AMIT Summer 2016 Magazine

B U I L D I N G I S R A E L . O N E C H I L D AT A T I M E .

Midreshet AMIT. Reflecting on the past.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

By Debbie Moed

THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR PROVIDES AN opportunity for assessment; for fi lling out our own report card, measuring how far we’ve come in achieving our goals.

This spring, Reshet AMIT graduated 3,033 students.

We’ve continued to deliver Bagrut pass rates at 85%— well above the national average of 64%.

The quality of Bagrut achieved by students taking four and five units in Math, Physics, Chemistry and Biology-the equivalent of honors-and the focus of a Ministry of Education’s nationwide campaign, has also come in above national averages.

In May, I spent an intensive few days in Israel with a group of lay leaders and our Reshet colleagues, after which I traveled from the Shomron to the North, visiting schools, meeting with principals, teachers and students. AMIT’s guiding principals were seen in action.

Delivering cutting edge education to Israel’s diverse population; closing the opportunity gap for all children in Israel.

Across the Reshet, pedagogical innovation is transforming students’ learning experience while revamping our teachers’ methodology and tools. Parents, students and teachers join together regularly as partners in this effort.

In two communities: Yerucham, and Kedumim, there exists a unique quality: Parents seeking out and welcoming diversity in the student body, genuinely believing that their children benefit from learning with children who are different in every way— socio-economically, learning level and degree of religious observance.

Principals reported that they know more about their students’ lives as a result of the Gogya methodology. Teachers of varied subjects work collaboratively, using interdisciplinary instruction to address individual student’s strengths and weaknesses. Small group and project-based learning, with an emphasis on math and science for girls—a Ministry of Education targeted area of improvement—has significantly and positively affected the learning experience all students of the network.

In cities like Or Akiva, where AMIT oversees the entire large school system, there is tremendous energy and enthusiasm. We observed vast differences between traditional, frontally taught classes and

those instructed using Gogya methodology. Teachers and students feel empowered, participating in AMIT’s version of an educational start up. AMIT is innovating, implementing and assessing concurrently--no small feat for a network serving over 32,000 students.

We met with CEO’s and Directors of Leadership Programs who partner with Reshet AMIT, recognizing our shared values: Providing students with opportunities to gain self confidence and change their circumstances while studying and interning in engineering, science and technology fields. As one CEO said: “It’s easy to work with high level students, but AMIT is taking on the challenge of working with students from development towns, who would not otherwise be exposed to these opportunities.”

Instilling Jewish values in Israel’s future leaders.

95% of our boys enlist in the IDF, and 98% of our girls join the IDF or perform National Service.

AMIT Hammer Rehovot High School has a program run jointly with the Israel Air Force. Students learn engineering mechanics and training on the most sophisticated aeronautic equipment. Boys with limited opportunities all draft into the army—already trained and ready to serve—and are accepted into key positions in combat aircraft squadrons, Iron Dome and Arrow units. They go on to work in the technology sector, and as academics and engineers.

A part of every day at AMIT Hammer is spent in the bright, cheerful Bet Midrash, where traditional Judaic subjects are taught, along with courses on parenting, Jewish thought, philosophy and values.

Students graduate secure in the knowledge that they are equipped to be devoted spouses and fathers, contributing significantly to Israel’s economy.

We are all partners in Reshet AMIT’s success. We take pride together in the significant impact that AMIT has had on our student’s growth.

As we prepare for next year, our sights are set on continuing along the path of excellence and innovation. Israel’s future leaders depend on us.

My best wishes for a happy and enjoyable summer.  Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 3

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summer 2016 – kayitz 5776 Vol. LXXXVIII No. 3

BUILDING ISRAEL. ONE CHILD AT A TIME.

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MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS

How a small AMIT school in the middle of the Negev made it to the finals of the FTC World Robotics Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.

By Helga Abraham

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DOROTHY, EDNA AND BEA

The story of Dorothy Parker, Edna Ferber and Bea Kaufman – Jewish and all part of the legendary Algonquin Round Table.

By Robert E. Sutton and Jeff Zelmanski

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Interviews with AMIT alumna Ana’el Elbaz serving as a combat soldier and Yonatan Urich, Personal Digital Consultant to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Interviews by Robert E. Sutton

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REFLECTING ON OUR PAST

Students from Midreshet AMIT travel to Auschwitz.

By Amanda Kornblum About The Cover

B U I L D I N G I S R A E L . O N E C H I L D AT A T I M E .

Seventy one years after the liberation of Auschwitz, two Midreshet AMIT students reflect on the horrors that befell our people.

Midreshet AMIT. Reflecting on the past.

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AMIT COUNCIL OFFICES

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National Office 817 Broadway New York, NY 10003 1-800-989-AMIT (2648) 212-477-4720 Fax: 212-353-2312 email: info@amitchildren.org Baltimore/Boston/Washington DC 2800 Stone Cliff Drive, Unit #112 Baltimore, MD 21209 410-484-2223 410-370-9411 Call for Fax: 410-484-2223 email: robbiep@amitchildren.org Chicago 3856 B West Oakton Skokie, IL 60076 847-677-3800 847-372-8702 Fax: 847-982-0057 email: amitchicago@amitchildren.org

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Cleveland 23743 Greenlawn Avenue Beachwood, OH 44122 216-382-4441 email: amitcleveland@amitchildren.org Southeast Region 2700 North 29th Ave. Suite 203 Hollywood, FL 33020 954-922-5100 Fax: 954-922-5199 email: robini@amitchildren.org Los Angeles 1122 S. Robertson Blvd., #9 Los Angeles, CA 90035 310-859-4885 Fax: 310-859-4875 email: michalt@amitchildren.org

Philadelphia P.O. Box 342 Wynnewood, PA 19096 410-484-2223 410-370-9411 Call for Fax: 410-484-2223 email: robbiep@amitchildren.org AMIT UK Friends of AMIT Women UK 152/154 Coles Green Rd. London NW2 7HD Phone: +44-208-438-6353 email: Karen.Am@amit.org.il AMIT FRANCE c/o Mrs. Carole Hannaux 18 rue du Conseil des XV 67000 Strasbourg, France phone: +33-611-487-314 email: carol.hannaux@gmail.com

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AMIT Switzerland c/o: Jennifer Osborn Unter Altstadt 10 6301 Zug, Switzerland Phone: + 41-41-729-0808 email: Jennifer.Osborn@ballag.ch AMIT Israel – Petach Tikva 28 HaMaccabim St. Petach Tikva 49220, Israel Phone: +972-3-912-3171 Fax: +972-3-912-3166 AMIT Israel – Jerusalem 21 King George St., 1st Floor P.O. Box 71075 Jerusalem, Israel 9171001 Phone: +972-2-673-8360 Fax: 972-2-673-8359

FIND AMIT ON

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5776

COLUMNS 3

:: President’s Message

6

:: Impressions

28 :: Dvar Torah 38 :: Planned Giving

30

DEVELOPMENT NEWS 30 :: Philly Shira Fiesta

30 :: New England Mother-in-Israel 31 :: YL Paints

Executive Vice President Andrew Goldsmith Vice President, Marketing and Communications Naomi Max

31 :: Boynton BBQ 31 :: Southeast Ima

32

President Debbie Moed

32 :: Southeast Painters 32 :: Southeast Wine’ing 33 :: LA Purim

Chair, Marketing and Communications Cara Kleiman Editor in Chief/Creative Director Robert Ephraim Sutton Design Game6Media

33 :: Kids and Chesed 34 :: LA Inside Scoop

Editor Emerita Micheline Ratzersdorfer

34 :: Atlanta Purim 35 :: AFLI Yom Ha’atzmaut 35 :: AFLI & YL Soul Cycle 36 :: Sephardic Temple Luncheon 36 :: Englewood Mother-in-Israel

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37 :: Spanning AMIT World

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37

Signed articles do not necessarily represent the opinion of the organization. Reproduction of any material requires permission and attribution.

To view us online visit www.amitchildren.org AMIT Magazine (ISSN 1085-2891) is published quarterly; Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer by AMIT. AMIT National Office: 817 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003.

1-800-989-AMIT, 212-477-4720, Fax 212-353-2312 email: info@amitchildren.org Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AMIT: 817 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003.

AMIT enables Israel’s youth to realize their potential and strengthens Israeli society by educating and nurturing children from diverse backgrounds within a framework of academic excellence, religious values and Zionist ideals. Some 70 percent of AMIT students live in development towns or other “peripheral” areas of the country. AMIT approaches each child as an individual, maximizing his or her potential, and enabling our students to become vital, productive members of Israeli society. The AMIT schools promote religious tolerance, service to the state and the recognition that every child is blessed with unique talents and abilities. Founded in 1925, AMIT operates 108 schools, youth villages, surrogate family residences and other programs, constituting Israel’s only government-recognized network of religious Jewish education incorporating academic and technological studies.

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AMIT, founded in 1925, has a proud history of service to Israel and the Jewish people.

Our name, in English, stands for “AMericans for Israel and Torah.” In Hebrew, AMIT is an acronym for “Irgun Mitnadvot l’ma’an Yisrael v’Torata” (Organization of Volunteers for Israel and Her Torah).

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IMPRESSIONS

The Difference Between Them and Us

By Andrew Goldsmith, Executive Vice President

ONE OF THE ROLES I MOST ENJOY AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT of AMIT is hearing from and meeting our supporters. Most have life-long AMIT connections, are passionately committed to the cause of Jewish education in Israel, and usually have an opinion or two to offer. The interchange is customarily positive—they tell me of a meaningful visit to one of our one hundred and ten schools or programs, or some interesting AMIT anecdote from their travels, or—my favorite—they have a friend whose son/daughter/niece/ nephew is an AMIT student enjoying a wonderful education.

Occasionally, though, I’ll receive a call from or meet someone whom we have disappointed. It can be a simple error—a gift that wasn’t acknowledged in a timely manner, a name that was misspelled on a certificate—all easy enough to express regret for and correct. Very occasionally, though, it’s a more serious issue that requires investigation and corrective action. We do, after all, have thirty-two thousand students and two thousand staff in Israel—it’s a lot of moving pieces.

So I wasn’t altogether shocked when, while waiting for a flight to Zurich, an impromptu Jewish geography game with an AMIT backer led to a truly animated conversation. This particular supporter expressed displeasure— vociferously—with the direction her chapter has taken. Her reasonable complaint (“We’re not doing enough and missing chances to gather more support”) was met with my admittedly unsatisfying response—namely, that chapters operate autonomously, and there’s little I’m able to do to help.

During the long flight, the conversation continued— despite the fact that we were seated at least twenty rows apart—much to the annoyance of a Teutonic couple seated nearby.

Now, mind you, I tend to take criticism of AMIT as if coming from a parent advocating for his or her child: that is quintessential AMIT, and it’s that passion that

has sustained us for over ninety years. But I will admit that, while waiting in line at passport control after an eight-hour flight, I did my very best to politely end the discussion, accompanied by much muttering and eyerolling from the German couple.

And then an astounding thing happened. In front of me at Zurich Passport control was a Pakistani mother with a gaggle of children: an infant in her arms, a two-year-old clutching her leg and perhaps three more under five years old. She had just come off the flight, clearly harried but doing her best to usher her brood through the procedures. It took a bit of time (severely irritating that couple from the plane behind me), but I daresay she did far better than I would have done under the circumstances.

When it was my turn, the border agent took my passport, pointed to the departing Pakistani family and said “they’re like fleas.” No, I didn’t mishear her—“like fleas,” she said, to the delight of the couple behind me. She asked me a question or two, stamped my passport and, quite dumbfounded, I moved on. Only later did I become angry—at the agent, of course, but more so at myself for not speaking up, asking for her supervisor and lodging a complaint for her ugliness.

Can you imagine the same situation at Ben Gurion passport control? Easily an understanding smile for the distraught mother, a warm shalom to the children and maybe even a bystander’s “Kenana Harah” thrown in for good measure. My eight-hour harangue took on new meaning for me: I’ll take the passion of our people for our people over the cold prejudice of others. While one incident by a low-level official clearly doesn’t define a nation, it does speak to me, reminding me of our purpose and the holy mission effectuated by AMIT. Mi K’amcha Yisra’el —Who is like you, Israel? No one.

For better and worse, no one.

Have a wonderful summer. 

6 :: Summer 201 6 :: AMIT MAGAZINE

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AMIT Students’ Achievements Inspire U.S. Ambassador Daniel Shapiro

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nited States Ambassador Daniel Shapiro visited the AMIT Network’s Gogya Center in

Kfar Batya Youth Village to see how this center for excellence in teacher training is revolutionizing the future of education in Israel. Inspired by leadingedge educational institutions in the U.S., the Center is equipped with colorful modern architecture and multi-media interactive technology for enhancing the learning experience for principals, teachers and students. AMIT Director General Dr. Amnon Eldar greeted the Ambassador where together, they lit candles in memory of the victims of the Orlando, Florida terrorist attack.

Ambassador Shapiro lighting a candle in memory of the victims of the Orlando terrorist attack

They then met with diverse groups of students representing diverse areas of study: students from Yeshivat AMIT Amichai Rehovot presented a model satellite built in collaboration with Elbit; the group from AMIT Renanim Science and Technology High School for Girls, which accommodates many immigrants, spoke about their robotics program and explained how these innovations can be used in real life situations; students from Yeshivat AMIT Menorat HaMaor Haredi program discussed their English enrichment after-school program funded by the U.S. Embassy. The program has helped students with little background in English achieve excellent results in a very short time and has given them an

AMIT Amichai Rehovot students present their satellite

opportunity to succeed.

Students from AMIT Bienenfeld Hevruta Yeshiva discussed their school’s unique philosophy: developing and enhancing each student’s academic strengths using cooperative, team-based learning.

Each student is a partner in his own education.

The yeshiva offers music, animal training and enviornmental studies.

The Ambassador engaged with the students, and underscored the importance of integrating

Dr. Amnon Eldar and Ambassador Shapiro (center) with students from AMIT Renanim Science and Technology High School for Girls

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technology and innovation into today’s classroom to keep up with the digital trends in education. 

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FEATURE

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arely 10 years old, AMIT Kamah is quickly carving out for itself a reputation not only for it’s innovative approach to education (it was co-recipient this year of Israel’s Religious Education

Prize), but also as a stronghold of scientific achievement. In February, the school’s robotics allgirls’ team won the FTC’s prestigious Inspire Award and went on to represent Israel at the world championship in St. Louis. The team, consisting of ten 8th and 9th graders, called itself the Twist Team: “We chose the name Twist because we think that we can bring about change, new ways of thinking and a new spirit with our own special twist!” adding that, “as an all-girls team, we are a team with a twist!”

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By Helga Abraham

Meet Me in St. Louis A group of feisty girls from AMIT Kamah Junior and Senior High School have put the town of Yerucham on the map by winning the FTC (First Tech Challenge) National Robotics Competition and representing Israel at the world championship in St. Louis, Missouri.

TEAM TWIST (l-r) Ori Shaul, Noga Pomerantz, Gil Erel, Moriya Mordechai, teacher/mentor Tzipi Avraham, Hallel Hazan, Hadas Levi Hevroni

As the girls entered their second year of robotics – in the first year they were part of the First Lego League (FLL) working purely with Legos – they decided they were skilled and cohesive enough to advance to the FTC league. The upgrade involved mastering metal work, 3D printers, software programming, electronics and more. Most of the team were not especially good at science and had joined the robotics team purely for fun. Co-captain Ori Shaul says that she was not at all technically minded but, once she got into robotics, she became addicted: “You don’t have to be good at math or physics to be good at robotics; you need to like challenges.”

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continued on page 10

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continued from page 9 The decision to enter the First Tech Challenge was made by the team after studiously weighing the pros and cons, mirroring the team process of building their robot.

After weighing the options, in September 2015, the team decided to go ahead. They began by watching the FTC mission video and assembling the competition kit. This consisted of basic robot elements to which they could add parts, and a model of the field and mountain on which their robot would conduct set missions: collecting debris, consisting of 50 blocks and 30 balls, and carrying out tasks as it climbed the mountain. The higher up the mountain the robot advanced, the more points it would collect. The entire game had to be completed in two-anda-half minutes, with the robot working autonomously for the first 30 seconds.

Joining the team as mentors were Tzippi Avraham (31), Diana Moskvitin (19), Amihai BenArush (28) and Rachel Amar (17). “As mentors,“ says Tzippi, currently completing an MA in nuclear engineering, “we helped direct the girls, particularly with regard to deadlines. If I saw that the direction the team was going in was too lengthy, I pushed them in another direction. And I encouraged them not to give up and never to reject an idea.” In the process, Tzippi, whose family originally came from Cochin, in India, became a sort of soul mother to the team.

school through scorching desert heat, the team began to build the robot, which they called Moscow after mentor Diana Moskovitz. The girls split into three sub-teams, each with its own specialty such as building, programming, and media, but also overlapping in terms of tasks. Hallel Hazan: “I helped build and fine tune the logistics.” Gil Erel: “I helped build, did media work and developed strategy with our alliance teams.” Hadas Levi Hevroni: “I helped build and worked on the electronics.”

Throughout the process, the team was forced to tackle constant technical challenges and find quick solutions.

For instance, to propel the robot they began first with two engines, but discovered that these lacked power and control. Even adding two more engines was not enough. After numerous trials, they finally encoded the two additional engines to drive the front wheels, and adjusted the rear wheels to ensure good traction. Then, to get the robot to the top of the mountain, one of the girl’s off-handedly joked, “Why not use a measuring tape?” It led to a brilliant solution. The tape was compact but could extend, and with a hook at the end, it could pull the robot up to the high zone. Mentor Tzippi was impressed with the idea: “I found that with young students, there is no limit to their imagination.”

As the deadline to the date of the competition approached, the girls often worked into the small hours of the morning. Many times the out-oftowners missed their last bus home, and, like Noga Pomerants, who commutes to the school from Metar near Beersheba, would have to stay over with friends.

Word of the team’s work spread fast, and many distinguished visitors descended on Yerucham to watch the girls at work: President Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Google’s head of marketing in Israel, and many others.

Two mechanical engineering students from MIT even helped the team test the strength of their motors.

Then came The Day. Their robot finally ready, the team traveled to Ra’anana to take part in the FTC Competition against 16 other robotics teams from across the country. Twist was the only all-girls team in the competition. “It was like David and Goliath,” recalls Moriya, “all the other robots were bigger than ours.” But Moscow held her own. “We were the only team that got to the top of the mountain,” says Hallel proudly.

A few hitches were also inevitable.

In the middle of one game, Moscow rolled over, but, fortunately, the girls’

Not surprisingly, having studied science education and one of the founding members of Yerucham’s Science Center, school principal Shula Levi is a keen promoter of robotics for girls: “I think it is very important to encourage girls to take up science. They are often intimidated by the subject, especially the technical aspect, but they are just as intelligent as boys, and we need to give them every opportunity possible to develop their skills.”

Working in a room in an unused warehouse, a 15-minute walk from the

Solving a complex technical issue

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The Robot that went to St. Louis with Team Twist of AMIT Kamah Yerucham helped to roll her back, and Twist ended up with the highest score, winning the competition’s prestigious Inspire Award—the top prize awarded not only for performance excellence but also for community work and team work. “I was very proud of the girls, “says principal Shula Levi. “They began with nothing. They had no technological background whatsoever, but they decided to enter the competition, and each member of the team contributed her own expertise to the project. What was nice was the way they encouraged each other and were so determined to succeed.”

The community work associated with the FTC prize involved teaching robotics to local Bedouin children. Every Friday morning, five girls from the team joined mentor Dvir Warshavsky from the Science Center to drive to the Bedouin village of Rahme, carrying with them cartons of computers and Lego sets. In difficult conditions, at times with no electricity, they worked with a group of students aged 4-15. “It was very challenging,” recalls Moriya. “None of us spoke Arabic, and the Bedouin children did not speak Hebrew. Many had also never seen a computer before.” But, says Moriya, the group soon developed a common language—robotics.

Once the FTC competition was over, the girls had to quickly prepare for a week-long trip to the U.S. for the world

robotics championship in St. Louis.

During the three-day event, the team met and played with teams from all over the world. Recalls Gil, “The standard was very high…almost NASA level.” The team placed 40th out of 64 teams—no small feat in view of the fact that they competed against older and more experienced teams. Most of all, they were thrilled to represent Israel: “We were very proud to be Israeli.

We took along lots of flags and everyone was welcoming,” says Gil. Building a successful robot, winning the FTC competition and traveling to the U.S. won the team members enormous kudos and also helped them develop personally, says mentor Tzippi.

“I saw big changes in the team over the year: girls who were reticent at the start became much more open, social and confident. They felt they were part of something special.”

Michael Biton, Yerucham’s dynamic mayor, expressed his admiration of the young team: “AMIT Kamah girls proved that religious girls in the Negev can lead the country in technology and science. The young leaders persevered, built an ingenious robot, excelled at team work and contributed to the community.”  Helga Abraham is a freelance writer and translator based in Jerusalem. She is a former radio producer with Kol Israel and CBC-Radio Canada.

(far right) Team Twist member Reut Blumberg

Member of Team Twist in Ethiopia In June, the IsrAID organization, which provides humanitarian aid and long-term support to dozens of countries around the world, sent a delegation of three teachers and three students to Ethiopia to train instructors to teach robotics to Ethiopian youth. Among the students was Reut Blumberg of the Team Twist. “We chose young people such as Reut,” says ISRAID spokesman Miki Noam Alon, “because they have a sound knowledge of robotics and can demonstrate to others what young people are able to achieve.” The IsrAID delegation also took along Moscow – the Twist team’s robot – to show the Ethiopian instructors the kind of robot students can build and operate. 

Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 11

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FEATURE

Dottie, Edna and Bea

Dorothy Parker at the Algonquin Round Table (lower left) surrounded by Robert Benchley, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, Frank Crowninshield, Alexander Woolcott, Heywood Broun, Marc Connelly, Frank Case, Franklin P. Adams, Edna Ferber, George S. Kaufman and Robert Sherwood.

Algonquin Round Table drawing by Al Hirschfeld.

BY ROBERT E. SUTTON AND JEFF ZELMANSKI

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a

By xxxxxxxxxxx he famed and fabled Algonquin Round Table sparkled throughout

the 1920s as the height of New York sophistication, a colorful cast of playwrights, authors, critics and columnists. And in the mostly male company, that included the likes of Alexander Woollcott, Robert Sherwood, Robert Benchley, Heywood Broun, Harold Ross, George S. Kaufman, and Franklin Pierce Adams, three Jewish women sat as equals, matching wits and talent: Dorothy Parker, at the time a Vanity Fair staffer and freelance poet; Edna Ferber, novelist and short fiction dynamo; and Beatrice Kaufman, editor, playwright, fiction writer and wife of George S. Truly reflecting the openness of the Roaring Twenties, these women blazed their own paths to prominence. They were followed in the press, were fearless in their stands, and were never afraid to voice their opinions on politics, art, and social change. continued on page 14

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continued from page 13 DOROTHY PARKER Dorothy Parker was born Dorothy Rothschild on August 22, 1893, to a Jewish father, J. Henry Rothschild, and a Scottish mother, Eliza (Marston) Rothschild. She was an award-winning short story writer and poet whose books reached Number One on the best-seller lists and who, while in Hollywood, co-authored the original A Star Is Born.

Dorothy Parker

Her witticisms could bite, as when told of Fanny Brice’s nose operation: “She cut off her nose to spite her race.”

Parker, who once identified herself as “…just a little Jewish girl trying to be cute,” was dragged into the Table’s insult wars when an anti-Semitic remark

by Alexander Woollcott caused George S. Kaufman to rise in indignation, stating that he was going to leave “and I hope that Mrs. Parker will walk out with me – halfway.”

mittee. In her will she bequeathed her entire estate to Dr. Martin Luther King, and in 1988, the NAACP designed and dedicated a memorial garden for Parker outside their Baltimore headquarters.

A plaque reads, “Here lie the ashes of Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) humorist, writer, critic. Defender of human and civil rights. This memorial garden is dedicated to her noble spirit which celebrated the oneness of humankind and to the bonds of everlasting friendship between black and Jewish people.”

Parker spoke out for civil liberties and civil rights and helped to found the Anti-Nazi League in Hollywood in 1936, later serving as chairperson of the joint Anti-Fascist Rescue Com-

EDNA FERBER Edna Ferber, as co-playwright with George S. Kaufman, wrote about the swanky and glamorous world of New

York—the mannered upper class (Dinner at Eight), acting dynasties (Royal Family), and would-be starlets (Stage Door). But her greatest success came from her ambitious novels about the American experience (Giant, Showboat, Cimarron). Her novel So Big won the 1925 Pulitzer Prize, and The New York Times called her the greatest American woman novelist of her day.

Born in 1885 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Ferber’s family moved to Ottumwa, Iowa, a town she later described as “unpaved, bigoted, anti-Semitic, and undernourished.” Her teen years were spent in Appleton, Wisconsin, a small town with a Jewish mayor and forty Jewish families, where she attended Sabbath-school classes and sang in the choir at Temple Emanu-El. In 1912, Ferber represented the George Matthew Adams Newspaper Syndicate at the Democratic and Republican conventions, eight years before women’s suffrage.

Edna Ferber

Ferber wrote of the Round Table crowd, “they were ruthless towards charlatans, towards the pompous, and the mentally and artistically dishonest. They had a certain terrible integrity about their work and a boundless ambition.” Ferber favored mannish suits, and upon entering the Algonquin one day, Noel Coward remarked, “Edna,

14 :: Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE

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you almost look like a man.” Ferber retorted, “So do you, Noel.”

Beatrice Kaufman

In 1939, with Europe lapsing into war, Ferber decided to publish her autobiography, A Peculiar Treasure. Early in the book she declares, “I should like, in this book, to write about being a Jew. All my life I have been inordinately proud of being a Jew. I have felt that being a Jew was, in some ways at least, to be especially privileged.

Ferber skillfully used parts of her life story to call attention to the evil in Europe. She included in the book an excerpt from her 1917 novel Fanny Herself about attending Synagogue with her family on the Day of Atonement – then reminding those reading the book in 1939 that “it is Jewish synagogues exactly like this that have been burned, plundered, and completely destroyed by the hundreds in Germany and Austria.”

Ferber went on, “Just as we are slipping into the world mass, our identity to be forever lost, along comes a despot who singles us out as an object on which to vent his hate or to satisfy his own or his country’s psychological perversion…. any biologist or horticulturist will tell you that this is not the way to weaken or destroy a strain; that is the way to strengthen it.”

BEATRICE KAUFMAN Beatrice Kaufman was much more than the wife of playwright George S. Kaufman. She was a press agent, a play reader and a playwright, a book editor, a short story writer, a story editor for producer Samuel Goldwyn, and a fiction editor for Harpers’ Bazaar.

She was born Beatrice Bakrow to businessman Julius Bakrow and Sarah (Adler) Bakrow. According to her biographer Michael Galchinsky, “Although few direct references to her Jewishness found their way into her later editorial work and writings, her early life fits the description of upper-mid-

dle-class German Jews who thought of themselves as liberal, modern and forward-looking.”

Oscar Levant told the story of taking Beatrice to Carnegie Hall to hear Stokowski conduct Bach’s B Minor Mass: “We were late. ‘In heaven’s name, let’s hurry,’ said Beatrice, ‘or we’ll miss the intermission.’”

Beatrice was a general advisor on her husband’s works. Producer Max Gordon said, “[George] read everything to her, and talked to her. At Liveright and Boni Publishing, her eye for talent helped promote the careers of Clifford Odets, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Djuna Barnes and William Saroyan. In 1942, she became an editor at PM newspaper, a leftleaning daily that published I.F.Stone’s series on European Jewish refugees attempting to run the British blockade to reach Palestine.

She was a lifelong Democrat, friends

with Felix Frankfurter, and the author of a pair of speeches and articles for the new vice-president Harry Truman, whom she admired very much.”

When her husband was collaborating on a play with John P. Marquand at their country house, Beatrice discovered that Mrs. Marquand was telephoning Mrs. Charles Lindbergh, wife of the champion of the right wing America First Committee, and asked her to stop. When Mrs. Marquand responded by asking Beatrice to invite the Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh to enlighten her, Beatrice telephoned for a taxi and asked them to leave.

Dorothy Parker, Edna Ferber and Bea Kaufman were in a world that was changing by the hour. They epitomized the strength, determination, intellect and moral fiber of their gender and their generation. And, they never forgot where they came from. <

Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 15

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Sergeant Ana’el Elbaz – Combat Soldier Interview by Robert E. Sutton

SERGEA N T A NA’EL EL BA Z , 21, A R ESIDEN T of Ma’ale Adumim and graduate of AMIT Wasserman Torah, Arts and Sciences Junior and Senior High School for Girls, was honored this past Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day)

by President Reuven Rivlin for her outstanding service to the IDF. Ana’el’ did not view her religious observance as an impediment to joining the IDF, and she didn’t settle for just any military unit; she aimed for and became a combat soldier.

How did the idea to serve as a combat soldier begin?

I was a student at AMIT Wasserman Torah, Arts and Sciences High School for Girls where we Sgt. Elbaz leading a patrol

were encouraged to make the right decision for ourselves, whether it is serving in the National Service or the Military Service. For me, it was clear that the right choice was the Military

Service. Half of my class chose military, the other half chose national I

My recommendation for religious girls would definitely be to serve in the military service.

I’m not implying that the national service is not recommended, but a military service is a completely different experience.

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was the only girl going to the military as a combat soldier.

Where there any activities that you enjoyed or made an impression on you?

Yes, I was head of a committee that organized after school events during every Rosh Chodesh. I loved it. And, there was a week-long outing to bond with fellow students that taught us to connect to the people, and to the state. It was a long and very important trip that included Shabbat It taught us how to ask questions of ourselves in a serious and mature manner - such as where do we want to go in life. This trip really left an impression.

What was the most important aspect of AMIT that helped you?

The values that AMIT instilled in me, the activities outside the school and the importance of chesed and volunteer work.

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What unit do you serve with?

and attend all the ceremonies. Because they came from France

I serve in the “Eitam” division, part of the “Edom” unit - the

and the rest of my family is still there, I’m basically the first in

Field Intelligence Force. We had an eight-month qualification

the family to serve as a combat soldier.

process. We learned advance navigations, spent days out in the field, gained high levels of marksmanship, and went

What is your recommendation for a girl who is about to do

through extreme physical training. Today, our operational

her service who would like to serve in the IDF?

activities include a lot of night patrols, being stationed on a

My recommendation for religious girls would definitely be

lookout point observing an area for up to 48 hours. In between

to serve in the military service. I’m not implying that the

operations, we are back at the base practicing physical and

national service is not recommended, but a military service

shooting exercises.

is a completely different experience.

I see it as a way for both sides to

I assume that, being a religious

connect. I’ve been exposed to many

person, serving in the army is

things that I would never have

not easy.

experienced if I had stayed only in

Yes, that’s the main difficulty I

a religious environment. I do not

deal with other than the physical

agree with the idea that a religious

one. It’s not only difficult during

girl cannot do military service. I’m

a Sabbath or holidays. You deal

doing it!

with it on a daily basis. Whether it be waking up earlier than

How did you feel when they told

everyone else to pray, wanting to

you you’re going to receive the

go out with friends but knowing

exemplary soldier’s prize?

they’re not going to a kosher

I was a little shocked, and of course

place, or having to spend Shabbat

I was very happy. It was a very

and chagim out in the field—

exciting event. I was wondering

although it’s not considered an

why me?

offense because after all, I am on duty. That being said, there’s

Can you tell us a little bit about the

an “Appropriate Integration

ceremony?

Commander” who is responsible

The ceremony and reception was

to help religious soldiers

at the President’s residence. I was

integrate into the army without compromising their values.

Sgt. Ana’el Elbaz

introduced to President Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff, Gadi Eizenkot, and former

Did the differences between you and other girls in your

Minister of Defense Moshe Ya’alon. President Rivlin presented

division make it difficult socially?

me the award and, to my surprise, I also received a $1,000.00

No, most of my friends are not even religious and yet we

scholarship.

became best friends. It’s known that in the army you make friends for life. One of my best friends is the absolute opposite

Finally, what are your plans for the future?

of me when it comes to religious beliefs, personality, and …

My discharge date is in November. I have a few thoughts.

worldviews. But that’s the beauty of it: we both want to learn

If I am offered the opportunity to become an officer in the

about each other as much as possible.”

IDF, I will seriously consider it. I am happy being in the military system and I can see myself developing in it. Or, I

Your parents maintain a religious lifestyle; how do they feel

may leave the army take a trip or study in a midrasha. My

about having a daughter serving as a combat soldier?

options are endless. <

My family is very thrilled. They’re very supportive about it

Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 17

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Yonatan Urich – Personal Digital Consultant To Prime Minister Netanyahu And Likud Interview by Robert E. Sutton Yonatan, where are you from?

Since I was two days old until this very day, I’ve been living in Kfar Saba.

When did you first attend AMIT Gwen Straus Junior and Senior Science High School for Boys and Yeshiva in Kfar Batya?

I studied at the Bar Ilan state-run religious school in Kfar Saba, and when I had to decide on what to do next. I, along with other friends, approached AMIT Gwen Straus High School and was almost immediately captivated by the charm of its founder—and the school’s principal at the time— Rabbi Yinon Aviad, who refused to let anyone Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Yonatan Urich.

call him “the Rabbi” but only “Yinon.” He had the qualities of humility and simplicity and was entirely devoted to education in the deeper sense of the word. Even now, I’m convinced that the school is one of the best in Israel, as it gives its students real tools to form their worldview and personal conduct, beyond

We currently run our activities in Hebrew, English, French and Russian. My role is to bring the Prime Minister directly to the public and transcend the print press and the traditional media through social media.

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the academic part that it excels at.

When did you first have an interest in communications or the media?

I am of a generation that was born with a keyboard in hand and a dialup Internet connection. Only a few people still remember the annoying sounds it made when you dialed up. I fell in love with reading and writing. In junior high, we launched a newspaper known as Hakfar Shelanu (Our Village), which reported on the activities in Kfar Batya and still does, under the auspices of AMIT. Did AMIT help your education?

Sure it did. I think that my pluralistic outlook of accepting the different, originates at its core from the education I received from Yinon Aviad and AMIT’s school’s staff. In my opinion, other institutions are stuck in the past and still take a one-sided view on reality; Gwen Straus High School

7/5/16 5:23 PM

You’re the Personal Digital Consulant to Prime Minister Netanyahu – what does the job entail?

I run Prime Minister Netanyahu’s personal platforms on the social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We currently run our activities in Hebrew, English, French and Russian. My role is to bring the Prime Minister directly to the public and transcend the print press and the traditional media through social media.

I also have a double-sided, not a onesided role: I need to tell the Prime Minister what’s going on online, report on trends

Yonatan Urich doing his job

and the things people talk about in Israel and beyond. The analysis of the dialogue

always led us to the complex issues and knew how to ask the

on the social networks is an important tool.

right questions.

Do you interact with the Prime Minister on a regular basis?

Who were your mentors at AMIT?

Yes. I interact with him daily. Digital activity is very

Yinon Aviad was the beacon that showed all of us the path,

important for Prime Minister Netanyahu.

but I must also mention Rabbi Motti Deshe and Rabbi Itamar Haikan. They both taught me the importance of loving the

Your career is very interesting—you went from the IDF

individual, fellowship and the Torah—and the way they merge

spokesperson’s office to edit Kipa and nrg’s Jewish channel,

in a wonderful harmony that you can’t live without.

and you were a reporter for Makor Rishon (First Source).

What are your goals for the near future?

Tell me about your army service at the IDF

G-d willing, I hope to continue to work for Prime Minister

spokeperson’s office

Netanyahu as long as he requires my services, and as long as I

I came to the IDF spokesperson’s office straight from the

can make a real contribution. I haven’t decided if I should focus

warm and loving embrace of Yeshivat Har Etzion-which

on the digital media or go back to print. Time will tell which

I attended after AMIT. At the spokesperson’s office, I kept

choice I make—I hope that G-d will steer me in the

a close relationship with Brigadier General Avi Benayahu

right direction.

(res.) and General Yoav Mordechai—two extraordinary commanders and human beings who had a vision. They both

Do you have anything to say to AMIT supporters here in

understood the importance of staging activities on the social

the U.S.?

networks, and were willing to go all the way to take the IDF

I’d like to thank them for their great support and contribution

to the forefront of technological advancement in the digital

for the children of Israel and for the Israeli educational system.

field. We successfully created an interactive communications

I greatly appreciate the fact that you, the members of AMIT,

platform—the first body in the IDF to draw its attention to

choose to invest in the most important issue for Israel’s

social media.

future— the education of our youth. <

Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 19

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$1,000,000 +

Ellen, z”l, and Meyer Koplow, NY Ethel and Lester Sutker, IL Ellen and Stanley Wasserman, NY

$250,000 - $999,999 Shari and Jacob M. Safra, NY The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.

$100,000 - $249,999

Barbara and Jules Nordlicht, NY Dahlia Kalter Nordlicht and Mark Nordlicht, NY Joyce and Daniel Straus, NJ The Maurice and Viviene Wohl Philanthropic Foundation, NY

$75,000 - $99,999

ING

A TIME • AT

M I T • B UI LD

A

Laurie and Eli Bryk Ellen and Emanuel Kronitz, Israel

ISRA E

L

NE CHI LD •O

An Invitation To Join Me In

President’s Circle

As a parent and a long time devoted AMIT donor, I know how important a good education is to the development of children.

Many of the 32,000 students at AMIT in Israel do not have the advantages that our own children enjoy and which we may easily take for granted.

President’s Circle gifts provide the foundation upon which our network of schools is built. These annual gifts are sustaining funds that we rely on to support our excellent programs. In order to guarantee the continuation of programs which nurture AMIT’s children and instill within them strong values and academic excellence, we rely on our members whose annual donation ensure Israel’s future by providing these opportunities.

All successful endeavors require a strong foundation. Please join me. The circle will not be complete without you.

Debbie Moed - President Chair - Joyce Straus Honorary Chairs - Audrey and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein For further information regarding President’s Circle, please contact Susan Meyers, Director of Development, at 212-477-4730, 1-800-989-AMIT or susanm@amitchildren.org.

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$50,000 - $74,999 Hadassah and Marvin Bienenfeld, NY Suzanne and Jacob Doft, NY Leon and Gloria, Edward, Sari, and Howard Miller, NY Debbie and Samuel Moed, NJ Harriet and Heshe Seif, NJ Robyn Price Stonehill and David Stonehill, NY Adina Straus, NY

$36,000 - $49,999 Ike, Molly and Steven Elias Foundation, NY Amy and Jimmy Haber, NY Brenda and Albert Kalter, NY Ria and Tim Levart, NJ Naomi Foundation, NY

$25,000 - $35,999 Joseph and Rae Gann Foundation, MA Leelah and Joseph Gitler, Israel Mitzi Golden, NY Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation, CA Laura and Jonathan Heller, NY Mildred and Alvin Hellerstein, NY Norma and Emanuel, z”l, Holzer, NY Debbie and David Isaac, NY Michele and Ben Jacobs, NY Kirkland & Ellis LLP, NY Micheline and Marc Ratzersdorfer, Israel Norman and Bettina Roberts Foundation, NJ Sandra and Evan Roklen, CA The Moise Y. Safra Foundation, NY Trudy and Stanley Stern, NY Zahava and Moshael Straus, NJ Shirley and Morris Trachten, z”l, Family Foundation, Israel

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Blackman Foundation, CA Adena and Ezra Dyckman, NY Jewel and Ted Edelman, NY Pnina and Jacob Graff, CA Russell Jay Hendel, MD Sarah Liron and Sheldon Kahn, CA Amy and Todd Kesselman, NY Gitta and Richard Koppel, Israel Sharon and Solomon Merkin, NJ

$10,000 - $17,999

SUMMER16_pres_circle_p20-21_v4.indd 3

$5,000 - $9,999 Anonymous, FL Anonymous, France Anonymous, Israel Anonymous, NY Anonymous, Switzerland Lisa Bellows Ablin and Jason Ablin, CA Leah and Jonathan Adler, NJ Sarah and Maurice Aghion, MA Randi Schatz Allerhand and Joseph S. Allerhand, NY Ann and Hy Arbesfeld, NY Lolly and Harris Bak, NY Rachel and Martin Balsam, NY Yael Balsam, NY Eli Baron, CA Joan and Shael Bellows, IL Lee and Louis Benjamin, NY Tamar and Ethan Benovitz, Israel Bea Berger, NJ Phyllis and Edward Berkowitz, NY Lisa and Joseph Bernstein, NY Vivian and Stanley Bernstein, NY Evelyn and Isaac Blachor, NY Devorah and Melvyn Bleiberg, NY Beth and Reuben Blumenthal, NY Deborah Stern Blumenthal and Michael Blumenthal, NJ Sari and Stuart Braunstein, NY Tamar and Hillel Bryk, NY Carol and Arnold Caviar, KS Margaret and Chaim Charytan, NY Michael Cleeman, NY Trina and Paul Cleeman, NY Rosa and Isaac Cohanzad, CA Florence Cohen, z’l, NY Sherry and Neil Cohen, NY Shevi and Milton Cohen, NY Diane and Howard Cole, NY Melvin S. Cutler Foundation, MA Emily and Paul Dauber, NJ Selma Daye, CA Sonia Diamond Family Foundation, MD Elaine and Lewis Dubroff, NY Hattie and Arthur Dubroff, NJ Susan Ederson, NY Linda and Barry Eichler, PA & NY Sherry and Aaron Eidelman, NY Laurie Bilger and Eli Epstein, NY Vivian and Bernard Falk, NY Esther and Steven Feder, CA Iris and Stephen Feldman, NY Sheila and Kenneth Fields, NJ Gabriella and David Fridman, NY Rena and Michael Friedman, IL Marisa and Andrew Gadlin, NY Shifra and Perry Garber, NY Linda and Norman Garfield, PA

Rita Geller, IL Randi and Alan Gelman, Israel Debbie and Elliot Gibber, NY Abigail and Ari Glass, NY Miriam and Felix Glaubach, NY Ilana and Stuart Goldberg, NJ Paulette and Max Goldberg, NY Esther and Jack Goldman, NY Anne and Sheldon Golombeck, NY Sandra E. Goodstein and Arthur Rosenblatt, PA Sara and Ronald Gottlieb, FL Layla and Evan Green, CA Paula Yudenfriend and Arlin Green, PA Sharon and Melvin Gross, NY Phyllis Hammer, MA Debbie and Robert Hartman, IL Debbie and Eddie Herbst, CA Aviva and Fred, z”l, Hoschander, NY Peggy and Robert Insel, NY Sonia Bodenstein-Izenstark and Ira Izenstark, CA Elaine and Robert Jacobs, NY Talya and Rafi Jacobs, NY Barbara and Manfred Joseph, NY Connie and Alan Kadish, NJ Robin and Simon Kahn, Israel Danna and Gilad Kalter, NY Ruth and Jerome Kamerman, NY Stacey and David Kanbar, NY Miriam and Shopsy Kanarek, NY Ruth and William, z”l, Kantrowitz, NY Harriet and Joel Kaplan, NY Elissa and Michael Katz, NJ Diane and Barry Kirschenbaum, FL Susan Alter Klaperman and Gilbert Klaperman, NY Chani and Shimi Klein, NY The Klibanoff Family, NJ Jane Klitsner, Israel Laurie and Robert Koppel, NY Madeline and Ethan Kra, NJ Evelyn and Lawrence Kraut, NJ Ruth M. Finglass and Kevin A. Kubach, MD Donna and Jeffrey Lawrence, MD Diane and David Lent, NY Kari and Joshua Levine, NY Rose and Jacob Levine, z”l, CA Sylvia and Norman Levine, FL Dorothy and Robert Lewis, NY Ruth and Robert Lewis, NY Mindy and Seymour Liebman, NY Audrey and Haskel Lookstein, NY Naomi and Carl Lopkin, MA Rita Lourie-Galena, PA & NY Malka Lozowick, Israel Meira and Solomon Max, NY Manette and Louis Mayberg, MD Benay and Ira Meisels, NY Susan and Jeffrey Meyers, NY Esther Miller, FL Judy and Albert Milstein, IL Leonard E. Minsky, ME Myra Mitzner, NY

Gloria and Burton Nusbacher, NY Lynn and Samuel Pepper, NJ Bea and Irwin, z”l, Peyser, NY Hedy and Paul Peyser, MD Suzy and Paul Peyser, NY Vicki and Jerry Platt, NY Esther and Donald Press, NY Tzippi and Ira Press, NJ Judy and Jerry Pressner, NY Evelyn Reichenthal, TX Shelley Rindner, NY Fritzie and Sheldon, z”l, Robinson, IL Kristina and Len Rosen, Israel Vivian and Solomon Rosen, FL Miriam and Howard Rosenblum, NJ Gale and Eric Rothner, IL Elizabeth and Gidon Rothstein, NY Leah and Arnold Rotter, CA Hedda Rudoff, NY Shirley and Milton Sabin, FL Marielle and Edmund Safra, NY Tammy and Kenny Schaum, NY Jan and Sheldon Schechter, NY Esther and William Schulder, NJ Michelle and Dov Schwartz, NJ Esther, z”l, and Jacques Semmelman, NJ Sema and Bennet Shaffer, MA Deanne and Leonard Shapiro, Israel Sharon and Rony Shapiro, MA Chana and Daniel Shields, NJ Mollie Siegel, NJ Sharon and Morris Silver, CA Lorraine and Mordy Sohn, NY Sara and Gabriel Solomon, MD Mahla and Hilton Soniker, NY Nancy and Benjamin Sporn, NY Francine and Aaron Stein, NJ Claire and David Subar, Israel Nechama and Howard Taber, NY Lilly Tempelsman, NY Deena and Jonathan Thurm, NJ Sandra and Max Thurm, NY Marilee and Michael Tolwin, CA Bertie and Fred Tryfus, NY Vicky and Michael Turek, NY Amy and Jeffrey Verschleiser, NY Audrey and Max Wagner, NY Paula and Leslie Walter, NY Anne and Mark Wasserman, NY Marion and William Weiss, NJ Roselyn and Walter, z”l, Weitzner, NY Linda and Stanley Weissbrot, IL Linda and Steven Weissman, NY Joyce and Jeremy Wertheimer, MA Booky and Jerome Wildes, NY Phyllis Wind, z”l, NY Florence Wolf, NY Stella and Samy Ymar, MD Hilde and Benjamin, z”l, Zauderer, NY Esther and Dov Zeidman, NY Gloria Zeisel, IL Tamar and Benjamin Zeltser, NY

*As of June 20, 2016

Anonymous, Israel Anonymous, MA Anonymous, NY Trudy and Ted, z”l, Abramson, FL Nicole Schreiber Agus and Raanan Agus, NY Max & Anna Baran, Ben & Sarah Baran and Milton Baran, z”l, CA Zelda and Solomon Berger, NY Daisy Berman, NY Anne Bernstein, CA Barbara Bloom, MD Ethlynne and Stephen Brickman, MA Lotte and Ludwig Bravmann, NY Marion Crespi, NY Jone and Allen Dalezman, MA Selma and Jacob Dyckman, NY Gail and Martin Elsant, NY Trudy and Sol Englander, NY Ruth and Gene Fax, MA Lisa Rosenbaum and Ronald Fisher, MA Lilly and Alfred Friedman, NY Rosalyn and Ira Friedman, NJ Harwit Charitable Trust, CA Suzanne and Norman Javitt, NY Ilana and Mitchell Kahn, NY Ruth and Hillel Kellerman, CA The Kolatch Family Foundation, NJ Ruth and Daniel Krasner, NY Rochelle and Seymour, z”l, Kraut, NJ Aliza and Steven Major, NY Zipporah and Arnold Marans, NY Etella and Haim Marcovici, NY Joan, z”l, and Leon Meyers, NY The Dorothy Phillips Michaud Charitable Trust, CA Elana and Shami Minkove, NY Marilyn and Leon Moed, NY Nataly and Steve Neuwirth, NY Regina Peterseil, NY Lauren and Mitchell Presser, NY Jerald Ptashkin, CA Barbara and Joel, z”l, Rascoff, NY Joyce and Stanley Raskas, NY Jennie and Avi Rothner, IL Rita and Eugene Schwalb, FL Debbie and Daniel Schwartz, NY Judy and Isaac Sherman, NY Deena and Adam Shiff, NY Ronnie and William Slochowsky, NY Marilyn and Herbert, z”l, Smilowitz, NJ Sondra and Myron Sokal, NY Audrey and Chaim Trachtman, NY Ina and David Tropper, NY

Judy and Morry Weiss Sapirstein-Stone-Weiss Foundation, OH Robert Zeldin, France Helene and Gerald Zisholtz, NY

president’s circle of honor

$18,000 - $24,999

7/5/16 5:15 PM

By Cheryl Shaanan and Robert E. Sutton

AMIT HIGHLIGHTS AND SUCCESSES Because of your generous donations, more than 32,000 students are being educated and nurtured within a framework of academic excellence, traditional Jewish values and Zionist ideals. Here are a few ways your gifts made a difference.

Hallel Barelli with Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi

AMIT SDEROT STUDENT HONORED ON INDEPENDENCE DAY Hallel Barelli, a 17-year old resident of Sderot and student at Ulpanat AMIT Shirat Sderot, was chosen to light the torch on Israeli Independence Day. Hallel was selected for this prestigious honor for her leadership and social activism. She is a youth movement leader, a member of the municipal youth council, and a peer leader of educational field trips, as well as a regular and consistent volunteer in Sderot. During Operation Protective Edge — under constant fire and peril—Hallel organized and ran the volunteer efforts of the city’s youth movements, religious and secular alike, in order to serve all of Sderot’s neighborhoods, children and senior citizens. “I represent the amazing young people of Sderot, who give of themselves generously,” said Hallel. “I thank G-d for all the good in the world and for the privilege to be born into Am Yisrael.” 

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AMIT HATZOR STUDENTS MARK YOM HAZIKARON On Tuesday, the morning of Memorial Day eve in Israel, AMIT Hatzor HaGlilit students walked the entire day and covered 22 kilometers on the Israel trail, walking from the Arbel Cliffs to the home of Oron Shaul’s family. Givati Brigade Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul was killed in action in the Gaza Strip in 2014 along AMIT Hatzor students with memorial banner with Lt. Hadar Goldin of the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Company. Hadar was a graduate of AMIT Gwen Straus Science Technology High School in Kfar Batya. Both soldiers remains have not yet been recovered.

Eitan Ashkenazi, an AMIT Hatzor student and one of the organizers of the march, spoke about the purpose of the trek. “We must not forget those who fell for their country and whose parents do not even have a grave to mourn at,” said Ashkenazi. Principal Avihai Golan said it was the students’ idea to march in support of the Shaul family. “We instill giving and chesed in our students, and this initiative to express support to Oron’s family is very touching,” said Golan. 

PASSOVER CHESED AT AMIT HAMMER REHOVOT Students at AMIT Hammer High School for Boys in Rehovot raised over 10,000 shekels (over $2,500.00) in order to buy Passover food staples for AMIT Hatzor students preparing Maot Chitim needy families. The students turned the school’s courtyard into a chesed assembly line and packed 200 kosher for Passover care packages. The students then loaded a truck – and the cars of some of their teachers – for distribution throughout the city.

“It was moving to see students investing their time and energy in this initiative during their vacation in order to make sure other families have a happy holiday too,” said Rabbi Rafi Maimon, principal of AMIT Hammer Rehovot. 

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7/5/16 5:27 PM

AMIT SDEROT YESHIVA STUDENTS WIN NATIONAL ROBOTICS COMPETITION Congratulations to our students in Sderot!

The team from AMIT Sderot Yeshiva track won first place at the YTEK National Mathematics, Aerospace and Robotics Olympiad that took place in mid-May at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. Over 300 students from diverse communities throughout Israel competed against each other at the national competition. During the competition students programmed a robot simulating a future driverless vehicle that travels using only sensors and programming. Students controlled the robot’s movements using a combination of mathematics and physics.

Team members and teachers with Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi (5th from left)

Sderot mayor, Alon Davidi said that this win is a huge source of pride for the city. “A year ago we inaugurated four science centers in schools in cooperation with Jewish Federation of Canada and the AMIT Network, and now we are reaping the rewards.”

AMIT NACHSHON: RUNNING FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Team AMIT Nachshon running with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat (bib# 5000)

special projects at the yeshiva and assistance for students in need.

This past March, one hundred Yeshivat AMIT Nachshon, Mateh Yehuda, students , parents and teachers ran the 10 km marathon in Jerusalem. During the months preceding the marathon, the runners trained and collected sponsors, with proceeds being earmarked for

During the marathon, AMIT Nachshon students ran a mile alongside Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat. Barkat praised their perseverance and the purpose of their run, promoting their school and helping their fellow students.

Noam Eliezer, a twelfth grader at Nachson, said that running together was a team-building and intense experience.

“We are very happy about the sense of togetherness created among all the students and teachers of the yeshiva who wanted to run together for a common purpose,” said Noam. 

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7/5/16 5:27 PM

Principal Shula Levy (third from left) at the awards ceremony along with Principal Yizhar Afgan and Minister of Education Naftali Bennett

TWO AMIT SCHOOLS WIN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AWARD At an awards ceremony held during the first week of April 2016, two AMIT Network schools received the Ministry of Education’s prestigious religious education award: AMIT Kamah High School for Girls in Yerucham and AMIT Technological High School in Ramle. The awards were presented to Shula Levy, principal of AMIT Kamah and Yizhar Afgan, principal of AMIT Ramle, by Naftali Bennett, Minister of Education and Dr. Avraham Lipschitz, Director of Religious Education.

AMIT Kamah Yerucham was recognized for its unique pedagogy and innovative learning methods created by the Kamah faculty in the framework of AMIT’s Gogya Center. The school day is divided into learning units that foster independent, challenging and creative learning and engage faculty and students. According to the Ministry of Education, last year the school had 95% matriculation (Bagrut) success.

AMIT Ramle was recognized for offering a range of vocational and academic tracks in order to realize each student’s personal and scholastic potential, along with contribution to the community. According to the principal, the school is an example of student success fostered by the commitment and vision of the school faculty.

The faculty is not only committed to academic achievement, but also to instilling values and facilitating the empowerment and personal development of each student. 

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7/5/16 5:27 PM

MIDRESHET AMIT

REFLECTING ON OUR PAST

By Amanda Kornblum

“H

ow was the AMIT trip to Poland?”

I have been asked this question many times since I returned a few days ago. Each time, before answering, I have an instant flashback of some moment that affected me in a way I don’t think I’ll ever forget—a moment that is difficult to find the words to describe. And I find I can answer in a positive way or a negative way.

I can say Poland was horrible. Nothing is good about Poland! It’s all death camps and ghettos where Jews were murdered and completely eliminated: Auschwitz, Chemlo, Maidanek, Treblinka, Dachau, Bergen-Belsen, the list goes on. And there is the Children’s Forest, a horrific place where thousands of innocent Jewish children were brought to be slaughtered. How would you think Poland was?

Then there’s the positive answer. I can answer “it was amazing!” and hope that people won’t get the wrong idea. I could answer, “It was great” or “it was a meaningful experience.”

And it’s true. Poland, for me, was a meaningful and great experience. We had the opportunity to see where Jewish life once thrived. We went to numerous beautiful synagogues where hundreds of people davened every day. We saw talits (prayer shawls) from Jews that were killed in Auschwitz.

We heard stories about Jews who would wash their hands before walking into the gas chamber, and about Jews who recited Shema while holding their loved ones as they were systematically murdered. They still turned to Hashem in the worst possible times.

My mission—self-imposed—throughout my journey

Memorial monument at Majdanek

through Poland was to find positivity in something so negative, so tragic, so mind-bogglingly unspeakable: something positive in the places where evil human beings had the power and willingness to kill six million of their fellows in truly psychotic ways.

Six million people that didn’t have the lifetimes to perform mitzvot, have bar or bat mitzvahs, get married, have children.

“How was the AMIT trip to Poland?”

So easy, so tempting to respond in the negative; I found I had to stress the positive.

Yes, the Holocaust was horrible beyond description. But we can think about the six million people that valued their Judaism. And the fact that we’re still standing—we’re still here. We have our own nation. We have a land to call our own.

The Jewish people are thriving.

So if the six million who perished knew that the Jews would live on, what would they have wanted? They would have wanted us to continue doing mitzvot and chesed, and to live the lives they were unable to have.

What the girls at Midreshet AMIT are doing this year is unselfish. We are putting college on hold to spend a year learning and perfoming chesed in Israel. It’s so fulfilling—we are living the dreams of so many people. We are choosing the positive route.

May the mitzvot we perform be worthy of the six million, in order to lift their neshamot. 

26 :: Summer 201 6 :: AMIT MAGAZINE

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RUNNING TO REMEMBER T

his past March, TEAM AMIT, a group of over 50 participants, many from Midreshet AMIT, ran in the Jerusalem Marathon to raise funds for the children of AMIT. The team ran in memory of alumnus Daniella Moffson, z”l, who was killed earlier this year in a bus crash while volunteering in Honduras. Daniella was one of the founders of the original TEAM AMIT four years ago, and her classmate Mimi Boim, who also studied at Midreshet AMIT with Daniella, flew in from the States to participate in the Marathon. Mimi explained, “I flew here because I wanted to run in Daniella’s memory, and because the money goes to help kids that we’ve grown to love….I wanted to give back to AMIT.” This year‘s effort by TEAM AMIT raised over $22,000. It was a thrilling experience for all of the participants and a great way for the Midreshet AMIT students to contribute to AMIT as a whole. 

Midreshet AMIT Marathoners

Preparing for the Purim Carnival with the students of AMIT Sderot

REACHING OUT TO THE CHILDREN T

he Midreshet AMIT students participated in a special trip to Sderot a couple of weeks before Purim. After speaking with students at the AMIT Sderot Religious Jr. and Sr. High Schools and learning about life in this city in the western Negev (which included going to a lookout point and seeing just how close Sderot is to the border of Gaza), the girls had the opportunity to bring some holiday spirit to the children of Sderot. At the AMIT HaRoeh elementary school, the Midreshet AMIT students ran a lively and spirited Purim carnival for first, second and third-graders, using booths and games they had carefully prepared for the children weeks before the visit. The Sderot AMIT kids had a great time, and the day ended with dancing and prizes. Besides thoroughly enjoying themselves, the Midreshet AMIT students were thrilled to bring smiles to the faces of the AMIT children and to expand their year of chesed beyond the walls of AMIT Frisch Bet Hayeled.  Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 27

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DVAR TORAH

If I Forget Thee, O Uruk?

Eicha and Its Historical Context

The people mourning over the ruins of Jerusalem.

Gustave DorĂŠ, 1866

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By Dr. Stu Halpern

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he ritual and theological nadir of the Jewish year comes, surprisingly, in what is often the happiest time for most, the summer. Every year, when the sun shines brightest and masses of people are spending time at the local beach, Jews withdraw for three weeks from leisure activities to prepare for the ultimate day of Jewish mourning. Tisha B’Av is the time we mourn the destruction of the first and second Temples in Jerusalem and take an introspective look, both on the personal and national level, at our efforts to merit its rebuilding.

Scholars of the ancient world have made some interesting discoveries of late that shed a unique perspective on Tisha B’Av’s message. As Prof. Adele Berlin, the retired Robert H. Smith Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Maryland, notes in her commentary to Lamentations, there are numerous examples of mourning for destroyed cities found among Israel’s ancient neighbors. These expressions of grief, with titles such as “The Uruk Lament,” “Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur,” and “Lament for Nibru,” bewail the destruction of pagan cities, including those of the Sumerians, and contain images, even phrases, similar to those found in our own book of Lamentations (Eicha), the Biblical account of the aftermath of the Temple’s destruction. In Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur, for example, the pagan city grieves bitterly: “O my city, attacked and destroyed, my city attacked without cause.”

Similarly, in the biblical Lamentations, the author notes that “My enemies have hunted me like a bird without cause” (3:52). And in the recounting of the destruction of Uruk, another pagan city, we read that “the sensible shall beat their chests, they shall droop their heads… they shall wander aimlessly around the city asking: Why? They shall wring their hands; their courage shall run out.” Analogously, in the book of Lamentations (Eicha), the destruction is explained as follows: “It is because of the sins of the prophets and the iniquities of the priests, which have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. They wander as blind men in the streets…” (4:13-14).

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But while the similarities of the images and themes evoked by these ancient writings are distinctive and common to any destroyed city in any era, they are belied by the underlying differences in the cities’ civilizations. The Sumerians, for example, believed that one city at a time should have hegemony over a large territory—when that city declined, another would arise to take its place as the supreme locale. Jews, in contrast, believe in only one holy city, whose kedushah (holiness) is eternal; we believe that the primacy of Jerusalem is everlasting. I know of no one who still mourns for the destruction of Uruk, Ur, or Nibru, nor do I imagine that if there were people who did, they would utilize their mourning as a period of introspection and teshuva (repentance) as Jews utilize the period of the three-week runup to Tisha B’Av. As Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik puts it in his work The Lord is Righteous in All His Ways (edited

by Rabbi Jacob. J. Schacter), “How many peoples would you find today who are busy mourning an event that occurred more than 1900 years ago? The world does not understand us. What we mourn for is the distance that now exists between us and Hakadosh baruch Hu [The Holy One, blessed be He]. And this is our prayer on Tisha B’Av. We plead with Hakadosh baruch Hu to become close to us once again.”

It is our hope that, by appreciating the uniqueness of our devotion to the timeless holy city of Jerusalem, and by being mindful of our yearly opportunity to use the communal memory of the Temple’s destruction to improve our relationship with God, we may bring about the rebuilding of the Temple, and turn the day of summertime sadness into one of rejoicing and celebration.  Dr. Halpern works at Yeshiva University, where he is the Assistant Director of the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought, the Assistant Director of Community Outreach and Student Activities at the Bernard Revel Graduate School, and the Deputy Managing Editor of YU Press.

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Mariachi Band

DEVELOPMENT NEWS philly fiesta

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riella and Moshe Chasky hosted a fiesta at their beautiful home in Merion, Pa., on Saturday evening, March 5, 2016. Philadelphia Council/Shira Chapter enjoyed an evening of delicious Mexican food, prepared by the fabulous event committee. A live mariachi band serenaded everyone with Mexican music. Marvelous margaritas were served, and Joan Betesh and Sarah Bleier presented a lively AMIT Q & A; presenting factual information and compelling updates from the AMIT Reshet. A special thanks goes to Karen Frieidman for the idea for this fantastic event!

(l-r) Shlomo Troodler, Sara Bleier, Josh Bleier

Aderet Frager and Karen Friedman

(l-r) Linda Garfield, Vera Moreen, Rene Rubin

Moshe Chasky and Ariella Chasky

(l-r) Stuart Gasner, Jeff Rosner, Moshe Chasky

Karen Friedman and Sarah Rosner (l-r) Ariella Chasky, Sara Bleier, Aderet Frager, Julia Frankston-Morris

Maayan Zimbalist and Anna Chasky

new england mother-in-israel

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(l-r) Maya Weinberg, Rena Weinberg, Herb Weinberg, Gita Weinberg, David Rosengard, David Weinberg, Avery Weinberg

Brian Powell and Gianfranco Pacobene

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n Sunday, April 3, 2016, AMIT New England Council/Ra’anana Chapter honored the memory of Martha Weinberg, z”l, longtime devoted member of AMIT, at the Annual Mother-In-Israel event, which took place at the Vilna Shul in Boston. Martha was Renee Bellin, Ethlynne Brickman, Laura Eisenberg, a past President of the Ra’anana Chapter as well as Beverly Bavly, Robbie Pearlstein, Sylvia Tuchman, Naomi Lopkin, Cheryl Sisel, Sarah Aghion, Jone Dalezman a member of the AMIT National Board of Directors.

Sylvia Tuchman, Ra’anana Board member, spoke beautifully about Martha’s long tenure with AMIT, and Jack Weinberg spoke about Martha’s passion for both AMIT and her grandchildren.

l-r) Barnet Kessel, Ethlynne Brickman, Jone Dalezman, Beverly Bavly, Sarah Aghion

Brian Powell, Architectural Conservator, and Gianfranco Pocobene, Head of Conservation at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, spoke about the Vilna Shul renovation process. It was a wonderful evening! 

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young leadership paints for the kids

YL Picassos

This past March, with the help of Nikki Fuchs Sausen of PAINT WITH ME!, a group of young professionals created thier own work of art and in the process had a great time. Everyone enjoyed a night of step-by-step painting while eating sushi and sipping wine and beer.

What a fun way to support AMIT’s children!  Painters in action

(l-r) David Berger, Amanda

Benishai, Isaac Benishai, Marshal Grobois

(l-r)

Elizabeth Markovitch and Michelle Berman

boynton bbq

The Yocheved Chapter of Boynton Beach held their 3rd annual BBQ. Over 100 attendees enjoyed BBQ, sunshine and an afternoon with friends and family. Everyone learned about the SE Region “Cooking Challenge” to dedicate the Culinary and Hotel Management Track at the AMIT school in Ramle. 

Isaac and Evelyn Blachor

southeast spa

IMA Chapter NewGen president’s Rebecca Kinzbrunner and Aliza Aronin, welcomed attendees to a Mother-in-Israel May spa event.

Presenters Staci Shacter, MS RD LDN, and Raisy Gittler, LMT CHTP, discussed energy we put forth and food choices. 

(l-r) Eleanor Chiger, Jay Kaplowitz and family

Glen and Rosa Golish

(l-r) Raisy Gittler, Diane Kirschenbaum, Florence Kaweblum

(l-r) Aliza Aronin and Judy Goldberg (l-r) Staci Shacter, Rebecca Kinzbrunner, Harriet Sklar, Aliza Aronin and Raisy Gittler Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 31

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southeast paint time Boca NewGen

hosted an evening chaired by Rachael and Mark Feuer at Craft It Paint Studio where attendees decorated wine glasses.

Miami Beach

welcomed a group for canvas painting, light bites and wine. Event Chairs Arline Reinhard and Fancy Saka helped as the group painted their own Tree of Peace under the guidance of the studio owner.

Mark and Rachael Feuer Sara and Ron Gottlieb

AMIT Gaugins

(l-r) Robin Jacobs, Fancy Saka, Claudia Sedighim Rachael Geuer and Elana Kieran

southeast wine’ing AMIT SE and Kosherwine.com joined to “Wine” with AMIT, and promote the AMIT Holiday Wine Club.

Boca Raton

This unique event was chaired by Hyla & Stuart Levine and Marissa & Dan Katz at the home of Anna Cohen. Kosherwine.com CEO David Perelman, treated attendees to a wine education and the tastes and aromas of various vintages.

Miami

On March 2nd, the Jewish Museum of South Florida, hosted our second wine tasting which was paired with a tour of the exhibit, Preserving Iraqi Jewish Heritage.

Hyla Levine and Anna Cohen

(l-r) Stacey Waldman and Aviva Hopkins (l-r) Mati Deutsch, Gale Grobman, Fancy Saka, Chanie Gottlieb, Claudia Sedighim (l-r) Rosa Golish, Beverly Jacob and Dana Petrover

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Edward and Rochelle Senker

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los angeles purim in the stadium

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n Purim Eve, AMIT and Chabad SOLA hosted our legendary annual Purim Party. Our theme this year was Purim in the Stadium. This year’s entertainment featured a live set by MOSHAV Band, DJ Yoav Gabay, and a non-stop jam session in the Chill Out Room. Over 700 people joined us throughout the evening and nobody wanted to go home! Eventually we had to wind down at around 2:00 AM. The costumes were creative and original, the music was wonderful and everyone commented on how this is their favorite event of the year! 

Hourly Megillah reading

The Purim Party in full swing

Michal Taviv-Margolese and Dan Altshuler

Excited Purim Revelers

(l-r) Yehuda Solomons (Moshav Band), Olivia Schwartz, Aura Rosenblatt, Dov Rosenblatt

kids and chesed The 5th graders at Ben Porat Yosef Yeshiva of Paramus, NJ were assigned a project to determine the most environmentally safe drinking cup to use at a lemonade stand. In addition to the project, the students decided to roll up their sleeves and raise money for AMIT. The engaging cross-curricular project reinforced the importance of chesed, and gave the students an opportunity to practice and apply a variety of academic skills, such as technology and math.

We want to thank the students of BPY for making AMIT part of their chesed program. 

Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 33

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DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Albert and Cherly Khodari (l-r) Jeanette Khachi, Shahla Moghadam, Evan and Layla Green

los angeles inside scoop

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hirty people joined AMIT President Debbie Moed, visiting from New York with her husband Sam, for a delightful brunch at Trattoria Natalie. Debbie was able to give the inside scoop about the latest AMIT projects and accomplishments in our 110 schools and programs across Israel. The event was generously sponsored by Layla and Evan Green, who, since joining the AMIT mission to Israel in 2015, have been outspoken, passionate ambassadors and staunch supporters for AMIT’s cause of building Israel, One Child at a Time through values-based education. Thank you to everyone who attended and learned more about AMIT’s work. 

(l-r) Barton Buchalter, Franklin Khachi, Gary Brenglass

Marcia Josephy, (seated) Monica Sufar and Marla Schechter

Evey Pollack and Pegi Medioni

atlanta purim basket project

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ach year in Atlanta, over 100 volunteers work together to run a community-wide Purim basket project in support of AMIT. Volunteers from several local synagogues, ranging from children through retirees, work together on this fundraiser. This past year, the group packaged and delivered 450 Purim baskets and sent out hundreds of Purim cards. With the proceeds raised, they sponsored a set of Robotics courses for AMIT high school students in Sderot, in addition to supporting the general AMIT fund. 

(l-r) Martin Bischoff, AMIT President Debbie Moed, Libby Lieber

(l-r) Avigayil Wolf, Tali Wolf, Yael Wolf

(l-r) Chava Neiditch, Davida Graber, Keren Fisher-Flusberg, Rachel Rabin with son Yosef, Yifat Levin, Sydney Rubin Lewis

Michelle Goldfeder and Eliana Leader

Back Row: Chava Neiditch, Mindy Caplan, Devorah Diener, Rebecca Green, Keren Fisher-Flusberg, Debra Seeman, Julie Wienmann, Leslie Silverman, Victoria Razin Front Row: Miriam Bayla Neiditch, Marla Netzel

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(l-r) Barbara Fisher (past President of Atlanta Group), Keren Fisher-Flusberg (current President of Atlanta Group), Nina Flusberg

7/7/16 9:20 AM

afli’s 8th yom ha’atzmaut social

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owntown Club Open House was the setting for AMIT’s college contingent to celebrate AFLI’s annual Yom Ha’atzmaut Social. DJ Jigga Pow and guest DJ Girl With No Job kept the crowd pumped up as they enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres, drinks, raffles and taking pictures in an old fashioned photo booth.

Event proceeds will go toward AFLI’s yearlong focus – the Cadet Program at AMIT Gutwirth Junior and Senior High School in Sderot. 

(l-r) Eliana Isaac, Suri Brach, Orah Schlanger

soulcycle for a cause AFLI and AMIT Young Leadership members joined together this past April for a “pre-matzo burn” at SoulCycle SoHo. This charity ride’s proceeds will help support psychological and trauma-related services for the children of AMIT. Our awesome event chairs were Jessica Blank, Suri Brach, Maddy Ellberger and Lana Meyer.  Maddy Ellberger and Jordan Laske

(l-r) Jordana Alpert, Deena Rothman, Rachel Silver

Mati Grauer and Avi Adelsberg

Winter 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 35

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Honoree Loulou Zonenshine and Family

sephardic temple annual luncheon The Sephardic Temple Chapter of AMIT held its Annual Luncheon and Garden Party honoring Loulou Zonenshine on Thursday, June 2, 2016. The event was co-chaired by Marion Crespi and Zipporah Marans. Loulou was honored for her commitment and tireless efforts on behalf of Israel. She spoke emotionally about her own personal connection to AMIT having spent four years living at AMIT’s Kfar Batya Youth Aliyah Village when she was a teenager.

The Sephardic Temple chapter of AMIT has strong connections to the children living in AMIT Beit Hayeled in Jerusalem and is currently involved in the Beit Hayeled capital campaign to help refurbish and renovate the 40-year-old facility. (l-r) Zipporah Marans, Loulou Zonenshine, Marion Crespi,

(l-r) Andrew Goldsmith, Mitzi Golden, Rabbi Arnold and Zipporah Marans, Martin Elias, Veronica Arevalo, Marion Crespi

mother in israel – englewood style

Emily Dauber and Marion Weiss

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MIT Shalva Chai Chapter in Englewood, NJ held its annual Mother-In-Israel Evening on Wednesday, June 1st, honoring the well deserving members Emily Dauber and Marion Weiss. The event took place outdoors at the beautiful home of Dana Sasouness. The evening featured beautiful speeches by the honorees and a thought-provoking Dvar Torah by Rachel Ashe, a local Midreshet AMIT alumna. Guests also enjoyed Israeli music by Yonatan Gutfeld and delicious Israeli food.

front row (l-r) Rosie, Lily and Chloe Dauber back row (l-r) Paul and Emily Dauber, Dr. and Mrs. Leonard and Lorraine Dauber

(l-r) Judith Ottensoser, Eliana Doft , Marion Weiss, Suzanne Doft

(l-r) Elisa Freilich, Livia Marcovici, Daniela Gontownik (Chapter President), Dana Sasouness, Jessica Fink

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(l-r) Emily Dauber, Debbie Moed, Marion Weiss

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spanning AMIT world New England - New England Council/Ra’anana Chapter gathered at the home of Sharona and Eric Taieb for the second installment in the AMIT Speaker Series. Dr. Jeffrey Jaffe, Chief Executive Officer of the World Wide Web Consortium, engaged the audience in a spirited discussion of Who Owns the World Wide Web and How Do We Keep Making It Better? All enjoyed a magnificent dessert reception prepared by Sharona Taieb. Eric and Sharona Taieb

Cleveland - AMIT Cleveland held their annual Pre-Shavuot bake sale.

It was a great success with members of the greater Cleveland Jewish community cooking and baking delicious soups, challahs, cakes, cookies, babkahs, pitas, quiches, kugels and so much more. In addition to the fun, it was a hugely successful fundraiser for AMIT. We can’t wait for next Shavuot to do it again.  Aviva Klein and Chaya Flank

New York - On June 5th, AMIT marched in the Annual Celebrate Israel Parade. Thousands of revelers and marchers braved the wind and rain to celebrate and cheer the 68th birthday of the State of Israel. Flags waved high, singers and dancers performed with enthusiasm, and pride filled the streets of Manhattan.  AMIT delegation marching in the Israel Day Parade

Midwest - The 2016 AMIT Midwest’s Shavuot Bake Sale was held the home of Jen Koplow, in memory of her mother-in-law, Ellen Koplow, z”l, who was a major supporter of AMIT. This year’s event was a huge success. Special thanks to all our bakers, and to our NewGen committee: Chaili Glickman, Rebecca Gorenstein, Dani Krule, Jen Koplow and Adina Shyovitz.  Carmel Chapter at Shavuot Bake Sale

Baltimore - AMIT Rae Koenigsberg Chapter in Baltimore, Maryland prepares 500 Mishloach Manot baskets each year for over 25 years. Irina Diamond, devoted member of AMIT who creates the theme for this project is featured with the beautiful 2016 packages. 

d,

Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE :: 37

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PLANNED GIVING

By Robert E. Sutton

.‫ המורשת שלך‬.‫העתיד שלהם‬

One of the best parts of human nature is our capacity for empathy and our resulting willingness to help Jewish children we will never meet.

38 :: Summer 2016 :: AMIT MAGAZINE

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hrough the AMIT Legacy Society you

have the ability to shape the future of Israel and its most important asset – the children. You become a member when you make a planned gift, a contribution that has a long-lasting and exponential benefit for the children of AMIT. Planned gifts are game changers for AMIT. Your planned gifts

will help create cutting-edge educational programs, build new schools and facilities, establish scholarships, and launch major new initiatives. Planned gifts are an investment in the future of Israel, while at the same time helping you achieve your financial goals.

AMIT LEGACY SOCIETY Judy and Ronald Aronson Barbara Barron Roslyn Besdine Elaine Brief Rosalyn and Dr. Herman Efron Esther and Joe Epstein Esther W. and Jack Goldman Harriet and Arnold Gussin Bess P. Krivitsky Emma Leaf Norman Levine Karin McQuillan Betty Narotsky Estelle Rubin Shirley Schnidman Cathy and Chaim Schuck Dr. and Mrs. Eugene Schwalb Mr. and Mrs. Shrag Sondra and Myron Sokal Drs. Francine and Aaron Stein Mr. and Mrs Lester Sutker Gloria Zeisel * Anonymous (37) * Anonymous - Israel 4Add your name to the AMIT Legacy Society

It requires good planning for AMIT to successfully continue providing an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for all that lies ahead in their world. And with your good planning, you can help us continue this standard and mission for years

Dear friend, We are humbled by your generosity which allows AMIT to fulfill the promise of a brighter future for Israel’s children. We could not continue our mission

to come. Join other supporters who share your values

of educating and nurturing thousands of children

and expectations by becoming a member of the AMIT

from diverse backgrounds each year without your

Legacy Society. Legacy Society members understand just how important they are to the continued success of our organization.

thoughtful support. AMIT supporters, are making a promise of a better tomorrow for AMIT’s children.

Think about what inspires you most about our programs and consider what you can do to ensure that our important work continues for generations to

The AMIT Legacy Society honors all planned giving donors for their support of our mission.

We would be honored to include you in our AMIT Legacy Society if you have: • Provided for AMIT Children in your will or trust.

• Designated AMIT as the beneficiary of a qualified retirement plan, savings bond, bank account, or life

come. Learn how you can protect the financial needs of your loved ones and help empower AMIT children at the same time. By including AMIT in your estate plan, as I have, you can ensure its ability to continue to build Israel, one child at a time. I encourage you to consider how you can become a partner in changing lives of Israel’s youth who need our help.

Sondra Sokal Chair, Planned Giving

insurance policy.

• Created a planned gift that returns fixed or flexible income to you or others.

For more information or to let us know that you have already included AMIT in your estate plans, please contact Robin Isaacson, National Director of Planned Giving, at 954-922-5100 or robini@amitchildren.org.

All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential and imply no obligation to make a gift.

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Welcoming our inaugural class in July 2016 2 Color — CMYK

PMS 286 and PMS Cool Gra Font is Pill

2 2 Color Color — — CMYK CMYK PMS 286 286 and and PMS PMS Cool PMS Cool Gray Gray 9 9 Font Font is is Pill Pill

Announcing the historic opening of the

Touro College of Dental Medicine Continuing our tradition of excellence in medical and health education

As a leading national educator of healthcare professionals, we are proud to add Touro College of Dental Medicine to the Touro system. TouroCDM is the first dental school to open in New York State in nearly 50 years and will be located on the campus of New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. TouroCDM will include a four-year pre-doctoral program for students, a continuing education program for practicing dentists and a 132-chair community dental clinic focused on providing treatment for patients in underserved neighborhoods in the Bronx and Hudson Valley.

For more information please visit http://dental.touro.edu All Touro campuses and schools are sabbath, yom tov and kashruth observant.

TOURO COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY SYSTEM Where Knowledge and Values Meet

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@wearetouro Touro is an equal opportunity institution. For Touro’s complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please visit www.touro.edu

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