SPRING 2019 FEATURES
12 What’s Happening at GOA 14 L’hitraot Mr. Laks 3 Reunions 16 Buddy Program 8 Alumni Back on Campus 18 Mission: Puerto Rico 10 Annual Basketball 21 Erica Rabner Concert Game and Open House 22 Class Notes
NEWS
Jewish Leaders Beyond the Classroom Walls
Alumni are bringing the leadership skills they learned from Schechter/GOA to their college campuses Last spring, we unveiled our new mission, vision and values for Golda Och Academy. Yet our alumni continue to prove that these values – love of learning, community, respect, repair of the world, Jewish life and learning, and love of Israel – live beyond the walls of our campuses. They are the foundation that has helped our alumni on college campuses grow and flourish and eventually use their leadership skills to go out into the working world, start impressive careers and even volunteer their time to worthy causes in the community.
That same year, Lindsay applied to be part of a first-year leadership program with Brandeis Hillel and was chosen to be one of the two first-year representatives to the Hillel Student Board. On the Hillel Board, she had the chance to interact with upperclassmen who she characterized as “creative, capable, bright, and passionate individuals.” These members quickly became Lindsay’s friends and mentors and inspired her to take on other leadership positions in the community.
As a day school, Golda Och Academy prides itself on raising the next generation of Jewish leaders. Currently, there are five alumni serving as presidents of their campus Hillel or Chabad. Below we have highlighted some of their accomplishments within their organizations.
Recognizing the diversity of Jewish students, Lindsay helped create a pluralistic communal
Lindsay Biebelberg ’17 President of Hillel, Brandeis University Since Jewish life was very important to Lindsay (right) when applying to colleges, she always knew Hillel would be part of her campus life. What she didn’t foresee, however, was taking on a board leadership position. After attending a Hillel Shabbaton for first-year students at the beginning of her freshman year at Brandeis, Lindsay said, “I knew that Hillel would be my home in college. I had met so many passionate Jewish people of all different denominations with a wide array of passions, and I found the unity we achieved despite diversity to be so beautiful.”
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Message from the Head of School We are proud of the fact that leadership, engagement in the Jewish community and a dedication to being lifelong learners are of paramount importance here at Golda Och Academy. Thus it is no surprise to see that we currently have five alumnae serving as Hillel (Brandeis, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia/Barnard and Muhlenberg) and Chabad (Muhlenberg) chapter presidents, who are profiled in this issue’s cover story. To see our graduates engaged as leaders in Jewish life on campus encapsulates so much of who we are at GOA. They are applying the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills honed here to lead and help others and we, as a school community, should all be bursting with pride knowing this. Here at school, it has been a truly exciting year. Without a doubt, our inaugural, all-school Hanukkah celebration — featuring the award-winning, Jewish a capella group Six13 and our very own Josh Sauer ‘09 — stands out above all else. To see our entire kehillah (community) singing, dancing and celebrating Hanukkah together was truly a sight to behold. Our Pre-K students lit the hanukkiah surrounded by our 12th graders. Before the sufganiyot were served, we gathered our current students who are children of alumni — all 76 of them! (See p.13) — for a group picture that speaks to the power of a GOA education and the desire of our alumni to return to our community as parents (and in some cases grandparents). These are our graduates who chose to provide that same impactful educational experience for the next generation.
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS is published twice a year by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, and the Office of Marketing and Communications. Send your comments, questions, story ideas, photos, class notes, and baruch dayan emets to: Michelle Moallem mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org
2 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
Speaking of generations, we also gathered multiple generations of our 5th grade-Gan buddies at our allschool Hanukkah celebration. The hugs and smiles during this reunion were priceless. We know the Buddy Program is one of the highlights of the Lower School experience, and we have even heard that some of our alumni still keep up those bonds with their buddies. (Read more about the program on p. 16.) Seeing our alumni back on campus with our current students and our community is one of the most incredible parts of my job. In addition to welcoming back Josh Sauer ‘09, we also had a special concert with Erica Rabner ‘09 at our Lower School campus in February as part of our PJ Library-sponsored Easy Jewish Family Fun program. Celebrating our alumni is something we are honored to do, and we thank all of you for making that task an easy one as you are consistently doing things that make our community and world a better place. Continue to be incredible ambassadors for our school, keep making us proud and continue to share your achievements along the way.
Stephanie Bash-Soudry Director of Development and Alumni Relations Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator Glenn Slavin Director of Marketing and Communications Erin Sternthal Marketing and Communications Associate James Bratek Digital Marketing Strategist
Adam Shapiro Head of School
Rebecca Berman Chair, Board of Trustees Adam Shapiro Head of School Julia Malaga Chief Financial Officer Rabbi Elliot Goldberg Upper School Principal Carrie Siegel ’92 Lower School Principal
Golda Och Academy is accredited by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, and is a beneficiary agency of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ. It is affiliated with the National Association of Indepedent Schools, Prizmah, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (NJ Region), and the MetroWest Day School Initiative.
Class of 1998 20-Year Reunion October 27, 2018 | New York City
Class of 2012 Reunion
November 24, 2018 | New York City
Message from the Alumni Chairs So much has happened since the last issue of the Alumni Newsletter: College-aged alumni returned to the Upper School for the Alumni Basketball Game and Open House, the Class of 1998 and the Class of 2012 each celebrated reunions in NYC, and alumni from 11 class years joined together for the 3rd Annual Shabbat Dinner. Thank you to everyone who has chaired and served on the event committees, and for anyone who is interested in getting more involved, there are plenty of opportunities to come!
Upcoming events: the Class of 1999 will be holding its 20-Year Reunion on May 5th. We are also planning an Alumni Community Service Day and our annual College Alumni BBQ. Thank you also to everyone who has been part of the Alumni Campaign by donating to the GOA 2018/2019 Annual Fund. Your support is always appreciated!
Becky Isaacson ’04 Co-Chair
Sarah Schonfeld ’06 Co-Chair
Message from the Alumni Engagement Coordinator It was wonderful to see so many of you at the 3rd Annual Alumni Shabbat Dinner on March 15! It is always inspiring to witness just how strong the friendships between SSDS-GOA alumni are long after you have left the confines of school. Thank you for your feeback about the event’s new venue (JCC Manhattan) and about your interests for future alumni programming and opportunities. We always want to hear from you! Many of you have expressed an interest in returning to school for either a visit or a program — our doors are open, and we would love to welcome you back! Send me an email mmoallem@goldaochacademy. org to set up a visit or to let us know you are coming.
I am also looking forward to working with those of you who live outside of the NY/NJ area and have reached out about organizing Schechter/GOA alumni events in your communities. If there is an event you would like to help with, or you have an idea for a program you would like to help plan, please reach out! Whether you attend an alumni event, visit school, or help plan programming, we are so grateful that you are a part of the Schechter/GOA Alumni Society, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator 4 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
Jewish Leaders Beyond the Classroom Walls CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER
Havdalah experience last year. “Navigating the complexities of pluralism was certainly a challenge, but the result was a beautiful, uplifting experience,” she said. Last semester, serving as Religious Life Coordinator on the Hillel Board, Lindsay organized a paired learning initiative for students who wanted to learn or improve upon synagogue skills. Learners were paired with a student capable of teaching the particular skill he/she wanted to learn. Through this initiative, Lindsay’s goal was to increase Jewish literacy in the community and give students a platform for forming friendships across denominations. “A large part of my role as president involves meeting with other leaders in the Jewish community (of which there are many!) and working with them to enhance their programming and maximize their reach.” As president, Lindsay hopes to expand the reach of Hillel on the Brandeis campus, “to make sure we are accessing and providing for the entire Brandeis Jewish community.” Brandeis, she added, has a large Jewish community and thriving Jewish life, so it is easy to become complacent. “I hope to increase Hillel’s reach by demonstrating, through words and actions, that all Jewish students’ Jewish identities matter and are valid.” Looking back at her time at Golda Och Academy, Lindsay says she was, “challenged intellectually. I was given many opportunities to go outside my comfort zone and develop new skills. I was given a voice in class, and my teachers assured me that what I had to say mattered. The challenging and growth-filled environment at GOA inspired me to take on the challenge of being the Hillel president.”
Annie Cannon ’17 President of Hillel, Muhlenberg College According to Annie Cannon, the moment she stepped foot on campus, Muhlenberg College Hillel made her feel right at home. “On move-in day, upperclassmen from Hillel came to my dorm room with a gift bag to welcome me to the community. Hillel soon became more than just an outlet for Jewish life, but the place where I felt most at home, most valuable, and happiest on campus.” During the previous board term, Annie served as the religious chair for Hillel, planning ritual and holiday programming, including a Simchat Torah celebration with holidayfriendly performances by Muhlenberg a cappella groups, dancing with the Torah, davening, Torah reading and appetizers. She led a team that planned and facilitated the first women’s tefillah service at Muhlenberg on Rosh Chodesh Adar last spring and planned an interfaith retreat to build bridges Annie Cannon ’17 between communities at Muhlenberg. Additionally, she worked closely with the Chabad Student Center to plan the first joint Hillel-Chabad event on campus - a joint Chanukah party that was attended by over 100 Muhlenberg students. She also had the opportunity to serve on the college’s search committee to hire the new Hillel Director, Rabbi Rachmiel Gurwitz. As president, Annie serves as a mentor to the other board members, assisting them throughout their leadership journey and guiding them to brainstorm and develop events and initiatives. She also works closely with the Hillel staff to develop large scale events and initiatives that benefit the Jewish community at large. “One of my main goals is to empower others to feel confident as leaders within CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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the Jewish community,” said Annie. “GOA gave me amazing outlets for leadership. My teachers and classmates always pushed me to try new things and take on leadership roles whenever possible.” During her time at GOA, Annie was a student leader in Mock Trial, Model UN, Choir, NHS, Student Council, and the Tefillah mentorship program. “The Tefillah mentorship program showed me how rewarding working in Jewish educational environments can be and allowed me to see firsthand the impact my leadership could have on others. The desire to be a leader in Jewish environments and impact others in a community has been invaluable in my work at Hillel, and I am so grateful that at such a young age GOA gave me the tools that enabled me to be a leader in my campus community.”
studies and her ability to impact others and make a difference inspired me as a student and as an alum. She showed me that leadership is largely about mentorship and providing others with the tools to succeed and thrive. It is my hope that I can now pay it forward and help others at Muhlenberg find their inner leader.”
Annie specifically cites Ms. Flora Musleah as one of those teachers who truly inspired her during her time at GOA. “Ms. Musleah’s passion for not only exploring the intricacies of the text of the Tanach but for giving others the tools to enjoy their
Outside of Hillel, Annie is a member of Phi Mu sorority and serves as the Ramah College Network Coordinator at Muhlenberg. She has performed with both the Muhlenberg Women’s Ensemble and the College Choir.
Dana Halpern ‘15
Message from the Parents of Alumni Committee It has been a wonderful winter for the Parents of Alumni Committee! In December, we welcomed our newest members to the group, as we stuffed care packages for the Class of 2018. Our January challah bake, led by GOA parent and author Shannon Sarna Goldberg, was truly a special evening. Shannon is the author of Modern Jewish Baker: Challah, Babka, Bagels & More and taught the group techniques for braiding challah and how to use challah dough for other recipes, such as cinnamon buns. More than 35 women attended our event which was held at the home of Susie Bruch. If you weren’t able to make it to the challah bake, please be on the lookout for details for our summer get together. 6 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
We are currently in the planning stages and would love to see you there! Our committee meets twice a year to plan our two annual events so please come to a meeting or inquire how to get involved. We would love your help! The Parents of Alumni group is a wonderful way to stay connected to Golda Och Academy and each other! It’s great to be able to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Wishing everyone a wonderful Pesach! — Shari Broder and Amy Borg Glickman, PAC Chairs For more information and to get involved, please contact: Caryn Rosenberg | crosenberg@goldaochacademy.org | (973) 602-3634
Dana Halpern ’15 President of Chabad, Muhlenberg College
Noah Shapiro ‘15
“At GOA, I learned how to advocate for myself and my beliefs,” said Dana Halpern. “I learned about the beauty of the Jewish religion and how crucial it is for all of us to continue practicing our ancient traditions. Since I was so lucky to be afforded the opportunity to have an amazing and meaningful Jewish education, I felt a sense of responsibility to go out into the world to help other young Jews reconnect or maintain their connections to Judaism and Israel.” As president of Chabad at Muhlenberg, Dana is fulfilling her sense of responsibility, connecting Jewish students on campus by planning and organizing events, such as weekly Shabbat programs and Jewish learning classes. Whether it’s a challah baking event or a celebration for a Jewish holiday, Dana is proud to serve the Jewish community on campus. “My goal for the future is to have Chabad flourish even more and for it to continue to be a place for all and celebrate their Judaism,” said Dana. “Since college is the first time students really leave their homes and are on their own without their parents, this is an extremely crucial time for them to figure out what role Judaism will have in their lives. I want to give students at Muhlenberg a safe space for them to explore, reconnect with, and maintain their Judaism.” Dana also helps give prospective Jewish students insight into Jewish life at Muhlenberg as the assistant tour guide coordinator for the Office of Admissions on campus. In this role, Dana discusses the kosher meat and dairy dining hall options as well as the supportive Jewish and Zionist community on campus. GOA, she said, instilled an even greater sense of Zionism and Jewish pride within her which has continued to grow throughout her time in college. She added that her true passion at GOA was the choir where she was the soprano section leader, but also credits her math teacher, Mr. Londino, as being an inspiration to push her herself, pursue her passions, take risks and be a leader.
Noa Shapiro ’15 President of Hillel, Columbia University/ Barnard College During her freshman year at Barnard, Noa Shapiro quickly became involved with the Columbia/Barnard Hillel. As an active member, she joined the executive board her sophomore year as vice president of engagement, starting an initiative called the Community Project to bring students of all backgrounds together for Shabbat meals. This year, Noa is serving as president. As president, Noa leads a board of five other representatives of the Columbia/Barnard Hillel community and serves as the primary liaison to campus administration, the Hillel professional leadership team, and the international organization. She serves as a spokesperson with the media and leads leadership training sessions for other student leaders. As for her goals as president, Noa said she hopes to bring together the Hillel community in times of joy and grief. She has also focused on building relationships with other campus clubs, religious groups and leadership. “We’re very lucky at Columbia/Barnard to have a Hillel with a lot of resources. Our board and student leaders run various programs, from Chanukah parties to speakers to Shabbat dinners. I’m lucky to be able to work on these CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 7
Schechter/GOA Alumni Back On Campus ...
Ilana Schimmel ‘15 returned to GOA in January to pose as a live model for Mrs. Watson’s 2D art class.
Zachary Shapiro ‘11 poses for a picture with GOA Foreign Language and Physical Education Department Chair Gail Shapiro. Jon Wingens ‘15, Sophia Heimowitz ‘18, Jacob Gutstein ‘16, Yonatan Rekem ‘16 and Emily Binstein ‘17 returned to the Upper School to participate in the GOA College Alumni Panel program on January 3.
To arrange a visit to GOA, contact: Michelle Moallem Alumni Engagement Coordinator mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org
8 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
Jacob Hazan ‘18 and Chayim Karlin ‘18 stopped by the Upper School for a visit in November.
Maya Freedman ‘18 and Yael Liebman ‘18 take a selfie with Head of School Adam Shapiro, Director of Israel Education and Programming Rabbi Meirav Kallush, and Alumni Engagement Coordinator Michelle Moallem.
In October, Ilana Schimmel ’15, Arielle Klein ’11 , Alayna Klein ’14, Becca Carmel ’14, and Kira Greenberg ’11 shared their theatrical expertise helping current GOA students create original short plays for the GOA Arts Department’s “Play in a Day” program.
In March, Aaron Blady ‘10 shared his post-high school experiences with current GOA students.
Meet-up/dinner with our incredible GOA alumni in Jerusalem: Toren Ilan Aronoff ‘13, Jesse Nagelberg, ‘12, Iris Berman ‘18, Sam Russo ‘18 and GOA Israel Field Operations Manager Rabbi Rob Kahn with Stephanie Bash-Soudry, Director of Development and Alumni Relations.
... And In Israel
Shachar Kessler ‘18 and Miriam Morris ‘18 and former student Avi Ramer met up with the GOA 9th graders on Na’ale in Tel Aviv. The three are doing a gap year with Young Judaea Year Course in Israel.
At the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ CommUNITY Israel Mission 2018, GOA was well-represented among the mission’s 474 participants— GOA alumni, parents, alumni parents, grandparents, community rabbis and friends!
Rena Abrams ‘01 tours a high tech company in Tel Aviv
Joe Bier ‘79 greets Paula Spack, ‘84 former Lower School teacher, of Beer Sheva
2018 Alumni Basketball Game and Open House December 20, 2018 | Eric F. Ross Upper School Campus
We were thrilled to welcome back college-aged alumni to reunite with their peers and faculty members at the annual Alumni Basketball Game and Open House.
Jewish Leaders on Campus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
programs with the rest of the board to better serve the community’s needs.” Noa clearly is keeping up her GOA connections as her Hillel advisor happens to be alumna and former faculty member Navah Kogen ’04! And when looking back to her time here at school, Noa says her teachers (as well as her family) encouraged her to take on leadership roles. In addition to her involvement in The Flame, Noa worked on the literary magazine and was part of the girls volleyball team. “My Judaic classes were some of the most intellectually stimulating experiences at GOA,” said Noa. “I remember my classes with Rabbi Kavon and Ms. Musleah very fondly. Most importantly, they taught me to grapple with my Judaism, always encouraging me to challenge what was presented to me.”
Talia Solomon ’16 President of Hillel, Carnegie Mellon University Hillel/Jewish Students Association of CMU When Talia Solomon began her freshman year at Carnegie Mellon University, she knew she wanted to be a part of Jewish life on campus. After searching out Hillel events, she quickly made new friends and became involved. She joined the board as education chair, heading up programming and events. After serving a term as vice president, she became president in January running the executive board of CMU Hillel, as well as overseeing events and subcommittees. As a board member, Talia helps plan activities for Jewish students on campus, including weekly Shabbat dinners, various services/Jewish discussions, events for Jewish holidays and social events. For CMU, Talia has even helped plan themed Shabbat dinners, such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and wellness-themed dinners as well as biweekly women’s Havdalah programs, where Jewish women celebrate Havdalah and then have an evening activity such as pottery painting, movies or dinner. In 2017, she helped plan a large talent show called “The Schpiel” to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
Talia Solomon ’16
Last fall’s shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh had a profound effect on Talia being part of a Jewish community less than 1.5 miles away from the synagogue. “I know many students who go to Tree of Life for services on the high holidays and a few students who grew up going there with their families,” she said. After hearing the news on her way to another synagogue in Pittsburgh, she immediately returned to campus and checked on as many Jewish students as possible, even knocking on doors of observant students. That afternoon, CMU asked Jewish student leaders to help guide them in a response to the shooting. Hillel, Chabad and AEPi met with administrators and Jewish professors to organize an event that night for Jewish students to gather at the University Center for Diversity and Inclusion. That Sunday, Talia met many other student leaders to plan CMU’s vigil that was attended by 1,500 students and reported on by NPR. “The board and I also planned many events to give students a place to just be together because there were no words to say. It took a lot of time to return to some sense of normalcy for all of Pittsburgh, especially the Jewish students of CMU,” she said. “A month later, other student leaders from Hillel and I participated in the shloshim ceremony held by the Jewish Federation.” Looking back on her time at Golda Och Academy, Talia was involved in many clubs, including the literary magazine and National Honor Society, that helped develop her leadership skills. “GOA helped give me a strong sense of Judaism and Jewish community as well as my curiosity for Jewish knowledge. I think going to GOA made me really want to be part of a Jewish community in college, which led me to Hillel.”
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What’s Happening at GOA?
All-School Hanukkah Celebration with Six13 December 7, 2018 | Eric F. Ross Upper School Campus
What a treat to have welcomed back Josh Sauer ’09 and his award-winning Jewish a capella group Six13 for our inaugural all-school Hanukkah celebration!
It was incredible to have all our students from grades Pre-K through 12 together to enjoy the 5th day of Hanukkah. Our own choir, The Golden Ochtaves, got to perform with Six13 and brought down the house! The day was capped off with holiday activities, sufganiyot, candle lighting and, of course, a lot of festive dancing! We even took a picture of all of the children of alumni who are currently attending GOA!
Children of Alumni at GOA ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 13
A New Algorithm for Mr. Laks
Upper School Math Teacher Dov Laks Will Retire After 27 Years If there is one thing our high school students at Golda Och Academy have not factored into their equations, it has been learning math without Dov Laks. Mr. Laks has been teaching high school mathematics for the past 27 years and will begin the next chapter of his life after he retires at the end of this school year. Mr. Laks, who was born in Israel, served in the Israel Defense Forces as an instructor training soldiers in radio communication, inscription, coding and encoding. He then earned his
engineering degree from the Technion. Before coming to Golda Och Academy, he taught at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Maryland for two years and then at another school in Philadelphia. Yet after arriving in New Jersey with his two kids in 1986, Mr. Laks made GOA his permanent home. Whether his next journey frees up time for him to play tennis, bridge and possibly even golf, he will be missed by students and faculty here at GOA.
“Mr. Laks always had a great sense of humor about everything and his class was very
enjoyable. In Mr. Laks’s class, I finally felt like I was able to understand the difficult math associated with trig and calculus. It was like suddenly getting a dictionary to a foreign language.” —Shira Kipnees ‘11
“Mr. Laks held very high expectations and expected us
to rise far above a high school level. I appreciated his dry sense of humor and wit fondly as he brought our class into a true family. He taught me far more than just math as I learned to be driven, passionate about my studies, and what it means to truly work hard. I am certain countless other students share the same experiences.” —Adam Karp ‘10
“Mr. Laks taught me so much more than algebra
and calculus. He taught me about the value of perseverance and hard work. I don’t think I understood that all of this extra time he spent helping me was not required of him, but instead, was his choosing.” —Gloria Rothenberg ‘13
“Mr. Laks was able to convey the material, no matter
how challenging, in a way that was both interesting and illuminating. Mr. Laks cemented in me a lifelong love of math, as I’m sure he did for countless other students. ” —Avi Cohen ‘10 14 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
“Mr. Laks’ compassion and support for his students made his class and mentorship
all the more meaningful to me. I’ll never forget his clever jokes, mini Hebrew linguistics lessons, encouraging emails, and genuine excitement for his students, both in and out of the classroom.” —Emily Saperstein ‘18
“Mr. Laks fostered my love of mathematics and is the reason I graduated as an
engineer from Northwestern University. He taught me the fundamentals of how to succeed in a classroom and how to truly understand the material that was being taught. Mr. Laks not only gave me the tools to succeed at Northwestern, he also gave me the confidence and support to go for my dreams. Thank you, Mr. Laks, for everything and congratulations on retirement! “ —Naomi Gutstein ‘13
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Lower School Buddy Program
Building community through the Gan-5th grade Buddy Program When the 5th grade year begins, the oldest students in the Lower School are not only excited to “rule the school,” they are even more excited to find out who their Kindergarten buddy is. This is without a doubt, one of the highlights of the elementary school years at Golda Och Academy. The Gan - 5th Grade Buddy program, which dates back to 1996, has been a tremendous success for both Kindergarteners who love having an older friend in the school to look up to and 5th graders who embrace their leadership roles with their younger buddies. Throughout the year, the 5th graders meet with their Kindergarten buddies once a month, usually during a holiday. For Thanksgiving, buddies traced and cut out hand prints to create a turkey bulletin board, and for Hanukkah, they lit candles together. During Tu B’Shevat, the groups made beautiful murals of trees displayed in the hallways, and for Purim, they exchanged mishloach manot. For most of the students, the Buddy Passover Seder is one of the highlights of the program when 5th graders lead their buddies throughout the different stations of the seder (and hide the afikomen!). At the end, both grades share a seder snack together. Over the years, the program has expanded to include Recess Buddies where the 5th graders sign up to spend recess with the Gan students. “The Recess Buddy component provides both age groups with some pure play time and for the older children, a chance to spend time with a larger group of children,” said Lower School teacher Linda Glasofer. “Many of the children form lasting friendships with their buddies and look forward to seeing them in Middle School.” Of course, the Gan buddies also get to share in some of the 5th grade milestones, including attending their buddy’s Torah reading and presenting them with cards at the Moving
Up Ceremony. Karen Spector, Assistant Principal at the Lower School, said, “One has only to see the 5th graders greeting their Gan buddies during morning meeting or at dismissal, with smiles and open arms, to understand how meaningful this program is for all its participants. Knowing they have an older student looking out for them and eagerly interacting with them, gives our Gan students a sense of security and belonging. Similarly, knowing they have a friend who looks up to them as a role model, instills in our 5th graders a sense of responsibility and pride.” This year, during the inaugural all-school Hanukkah celebration, three generations of buddies had the opportunity to reunite. It was incredible to see the hugs and sheer happiness from each of the students. Even the 6th grade students, CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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ATHLETICS
Winter Varsity Sports 2018-2019 BOYS BASKETBALL OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L HOME W-L AWAY W-L
8-9 7-8 5-4 3-5
GIRLS BASKETBALL OVERALL W-L CONFERENCE W-L HOME W-L AWAY W-L
8-8 7-7 5-5 3-3
ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 17
Dov Laks retiring
Mission: Puerto Rico
How GOA’s annual service trip impacted my view of community and tikkun olam. By David Wingens ‘19
Since 2005, Golda Och Academy has been sending select high school students on a service mission trip to New Orleans to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. This trip gave students an opportunity to get hands-on experience helping others in places where people are most in need. This year, however, it was time for the trip to move to a place in need of more immediate aid. Since Puerto Rico had been devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, GOA decided to send its delegation of 20 juniors and seniors to the island this past December for two days of community service. The mission trips are meant to reinforce some of the school’s core values such as repair of the world (tikkun olam), community (kehillah), and Jewish life and learning (mitzvot and halacha) by actually sending students to the site of a disaster instead of just learning about them in classrooms. Students are selected for the program based on a written application as well as teacher recommendations. I chose to apply for the trip because it seemed like an amazing way to experience a new culture and help 18 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
people from a different community. This experience was even more impactful and eye opening than I could have imagined, and I did not expect it to affect me as profoundly as it did. We landed in San Juan where there were some remnants of the hurricane’s damage, mostly in the form of very active reconstruction. It was not until we left San Juan, however, that we saw the real extent of the damage. It had been over a year since the hurricane made impact, but in some places it looked like it had been only a couple of weeks. To this day, much of the island is reeling in the aftermath of Maria, which was the worst hurricane to ever hit Puerto Rico. On our first full day, we drove about an hour outside of San Juan, to the municipality of Morovis. Morovis is a largely rural area perched amid a vast mountain range toward the interior of the island. Here, the group split and went to a few different houses. My group went to the house of an elderly woman, where we were greeted by a nun named Maria. In Spanish, Maria told us about herself and how she loves to sing, as well as her elderly aunt whose house we were in. She was wonderful and extremely grateful for our presence. We were tasked with scraping off old paint and repainting one of the rooms in the house. The room had clearly taken quite a hit from Maria, as the paint
was sagging from the ceiling and chipping off the wall. While we were painting, Maria pulled out her guitar and began to sing to us. In that moment, I understood why we were here— why a group of Jews from New Jersey flew all the way to Puerto Rico to repaint a room of someone’s house. It is because we, as Jews and as people, have the responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves—not just in our local Jewish community, but anywhere people are in need. This was the manifestation of the famous line from Pirkei Avot that we have learned so many times in the four walls of a classroom, “If I am only for myself, what am I?” Students on this trip were selected because we help those in our community, but GOA was now giving us the sacred opportunity to leave our comfort zone and go where help is needed. When we left the house, we noticed how much work was yet to be done, but how far the house had clearly come thanks to us and the other volunteer groups that had come before us. It was a bit sad to be leaving Maria knowing that her home was still unfinished, but we can only hope that we had as profound an effect on her as she had on us. When my group reconvened with the others, we heard similar stories to ours. While all of our service sites varied in level of disrepair, all of us felt that we had done something amazing. The next day, we worked with Nechama, a Jewish disaster relief organization. They had been in Puerto Rico for a few months, but this was their first day on site at the house we worked on. It looked like not a day had passed since the hurricane. At this rather large house, there was debris everywhere. The roof had mostly caved in, there were large wooden beams scattered about with nails sticking out, huge sheets of sharp tin, decimated furniture, and more termites and cockroaches than we had ever seen in our lives.
Over several hours, we cleared the debris, moved all of the destroyed furniture and appliances, shoveled the thick layers of muck and garbage from the floors, and removed the entire tin roof. When we were done, the owner walked around the house to survey what we had done, and we could see just how thankful he was. What seemed to us to be but a small deed in a place that needed so much more of our help, was to this homeowner a giant step toward regaining some sense of normalcy in his life. On the trip, we also interacted with San Juan’s Jewish community. We ate dinner with and talked to teens at the JCC, and we visited San Juan’s Holocaust memorial. As the first group from Greater MetroWest, we opened doors for the continued communication between our community and the Puerto Rican Jewish community. One of the most meaningful Jewish experiences we had there was, in fact, not with Jews, but with a tiny church back in the hills of Morovis. This church and its congregants were dedicated to a task familiar to many of us here in the American Jewish community: Holocaust education. They run a small museum with pictures and relics from the Holocaust and make it their mission to teach Puerto Rico about the Holocaust and ensure no such event ever occurs again. In a world of increasing anti-semitism and hatred, it was incredibly inspiring and reassuring to see a place like this, with no apparent connection to the Jewish community, care so deeply about us. Puerto Rico is a truly remarkable place that was devastated by one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory, and I am grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to help people most affected by the storm.
ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 19
Thank you to everyone who attended the 3rd Annual GOA Alumni Shabbat Dinner
March 15, 2019 | JCC Manhattan Buddy Program CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
who had just moved up to the Middle School this year, were ecstatic to see their buddies and spent the morning singing and dancing with them. Even beyond the high school years, there are those buddies who remain in touch. This past December, our recent graduates returned to school for the Alumni Open House and Basketball Game. It was astonishing to some of our high school students pop in to say hello to their alumni buddies. The fact that these bonds withstand the test of time is truly remarkable!
Three generations of buddies: Gan, 5th Grade and 10th Grade Buddies posed together for a picture. 20 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
PJ Library: Erica Rabner Concert February 24, 2019 | Wilf School Campus
Our Lower School was filled with more than 150 kids and parents who came to sing and dance at GOA and PJ Library Greater MetroWest NJ’s concert featuring our very own talented alumna Erica Rabner ‘09. It was such a special treat to welcome Erica back to campus!
Some of the alumni in attendance (pictured below): Lisa Kasdan ‘01, Mallory Fisch ‘03, Reisha Goldman ‘98, Evan Galatz ‘01, Erica Rabner ‘09, Hayley Vogel ‘07, and Travis Weiss ‘07.
Class Notes 1990
1998 Mazal tov to Adam Friedman on being appointed Interim Chair of Dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, making him the youngest dermatology chair in the US.
Jeff Bier and wife Liz celebrated the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Hayden Bier on November 17, 2018. Alumni friends in attendance: Marc ‘90 and Wendy ‘89 Herman, Gil Schor ‘90, Mike Plancey ‘90 and Rob Zucker ‘90. Alumni family in attendence: Zach Bier ‘05, Pamela Davis ‘02 and Jordan Davis ‘01, Rachel Fink ‘97, Joe Bier ‘79, Bryan Bier ‘78 and Andrea Bier ‘92.
1994
Liza (Lipstein) Mandelbaum and Jason Mandelbaum welcomed the birth of their daughter, Sabrina Gail (Hebrew name: Aviva Hilit) on November 28, 2018.
Mazal tov to Jeremy Halpern on becoming the CoPresident of Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy/Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School.
Mazal tov to Alan Schall ’92 and Mindy Schall ’97 on being honored at the 2018 Camp Ramah in the Berkshires Annual Gala on December 9, 2018. Alan and Mindy also celebrated their daughter, Sophie’s, Bat Mitzvah on March 3, 2019. Many alumni were in attendance at both events. 22 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
Class Notes 1999
Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family! SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2001 Kimberly and Evan Rosenthal were married on December 16, 2018 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Arielle Kallus and Zach Mainzer were married on February 10, 2019 at Temple Emanu-El in Closter, NJ.
2003
Michelle (Torres) Bandes and Joshua Bandes welcomed the birth of their son, Benjamin Ethan, on September 27, 2018. Big brother, Evan Jacob, is taking to his role very well and loves singing to his little brother. Mazal tov to Rebecca Kahn for receiving the Alumni Leadership Award at the 2018 Camp Ramah in the Berkshires Annual Gala on December 9, 2018.
2000 Flori (Engler) Pressman and Josh Pressman welcomed the birth of their second son, Isaac Ari, in February 2018. Isaac joins big brother Marcus Shai at their home in Manhattan.
2001 Mazal tov to Rena Abrams on her new position as Development Director of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Millburn, NJ.
Nicole Pines Lieberman and Avi Lieberman welcomed the birth of their son, Murray Sidney, on Jan 3, 2019. Murray joins big sisters, Emma and Alexandra. ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 23
Class Notes 2004
2004 Dina Lior Aponte and Edwin Aponte welcomed the birth of their son, Benjamin Elias, on January 31, 2019.
Matt Fenichel and Rachel Adelman Fenichel welcomed the birth of their twin sons, Sean and Ian, on November 29, 2018.
Jill (Rudnitzky) Brand and Daniel Brand welcomed their daughter, Tali Miriam, on September 14, 2018.
Becky Isaacson and Taylor Lustgarten were married on March 31, 2019 in Closter, NJ. Alumni in attendance (pictured above): Shira Lee (Segal) Silver ‘04, Jillian Rayfield ‘04, Sara (Isaacson) Kaufman ‘07,
Michal Gross (former student), Jennifer Logan ‘04 and Aliza Appelbaum ‘04.
Daniel Butensky and Erica Pally (former student) welcomed the birth of their son, Charlie Parker (Hebrew name Chai Faivel). 24 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
Jonah Kaplan was named 2018 TV News Reporter of the Year by the Radio Television & Digital News Association of the Carolinas.
Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!
SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2006
2007
Jenni (Blady) Friedman and her husband Jon welcomed the birth of their daughter, Layla Noam, on December 5, 2018.
Alex Brien and David Shapiro were married on January 26, 2019.
Evan Schmidt is engaged to Jennifer Meltzer. The couple is planning a May 26, 2018 wedding.
Alumni Couple Welcomes New Baby
Travis Weiss and Suzanna Grobman welcomed the birth of their daughter, Rafaela Grace, on November 16, 2018.
Sarah (Rothenberg) Schonfeld ‘06 and Evan Schonfeld ‘06 welcomed the birth of their son, Lenny Miles, on December 2, 2018. Love that “Future Roadrunner” onesie!
Hillary (Lederman) Weller and David Weller welcomed the birth of their twins, Piper and Brody, on July 10, 2018. ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 25
Class Notes
Stay connected with your Schechter/GOA family!
SCHECHTER/GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2009
2011 Philip Nydick is engaged to Dani Hauser.
Yonatan Kaplan is engaged to Jessica Greenberg.
2014 Aliza Sessler accepted at job as a Video Editor and Podcast Producer for TV GUIDE /CBS Interactive.
2010
2015 Toren Aronoff is engaged to Ella Tesler. The couple lives in Jerusalem.
Adam Karp is engaged to Shayna Lupu of New York City. He is the son of Michael and Donna Karp, the GOA Lower School JFS School Social Worker. Adam is currently a fourth year medical student at New York Medical College, and following graduation in May, he will be doing his residency in Neurology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York. Shayna Schor is engaged to Jon Cohen. The couple is planning a December 29, 2019 wedding in Newton, MA.
26 ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019
2016 Hannah Sessler recently completed an exciting Fall internship at CSPAN where she worked as a Production Assistant & Researcher on BOOK TV with Brian Lamb.
Former Students Jonathan Abrahamian is engaged to Katherine Applebaum. Jonathan is the son of Lower School teacher Tina Abrahamian.
Our Sincere Condolences Rabbi Daniel Allen z”l, beloved husband of Mary Lou; father of Sarah ‘95, Noah ‘02 (Rena) and Rabbi Uri Allen ’98 (Sari); grandfather of Livya, Doron, Aderet and Yedidah. Amram Benisty z”l, beloved brother of Mordechai Benisty, brother-inlaw of Lower School teacher Natasha Cooper-Benisty, uncle of Manon ’12 and Adiel (Grade 10). Bunny Berkowitz z”l, beloved mother of Kenneth Berkowitz (Amy) and Connie Lior (Uzi), grandmother of Ilana Ginsberg ‘99, Dina Aponte ‘04 and Tali DeVoe ‘09. Dr. Errol Berman z”l, beloved father of C.J. Berman (Suzy), grandfather of Iris ‘18, Lilly (Grade 10), Rose (Grade 6) and Violet (Grade 4). Judy Davis z”l, beloved mother of Mindy Blum (Evan), grandmother of Matthew ‘16 and Corey ‘18. Ruth Effron z”l, beloved mother of Mark Effron (Anne), grandmother of Leah ‘09 and Micah. Mildred B. Gershen z”l, beloved mother of Eta Gershen Cohen (Steven), grandmother of Micah ‘06, Ethan ‘07, Avi ‘10 and Talia (former student). Lorraine H. Gleaner z”l, beloved mother of David (Leslie) Gleaner,
grandmother of Ian ‘09, Ariel ‘12 and Seth ‘16.
Jane Kessler z”l, beloved mother of Jonathan Kessler, grandmother of Liat ‘10, Avi ‘13 and Shachar ‘18. Rob Kipnees z”l, beloved husband of Helane Kipnees; father of Gabe, Shira
The GOA community mourns the loss of alumnus Daniel Fulop ‘92 z”l, beloved husband of Elissa Fulop, father of Alexis (9th grade) and Amber (5th grade), son of Carmen and Arthur Fulop, brother of Richard Fulop ’03 and former student Steven Fulop. ‘11, Josh ‘02 (Tara ‘03); grandfather of Eilat (grade 2) and Jules.
Noreen Lloyd z”l, beloved wife of Chet Horn, mother of Tara ‘03 and Allison ‘06 (Steven). Jesse Margolin z”l, beloved father of Michael Margolin (Ruth), grandfather of former students Nathan, Ezra and Hannah. Paul L. Markstein z”l, beloved father of Sam ‘11 and Danny ‘15, brother of Judith Menschik. Ann Monka z”l, beloved mother of Ira (Esti), Jay (Toby), and Roz Lippa Submit your condolences at www.goldaochacademy.org/baruchdayanemet
(Peter); grandmother of Alle-Faye, Lonnie, Neal ‘11, Philip, Gillian, Ariel (Amanda) and Shari (Adam); and great-grandmother of Levi and Jack.
Moshe Schech z”l, beloved husband of Sara Schech, father of Mira Erlich (Giora), grandfather of Oren Erlich ‘07 and Danielle Erlich ‘09. Joachim (Joe) Schorr z”l, beloved husband of Adina Schorr, father of Gil Schorr ‘90 (Sari) and former students Lesley Brooks (David) and Ora Kreigstein (Alan), and grandfather of seven grandchildren. Marcella Giuditta Servi Siegel z”l, beloved mother of Dr. David Siegel, Dr. Rena Feinman Siegel and grandmother of Avital ‘09 and Ariel ‘11. Daniel Solondz z”l, beloved husband of Jackie Solondz, father of Michael, Barry, Tami and David ‘96. Samuel Warm z”l, beloved father of Janet Warm Fliegelman (Arthur), grandfather of JJ ‘07, Oren ‘11 and former teacher Mindy ‘12. Edith Zamost z”l, beloved mother of Marian (Robert) Stern and grandmother of Adam ‘02, Ari ‘05 and Zachary ‘08
ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2019 27
ERIC F. ROSS UPPER SCHOOL CAMPUS 1418 Pleasant Valley Way West Orange, New Jersey 07052
TO THE PARENTS OF ALUMNI: If this issue is addressed to your daughter/son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Office of Development and Alumni with the correct mailing address. Call 973-602-3621 or email mmoallem@goldaochacademy.org.
Upcoming Events May 5 Class of 1999 20-Year Reunion May 23 Class of 2018 Graduation May 31 - June 2 Kolot Hayam Choir Festival June 4 Spring Gala