2017 with a degree in finance and currently works as an Investment Research Analyst at Aksia in New York City. He continues to be involved in the Jewish community in NYC through organizations including Chabad Young Professionals and TAMID.

Harris Mevorah ’15

Yotam Tubul ’10

Yotam is a comedian and filmmaker living in Brooklyn, New York. He works as an assistant to film director Joel Schumacher and produces comedy shows all over the city.

Oren Fliegelman ’11

Oren was a speechwriter for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign and now works as a speechwriter and marketer for Google in San Francisco.

Jesse Nagelberg ’12

Aaron Nessel ’13

Jesse graduated from the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston in 2016 with a B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Operations and Management.

He spent the following year studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and is currently a first-year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan.

Harris is currently studying Talmud at The Jewish Theological Seminary and Economics at Columbia University. This semester, he is participating in the Nachshon Project at Hebrew University designed to train and educate the next wave of future North American Jewish leaders.

Annie Cannon ’17

Annie is a freshman at Muhlenberg College, where she is majoring in Jewish Studies and Elementary Education. She is the Religious Chair of Hillel, a member of Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, a member of the College Choir, and is involved in the Chabad Student Center. Additionally, Annie now serves as a Livnot Fellow at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, working with other fellows year round to improve the Ramah experience and implement new initiatives during the summer.

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Class Notes

Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!

SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY

1995

2000

Julie (Schwartz) Kopel and her husband Reuben celebrated the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, Hallie Kopel, on October 8, 2017 in Jerusalem.

Yael Coppelson Greenberg and her husband Richard welcomed the birth of their son, Henry Adar, on August 18, 2017. Yael and her family enjoy living in NYC.

1998 Mazal tov to Reisha Goldman for being awarded the Bronze Stevie Award for Most Innovative Woman of the Year in Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations!

Shai Vichness and Aileen Silbert were married on January 27, 2018.

2001

Mazal tov to Barry Levine ’98 and Abbi Halpern (wife of Jeremy Halpern ’94) on being honored by the American Society for Yad Vashem on November 12, 2017. Many alumni were in attendance.

Rena Kaufman Abrams and her husband Matt welcomed the birth of their daughter, Esther Willow, on October 4, 2017. Esther joins her big brother Joseph Michael. Rena and her family reside in South Orange.

See page 17 for more about Rena!

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Class Notes 2001

2004

Rabbi Justin Pines and his wife Tali welcomed the birth of their daughter Caroline Ethel on October 22, 2017.

Caroline joins her big sister Olivia.

Blair Kaminsky and her husband Daniel Klingenstein welcomed the birth of their son, David Robert, on March 30, 2017. Blair says, “He is an absolute joy, and loves to dance, play, and eat challah!”

Daniel Bellehsen and his wife Alex welcomed the birth of their son, Ze’ev Aaron, on September 3, 2017. SSDS was well-represented at the baby’s bris: Jesse Izak ’04 was a standing Sandek. Also in attendance were Max Oshman ’04, Scott Nadler ’04, Jeff Friedman ’04, Adam Ben’Ous ‘05, Or Freind ‘05, Jess (Reisberg) Oshman ’06, and Michael Twersky (former student).

2003

Dr. Mindy Brittner and her husband Jackson Nurmi welcomed the birth of the their daughter, Willa Yardena, on July 20, 2017.

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Jonah Kaplan and his wife Grace welcomed the birth of their daughter, Rena Lily, on January 16, 2018.

Meryl Goldstein and Chandan Prithiani were married on November 18, 2017.

Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!

SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY

2005

Sally (Elbaum) Friedman and her husband Mark welcomed the birth of their daughter, Remy Drew, on July 17, 2017.

2006 Ayelet (Daniel) Davids and her husband Matt welcomed the birth of their son, Bowen Grey, on August 27, 2017.

2008

Ethan Chaleff recently graduated from The Ohio State University with his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, where he had been a Department of Energy fellow for the previous 3 years. His dissertation research explored unique physics of heat transfer relevant to the design of next-generation nuclear reactors. In 2017, he moved to Oakland, California, where he started work as the first engineer hired by Kairos Power, a company formed to design and commercialize a next generation nuclear power plant.

2007

2009

Arielle Schweitzer and Elliot Coburn were married on February 18, 2018.

Ben Rosenbach and Stephanie Israelson are engaged to be married.

Simona (Caplan) Savitt and her husband Joshua welcomed the birth of their daughter, Tal Sarit, on January 3, 2018.

Ben Yavelberg and his wife Sarah welcomed the birth of their son, Ariel David, on January 7, 2018.

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Class Notes

Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!

SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY

2009

2012

Aaron Czinn and Elianna Kaplowitz were married on November 5, 2017.

Danielle Rockman and Samuel Feldman Greene are engaged to be married.

2013 Ally Bramnick received her Master in Accounting degree from Tulane University. She will begin working at Ernst & Young in NYC in the fall.

2014 Ian Gleaner and his wife Noa welcomed the birth of their daughter, Maya Hadas, on February 1, 2018.

Jacob Niebloom and Talia Rosenstrauch are engaged to be married.

Former Students Rachel Gordon has been selected as one of the 120 IDF soldiers who will receive the President’s Award on Yom Ha’atzmaut at the President’s house.

GOA Sweethearts Joel Davis ’08 and Madison (Cargan) Davis ’10 were married on July 9, 2017. Joel works in property management on the Upper West Side neighborhood of NYC, and Madison works in personal styling and public relations for Nordstrom. SSDS-GOA alumni in the wedding party included groomsmen Jordan Marcus ’08, Zachary Nusbaum ’08, Brandon Davis ’08, and Jared Davis ’04; bridesmaids Farah Arenson ’10, Jessica Bramnick ’10, Emily Gallin ’10, Alison Levine ’10, Rebecca Cargan ’12, and Mira Davis ’14.

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Our Sincere Condolences Amram Benisty z”l, beloved brother of Mordechai Benisty, brother-in-law of Lower School teacher Natasha Cooper-Benisty, uncle of Manon ’12 and Adiel (Grade 9).

Eda Chodrow z”l, beloved wife of Mark Chodrow, mother of former students Daniel (Kate) and Sarah, grandmother of Olivia and Mimi.

Piri Davis z”l, beloved mother of Gene Davis (Stacey), Jeffrey Davis (Babette), and Ronnie Davis (Linda); grandmother of Jordan Davis ’01, Pamela Davis ’02, Kylie Davis ’03, Jared Davis ’04, Brandon Davis ’08, Joel Davis ’08, Madison Davis ’10, and Mira Davis ’14; greatgrandmother of Avery and Paige Davis (Kindergarten) and Noah Davis.

Martin Gen z”l, beloved father of Gilda Paul; grandfather of Rachel Yogev ’01, Jordana ’05 and Aaron ’08.

Ralph Labendz z”l, beloved husband of Marilyn Labendz and father of Jacob ’95, Jenny ’97 and Barry ’00.

Dora Haleva z”l, beloved wife of Davit Haleva and mother of former students Nesya and Rina Haleva.

Elsie Lederman z”l, beloved mother of past board chair Mark (Ronni) Lederman and former teacher Hal (Harriet) Lederman; grandmother of Hillary Lederman Weller ’07, Jodi ’09 and Eric ’14.

The GOA community mourns the loss of alumnus Joshua Randman ’16 z”l who fought a very courageous battle against cancer which ended on January 29, 2018. Condolences to his parents Elyssa and Gary Randman and brother Noah (Grade 11). Josh is remembered as a founding member of the CodeRunners Robotics team who often drove the robot to victory at tournaments and as a passionate advocate and spokesperson for the non-profit Tackle Kids Cancer. His words inspired us all, “Cancer is what I have, not who I am.”

May his memory be for a blessing.

Pnina Epstein z”l, beloved mother of Yemima Besner, Upper School Hebrew Faculty; and grandmother of Noa Besner ’01 and Nadav Besner ’97.

Violet Freeman z”l, beloved mother of Neil Freeman (Linda Aboody), grandmother of Jason ’07, Natasha ’11 and Jeremy ’14.

Zena Jay z”l, beloved mother of Rabbi Michael Jay, mother-in-law of Sheri Horowitz Jay, grandmother of Samantha Jay ’12.

Erica Kempler z”l, beloved wife of Abraham Kempler and mother of Sydney Kempler ’10.

Larry Gelber z”l, beloved husband of Donna, father of former students Liann ’03, Hannah and Sara Gelber.

Norma Lieberman z”l, beloved mother of Elissa Maier (Bruce Maier), grandmother of Jordanna ’12 and Alexandra ’15.

Harold Littman z”l, beloved father of Abigail Spierer (Alan Spierer), grandfather of Jessica ’14 and Mikayla (Grade 12).

Elaine Merwin z”l, beloved wife of Sam; mother of Babette Davis (Jeffrey); and grandmother of Jared Davis ’04, Joel Davis ’08, Madison Davis ’10, and Mira Davis ’14.

Koby Offer z”l, beloved husband of Dalia, father of Yael Offer ’02.

Dr. Newton Scherl z”l, beloved husband of Sheila Scherl, father of past parents Zev Scherl (Rachel Braun Scherl), grandfather of former students Jenny and Sam.

Submit your condolences at www.goldaochacademy.org/baruchdayanemet

ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 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 May 11-13 Kolot Hayam Choir Festival May 24 Class of 2018 Graduation June 6 Spring Gala August College Alumni BBQ