Kavanot - Fall/Winter 2019-2020

Fall/Winter

KAVANOT

2019–2020 5779–5780

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

A Day in the Life

KAVANOT

Fall/Winter 2019–2020 Volume 5, Number 1

D E PA R T M E N T S

Michael Kay

UPDATES

By the Numbers

4

Writers Workshop Curriculum

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Middle School Clubs

7

Engineering & Entrepreneurship

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Fall Teams

10

All-School Tefilah

12

Community BBQ

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PROFILES

Lower School Social Worker: Alana Adler

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College Counseling: Laura Miller & Rose Weinstein

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Yom Dorot (Generations Day)

& BEYOND

Events Calendar

Reflections

2 A Day in the Life A Glimpse into the Lives of our Students

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27

Four Rabbinical Students, One Talmud Teacher 30

Alumni Profile: Nick Kroll & Andrew Goldberg

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32

Alumni Notes

F E AT U R E S

16 Alumni Trustees Jason Friedland & Milos Silber

Kavanot is the magazine of The Leffell School in Westchester County, New York. It is published by the Office of Institutional Advancement, Director Barbara Shapiro.

Designed and produced by Jessica Weber Design, Inc. Editor/Writer Claudia Gryvatz Copquin

Principal Photography Don Hamerman

Associate Editors Maria Creanza Erika DaSilva Beth Nechamkin

Staff Photographer Marcie Gandell

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Reflections from

MICHAEL KAY H E A D

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O F

SC H OO L

The coincidence of these three events another local school and traveled to ne particular Monday highlights the unique aspirations of our neighborhood homes to build sukkot earlier this fall embodied school. Like any top-tier independent for members of the community, while for me the true mission of or public school, we are appropriately members of the High School student The Leffell School. focused on providing the best possible government volunteered their time over I awoke that day to an email from academic experience and outcomes for the weekend to assemble the sukkot a parent of a High School student. She our students. What distinguishes The of people who were not able to do so noted that her daughter had gathered Leffell School, however, is that this acathemselves. together the previous day with ten of her demic experience is embedded within an Finally, that same day, in a stark school friends, to celebrate a birthday environment that also fosters other critireminder that these important acts of at a local coffee shop. When the mother cally important outcomes: the went to pick up her daughnurturing of values, a sense of ter, she was pulled aside by a What distinguishes the Leffell School … responsibility for others and server in the shop, who asked towards the broader commuwhere the students went is that this academic experience is nity, and a joyful embracing to school and commented embedded within an environment that of Jewish practice. that they acted toward one We have adopted for ouranother and toward her with also fosters … the nurturing of values, selves an incredibly ambitious exceptional politeness and a sense of responsibility for others and mission: to enable families respect — uncharacteristic of towards the broader community, and a from a wide range of Jewish the local teenagers who typibackgrounds to benefit from cally frequent the shop. joyful embracing of Jewish practice. a world-class scholastic proThat same day, I also gram that opens doors to an received in my inbox the kindness exist in the context of a rigorexciting future — without asking them plans for our sukkah-building initiato compromise on other elements of the ous academic environment, the College tives. In anticipation of the holiday of schooling experience that are important Sukkot, our students and faculty comBoard sent the results of our students’ to them. Of course, this refusal to commost recent round of SAT testing. We bined the joyous mitzvah of constructing promise on excellence extends beyond were pleased with the scores, which the sukkah with the important virtue affirmed our students’ hard work, dedithe realms of Jewish life and character of supporting people in need, and they cated preparation, and eager anticipation development, to such areas as the arts, planned two major projects. Our eighth of the college application process. athletics, and engineering. In fact, just graders joined their counterparts from

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KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

days before I received the emails about the coffee shop, the sukkah building, and the SAT, I learned through other messages that five of our student musicians and singers were named to the Area AllState Orchestra and Choir for the New York State School Music Association, that we would be establishing new teams in two different interscholastic sports, and that two additional student groups now have U.S. patent applications pending for products that they invented in our Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2) program.

As any head of school would, I felt great pride when I learned about our students’ performance on the SAT. We are a school, after all, and academic success and preparation for college lie at the core of our organizational goals and success metrics. I will admit, though, that the letter from the College Board was not the most exciting email I received that Monday — that honor belongs to the communication about our students in the coffee shop, or perhaps the plan to build sukkot throughout the community.

For our mission/obligation is far more

important to the future of our society — and far more sacred to the future of the Jewish people — than the mere intellectual training of students. We will have been successful only if these students also feel a responsibility to assume the mantle of leadership, to act as caring world citizens of strong character, and to embody on a daily basis the values with which they have been imbued throughout their lives.

How do we do this? I welcome you to enjoy this issue of Kavanot, as we explore a day in the life of The Leffell School for six of our students.

FALL/WINTER 2019–2020 | KAVANOT MAGAZINE

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The Leffell School by the Numbers

176

High School students who participate in the E2 (Engineering and Entrepreneurship) program

40 Student-led clubs

13% Students in the Class of 2019 who were National Merit Semifinalists or Commended Students (compared to the 3% national average)

95 ZIP codes in which our families live

4

United States patents pending for products invented by High School students in the E2 (Engineering and Entrepreneurship) program

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Athletics teams competing in the NYS Public High School Athletic Association, with 35 league, sectional, and regional championships

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Consecutive years our Mock Trial team has gone to advanced level competition

16,582 Community service hours completed by our High School students last year

This architectural model of the Upper School was created to scale using precise computerized measurements by students Jacob Weisberg and Samara Tabankin (Class of 2020). It was constructed with birch plywood, acrylic paint, and found objects.

Updates THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

Write On! Our Workshop Approach to Learning

A

t the Lower School, everyone is a writer! From kindergarten to fifth grade, our students are putting ideas, thoughts and feelings down on paper as they learn a most valuable life skill in an English Language Arts curriculum that focuses on every aspect of writing.

“The goal is for our students to understand that writing is a powerful medium for expressing themselves,” says Lower School Director of Teaching and Learning Elise Goldman, who’s been enhancing the ELA curriculum for several years. The result: a consistent workshop approach to writing in every grade.

In addition to ongoing direct instruction in essential writing mechanics such as spelling, punctuation and grammar, our students are now also digging into the fundamentals of the writing process — from formulating a creative idea to

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writing down a first draft, to learning how and why to add or remove exposition, to making revisions and editing and finally, to the end product — a finetuned piece of writing to be proud of.

Throughout the school year, they have ample opportunities to showcase their talent with numerous classroom writing assignments in nonfiction, personal narrative, poetry and more.

In addition to practice, practice, practice by putting their own words to paper, our students are learning how to write through “mentor texts.” These

KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

are books that serve as solid examples of descriptive writing, structure, repetitive language, strong leads and strong endings, Goldman explains, citing as examples A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams and Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.

When they respond to published writing, children are more motivated to produce their own works that get a response from an audience. “They have a reason to want to work hard at it, revise it, spell properly … They’re driven to learn the necessary skills because they now appreciate what it means to get the message across well,” says Goldman.

As E. L. Doctorow said: “Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” Go, Lower School students, and write on!

Club Ed

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Updates

Middle School

Why THE ALTERED SCHEDULE? With a vast list

of wide-ranging options and a dedicated timeslot, last year, all of our middle schoolers joined a club in a new 8th period, incorporated into the curriculum on Wednesdays, from 1:15 to 2:00 p.m.

“We wanted to provide students with opportunities to experience things they might not otherwise, such as hands-on cooking, Tai Chi, Israeli sports, and playing in a rock band,” says Amy Holtzer, The Leffell Middle School principal, adding, “These are just a few of the club options we’ve created.”

During this year’s Club Fair held in the gym, a total of 20 new and diverse clubs were showcased in individual stations, enabling students to visit each one, speak with faculty about details, and ask many questions. Choosing just one club wasn’t easy, though, as our unique and

varied selections ranged from Jewelry Making to Memory Book, to Crafts Club and Strategy Board Games. In the end, the most popular choices were: Jewish Cooking Around the World, in which students learn about Jewish communities and their distinct cuisines (and take home recipes sampled in the classroom!).

Dungeons & Dragons, where students learn strategies to master this immersive fantasy roleplay game.

And a close call between Soccer and Basketball, where students improve their skills under the direction of faculty coaches, and the Harry Potter Club, which combines puzzles and other brain challenges based on the beloved Harry Potter franchise, with chesed work.

In addition to important learning experiences, the Club period is all about connecting through mutual interests — not only among students, but among students and faculty.

“The Club period enables inter-grade experiences, as all three middle school levels are in clubs together,” says Holtzer.

“And it provides students with opportunities for bonding and building important relationships between the adults leading the clubs and students, beyond the traditional classroom setting.”

Ultimately, sparking interest in something new while connecting with others enriches the overall well-being of our youth — and that’s what The Leffell School is all about.

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Updates THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

E

2

Minds

Our students mature into confident, fearless leaders throughout their time at The Leffell School. One of the ways we foster such growth is through Engineering and Entrepreneurship (E2), our four-year engineering, design, innovation, entrepreneurship and management High School course. This is essentially an incubator for new product ideas, experiments and development.

The hands-on, comprehensive STEAM program (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) is run by Leffell’s Director of Engineering and Design, Dr. Danny Aviv, and taps into our students’ creativity and ingenuity beginning in the ninth grade with an introductory course, and culminating as our students move forward in High School with materialized products.

Here are three examples of studentgenerated projects. “I selected these projects/kids because I am overwhelmed with pride when I think about what they accomplished over the course of the time I’ve known them,” Dr. Aviv says.

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KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

ConCaution CO-FOUNDERS: GRACE DAVIS, LEAH FEILBOGEN, JESSICA BADEN, AND MAYA RABINOWITZ

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ur students describe ConCaution as “a headband that protects the brain and allows athletes to play sports fearlessly. Our headband consists of carbon fiber, an accelerometer, and shock absorbing compressing foam. ConCaution consists of three main components.

Carbon fiber is an extremely strong material that is very light weight, which acts as a wave and spreads energy using a ripple effect. This will avoid the chance of 95 g’s or more coming in contact with the brain which causes a concussion. The compressing foam will absorb energy from the impact of the object. It will minimize any great force from the collision. After both of these components accomplish their tasks, the accelerometer will calculate the amount of force the head has absorbed. This will then be sent to an app on your phone, and will give a list of treatment options based on the amount of force involved in the collision.”

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Updates

at Work

E-Band

Journal Pet

CO-FOUNDERS: ADAM SHINDER, OLIVIER MASTEY, AND JACQUELINE LEVY

CO-FOUNDERS: BEN BENSON, RACHEL AMAR, ELAN ROTH, AND LIOR BEN-DAVID

T

his is a band which inflates to apply pressure on an open wound, while also measuring blood pressure.

According to the students who designed it, “the EBand is a smart bandage tourniquet hybrid that prevents major blood loss from an injury while also avoiding the cut off of blood circulation. E-Band is a sleeve that can be easily slipped on over an injured limb by the average person. The band uses liquid sensors to sense where the blood is and which air-pocket to inflate in order to apply pressure to only the wounded area. Once the bleeding begins to slow down, the band will begin to release some pressure for both the safety of the user and their comfort.

It can sense the user’s heart rate and give advice on how to calm down and stay safe. If the band senses that the user’s heart rate is dangerously low, it will immediately call emergency services and send the user’s location using the GPS module.”

J

ournal Pet is a comforting stuffed bunny that functions as an easy-to-use verbal journal. As described by the students who designed it, “Journal Pet creates a safe environment for children to express their feelings and practice maintaining their mental health through communication. Journal Pet uses voice recognition and synthesis to converse with the child. This software is powered by a Raspberry Pi located inside of the bunny. Journal Pet is also equipped with servo motors and LEDs which lift and illuminate the bunny’s ears, engaging the user.

Conversations with the bunny will primarily consist of the bunny asking open-ended questions, similar to a journaling prompt that an adult or teenager might use … Journal Pet has been developed to best suit young children in aiding them in managing their mental health.”

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Updates THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

FALL TEAMS

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER

HONORING OUR STUDENT ATHLETES SO MANY WINNERS!

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ur first official Sports Banquet took place on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at the Reis Family Media Center at the Upper School, with over 200 parents and students attending to witness star athletes receive well-deserved awards. “We wanted to have an opportunity to recognize all the athletes based on their performance throughout the year,” said Athletic Director Scott D’Ottavio. Among the ten award categories were Varsity-MVP, JV-MVP, and Athlete of the Year. “It was an honor to celebrate our student athletes,” he added, and plans are in the works to make this a new, annual event everyone can look forward to.

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KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Updates

BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY SOCCER

BOYS MODIFIED SOCCER

GIRLS VARSITY TENNIS

GIRLS MODIFIED TENNIS

GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL

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Updates THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

ALL-SCHOOL TEFILAH

A Morning Burst of Joyful Prayer at the Lower School

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he joyous sounds of spirited singing, dancing and praying can be heard from the Lower School gym each month when students, siblings, parents, grandparents, faculty, and local clergy get together first thing in the morning for our all-school tefilah. Led by Rabbi Yael Buechler and music teacher Amichai Margolis, these lively gatherings are a special way for our community to come together and connect with each other in an uplifting, spiritual experience.

“Our all-school tefilot are a unique opportunity for families to share in a program that has incredible energy and excitement at the Lower School,” Rabbi Buechler says. “We often start by sharing a story about a holiday or event we’re celebrating. And sometimes we start with shpiels — fun skits between Dr. Kay and myself, that are musically inclined.”

One of the things that makes all-school tefilah so exciting is that the focus of each tefilah is different, depending on whether it’s Shabbat, a special time of year or if there’s a Jewish holiday to celebrate. Leading up to Rosh HaShanah, for example, many students participate in Team Mighty Shofarot by blowing the shofar together.

Before Simchat Torah, fifth-grade students read Torah and each grade has a chance to have an aliyah to the Torah.

No matter what is taking place during the half-hour program, “To me, it’s a ‘wow’ moment for us. It’s a vigorous burst of everything that’s amazing about our community. And if you joined all-school tefilah for even a few minutes, you’d experience this joy we share for Judaism and yiddishkeit,” Rabbi Buechler says.

Parents and grandparents leave our all-school tefilot with huge smiles, a warm feeling and a satisfying sense of belonging in our community.

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KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Updates

COMMUNITY BBQ

Our Biggest Back-to-School Kick-Off, Ever!

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n what has evolved into a highly anticipated annual back-to-school event, 1,100 members of our kehilah came together for the Community BBQ on Sunday, September 8. The beautiful weather ensured that ruach ran high at the Upper School as students and families, faculty and staff, alumni and friends enjoyed delicious food, face painting, pony rides, and bounce houses.

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Profiles THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

This is too hard. I can' t do it.

I don’t know who to play with at recess.

I feel left out.

This isn’t perfect.

It’s not good enough.

I’m having trouble with my best friend.

I don’t know what to do when I get nervous.

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THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Profiles

Social Emotional Learning

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hildren experience many emotions like these at school, but because they’re young, they’re just developing their ability to understand and express their feelings.

Providing TLC, coping skills and so much more is our

Lower School Social Worker, Alana Adler, LMSW, MAT. Her role in a nutshell: “I work with students to help them problem-solve the challenges that might be happening on the recess field, in the cafeteria, or in the classroom and I consult with teachers to help carry these approaches into the classroom,” Adler says.

With a BA in psychology from Barnard College, a master’s degree in social work from New York University, and a master’s degree in teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, Adler is exceptionally qualified to be an integral part of our support services team.

She offers a safe space for our students when they’re feeling upset, frustrated, sad or angry. She’s also working with them to identify these feelings and to learn how to handle them, important lessons they will carry with them throughout their years at The Leffell School and into adulthood.

In addition, she’s assisting our youngsters to develop positive interpersonal skills such as sharing and showing empathy for others, which is an ongoing learning process. Since the children are young, Adler says, the ways they might communicate their needs is typically through behavior — withdrawing or acting out — or by making statements that might not seem directly connected to the issue at hand.

When this happens, Adler is there to draw them out with conversations that help our children self-reflect: What do we do when we’re stuck? What can we say to ourselves? What support might we look for? Does deep breathing work for us? If not, what helps us stay focused and calm? These are some of the questions she might present to a child in emotional distress, and Adler has seen positive results.

“Students have been incredibly engaged and open to these activities and conversations, carrying language and practical tips from the discussions into the everyday,” says Adler, who also spends time directly in the classroom.

For example, “I went into some fourth-grade classes to help build perseverance and community. Through team-building exercises, we reflected on what it’s like when we encounter obstacles — what’s challenging and what helps us overcome these difficult moments,” she says. “Students then self-reflected on the role of communication, inclusion, encouragement, positive self-talk, and mindfulness in their successes.”

Adler says working with the children at Leffell, both individually and in the classroom setting, is an honor and a joy, especially because the school community is so supportive of her efforts on behalf of the students.

“Everybody is working together.

Everyone is genuinely here for the students. People are passionate about what they do and really care. The authenticity is palpable,” she says.

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LIFE@LE

EFFELL is an opportunity for growth, exploration, and development.

Every day we provide our students with a top-quality, values-based education designed to foster academic success, promote lifelong learning, nurture individual passions, and encourage service to others. How do we do it?

Here’s a glimpse into a typical day at The Leffell School.

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BELLE

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ow in fourth grade, nine-year-old Belle Cepler has been part of our school community since kindergarten.

She lives in White Plains and takes the bus to school each morning with her second-grade sister.

In Instrumental Music, students learn rhythm and how it relates to reading music.

Belle’s day begins with mifgash boker (morning meeting) which utilizes the Responsive Classroom approach.

Her class takes a break before lunch to enjoy the Lower School’s playgrounds, fields, and garden.

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Belle learns to write a book review during Literacy class.

Ms. Gitnik gives Belle attention during class.

Ryan takes Ms. Weiss’ Accelerated Tanakh class, where students study the Torah and discuss its relevance to the challenges of today.

Ryan’s class views a lab demonstration during Honors Chemistry.

RYAN

F

or tenth-grader Ryan Altman, whose busy schedule ranges from Honors Chemistry to E2 to the soccer field, what sets the school apart is the kehilah (caring community) and the fact that “everyone has an opportunity to excel at something.”

In E2 (Engineering and Entrepreneurship), Ryan makes his Arduino presentation.

In the afternoon, Ryan attends Algebra 2/Trigonometry with Ms. Helfgott.

Ryan warms up with his teammates before a Varsity soccer game.

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NATHANIEL

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hirteen-year-old Nathaniel Yellin, an eighth grader, lives in Scarsdale and takes the bus to school. Nathaniel is double accelerated in math, taking a tenth-grade geometry class in eighth grade, and he welcomes the challenges of his academic day. Of course, he also loves the challenges of being on the baseball and basketball teams!

Nathaniel begins each day with tefilah, including Torah reading on Mondays and Thursdays.

Nathaniel attends algebra-based physical science in the afternoon.

At recess, Nathaniel plays basketball with his friends in one of the Upper School’s gymnasiums.

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During Israel Studies, Nathaniel’s class discusses the geographic origins of Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews.

Alison’s first period class is Advanced Hebrew with Avi Nahumi, who has taught at the school for over forty years.

ALISON

S

ixteen-year-old Alison Kessler lives in New Rochelle. The eleventh-grader cites the personal connections she has with her teachers as one of the things she loves about our school.

In her English class, Voices in American Literature, Alison and her classmates analyze and discuss the readings in small groups.

Alison practices with her music teacher, Mr. Ehrlich. Last spring she starred as Rosa Bud in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and she is currently in the Juilliard Pre-College vocal program.

Alison takes notes in 20th Century U.S. History with Mr. Modica.

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BENJAMIN

S

econd-grader Benjamin (Benny) Goldstein, who carpools to the Lower School from Riverdale, has an abundance of activities and classes to enjoy each school day, but he says his favorite subjects are Judaics and Social Studies.

In Literacy, Benny and his classmates engage in an exercise in descriptive writing designed to encourage a sense of community in the classroom.

In Hebrew class, students are split into small groups. Their minds are challenged with language cards.

Benny’s Media/ Technology class introduces early coding ideas through a learning game that combines instruction and movement.

After lunch, Benny enjoys connecting with friends during recess on the playground.

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In Honors Calculus, Elianna’s class reviews mathematical models.

ELIANNA Before lunch, Elianna and Associate Director of College Counseling Rose Weinstein meet with a college representative.

In Jewish History, Elianna’s class works in pairs to study primary and secondary sources to solve historical problems.

S

enior Elianna Gross, 17, drives herself to school from Teaneck, NJ. She specifically chose to attend high school at Leffell because of our “welcoming community,” she says, and truly appreciates the acceptance and kindness she feels on campus.

Seniors in Elianna’s Forensic Science class with Ms. Fei use science to examine evidence and solve crimes.

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Profiles THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

E G E L L : G CO N I L E S N U O C

l a n o s r e P It’s L rsonal our pe y e r a “We the ers in d a e l r chee ing, d, help n u o r backg nd ating a advoc ess.” s proc i h t g n i nur tur ER

A MILL

— LAUR

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aura Miller likes to say she has 75 kids — two of them biological and in college, the rest well on their way, as Leffell School seniors.

Since becoming part of our community last year, Miller, our Director of College Counseling, and Rose Weinstein, our Associate Director of College Counseling, have warmly embraced our college-bound students, making them feel comfortable, nurtured and understood as they embark on what is often perceived as the stressful college application process.

But it doesn’t have to be so. “We want this to be a memorable and joyful experience for our students, so Rose and I make it a point to get to know every senior and develop relationships with them, not just as college applicants, but as people and our kids,” says Miller, who has over twenty years of experience in the field.

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Profiles

By building one-on-one relationships with the senior student body, step-by-step Miller and Weinstein help students figure out how to whittle down an overwhelming selection of 3,000 colleges to their personal interest lists. From there, they assist with every aspect of the application process, including advising on and editing the all-important personal essay and prepping students for interviews.

“We want our applicants to have the appropriate tools and feel empowered so they present their best selves to potential colleges,” Weinstein says.

Behind the scenes, Miller and Weinstein are often speaking about student applicants with deans of admissions at different colleges. They even travel to various campuses for face-to-face meetings.

“Deans appreciate that we go to their schools to personalize the process,” Miller says.

In fact, personalizing the process so that it’s an exciting and memorable journey, is one of the priorities of the College Counseling office. And while the focus is on seniors, our juniors also begin to get a feel for this unique adventure, with special programs geared specifically for them. In the spring, there’s a College Fair and this year, a trip to Boston where our students can visit a number of campuses.

Both Miller and Weinstein come to The Leffell School with a wealth of experience at guiding students through the college application process.

Previously, Long Islander Miller served as the director of college guidance at The Frisch School in Paramus, NJ. Before that she was employed at the North Shore Hebrew Academy High School in Great Neck, and at the Out-of-Door Academy in Sarasota, FL. She completed her undergraduate work in english and women’s studies at the University of Pennsylvania and pursued graduate studies at New York University.

Originally from Maryland, Weinstein received her bachelor’s degree from New York University, later pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling at Hunter College. She completed counseling internships in the New York City public school system in both academic and college counseling settings, and then went on to work with students as a college guidance counselor at the Yeshivah of Flatbush in Brooklyn.

r ant ou “We w ants applic e the to hav riate approp nd esent tools a hey pr t o s d e power ntial feel em to pote s e v l e est s N their b INSTEI SE WE O R es.” — colleg

Their best advice for our students on their way to college?

“Lean on us. We want this process of applying to colleges to be joyful. So remember that you’re not alone. We are your personal cheerleaders in the background, helping, advocating and nurturing this process,” says Miller, adding, “Senior year is a finite period of time so enjoy this very special period in your life. Enjoy the ride.”

And offers Weinstein, “Stay calm. Keep organized. Don’t leave things to the last minute. One foot in front of the other and one step at a time…”

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Special Events THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

YO M D O R OT

O

n May 10, students at the Lower School celebrated Yom Dorot (Generations Day) with their extended families. Yom Dorot is a great way for families to experience the beautiful ruach (spirit) and excitement that happen at school every day with different generations including siblings, parents, and grandparents. Families enjoyed meaningful time together during the program which included a light breakfast, tefilah (prayers), classroom time, and lunch.

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Events Calendar FALL/WINTER 2019–20 NOVEMBER

3 8 8 10 13 14 15 17

High School Open House Lower School All-School Tefilah Lower School Yom Chesed Lower School Open House NYC Lunch & Learn Westchester Lunch & Learn Lower School Curriculum & Coffee NYC STEAM for Toddlers

19 Grade 8 Israel Trip Parent Orientation Meeting

20 Grade 12 Lev v’Nefesh Parent Meeting

20 Women’s Lunch and Learn

22 High School Interfaith Thanksgiving Program

27 Lower School All-School Tefilah

DECEMBER

5

6

7

8

8-9

10

10

11

Lower School Curriculum & Coffee Lower School Parent/Baby Playdate High School Midnight Run Meet the Middle School Middle School Musical Grade 4 Sheilat Rav Grade 8 Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) Meeting Grade 10 FCD Meeting

12 Grade 12 FCD Meeting 14-15 PTO Lower School Play 15 Holiday Boutique 18 Leffestival Performing Arts Expo 18 Women’s Lunch and Learn 19 Grade 7 Chagigat Mitzvah 20 Lower School All-School Tefilah & Chanukah Celebration 20 Lower School Admissions Reception

JANUARY

8

8

10

11

15 16, 18, 19

NYC Lunch & Learn Grade 11 College Night Grade 3 Chagigat Chumash Grade 6 Student Havdalah Night Middle School Geography Bee High School Musical

17 Lower School All-School Tefilah 17 Lower School Parent/Baby Playdate & Bim Bam Shabbat 22 Women’s Lunch and Learn 24 Applicant Orientation Breakfast

FEBRUARY

7 Grade 1 Kabbalat Siddur 10 Senior Send-Off / Lev v’Nefesh Departure 12 Lower School Curriculum & Coffee 13 Grade 6 Chagigat Matan Torah

26 27 27 28

Women’s Lunch and Learn Grade 5 Mesibat Adar Incoming Grade 9 Student Reception Lower School Parent/Baby Playdate

www.leffellschool.org

Profiles THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

ON BOARD: MILOS SILBER

M

ilos Silber is a proud Leffell School/Schechter Westchester alumnus who became a trustee in the summer of 2018. He started at the Lower School in third grade when his family immigrated from Brazil, and graduated with the founding High School class of 2005.

After attending NYU Tisch, he founded and currently manages

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OUR DEVOTED ALUMNI

JASON FRIEDLAND a production company, Hayden 5, focusing on original film and television content and commercial video production.

He remains actively involved with The Leffell School and AIPAC. His closest friends to date are still his original school crew. Milos and his wife Nicole live in Harrison with their two young daughters, Lily and Luna.

KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

J

ason Friedland is currently the President of the Board of Trustees for The Leffell School. Professionally, he is an entrepreneur who is Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of Sensible Auto Finance, an auto finance company. He’s also co-owner of Shleppers Moving & Storage, one of the largest moving companies in the NY Tri-State area, and of Westrock Development, LLC, a privately held real estate company which

owns and manages approximately one million square feet of primarily commercial space.

Friedland holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and graduated with honors from Tufts University with degrees in international relations and economics.

He also studied finance at the London School of Economics. He lives in Mamaroneck with his wife Jacqueline and their four children — all Leffell School students.

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL Profiles

MS: I attended from 1995-2005, third through twelfth grade.

still coming together and everyone was running around trying to figure out where the next class was. It was exciting. Of course, the Lev V’Nefesh trip was an incredible experience. It was pitched as part of the High School program before the building was even built, so it was amazing to be a part of it when the time came. Today, it is still the culminating experience of Senior year.

three-and-a-half, and Luna who is one-and-a-half — so about one-and-a-half years until kindergarten. Luna participates in a “toddler and me” class at the Lower School.

We brought them both to the Kick-Off BBQ this year, and let’s just say, Lily is excited about a school with pony rides and jumping castles.

CAN YOU PINPOINT SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM YOUR DAYS AT THE SCHOOL?

WHAT ELSE DO YOU FEEL YOU TOOK AWAY FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT?

JF: School was very academically rigorous and prepared me very well for later on in life. I specifically recall an eighth-grade project I did with Mrs. Robinson. It involved very intensive research for a paper on the civil rights movement. It really challenged me, and I recall being proud of myself for doing something that I knew was hard and I felt it was a very prestigious academic project at such a young age.

So academic excellence is just one overall highlight.

Second, joyous Judaism. I really liked learning Hebrew songs with Mrs. Rivel, and I liked learning how to blow the shofar. I loved the Passover seders at school, and really loved Hebrew class with Mr. Nahumi, who is still teaching at the school.

Last year he taught my son Abe in ninth grade!

JF: The school gave me a good moral foundation. We were immersed in a Jewish world, but there was a universal element of morality and ethics that underpinned the whole experience. And it was a great community to grow up in, not just for me but also great for my parents.

Once we were in the school, it was an experience for my entire family. My cousins and brothers were also students here and we’ve all made lifelong relationships at the school.

JF: It’s to work with the head of school to develop a longterm strategy and to advise on any tactical issues that come up from time to time.

Of course, we devote a lot of time to making sure the school is financially strong.

Basically, the role of a trustee is to help out the school in many ways through our own professional and life experiences.

WHEN WERE YOU A STUDENT AT THE LEFFELL SCHOOL/ SCHECHTER WESTCHESTER?

JF: I attended kindergarten here in 1979 and graduated at the end of eighth grade in 1988.

MS: I was a part of the firstever high school graduating class. I remember the first day very clearly. A brand new building, the internet wasn’t even activated yet, finishing touches were

MS: My time there gave me a sense of community and an understanding of the responsibility to give back.

My closest friends today (14+ years later) are still the ones that I made at Schechter Westchester.

AND NOW YOUR CHILDREN ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT GRADES ARE THEY IN?

JF: Grades 10, 8, 6 and 3.

MS: My wife and I have two daughters — Lily, who is

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A TRUSTEE?

ARE YOU ON ANY SPECIFIC COMMITTEES?

JF: I’ve been on the Finance Committee for years. One of the most important jobs of the Board is making sure the school is in financially good shape. And so that’s been one of my areas of focus. I served as the first chair of the Governance Committee, and I’ve spent a lot of time making sure we have great people on the Board.

MS: This past year, I was a part of the website redesign team and worked closely with our head of school on technology-related projects.

This year I also plan to work with the Office of Institutional Advancement to help strengthen our alumni engagement.

WHY IS BEING ON THE BOARD OF LEFFELL IMPORTANT TO YOU?

JF: It’s meaningful and rewarding to me because I believe the school is a vehicle for the betterment of Jewish people. I’m interested in the school itself as an institution, but I’m passionate about the role that the school generally plays for the Jewish people.

And so, I enjoy having an impact on making the school better and better all the time for our community.

MS: It is incredibly important to me. The school provided so much for me both from educational and personal development aspects — this is my way of giving back. Knowing that my children will be a part of this community, I’m committed to helping it be the best place it can be.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE LEFFELL SCHOOL?

JF: By working with the administration, I’d like to see continued improvement in our excellent academic programs, love of Jewish life, and the overall experience.

I think by doing these things, we can bring more people into the school, and growing the pie is very motivating to me.

MS: I hope that the school continues to evolve and adapt to meet the needs of our modern community.

And personally, that I see my friends enrolling their kids, so we can go from being graduates to school parents.

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& Beyond THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

F O U R R A B B I N I C A L S T U D E N T S , O N E TA L M U D T E A C H E R

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‘‘

A teacher’s purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image.

KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

‘‘

T

he author of this quote is unknown, but the sentiment behind it is universally understood by educators. It also resonates with students, which is why our alumna Rebecca Weintraub gave a photo frame bearing these words to Rabbi Harry Pell when she graduated back in 2005. Rabbi Pell, Associate Head of School and who oversees Jewish life and learning K-12, is also a teacher of Talmud and Israel studies in the Upper School. He taught Talmud to Rebecca Weintraub in his very first year with us, some fifteen years ago.

A self-described lifelong spiritual seeker, Weintraub states, “My dedication to creating a more compassionate world made me fall in love with Torah and ultimately led me to study at Hebrew College Rabbinical School in Newton Centre, MA, where to my own disbelief I just started my final year.”

Remarkably, Weintraub is one of four of Rabbi Pell’s students in that same first class who have aspired to become rabbis themselves. While Weintraub is completing her studies, former student Ben Varon has just embarked on his third year of rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary, after graduating from the University of Maryland in 2011 with a BA in government and politics. He says his early Jewish education was pivotal “in creating the foundations of who I am and the path I am on today.”

With a master’s degree in education from Yeshiva University, Jordan David Soffer is now the Head of School at Striar Hebrew Academy in Sharon, MA, after three years as the Rabbi-in-Residence of Carmel Academy in Greenwich, CT. Rabbi Soffer lives in Sharon with his wife, Marti, and their two daughters Maayan and Reiut Libi.

And Alex Hecht studied in the semikhah program at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, and at the Azrieli Graduate School of Education and Administration. Today he lives in Toronto with his wife, Judith and two children, Tehila and Zev, where he’s been a member of the YU Torah MiTzion Beit Midrash Zichron Dov. He’s also been Rabbinic Assistant at Clanton Park Synagogue since August 2018.

Rabbi Pell remembers them all fondly. “It’s pretty cool that four kids in my Talmud class are contributing to the world of Jewish education and practice, and that they’ve all chosen their own path — Modern Orthodox, Centrist Orthodox, Conservative, and in the case of Rebecca, Pluralistic/Renewal practice,” Rabbi Pell says.

And, he adds, this exemplifies our school’s mission: “Once we set forth our shared values through our teachings, our students have the confidence to go out into the world and be the kind of Jewish leaders they want to be, blazing their own paths as Jews.”

There’s nothing more rewarding for our teachers than that.

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL &

Beyond

ALUMNI PROFILE:

From First Grade to Hollywood

I

magine meeting your best friend in elementary school, then at 40, working together on a funny TV show about your childhood mishaps. True story! Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg, who met at Schechter Westchester, are now co-creators of the edgy animated Netflix comedy series, Big Mouth, which is loosely based

on their adolescent years at school.

Kroll and Goldberg both attended our school from first through eighth grade (before the High School existed). Sharing a unique sense of humor, the two became inseparable. Looking back, they have fond memories of the school and faculty.

Chuckling, Goldberg recalls that he wasn’t a great student academically, and in fact tended to be a tad disruptive. “I had a lot of trouble focusing,” he says. But the administration recognized that he was an extremely imaginative child, so he was allotted an hour each day for creative writing. “At the end of the week, I would share what I’d write with Mrs. Dorros z”l and that seemed to help me get my creative needs out of my system.”

Nick Kroll also points to Mrs. Dorros. “I had her in third grade and she was my favorite teacher,” he says. “She always encouraged me to be creative and I’m forever grateful to her for it.”

Indeed, Kroll is now an actor, writer and producer. In addition to co-creating and doing voices for Big Mouth, he had his own Kroll Show on Comedy Central, has acted in numerous feature films, and starred on the FX program The League. He also

made his Broadway debut with comedian John Mulaney in the hit Oh, Hello on Broadway.

Goldberg, now married and the father of two, graduated from Columbia and then went on to study film at UCLA. He launched his career as Seth MacFarlane’s assistant. After writing freelance scripts for the animated FOX series Family Guy, he was hired as a writer, eventually rising to the position of co-executive producer.

Goldberg, who lived in White Plains, and Kroll, who grew up in Rye, say they are still friends with some of their old classmates. As for their own relationship, says Goldberg, “We’re still super close, especially since doing the show.”

Last year Kroll and Goldberg had the opportunity to revisit their past in person, while touring the Lower School campus with a New Yorker reporter in tow.

“It was wild seeing the school.

It hasn’t really changed that much,” says Goldberg. “That mural in the auditorium, as soon as I saw that all these memories came flooding back…” Memories of a very special school — one which nurtured creativity and forged a lifelong friendship.

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& Beyond THE LEFFELL SCHOOL

Alumni NOTES MIDDLE SCHOOL

SPRING TIME IN SPAIN

Dr. Shira D. Epstein (MS 1985) was appointed dean of the William Davidson Graduate School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary this past March.

Zackary Szlezinger, Rachel Saposh, Caleb Esrig, Sarah Barkley, and Ethan Szlezinger (Class of 2016) met up in Madrid last spring, where Caleb and Sarah were studying abroad during their spring semester.

Sarah Kaufman (MS 1993) was named to the New York Tech Power 50 list by City & State New York in February.

Matthew Werner (MS 2008) became engaged to Julia Keegan last spring.

Dr. Sarah Wolf (MS 2002) was appointed assistant professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in June 2018.

CLASS OF 2005 Brian Cury and Sara Cury welcomed a baby boy, Spencer Levi Cury, in January.

Eric Distelburger and Tamara Bendahan were married in Israel in May. Michael Kohen and Leah Cohen-Shohet were married in Israel in May. Mazal tov also to parents of the groom, Middle School Hebrew and Tefilah Teacher Eti Kohen and her husband Albert.

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Galee Kalikow and Alex Meiseles were married in June.

Melissa Polinsky became engaged to Jordan Kosterich (Class of 2007) in January.

CL ASS OF 2010 Ben Cowen and Ilyssa Levi were married in December 2018 (photo at right with classmates).

Yoni Kurland (MS 1996) became engaged to Katherine Dunne last winter.

Lauren Porosoff published her third book, Two-for-One Teaching, an approach to instructional design that integrates student-centered social-emotional learning into every stage of an academic unit.

Ari Holsten finished his MA in special education at Long Island University in Brooklyn.

CLASS OF 2006 Yossi Hoffman and Maddy Hoffman welcomed a baby boy last spring.

Rebecca (Shapiro) Ruberg and Rabbi Jeremy Ruberg welcomed a baby girl, Aliza Leah Ruberg, in February.

CL ASS OF 2007 Jordan Kosterich became engaged to Melissa Polinsky (Class of 2009) in January.

Rabbi Jordan Soffer assumed the role of head of school at Striar Hebrew Academy in Sharon, MA in July. Rabbi Soffer was previously the rabbi-inresidence at Carmel Academy.

Rabbi Jordan Soffer and Dr. Marti Soffer welcomed a baby girl, Reiut Libi, in September.

CLASS OF 2008 Adam Fleishman and Rachel Weidman were married in March.

KAVANOT MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2019–2020

Tamar Kane became engaged to Daniel Lorberbaum in December 2018.

Emily Katz became engaged to Mitchell Silverman in March.

Steven Schulberg and Miriam Brand were married in December 2018.

Arlen Weiner and Andrew Bennett were married in September.

CLASS OF 2009 Alexander Gruenstein became engaged to Margot Weissman (Class of 2011) in August.

ALUMNI IN ISRAEL The Alumni Association sponsored a meet-up in Tel Aviv this summer for alumni living in Israel.

Marlee Glustoff and Jason Saruya were married in September.

Jake Holtzer and Lauren Dwyer were married in May. Josh Rappaport became engaged to Marisa Kelly (Class of 2011) in August.

Clara Rotter-Laitman and Remy Schwartz were married in September.

Scott Scheff became engaged to Alyssa Berkowitz in September.

CL ASS OF 2011 Marisa Kelly became engaged to Josh Rappaport (Class of 2010) in August.

THE LEFFELL SCHOOL &

Beyond

MAZEL TOV! Ben Cowen and Ilyssa Levi (Class of 2010) were married in December 2018 with many alumni in attendance.

Margot Weissman became engaged to Alexander Gruenstein (Class of 2009) in August.

CL ASS OF 2012 Remy Gordon became engaged to Jared Chariton in January.

Justin Pellis, a junior at Goucher College, was selected to perform in an all-Mozart recital master class featuring pianist Benjamin Hochman.

The master class is part of the Janet and Avery Fischer Music Residency at Goucher.

CL ASS OF 2017

CL ASS OF 2014 Bradley Goldman, the student executive board president of Hillel at Binghamton University, shared his insights in an article that appeared in lohud press.

Jared Schwartz and Chaya Ross were married in August.

CL ASS OF 2015 Jessica Jakoby’s article about campus anti-Semitism was published in the New York Jewish Week. Jessica is an alumna of the Jewish Week’s Write On For Israel program and a graduate of the University of Michigan.

CL ASS OF 2016 Gesela Levin became engaged to Seffi Jonas in March.

Sarah Griffith, a member of the IDF, was able to run a 5K in this year’s Jerusalem Marathon after sustaining a knee injury.

BALI AND BEYOND Jeremy Garber, Ethan Szlezinger, and Daniel Kohen (Class of 2016) in Bali, Indonesia, where Ethan met Jeremy and Daniel (who studied abroad together in Sydney, Australia last semester).

CL ASS OF 2018

Interested in organizing

Ben Gotian spent last year in Israel on Young Judaea’s Year Course. While in Israel, he completed an EMT course and volunteered for Magen David Adom.

a meet-up in your city?

Jonathan Kurlander was elected vice president of the Great Danes for Israel club, a pro-Israel organization at the University of Albany.

LET’S CONNECT!

Miles Wohl was elected to the 2019-2020 CanePAC Executive Board. CanePAC is a bipartisan, pro-Israel political movement and organization at the University of Miami.

leffellschool.org/community/alumni facebook.com/schechterwestchesteralumniassociation email: Orlea Miller, Community Engagement and Education Associate, omiller@leffellschool.org

Looking for a job?

Would you like to meet for coffee?

Do you have news to share?

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

FALL/WINTER 2019–2020 | KAVANOT MAGAZINE

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555 West Hartsdale Avenue Hartsdale, NY 10530 www.leffellschool.org Address service requested

Save the Dates M. Mac Schwebel z�l Golf & Tennis Classic Quaker Ridge Golf Club

Monday, May 11, 2020 The Leffell School Annual Fundraiser

Thursday, May 21, 2020 Stay tuned for more details

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