2023-2024
“ My goal would be for no family ever to walk away from what is an incredible Rashi education because cost is a factor. Simply, we should take that off the table as a community. I think we need to make a commitment to do that.”
Cindy Janower (P ’12, ’15, ’18)
Dear Rashi Kehillah (Community),
The 2023-2024 school year was unlike any other. While I was not with Rashi students on October 7, 2023, I do know that as Jews, our world will never be the same because of what happened on that day. I was frequently on campus last school year as I worked to transition into the Head of School position, and I was struck by the support, kindness, and devotion this community showed to and for one another—creating a safe space for our students to navigate this profoundly difficult moment. Kol hakavod (high praise) to our faculty, staff, and families for showing up for one another.
I now have the distinct honor of leading The Rashi School, and I am brimming with excitement and anticipation about the journey we are embarking on together. This is a time of fresh beginnings and boundless possibilities, and I look forward to getting to know each of you and working alongside you throughout the years.
My inaugural year at Rashi coincides with the final phase of the transformational RISE Campaign—a comprehensive campaign aimed at raising $30 million to enhance and sustain this incredible school for future generations of joyful and deserving Jewish students. By the end of the 2024 Fiscal Year, this incredible community had already helped to raise $27.6 million towards our ambitious goal, and I am confident that with your continued generosity we will fulfill our dreams of building a healthy endowment and providing
necessary resources for Rashi to nurture and educate world-changing students long into the future.
As you will read in the pages of this report, your philanthropy improves our school in so many ways. Beyond the stellar academic, Jewish Studies, and Hebrew parts of our program, there are the specialist teachers at Rashi who provide opportunities for students to develop skills that are simply not present at other institutions. From social justice to theater, leadership to public speaking, I am so impressed with the offerings and the dedication of all of our educators who go above and beyond to provide rigorous and enriching experiences for our students.
This has been a difficult year for the Jewish people; however, we must not lose sight of the positive, especially during challenging times. During one of my personal learning sessions with Rabbi Henry Zoob, Founding Chair and Rashi grandparent, we discussed the idea that if we actively seek it out, goodness is always there. I find it in the joy on the children’s faces every morning when they walk through our doors. I see it in the dedication of our educators, our administrative staff, our security team, and the maintenance team I am privileged to meet and work with. I witness it in the unwavering support of our Rashi families, who contribute their time, energy, and passion to strengthen our institution. I am grateful to be a member of such a positive and vibrant community, and I am honored to continue this inspirational work together.
In partnership,
Emily Charton New Head of School 2024
30 Years of Tamchui
Three decades of philanthropic learning and leadership from Stephanie Rotsky
Rashi’s unique social justice initiative hit a 30 year milestone of connecting students with organizations working to improve life in Israel.
The 30th year of the Suzanne and Bernard Pucker Tamchui Project came to a close during the 2023-24 school year after weeks of incredible learning, organizing, and doing. Tamchui (meaning “community collection pot” in Aramaic) is Rashi’s annual three-week, all-school social justice initiative that teaches the community about current issues through powerful nonprofit organizations. This year, all six of the highlighted nonprofits worked directly on the ground with those in Israel who have been affected by the war. They were categorized into three areas of impact: mental health, access to healthcare, and civilian support. The first step in learning about these organizations is Rashi’s Education Week, when Middle Schoolers taught their Lower School peers about their missions.
From there, the following two weeks were Meet the Reps Week and Allocation Week. During Meet the Reps, students spoke directly with representatives from each of the nonprofits, learning straight from the source about what they do, what drives them to do the work, and who benefits. They learned about the healing power of fun and humor with medical clown Nimrod Eisenberg from Dream Doctors; the fastacting, entrepreneurial spirit in Israel with Shani Yossefon from Brothers and Sisters of Israel; and fostering life-changing friendships between Jewish and Arab children with Lee Gordon from Hand in Hand.
“We talked to a Dream Doctor, they help people feel better when they’re sick. They went to
clown school, and now they help people because they’re so funny,” said Kindergartner Logan RW.
“Hand in Hand runs a school that takes all kids— Arabs and Jews—and brings them together,” said third grader Andre S. “People said it wasn’t possible, but they proved them wrong.”
Each representative expertly presented their organization’s mission in age-appropriate ways. While Middle Schoolers met with the reps in a panel-style discussion that got further into the nitty gritty of their corresponding issues, Lower School students met them one-on-one, getting more in-depth as the grades progressed.
“It was wonderful. Chen from Elem specifically stood out to our class,” said Grade 1 lead teacher Janie Lubarsky. “Elem is an organization that connects with children, teenagers, and young adults who may not otherwise feel connected with family at home, and gives them a space to build community with volunteers and other clients. They even have vans that go out into neighborhoods to consistently check in with young people, building trusting relationships with them over time so they can feel safe and secure.”
“Chen had a PowerPoint with pictures of clients participating in activities that were relatable to our students, and she narrated it so it almost felt like a story as we learned about the organization,” Janie explained. “It was engaging in a way for the kids so that even though we were a Zoom link apart, we felt connected.”
Following Meet the Reps was Allocation Week, during which students applied their learning to decide which nonprofit they’d like to support. Using poker chips, the students “donate” to the
organization of their choosing based on what stood out to them from their lessons, modeling real-world philanthropic action and its process.
While they take turns putting forth their chips, the children also contribute to large group art pieces on which they can draw, leave notes for the representatives, or write down who they donated to and why.
“I donated to Dream Doctors and First Line Med,” said Grade 6 student Sadie H. “I thought it was cool that even though the Dream Doctors are clowns, they’re still able to help in such a big way.”
“I really liked that we got to work on the murals and send messages to people,” said second grader Georgia R.
After 36 years inspiring thousands of children as a teacher and Director of Social Justice at The Rashi School, Stephanie Rotsky (P’29, ’31) announced her retirement. We are so grateful for the countless hours, hundreds of nonprofit connections, and the bright spirit of tikkun olam (repairing the world) Stephanie brought to every Rashi classroom during her tenure.
Inspiring Future Innovators
A hands-on tour of the Industrial Revolution with Grade 2
Rashi students learn early on that they have an impact. They can be change-makers, and they can make their world a better place.
Grade 2 students spent their school year looking at changemakers—individuals who work to solve a problem for the betterment of others. They studied pioneers such as Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, and iconic innovators such as Milton Hershey, founder of the Hershey Chocolate Company and the M.S. Hershey Foundation. With two weeks left in the 2023-24 school year, the class visited a landmark of changemaking right in their own backyard: the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation.
The Charles River Museum is located within the Francis Cabot Lowell Mill, where the Boston Manufacturing Company produced textiles in the 19th century. The class toured the historic
property, seeing how water ran through the building for power, and how the architecture was optimized for working without electricity. Inside the museum was a plethora of machinery from the American Industrial Revolution, including a gear maker, a paper bag folder, and a metal shaver. Students watched as museum staff powered up the equipment, demonstrating exactly how each rig worked. They followed an impressive setup of pulleys and belts, each over 100 years old, that propelled the industrial boom and carried Massachusetts into the modern age.
As they observed the building and surrounding campus, the children were tasked with identifying something they thought could
I feel really appreciated as an educator here at Rashi. There’s that support for my own growth as a professional. There’s this sense that by staying here, by continuing to work with these colleagues and with the supportive administration, that I’m going to keep growing as well. So as the students are growing and learning, so are the teachers, which is a fantastic place to be.”
Dr. Nick Mitchell (P ’25, ’29)
Middle
School Science Teacher
be improved, such as pollution in the Charles River, a feature of the building itself, or the visitor experience. Led by the museum’s ViceChair of Trustees Rudy Ruggles, the students went through the design process—defining a problem, brainstorming solutions, building a prototype, and improving their final product— with everyday materials to create their own innovations. One student designed a water pollutant vacuum, while two others teamed up to prototype a high-security door for the museum. They learned that children as young as them had invented products that we still use today, and that anyone, from anywhere, can be an innovator and changemaker.
When they began their final projects of the year, second graders applied this experience
in their Jewish studies class to design houses optimized for the Israeli desert. Their goal was to create an insulation system that will hold heat in at night and cool air during the day. To test this, students placed ice cubes in their prototype houses under the sun to see how much they melt after a few hours. To test heat retention, they placed water in the house and put it in the freezer to see how much it froze after a few hours. The less the ice cube melts, and the less the water freezes, the better the insulation. Every part of the Rashi curriculum is cumulative, with lessons being applied year-round and across subjects, to provide an immersive, inspiring, and life-changing learning experience.
Grade 6 Drafts an AI Bill of Rights
Middle Schoolers examine the issue of academic integrity
Guiding our children to think critically about their world—both in small communities and globally—is how Rashi’s curriculum helps shape worldchanging students.
In connection to their year-long essential question—”What brings systems to collapse?”—
Grade 6 students, under the guidance of Middle School Social Studies Teacher Keith Civin, dedicated the year to the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities.’’ Integrating early American history and the Bill of Rights, students dove into the deep meaning of several of the amendments. Towards the end of the year, students were introduced to a very recent issue: The Rights and Responsibilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
First, students took a short, hands-on course on AI in the Kol-lab: Rashi’s innovation lab, becoming familiar with technical terms such as machine learning, neuronal network, algorithm, bias and more. Students were then introduced to a blueprint of the AI Bill of Rights which has been proposed by the Biden Administration. Out of the many topics discussed in the blueprint, three main topics were chosen: Data
Privacy, Discrimination Protection, and Safe and Effective Systems.
Each of these topics was researched by the students from three perspectives: the user, the creator of the tools, and the government. Students were divided into research groups and were guided to come up with Rights and Responsibilities related to each of the topics with the three perspectives in mind. Often, the articles and videos were very technical and complex and Mr. Civin, with the help of the AI tool DIFFIT, was able to make all materials accessible to each and every student.
The project culminated in a letter-writing campaign, with each student crafting their own proposal to the White House AI Committee. They had to adhere to proper letter writing format (a great lesson!), with an introduction, three positive uses of AI, three drawbacks of AI, and then their own recommendations relating
to the sector they researched. The results were thoughtful, clear and surprisingly insightful.
For example, students reminded the Committee to carefully consider that AI cannot replace actual human judgment, that biases may skew results based on race, gender or income, that there are significant risks of revealing confidential information when employing AI, and that humans are able to use AI for criminal or nefarious purposes.
While the students were easily able to deduce drawbacks to AI, they were also quick to note the potential benefits: expediency, efficient answers to complex business questions, relief from tedious repetitive tasks that are primarily
done by humans, enhancing websites and apps, and fighting terrorism. The pros and cons the students wrote about were vast and varied.
Through their research and conversations, the students also offered recommendations, including encryption, licensing, broader and more diverse testing groups, education programs to help remove the stigma associated with AI, and significant rules and regulations governing the use of AI.
Overall, students were required to wrestle with sophisticated research material, to analyze data, and to synthesize their research into coherent and convincing guidelines to the White House AI Committee.
I think we can agree that what we have learned the most during our time at Rashi is that collaboration, critical thinking, and Rashi’s core value of Kavod—Respect—are at the heart of every great decision and every great leader.”
Henry Zisow, ’24
Discovering the Rich History of Jewish Spain
A culminating highlight of every student’s time at Rashi is their Grade 8 trip to Israel. However, given the war in Israel, the difficult choice was made to travel elsewhere. Rashi’s goal of providing an immersive experience connecting eighth graders to their Jewish heritage led to the decision to travel to Spain. And so, our students and faculty chaperones excitedly boarded their plane and landed in Madrid.
Led by Dean of Jewish Learning Rabbi Sharon Clevenger (P’22, ’25) along with a Jewish educator from tour company Keshet and local Spanish guides, Grade 8 spent time exploring the rich history of the Jewish diaspora in Spain, starting in the Judería de Córdoba, the Jewish Quarter of Cordoba. Their first stop was the medieval plaza and statue of Maimonides, a Sephardic (belonging to the Spanish/North
African diaspora) rabbi and scholar from the middle ages from whom we still learn from today. There, the class was taught about the history of Cordoba as the epicenter of science, medicine, poetry, and halacha (Jewish law) in the 10th century.
The students then visited Casa de Sefarad—the House of Memory. While touring this 14th century home-turned-museum, students learned about the persecution of Jews during the Inquisition. The group visited a former synagogue, seeing where Jews worshiped in secret during the Spanish Golden Age (14921659). “The city of Cordoba is definitely a place to remember. The vast city provided many opportunities to learn about Judaism in Spain and in general. We have all made many meaningful memories with each other, people we met, and Spain as well,” said student Josh M.
From there, the class continued their tour of Jewish Spain in Granada. While taking a fun flamenco course in the mountains, they got an incredible view and sneak peek of their next big destination, the Alhambra. Considered one of the most iconic examples of Islamic architecture in Spain, one may wonder, how does this tie into Jewish learning? As it turns out, the design may be inspired—at least partially—by the home of Talmudic scholar Shmuel ibn Nagrela Hanagid, a Jewish communal leader who was well respected by both Jews and Arabs. He was versed in both Jewish and Islamic teachings and is widely thought to have authored the Mevo ha-Talmud, an introductory book to the Talmud.
While at the Alhambra the following day, students also learned about the works of
influential Jewish poets, such as Judah Halevi, Abraham ibn Ezra, and Shlomo ibn Gvirol. During the second week, Rashi’s eighth graders continued their tour in Madrid, Toledo, and Segovia. They learned about Ladino (JudeoSpanish) language and culture, joined the local Reform Jewish community for Shabbat, and stopped at the old Great Synagogue (now the Church of Corpus Cristi). While not the trip they expected at the start of the school year, Rashi students immersed themselves in the expansive and fascinating history of the Sephardic diaspora. For some, the connection to Sephardic Jewry was personal, and for others it was brand new. For all, their understanding of Judaism, including their own Jewish identities, deepened as they took in the sights, sounds, and fun of Spain.
Success After Rashi
Alumni share their remarkable achievements
Irene Kaplow ’02 was named Assistant Professor and has opened her own lab in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computational Biology at Carnegie Mellon University. Irene’s lab will be studying the relationship between genetic differences between vertebrates and the evolution of vertebrate traits. She is also involved in Congregation Beth Shalom of Pittsburgh.
Gavin Alexander ’99 is making positive change for lawyers in the LGBTQ community through inspiring leadership and advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is a founding member of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s standing committee on lawyer well-being and serves as the director of wellness at Jackson Lewis P.C., overseeing well-being initiatives for more than 1,000 attorneys.
Paul Litwin ’12 was selected by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to receive a gold medal, the highest form of honorary recognition bestowed by the Department of Commerce, for his efforts in helping to secure critical investments in the U.S. by Taiwanese semiconductor companies.
“ We sit in this building because others supported it, and it is now incumbent on us to build the school for the next generation.”
Andrew Janower (P ’12, ’15, ’18)
Maxwell Long ’11 was named to the 13th annual Jewish United Fund of Chicago’s (JUF) 36 Under 36 List! As a Lone Soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Max experienced the unique challenges of this role, which inspired him to co-found GroWings, to support Lone Soldiers before, during, and after their service. Over the last six years, GroWings, along with its closest partners, Bayit Brigade, have helped thousands of Lone Soldiers with accessing basic needs, navigating bureaucracy, and building a strong community.
Kayla Handler ’14 was featured in the NYU Silver School of Social Work student spotlight. She joined the Healthy Aging Specialization’s inaugural cohort, and had this to say about it: “The Healthy Aging seminars are a great experience to learn from scholars, other social workers, and experts within the field. My peers that are in the specialization are extremely knowledgeable, I am able to learn from their experiences, and develop connections to others who have similar interests and goals. Joining this specialization has opened a lot of doors for me.”
A Community With a Purpose
Our Rashi kehillah, our community, is one with a purpose: to nurture the next generation of Jewish leaders imbued with resilience, wisdom, and compassion. We strive to develop young people who are engaged learners who know who they are, where they come from, and have a strong moral compass. They endeavor to make the world a better place.
Through our RISE Campaign we will:
Reach to create access and opportunities for even more students nnovate to drive academic excellence and support our exceptional faculty
Sustain our shared Jewish identity and strengthen our vibrant community
Envision a strong, financially secure future and increase our impact
RISE’s Impact on Student Experience
In recent years, Rashi has experienced tremendous growth in its academic program. This campaign has already provided support for a new and reimagined math and STEAM curriculum, enhanced the collaborative project-based learning, and increased the number of public speaking opportunities across all grade levels. With your support, Rashi will continue to nurture and challenge each child in ways that will allow them to reach as high as they possibly can.
There’s so much beauty in this greater Jewish community, and Rashi really embodies that beauty of what it means to have a beautiful Jewish community. I want Rashi to be there for my children one day, for grandchildren one day, for the future generations who will need the community that Rashi can provide and has provided for years.”
Danielle Frankel ’18
The Rashi School Lifetime Giving Society
$3.6M+ Visionaries
Ba’alei Chazon
Adelson Family Foundation
Jessica and Chuck Myers
Barbara and Edward Shapiro
Geraldine and Gabe Sunshine
$1.8M+ Builders
Bonim
Anonymous
Michelle and Darren Black
Tracey and David Frankel
Linda and Michael Frieze
Marcy and Robert Haber
Cindy and Andrew Janower
Lizbeth and George Krupp
Betty Ann z”l and Daniel Miller
Dena and Michael Rashes
The Shaich Family Foundation
Nancy Zimmerman and Andrei Shleifer
Lisa and Neil Wallack
$1M+ Dreamers
Cholmim
Anonymous (2)
Kathy and Scott Cohen
Danielle and Gregg Darish
Donna and David Frieze
Judith and Douglas Krupp
Gilda and Fred z”l Slifka
Donors to Special Initiatives
Rashi greatly appreciates the support of these donors who supported specific initiatives, including social justice programming and financial aid, between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024
Anonymous (3)
Abbott Laboratories
Limor Agus
Tammy Anagnostis
Alison Moll & Rabbi Alfred Benjamin
Jane & Scott Brown
Barbara Burnim Day
Nathaniel Cutter
Marilyn & André Danesh
Danielle & Gregg Darish
Sherri & Ira Davoudgoleh
Cantor Jodi Sufrin & Cantor Roy Einhorn
Abigail & Kenneth Elmore
Jody Forchheimer & Louis Kaplow
Donna & David Frieze
Linda & Michael Frieze
Andrea & Neil Goldberg
Simon B. Gottlieb Charitable Foundation
Dara & David Grossman
Janice & Arnold Hirshon
Susan & Robert Kalish
Deborah Kardon
Melanie & Stephen Kenion
Julie Koven
Amy & Jonathan Kraus
Lizbeth & George Krupp
Ann Levine
Irwin Lowenstein
Hilary Marcus & Jonathan
Magaziner
Lynn Margherio
Michele & Rabbi Todd Markley
Sharon Miller
Suzanne & Bernard Pucker
Norman Freedman z’’l/RM Freedman Charitable Trust
Jeri & Steve Robins
Joan Rosenberg
Joanna & Justin Schneider
Nancy Antonacci Shaich
Barbara & Edward Shapiro
Glenda & John Speyer
Mary Beth & Paul Stone
Judith Sydney & Aviva Sapers
The Yale Appliance Foundation
Jesse & Larry Tobin ’01
Jacqueline Hart & Robert Trestan
Svetlana Virovtseva & Brandon
Robinson
Jennifer Weinberg
Barbara & Rabbi Henry A. Zoob
RISE Donors
$2,500,000+
Michelle and Darren Black
Jessica and Chuck Myers
$1,000,000-$2,499,999
Anonymous
The Darish Family
Tracey and David Frankel
Linda and Michael Frieze
Marcy and Robert Haber
Cindy and Andrew Janower
Lizbeth and George Krupp
Geraldine and Gabe Sunshine
$500,000-$999,999
Rebecca and Glenn Burack
Donna and David Frieze
Simon B. Gottlieb Charitable Foundation
Dara and David Grossman
The Pucker Family
Leslie and Ken Pucker
Gigi and Michael Pucker
Roberta and Stephen R. Weiner
Family Foundation
Melissa Weiner Janfaza and Andrew Janfaza
Rita and Adam J. Weiner
$250,000-$499,999
Patti z”l and Louis Grossman
The Lasser and Roth Families
Jessica and Ethan Lasser
Michelle and Lawrence Lasser
Marcia and Bruce Roth
Betty Ann z”l and Daniel Miller
The Pase Rosen Family
The Saul Family
Candice and Howard Wolk and Family
Michelle and Matt Zisow
$100,000-$249,999
Janet and Bernard Aserkoff
Irina and Mark Barrocas
Kerry and Michael Epstein
Penny and Dan Fireman
Alison and Ezra Freedman
Diana and David Gaffin
Helene and Seth Gelber
Maya and Michael Mindlin
Marsha and Edward Moller
Dena and Michael Rashes
The Shaich Family Foundation
Barbara and Edward Shapiro
Ann and Stephen Sherman
Vikki and Matthew Sherman
Jen and Eric Spindt
Lisa and Neil Wallack
Melissa and Ian Zweig
$50,000-$99,999
Anonymous (2)
The Aronoff Family
Kathy and Scott Cohen
Mimi and Ron Golub
Lindsay and Michael Jabbawy
Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan
Family Foundation
Gila Belsky Modell ‘05 and Alexander Modell
Nancy Kaplan Belsky and Mark Belsky
Susan Kaplan and Scott Belsky
Eiffat and Evan Karp
Rabbi Jamie and Harold Kotler
Lana and Edward Lukatsky
Pam and Andrew Norden
Susan Patkin
Delia and Larry Perlov
Samantha and Jeremy Shinewald
Lisa and Andrew Sussman
$25,000-$49,999
Anonymous
Wendy and Seth Berger
Diane and Chester Black
Stephen E. Bonder
Lynda and Jeffrey Bussgang
Rachel and Larry Chafetz
Robert Epstein
Erica and Josh Fine
The Hughes Family
Ruth Kanfer and Vladimir Medvedovsky
Beth and Michael Moskowitz
Heidi and Lewis Pearlson
Josie and Marcus Semel
Pamela and Geoffrey Sherman
Liza Schneiderman and Gary Shub
Harold W. Sweatt Foundation
Jessica and Jeremy Karlin
Aida and Robert Luce
Barbara and Rabbi Henry A. Zoob
Up to $24,999
Anonymous (5)
Shana Topp and Brad Balthaser
Kim Stone and David Berkowitz
Laurie and Lee Caplan
Brenda and Louis Caplan
Lori Stevens and Marshall Carter
Roberta and Irwin Chafetz
Emily and Doug Charton
Lisa Levine-Cobos and Camilo
Cobos
Bonnie and Calvin Cole
Mary Beth Landrum and David Cutler
Rachel and Peter Dixon
Sharron and Robert Feldman
Rebecca and Joel Ferat
Susan and Martin Freed
Erica and Ethan Freishtat
Shoshanna and Andrew Goldberg
Sara and Doron Goldberg
Kimberly Goldman
Dr. Lily Rabinoff-Goldman and Rabbi Hillel Greene
Liza and Daniel Harris
Paula Brody and Merrill Hassenfeld
Christine and Howard Hausman
Sheri Kahn
Rebecca Lambert and Michael Kalin
Elissa and Jason Kaplan
Randi and Eric Kaplan
Arlene Klotz
Elizabeth and Alan Kopin
Jill Goldenberg and Sidney Kriger
Miriam Modricamin and Michael Lefkowitz
Dr. Randi and Rabbi Darby Leigh
Barbara Myers
Judith Hochstadt and Richard Nager
Tracy Myers-Namur and Jaime Namur
Shahar Hecht and Lior Neiger
Julie and Andrew O’Connell
Jamie and Shoel Perelman
Nancy and Laurence Perkins
Rachel Walchak and Adam Rogoff
Ilana Rosenberg and Ramel Rones
Gabi Soble and Dave Rosenberg
Rabbi Rachel and Douglas Saphire
Rachel and Sean Savage
Joanna and Justin Schneider
Lisa and Josh Schwarzberg
Ellen and Steven Segal
Noah Semel ’22
Ellie and Barry Shrage
Ilene and Richard Stellar
Jill Stanton and Bruce Trager
Anne and Bruce Tribush
Sonya and Sean Wilder
Efraim Yudewitz
This list reflects donors who have made gifts or commitments to Rashi’s RISE Campaign as of October 31 2024. Many of these commitments will be fulfilled over multiple years and include support for the annual fund. Rashi is deeply grateful for the strong support of the RISE Campaign to date. We look forward to continuing to fundraise for this transformative campaign over the next year. If you are interested in learning more about RISE, please contact Director of Development Kim Stone (kstone@rashi.org; 781-355-7311).
2023-24 Annual Fund
July
1, 2023-June 30, 2024
Rashi relies on annual support from the community to ensure the ongoing excellence of our academic program and to create meaningful learning opportunities and experiences for all students. We are deeply grateful to the Rashi kehillah (community) who contributed more than $1.1 million to the 2023-2024 Rashi Annual Fund. Todah rabah, thank you, for your investment in The Rashi School.
ZAHAV (GOLD)
$50,000+
The Darish Family
Tracey and David Frankel
Carylon, Julius and Marcie Hemmelstein Foundation
Rachel Cohen and Ari Mervis
Rebecca Mervis
Ann and Stephen Sherman
ADOM (RED)
$25,000 - $49,999
Anonymous(2)
Michelle and Darren Black
Donna and David Frieze
Linda and Michael Frieze
Cynthia and Andrew Janower
Betty Ann z”l and Daniel Miller
Jessica and Chuck Myers
Dena and Michael Rashes
Roberta and Stephen R. Weiner Family Foundation
Melissa Weiner Janfaza and Andrew Janfaza
Rita and Adam J. Weiner
SAGOL (PURPLE)
$10,000 - $24,999
Susan and Aron Ain
Janet and Bernard Aserkoff
Rebecca and Glenn Burack
Marilyn and André Danesh
Kerry and Michael Epstein
Diana and David Gaffin
Helene and Seth Gelber
Simon B. Gottlieb Charitable Foundation
Dara and David Grossman
Patti z”l and Louis Grossman
Jessica and Ethan Lasser
Michelle and Lawrence Lasser
Pase Rosen Family
Brooke and Daniel Roth
The Saul Family
Barbara Scharftstein z”l
Louis and Ida Sellib Memorial Fund
Steven Sheinkopf
Vikki and Matthew Sherman
Christine Olsen and Robert Small
Candice and Howard Wolk
Michelle and Matthew Zisow
TZAHOV (YELLOW)
$5,000 - $9,999
Irina and Mark Barrocas
Kathy and Scott Cohen
Alison and Ezra Freedman
Lindsay and Michael Jabbawy
Elizabeth Charm and Richard Long
Maya and Michael Mindlin
Pamela and Andrew Norden
Julie and Andrew O’Connell
Delia and Larry Perlov
Shaich Family Foundation
Samantha and Jeremy Shinewald
Elizabeth Ross and Benjamin Shore
Liza Schneiderman and Gary Shub
Betsy and Martin Solomon
Jen and Eric Spindt
Sheila Sydney
Lisa and Neil Wallack
Melissa and Ian Zweig
YAROK (GREEN)
$2,500 - $4,999
Anonymous (2)
Sharon and Martin Abrahamson
Jessica and David Aronoff
Stephen E. Bonder
Lori Stevens and Marshall Carter
Rachel and Larry Chafetz
Eugenia Perelman and Igor Chterental
Mary Beth Landrum and David Cutler
Shoshana and Daniel Farb
Erica and Josh Fine
Tamar and Kenneth Frieze
Amanda and Campe Goodman
Lubov and Robin Greenwood
The Hughes Family
Sheri Kahn
Rabbi Jamie and Harold Kotler
Lana and Edward Lukatsky
Ruth Kanfer and Vladimir Medvedovsky
Marsha and Edward Moller
Sherri and David Noon
Susan Patkin
Heidi and Lewis Pearlson
Jamie and Shoel Perelman
Suzanne Priebatsch
Tamara Feldman and Charles Purtell
Marcia and Bruce Roth
Martha and Max Rubinstein Family Foundation
Josie and Marcus Semel
Pamela and Geoffrey Sherman
Sasha and James Stephen
Lisa and Andrew Sussman
Harold W. Sweatt Foundation
Jessica and Jeremy Karlin
Aida and Robert Luce
Anne and Bruce Tribush
Roberta and Stephen Weiner
Deanna and Sidney z”l Wolk
Barbara and Rabbi Henry A. Zoob
KACHOL (BLUE)
$1,800 - $2,499
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Employee Giving Program
Alison Moll and Rabbi Alfred Benjamin
Wendy and Seth Berger
Diane and Chester Black
Lynda and Jeffrey Bussgang
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert z”l Gann
Muriel and Laurence Gillick
Sondra and Steven Goldberg
Evelyn Goldfine
Claire Zar-Kessler and Joseph Goldman
JulieSue and Matthew Goldwasser
Jill and Trip Hofer
Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc.
Gila Belsky Modell ’05 and Alexander
Modell
Nancy Kaplan Belsky and Mark Belsky
Susan Kaplan and Scott Belsky
Randi and Eric Kaplan
Elissa and Jason Kaplan
Jodi Sokoloff and Mike Maciag
Marianne Paley Nadel and Eric Nadel
Connie and Larry Semel
Ilana Hurwitz and Richard Starfield
Jesse and Larry Tobin ’01
Talia and Adam Valkin
Sonya and Sean Wilder
CHAVERIM (FRIENDS)
Up to $1,799
Anonymous (47)
Jennifer and Daniel Adelson
Adobe
Rza Aghayev
Bika Aghayeva
Limor Agus
Gertrude Applebaum
Gloria Aronson
Michelle and Scott Aronson
Linda and Robert Asher
Miriam and Gary Baker ’08
Debra Goldberg
Shana Topp and Brad Balthaser
Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund
Kim Stone and David Berkowitz
Rachel and William z”l Berkowitz
Michelle Bernstein
Devorah and Marco Bitran
Alex Black ’22
Jodi and James Blankstein
Michal Blech
Deborah Block
Alexa Blonder ’07
Melissa Blotner ’08
Michelle Paster and Josef Blumenfeld
Joyce and Michael Bohnen
Amy Booxbaum
Sydney ’11 and Alex Borkowski
Shanyia Boutwell
Bruce Boyd
Seena Kalender and Barry Brody
Lizabeth Brown
Kate Treitman Brown and Malcolm Brown
Arlene Bryer
Gabriella Burack ’23
Barbara Burnim Day
Beth and Alex Burstein
Rebecca and Eli Burstein
Magda and Avner Butnaru
Camp JORI
Rebecca and Maxwell Cantor
Tammi Levy-Cantor and Michael Cantor
Laurie and Lee Caplan
Paulina and Gregory Charney
Chelsea Hebrew Free School Endowment Fund
Chestnut Dental Associates
Beth Cimino
Keith Civin
CJP Day School Initiative
Liane Clamen
Rhoda and Allen Clamen
Nicole and Brian Clark
Rabbi Sharon and Jason Clevenger
Coach O’s Soccer Camps
Drs. Elaine and George Cohen
Karen and Jeffrey Cohen
Lauren and Richard Cohen
Ruth Gail and Steve Cohen
Bonnie and Calvin Cole
Deborah Berlin and Garrett Colon
Jody Comart
CCS Fundraising
Lynne and Richard Cornell
Lori and Venus Corriveau
Kim and Gary Creem
Elayne Crystal
Ralph Crystal
Dana and Matthew Cutter
Joy and Victor Darish
Jamie and Izi Darsa
Sherri and Ira Davoudgoleh
Alexis and Howard Deutsch
Alexandra ’99 and Anthony DiMarsico
Mia Lefkowitz and Christopher Donnelly
Masha ’02 and Daniel Dumanis
Judith and Edward Edelson
Gail and David Ehrlich
Linda and Dr. Michael Eisemann
Shelley Elias
Elijah Elmore ’12
Odessa Elmore ’13
Barbara and Michael Epstein
Sharron and Robert Feldman
Rebecca and Joel Ferat
Rhoda Ferat and Art Blumenthal
Emily Ferestien
Amanda and Robert Findlay
Laraine and Lowell Fine
Nicole Finkielsztein ’09
Lindsay and Alan Fisch
Adam W. Fischer
Sarah Lane and Aaron Fischlowitz-Roberts
Marilyn Fishbone
Joni and Reid Fishman
Rosa and Michael Franck
Donna Frankel
Susan and Martin Freed
Ilyssa and Michael Frey
Cathy Demain Mann and Fredric Friedman
Benjamin Gelber ’22
Ilene and Jeffrey Gelber
Ivana and Joseph Gentile
Samantha and Matthew Gentile
Joan and Barry Gerhardt
Kateryna and Leonid Geszpenc
Phyllis Giller
Joan Wasser Gish and Jason Gish
Jackie and Bob Gladstone
Anne and Michael Glanz
Shoshanna and Andrew Goldberg
Fara and Jay Goldberg
The Goldberg Family
Sara and Doron Goldberg
Kimberly Goldman
Melissa and David Goldstone
Willie Goldwasser
Mimi and Ron Golub
Shana Gondelman
Nancy and Robert Gorin
Janet Segal and Neal Green
Larisa and Vadim Grinis
Virginia Lee and Robin Grossman
Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
Pamela and David Hallagan
Rachel and Jason Happel
Leslie and Jerry z”l Harris
Diana and Gene Hashkes
Christine and Howard Hausman
Health Benefits Professionals Association
Health Programs
Esther and Shraga Hecht
Brenda and Joel Hellmann
Erica and Richard Hiersteiner
Sonia Chang-Díaz and Bryan Hirsch
Mary and Martin Hochstadt
Sannie Woods and Noah Hodgetts ’02
Sandra Cohen and Ari Hoffman ’05
Carol and Frank Horvitz
Hummingbird Books LLC
Amy and Jonathan Imber
Irina Cashen and William Isenberg
Deborah and Josh Jacobs
Suzanne and Johanna Jacobson
Fay Janfaza
Alexandra Janower ’18
Samantha Janower ’15
Venera and Kirill Kabanchik
Charles B. Kahn, MD
Joe Kahn
William Kahn
Linda and Bruce Kalin
Rebecca Lambert and Michael Kalin
Robin and Larry Kalis
Josephine and Isadore Kanfer
Jody Forchheimer and Louis Kaplow
Irene Kaplow ’02
Susan and Marc Karofsky
Eiffat and Evan Karp
Marci and Jeff Katz
Lisa and James Kaufman
Jennifer Blum and Joshua Keith
Ronda Kenger
Adrien and Victor Khelemsky
Deborah Alper and Jeff King
Jenni and Matthew King
Abbe and Daniel Klein
Laura and Andrew Klopfer
Heidi Klopfer
Ricki Klopfer
Arlene Klotz
Lauren Kohl and Daniel Kolodner
Karen and Peter Kotzen
Julie Koven
Ronald A. Koven
Lori Krasner
Rebecca Kremenitzer
Nancy and Monty Krieger
Jill Goldenberg and Sidney Kriger
Florence and Steven Lambert
Yael Hurwitz-Lange and Steven Lange
Miriam Modricamin and Michael Lefkowitz
Robin Gross and Anthony Lehv
Dr. Randi and Rabbi Darby J. Leigh
Emma Lentz ’08
Lindsay Rosenfeld and Andres Lessing
Deanna and Lewis Levin
Matthew Lichtman
Jillian Erdos and Joseph Lipchitz
Danika Lipchitz
Ayelet Lipton
Rachel Liptz and Josh Grossman
Jennifer Shaw and Andrea Lopresti
Janie and Brett Lubarsky
Susan Rodgin and Warren Manning
Ari Marcovski
Harriet Golding and William Martin
Deborah and John Mason
Ellen and Andrew May
Abby and Don Mayou
Liam McCann
Shelby and Michael McKeon
Jane and Alex Medvedovsky
Shari Mendler and Guy Mendilow
Amy and Jeffrey Miller
Jason Miller ’11
Sharon Miller
Kimberly and Brock Milstein
Maya and Leonid Mindlin
Jocelyn and Nicholas Mitchell
Suzanne and Rodney Moll
Gail Williams and Jean-Pierre Monneray
Anna Levy and Gustavo Mostoslavsky
Naomi Mostoslavsky ’22
Marlene and Bruce Moyer
Benjamin Myers ’21
Dr. Judith Hochstadt and Mr. Richard Nager
Lisa and Matthew Nagler
Michael Navisky
Shahar Hecht and Lior Neiger
Jackie and Roger Norden
Regina Nysko
Sheila Nysko
Amy and Nicholas O’Donnell
OunceIT, LLC
Sharon and Stuart Pase
Rhea Paul
Caren and Ben Pearlman
Rachel Ross and Eric Pedersen
Sara and Joshua Penn
Lesley and Robert Perlman
Sandra Persaud
Diana and Alexander Peselman
Mindy Pollack-Fusi
Ina and Eli Porth
The Pucker Family
Leslie and Kenneth Pucker
Gigi and Michael Pucker
Rachel and Michael Quesenberry
Daniel Rashes ’18
Emma Rashes ’13
Hailey Rashes ’22
Lily Rashes ’16
Erica and Marc Recht
Lillian and Bill Regen
Carly Renshaw
Nitzan Resnick
Danielle and Jason Richman
Sarah and William Richmond
David Robbins
Laura Robinson
Arlo Rogoff ’23
Jody and Jack Roitman
Ilana and Ramel Rones
Maria Rosario
Faye Rosch
Alison Fine and Josh Rosenberg
Charlotte Rosenberg ’23
Gabe Soble and Dave Rosenberg
Sandra and Rabbi James Rosenberg
Ellen and David Rosenblatt
Linda Rosenbloom
Marla and Robert Rosenbloom
Janet and Alan Rosenfeld
Anna and Jeffrey Rosenspan
Rabbi Barbara Penzner and Brian Rosman
Syrille and Paul Rosman
Rabbi Sandi Intraub and Stephanie Rotsky
Nedra Rotsky
Karen Ruderman
Suzanne and Howard Rudin
Elliot Sackman ’11
Faryl and Jonathan Sandler
Rachel and Sean Savage
Marion Gardner-Saxe and Leonard Saxe
Jennifer and Ryan Schaffer
Brigitte and Michel Scheinmann
Phyllis and Leonard Schlesinger
Joanna and Justin Schneider
Mary W. Schneider
Tammy and Craig Schneider
Schoolhouse Fare
Barbara and Andrew Schultz
Linda and Stuart Seidman
Sharon and Craig Sender
ServiceNow
Joshua Shapiro ’15
Julie Shapiro ’05
Olivia and Peter Shapiro
Patricia Sheehan ’95
Robin Sherman
Stella and Alex Shilman
Ruth and Elie Shimoni
Rabbi Marcia Plumb and Rabbi Michael Shire
Lesley Shore
Tania Mireles and William Shorr
Ellie and Barry Shrage
Anne and Richard Shuman
Siagel Productions, Inc.
Lois and Andrew Siegel
Amy and Jonathan Silber
Linda and Peter Silverstein
Risa Shames and Neil Silverston
Eleanor and Paul Sirk
Rabbi Joel Sisenwine
Alison Petok and Rabbi Dan Slipakoff
Claudia and Robert Slipakoff
Alyson and Joshua Smith
Rabbi Jodi Seewald Smith and Adam Smith
Jessica and Ethan Solomon
Susan and Alan Solomont
Alexander Sorets ’11
Glenda and John Speyer
Marina and Valeriy Stepanets
Carol and Alan Stone
Sandra and Jack Swartz
Temple Habonim Rabbi Emeritus Discretionary Fund
Temple Israel of Boston
Amy Klotz and David Terry
Leah Terry ’20
Caren Thorner
TisBest Philanthropy
Suzanne and Herbert Tobin
Seth Tobin ’17
Jaime Brody and Meghan Todd
Jill Stanton and Bruce Trager
Anna Tratt
Louise and Richard Treitman
Jacqueline Hart and Robert Trestan
Alissa and Ariel Trujillo
Rachel and Jeffrey Turk
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Kate and Daniel Urman
The Edyth and Irving Usen Family Charitable Fund
Kathleen and Josh VanDernoot
Viktoriya and Vlad Vilkomir
Kate Villa
Miriam and Evan Waldheter
Emma Rowe and Dan Walsh
Susan and Bradley Waterman
Robert Weinstein
Jennifer and Amiel Weinstock
Ruth Weinrib and Paul Weiss
Wellington Management Co.
Beth and Jonathan Winograd
Susan and William Wood
Lorel and Arnold Zar-Kessler
Sharon Goldberg and Georgios Zervas
Dina and Samuel Zoob
Robyn Doane and Lisa Zuckerman
Doreen Fundiller-Zweig and Elliot Zweig
We have made every effort to ensure accuracy. Please accept our sincere apology for any omissions or errors and report them to the Rashi Development Office at 781-355-7312.
Keeping up With Alumni
Our graduates’ high school destinations
Beaver Country Day School
Belmont Hill School
Benjamin Franklin International School
Blue Hills Regional Technical School
Boston College High School
Boston Latin School
Boston University Academy
Brookline High School
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
Cambridge School of Weston
Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School
Commonwealth School
Concord Academy
Dana Hall School
Dedham High School
Dover-Sherborn High School
Dublin School
Framingham High School
Gann Academy
King Solomon School (Israel)
Kingswood Oxford School
Lincoln-Sudbury High School
Medfield High School
Milton Academy
Natick High School
Needham High School
The Newman School
Newton North High School
Newton South High School
Noble and Greenough School
Northfield Mount Hermon
Rivers School
The Roxbury Latin School
Sharon High School
Somerville High School
Thayer Academy
Wayland High School
Weston High School
The Woodward School
Our graduates’ college & university destinations
Agnes Scott College
Barnard College
Bentley University
Berklee College of Music
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Brown University
Bryant University
Carleton College
Case Western Reserve University
Champlain College
Colgate University
Colorado College
Columbia University
Connecticut College
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Duke University
Emerson College
Emory University
Fordham University
George Washington University
Goucher College
Hamilton College
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Lehigh University
Lynn University
Macalester College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Miami University (Ohio)
Middlebury College
Muhlenberg College
New York University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Occidental College
Ohio State University
Penn State University
Philadelphia University
Purdue University
Quinnipiac University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
San Diego State University
Skidmore College
Smith College
Stanford University
Syracuse University
Tufts University
Tulane University
Union College
University of Arizona
University of Chicago
University of Delaware
University of Illinois
University of Maine
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts
Amherst
University of Massachusetts
Boston
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of New Hampshire
University of Oregon
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh
University of Tampa
University of Vermont
University of Virginia
University of Wisconsin
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Yale University
Leadership 2023-24
Board of Trustees
David Grossman, President
Kerry Epstein, Vice President
Adam Pase, Vice President
Daniel Guttell, Treasurer
Vikki Sherman, Clerk
Jeremy Shinewald, Development Chair
Adam W. Fischer, Head of School
Rebecca Burack
Marshall W. Carter
Laurence Chafetz
Gregg Darish
Tracey Frankel
Helene Gelber
Sam Glasgow ’08
Daniel L. Miller
Gila Belsky Modell ’05
Chuck Myers
Larry Perlov
Marli Porth
Leslie Pucker
Lily Rabinoff-Goldman
Dan Saul
Josie Semel
Barry Shrage
Gary Shub
Alyson Smith
Adam Weiner
Rabbi Henry A. Zoob
Founding Chair (Permanent Trustee)
Development Committee
Dan Adelson
Helene Gelber
Shoshana Goldberg
David Grossman
Lindsay Guttell
Ruth Kanfer
Jessica Karlin
Ethan Lasser
Mike Mindlin
Jessica Myers
Jamie Perelman
Alison Petok
Jeremy Shinewald, Development Chair
Larry Tobin ’01
Matthew Zisow, Annual Fund Chair
Sam Zoob
Barbara Burnim Day
Director of Finance & Operations
Jillian Erdos
Campaign Director
Adam W. Fischer
Head of School
Amy Klotz
Director of Development Operations & Stewardship
Tammy Schneider
Development Coordinator
Kim Stone
Director of Development
Leadership 2023-24
Yachad Leadership
Yachad means “together.” Through Yachad: Rashi’s Parent Council, we as parents come together to fulfill our mission to enhance the school curriculum and support our community of children, families, teachers, staff, and school.
Co-Chairs: Jessica Myers, Jamie Perelman, and Alyson Smith
Budget and Administration: Jess Karlin and Abbe Klein
Family Engagement: Danielle Darish and Lindsay Jabbawy
Celebrations: Jen Schaffer and Dina Zoob
Kehillah (Community): Maya Mindlin, Joanna Schneider, and Stacey Suckerman
Social Justice: Jonathan Ellowitz and Jessica Lasser
Admissions and Outreach: Dara Grossman and Vikki Sherman
Simchas and Sadness: Jennifer Adelson and Amy O’Donnell
Rashi Wear: Kate Urman and Michelle Zisow
Teacher Appreciation: Lindsay Guttell and Jess Karlin
Pizza Thursday: Elyse Leventhal
Challah: Alla Vigdorchik
Israel Kehillah Committee Speaker Series: Ruth Kanfer and Liat Rosen
Alumni Council
Masha Dumanis ’02, P’30
Odessa Elmore ’13
Alex Finkielsztein ’06
Ben Gelber ’22
Sydney Gondelman ’20
Sam Glasgow ’08
Ali Janower ’18
Emma Scheinmann Lentz ’08
Sam Moller ’09
Ben Myers ’21
Emma Rashes ’13
Jonah Tobin ’15
Sarah Trager ’04
Life-changing education World-changing students
“ It is incumbent upon us to ensure that future generations, our children, are deeply proud of being Jewish. They must grow up with a clear sense of their Jewish identity, knowing who they are as changemakers, and that they have the agency to continue our people’s success and deep commitment to community. Rashi graduates are that future.”
Emily Charton, New Head of School 2024