T h e J e w i s h H o m e n m a r c h 1 4 , 2013
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Marking 35 Years of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway This Sunday marked the 35th Anniversary of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway. This year, the institution paid tribute to two HAFTR families who have devoted countless hours to our yeshiva. Our Guests of Honor were Laura & Yaron Kornblum, and this year’s Yachad Awardees were Janine & Cal Nathan. Laura and Yaron Kornblum, “Guests of Honor,” reside in Woodmere, New York and are proud parents of two beautiful children, Amanda and Benjamin. Both Laura and Yaron have been devoted to HAFTR and various other charitable organizations. They are committed to their family, education, and their community. These traits were instilled in them by their parents Richard and Virginia Gordimer and Rabbi Shalom and Sara Kornblum.
writing teacher in HAFTR Middle School for two years before her current position as 12th grade English instructor at the Torah Academy for Girls. Laura has been involved in numerous PTA committees over the years and various charitable projects in the community. Yaron was raised in Brooklyn and is a graduate of Yeshiva of Flat(right to left) Laaura & Yaron Kornblum –Guests of Honor, bush, The Brooklyn ColExecutive Director Reuben Maron, Cal & Janine Nathan— lege Scholars Program, Yachad Awardees and Hofstra Law School. He is a partner in the real estate depart- tal in the construction of our brand new ment of the law firm Rivkin Radler LLP sports complex. After the devastation and practices in all areas of commercial of Hurricane Sandy, Yaron co-founded real estate throughout the United States HaftrCares and continues to be active within the HAFTR lay leadership as well as other charitable organizations in the metropolitan area. Janine and Cal Nathan are being recognized as this year’s Yachad Awardees. They are the proud parents of Brian, Matthew, Ellie, and Erin, all HAFTR students. Janine and Cal have a true love of community and take deep pride of their involvement in local causes. Janine grew up in Lawrence and attended HAFTR from K-12. She went on to attend Barnard College and then re(right to left) A representative from the office of Ed Mangano, Martha, giving citations to Jason Cury (on ceived her medical degree at NYCOM. behalf of Gruss Life Monument Funds), followed by Yaron & Laura Kornblum and Janine & Cal Nathan After finishing a residency in pediatrics, Janine returned to the Five Towns to Laura grew up in Tampa, Florida and internationally. Yaron has served as practice and care for many of our comand attended Stern College. She subse- Co-President of HAFTR, continues to munity’s children. She is currently an quently received her Master’s degree in serve on the Finance Committee, and associate at Bellmore-Merrick PediatEnglish Education from Columbia Uni- volunteers his time as legal counsel ric and Adolescent Medicine. Janine is an active member of HAFTR’s Board of Education and takes a daily interest in the educational needs of all HAFTR children. She is also a member of the Community Chest where she serves on the Neighbors in Need Committee, which allocates funds to local families that are challenged meeting their daily needs. Janine is proud of her involvement in Sharsheret as well as the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Cal attended NYU where he received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Stern School of Business. He is currently a partner at NYFF Events, a leading national events company that most recently opened offices HAFTR guests davening outside of the Delta Club in Israel. Cal has served on the Dinner versity’s Teachers College. Laura has to the school on countless occasions. Committee for the past three years and taught in various prominent yeshivot Yaron currently serves as Chairman of is active on the school’s Political Acin the tri-state area. She was a creative the Gym Committee and was instrumen- tion Committee. Currently, he is a Board
Member at the Five Towns Community Chest where he chairs the annual 5K as well as the Neighbors in Need Benefit. He is also very active in the Hewlett Woodmere Little League. This year HAFTR was extremely proud to pay tribute to Gruss Life Monument Funds, Inc. and Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE). HAFTR has been fortunate to receive funding from both of these organizations. Their financial outreach to us has helped in many ways. Most recently, their Building Renovation Fund has assisted us in completing our new playground for our Lower Campus and our new Sports Complex. CIJE has been instrumental in educational outreach to each of our divisions in many academic and technological areas. Their simple mission statement says it all, “We support Jewish education.” Both organiza-
HAFTR Alum and Illusionist Eric Wilzig attempting to escape from the Jaws of Life
tions have been instrumental in helping students excel in math and science, reading and writing, thinking and reasoning, so they can handle tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities. CIJE provides innovative programming, cutting-edge technology and vital support. More than 450 guests attended this wonderful event held at Citi Field. The night’s entertainment included a moving performance by the HAFTR High School Girls’ Choir as well as a unique show by illusionist and HAFTR alumnus Eric Wilzig. The HAFTR dinner was a wonderful opportunity to bring ruach, spirit, into the baseball stadium. Congratulations to this year’s honorees on a well-deserved honor.