MAY 27, 2022
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Graduates of the 2022 class celebrate their graduation on the campus of Ohio University in Athens, OH. | Photo / Ryan Gryzbowski
GALLERY OF GRADS
Gallery of Grads20 A Cleveland Jewish News Advertising Special Section
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or brother and sister Chad and Jessica Abrams, the COVID-19 pandemic had a large impact over the past 2½ years, but they were able to celebrate their achievements with family and friends at in-person graduation ceremonies. “I was living in the AEPi fraternity house during my sophomore and junior year, so leading up to COVID and through one main year of it,” Chad, who graduated from the University of Cincinnati after double majoring in accounting and business analytics, told the Cleveland Jewish News. “It really did have a pretty big impact to me. We were stuck in the house as nobody wanted to contract the virus.” When some members of the house eventually did get COVID, Chad said it changed their daily lives as they stayed in their rooms and could not attend in-person classes. In the fraternity, Chad served as the treasurer of the executive board for a year before becoming the rush chair. Also very active with Cincinnati Hillel, he served as the engagement intern in his sophomore year and joined the student board as treasurer in his final year. While social events on campus and for Hillel and AEPi were
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he COVID-19 pandemic halted her high school experience in her sophomore year, but as Sydney Burkons prepares for her upcoming graduation May 31, she looks to the positive side of the last few years. “It made senior year more fun, in a positive light, because I was able to have fun and make up the time we lost,” Burkons told the Cleveland Jewish News. “Virtual school is not easy at all and so it created a lot of resilience, not only for me, but also for my friends.” While the pandemic disrupted her sophomore and junior year with virtual learning and COVID protocols, Burkons said besides a few canceled football games at the start of the year, her last year of high school was not as affected as things begin to return to normal. “We just had prom last week which was completely maskless,” she said. “For ONR BBYO, we have our convention this weekend which is
MAY 27, 2022
GALLERY OF GRADS
Chad Abrams
Jessica Abrams
Graduation date: April 30 College: University of Cincinnati Hometown: Twinsburg Synagogue: Temple Emanu El Jewish activities: Active member of Cincinnati Hillel and Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity Parents: Carolyn and Adam Abrams
Graduation date: May 25 High School: Twinsburg High School Hometown: Twinsburg Synagogue: Temple Emanu El Jewish activities: Looking to join Kent State University’s Hillel. Parents: Carolyn and Adam Abrams
paused or had to adjust during the height of the pandemic, events returned with more normalcy in his final semester as restriction began to be lifted. While he won’t be on campus in the fall, he hopes this trend continues. “I’m hopeful that people still get to enjoy college and normalcy as much as they can,” Chad said. The accounting major began working for Kimball E. Rudin & Associates in Beachwood in May 2020 as an intern, working in the office while home on breaks and remotely while in school. On May 9, he had his first day as a full-time employee. He is not the only graduate in his family as his younger sister Jessica celebrated her commencement May 25 from Twinsburg High School. She reflected on her last four years and going to school through COVID. “I found out the news sitting in my history class sophomore year that we were going to be virtual for two weeks, and everyone was pretty excited because we thought it would be like an extra little spring break,” Jessica told the CJN. “But then a few days later we found out that we weren’t going to be going back to the high
school.” She then spent three months learning virtually, and when students finally returned to the school building in the fall, it was only every other day and they wore masks, ate in classrooms and stayed six feet apart. The high school graduate said it was difficult not seeing friends and having limited interactions with her teachers. “If I had trouble or a question on the day I was home, I prayed that they answered my email or were available to help me out,” she said. Despite the hardships, she made it to graduation and plans to attend Kent State University in the fall to study in the honors college and major in education. “Next fall, I hope to be a big part of Kent State’s Hillel,” Jessica said. “It’s a very strong Hillel, and I hope to do as much with that as I possibly can because I love being a part of my Jewish community.” - Courtney Byrnes
Sydney Burkons
Mollie Davis
Graduation date: May 31 High School: Beachwood High School Hometown: Beachwood Synagogue: Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights and Pepper Pike Jewish activities: S’ganit of BBYO ONR and Saltzman Youth Panel Parents: Stacy Beugen and Zak Burkons
Graduation date: May 8 College: The Ohio State University Hometown: Mayfield Heights Synagogue: Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in Beachwood Jewish activities: NFTY, Hillel at OSU fellowships, Shabbat dinners at Hillel and Chabad, Birthright trip to Israel Parents: Michael and Terri Davis
maskless, you just have to test before.” Burkons has been very involved with BBYO as she served as the S’ganit of the Ohio Northern Region board. She was also involved with the Saltzman Youth Panel. The member of Park Synagogue in Cleveland Heights and Pepper Pike shared the importance of continuing her involvement in the Jewish community as she goes off to college. She plans to attend Indiana Univerisity’s Kelley School of Business to study management, while minoring in health care policy and management and real estate. “I am going to be a part of IU Hillel and I know there is a club called Hoosiers for Israel,” she said, adding that she hopes to join a Jewish sorority. “I was super involved with (the Jewish community) all throughout high school,” Burkons said. “(I plan to) continue to be involved throughout college and in the future.” - Courtney Byrnes
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or Mollie Davis, who graduated from The Ohio State University with a major in architecture and a minor in city and regional planning, a Birthright trip to Israel had special meaning. “As an architecture major, I was so impressed by all of the beauty the country had to offer and as a foodie I was in heaven, especially at the markets,” Davis wrote the Cleveland Jewish News of her winter break trip in 2019-20. Davis described the trip as allowing her to meet people from all over the United States, people with whom she still calls friends today. “It was an amazing opportunity and I had a blast,” Davis wrote in a May 16 email from California while on a graduation road trip. Davis, 22, grew up in Mayfield Heights and graduated from Mayfield High School. She attended Anshe Chesed-Fairmount Temple in Beachwood, where she served as a leader of
NFTY. In addition to her Birthright trip at OSU, Davis did three fellowships at Hillel at OSU. “I was additionally a part of their marketing team as a graphic designer, creating their Facebook posts from 2020-2021 (during COVID-19), which was a fun experience and gave me an opportunity to be creative,” she wrote. As a junior during the pandemic, she lived in off-campus housing, “So I didn’t necessarily feel the full effect of COVID regarding my housing, meal plans or dorm life. I stayed in a house with my three best friends and we made the most of the pandemic. We watched a lot of movies, tried out new recipes, went on picnics, and honestly grew as people as we navigated this new reality.” Davis plans to pursue a master’s degree at the Taubman School of Architecture at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. - Jane Kaufman
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MAY 27, 2022
Forever green and white. No matter what colors come next.
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Denison University George Washington University (3) Georgetown University Grinnell College High Point University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Johns Hopkins University Loyola University Maryland Marquette University Miami University (3)
Michigan State University Ohio University (2) Syracuse University The College of William and Mary (2) The Ohio State University (8) Tufts University (2) Union College University of California - Santa Barbara University of Cincinnati University of Maryland
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MAY 27, 2022
Zach Gottlieb
Zara Gottlieb
Graduation date: May 26 High School: Solon High School Hometown: Solon Synagogue: Park Synagogue Jewish activities: BBYO and Maccabi Parents: Melissa and David Gottlieb
Graduation date: May 7 College: Pennsylvania State University Hometown: Solon Synagogue: Park Synagogue Parents: Melissa and David Gottlieb
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rowing up in Solon around their finance professional father, Zach and Zara Gottlieb both decided to explore business careers once they reached higher education. Zara, who graduated May 7 from Penn State with a business degree in corporate innovation and
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entrepreneurship, is now headed to Dallas to work for PMG, a digital marketing agency. She told the Cleveland Jewish News that college prepared her for the new experiences she’ll face every day. “It was a fun and exciting time,” she said of college. “At first, it was hard to adjust to Penn State – it has so many different types of people. But, it took me out of my comfort zone and I met amazing people.” Of her job in Texas that she starts June 13, Zara said the opportunity “fell into my lap.” “I knew someone that worked for them and loved the company,” she said. “I applied out of nowhere and ended up getting it. I feel like I am not totally prepared for it. I’m only one month out of college and I had different responsibilities there to prepare me for the real world. But, I am as ready as I’ll ever be.” Moving out of state for college was the first step to her big move to Texas, Zara said. She chose Penn State because her sister, Zoey, went there, but also because she attended soccer camp on the campus growing up. “I fell in love with it,” she said. “So, I am definitely excited to start to do something I’ve been working towards my whole college experience and see what Dallas has to offer. I can’t wait to explore new areas and meet some new people.” Zach, who is preparing to study finance at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in the fall, was excited to “walk across the stage” at Playhouse Square at his May 26 graduation. “(High school) was difficult at times because of COVID-19, for sure,” he said. “But, I had a lot of fun.” Originally planning to attend Penn State too, like his two sisters, Zach said he also toured Indiana University and “fell in love with the school.” “I’m excited, but very nervous because I’ve never really been independent,” he said of his imminent move. “I was home my whole junior year because of the pandemic so I was very dependent on my family. The only time I was independent was in Maccabi, but I also had a host family. So, I’ve never really experienced living by myself.” Zach said he’s also excited to get involved in Indiana University’s Jewish community – planning to rush a Jewish fraternity and explore its on-campus Chabad house. But, most of all, he’s happy to see his sister succeed. “We’re so excited for each other, and even though we’re so far from each other again, my sisters and I weren’t in high school together or college, so I’m kind of used to it now,” he said. “I’m sure we will be visiting each other.” As for Zara, she’s proud her brother is ready to start his own story. “We’re so happy for him and really excited to see what is in store for him in Indiana,” she said. - Becky Raspe
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Publisher’s Note: Zach and Zara’s father, David Gottlieb, is a member of the Cleveland Jewish News Foundation Board of Directors.
GALLERY OF GRADS
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MAY 27, 2022
Congrats to the Class of 2022!
College Destinations: The Arts University College at Bournemouth Baylor University Boston College (2) Boston University Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University (4) Chapman University Clemson University Cleveland State University (2)
Colgate University College of William & Mary College of Wooster Denison University (2) Duke University Elon University Emory University Fashion Institute of Technology Fordham University George Washington University Georgetown University
Hamilton College Indiana University (2) Kent State University Lafayette College Lehigh University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Miami University (2) The New School New York University (2) Northeastern University (3) Oberlin College (2)
22207
Learn more at hb.edu/ClassOf2022 SCAN FOR INFO
The Ohio State University (2) Ohio University Pennsylvania State University Princeton University (2) Purdue University Reed College Savannah College of Art & Design (2) Skidmore College Southern Methodist University (2)
St. John’s College, Annapolis Syracuse University Texas Christian University Tufts University Tulane University (4) The University of Akron University of California Berkeley University of California Los Angeles University of Cincinnati (2) University of Colorado Boulder University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University of Kentucky University of Maryland University of Miami (2) University of Michigan University of Notre Dame (2) University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Rochester Vanderbilt University Villanova University Wake Forest University Washington University, St. Louis (3) Yale University As of 5/23/22
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MAY 27, 2022
Mazel Tov
Adam Hollander Graduation date: June 7 High school: Shaker Heights High School Hometown: Shaker Heights Synagogue: The Temple-Tifereth Israel Jewish Activities: Vice president of BBYO youth group, Saltzman Youth Panel and Camp Wise Parents: Debra and Jason Hollander
JACOB PILLOFF
Bachelor of Science, Sports Management
L Congratulations! We are so proud of you! Love, Mom, Dad, Justin and Maddy
Lynn University
ike many of today’s high schoolers, Adam Hollander’s experience was far from ordinary. Despite the challenges that distance learning presented, Hollander persevered and will graduate from Shaker Heights High School June 7. Hollander boasts a 4.7 grade-point average and was an active member of the school’s tennis program, in which he recently qualified for the district. “I just played in districts for tennis for the first time, that was my first year qualifying,” Hollander said. “That was super cool.” In summer 2021, Hollander traveled to Israel with some friends through Camp Wise in Claridon Township. “My favorite (memory) is probably Israel,” Hollander said. “I traveled with a bunch of friends and we went and did
HAWKEN HAWKEN SCHOOL SCHOOL
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the whole full-on tour of the country. I learned so much. I got a (deeper) connection to my Judaism.” Hollander said one of the biggest obstacles he faced throughout his high school career was the onset of COVID-19 and the transition to online learning. “It was not fun,” Hollander said. He also faced some adversity during his freshman year due to social anxiety and having a difficult time transitioning into high school, but he didn’t let that stop him from the many achievements he had throughout his time at Shaker Heights High School. “We all rally, we all have our obstacles and we deal,” Hollander said. Another favorite high school memory occurred on his last day of school when he and his classmates enjoyed a tarp slip and slide in the rain. Hollander is undecided on a major but is excited that he has the freedom to choose his path, attending Washington University in St. Louis in the fall. Though he is undecided, he said that he has interests in economics and biology. “I loved my economics class,” Hollander said. “It was a really cool class. I did really well in it and I liked the idea of rationality and complex systems. There are explainable causes and effects of actions by humans and society as a whole.” Hollander’s interest in biology also stems from breaking down complex systems into explainable pieces and parts, he said. “I have zero clue what I want to do, but I finally get some freedom to choose everything I get to do, which is super exciting just thinking about,” he said. “I finally get to take charge of that in a very personal way. Nobody can tell me how I get to do it. It’s all me.” - Meghan Walsh
2022 Lyndhurst
GALLERY OF GRADS
hawken.edu
GALLERY OF GRADS
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MAY 27, 2022
univ er sit y school
CLASS OF 2022! The 104 members of the Class of 2022 will attend 65 different colleges and universities across the United States—from Oregon to Maine—and abroad in Spain.
Read more about the Class of 2022 and their college plans at www.us.edu/grads
42 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG
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ophie and Kevin Grunzweig, 18-year-old twins who just graduated from Solon High School, are preparing to head in opposite directions for college. Kevin was considering Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where their older brother, Matthew, goes, and on the recommendation of a friend of the family, two days before the deadline he applied to Indiana University in Bloomington, where he was accepted and will attend. He plans to major in business. Sophie is heading to Penn State in State College, where she plans to study psychology. She said she liked the campus, the college town and the strength of the psychology department, also mentioning the school’s spirit. “It sounded like a good place with a good environment that I wanted to be in,” she told the
MAY 27, 2022
Sophie Grunzweig
Kevin Grunzweig
Graduation date: May 26 High School: Solon High School Residence: Solon Hometown: Park Synagogue Jewish activities: Worked as a Park Day Camp counselor, worked at GrossSchechter Day School’s preschool aftercare Parents: Jeremy and Naomi Grunzweig
Graduation date: May 26 High School: Solon High School Hometown: Solon Synagogue: Park Synagogue Jewish activities: Maccabi games in Birmingham and Atlanta, BBYO Parents: Jeremy and Naomi Grunzweig
Cleveland Jewish News. The two grew up without having any classes in common until they were in eighth grade science when the two were lab partners. The same thing happened in 10th grade honors chemistry. “I thought we were going to fight but like we honestly worked really well together,” Sophie recalled. “Like we helped each other with the different strengths that we had and the different things that we struggled with.” The two went to Israel on a family trip with Park Synagogue of Cleveland Heights and Pepper Pike when they were in eighth grade. Sophie said in one of her college essays for Penn State in State College, she wrote about her plans to be connected to Judaism through Hillel by taking park in Penn State’s Thon, which raises money for children with cancer. Kevin, who has played soccer and flag football
at the Maccabi Games, said he wrote about that involvement in his college essay. He said he maintains his friendships from the Maccabi Games, which he attended in the summers prior to his eighth grade and 10th grade years. “Whenever stuff’s going on in Israel, my friend and I, we have this group chat with our two Israeli friends,” Kevin told the CJN. “And they always kind of give us their side of the story.” Kevin said another distinction of the Maccabi Games from other competitive sports is the attitude among the players. “We became friends with our opponents in the middle of the game,” Kevin said. “Like one
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game, we were getting killed. So I jokingly go on goal and they let us score a goal from being goalie. … go and they let us score a goal. You made friends playing the game. It was cool.” Sophie said her experience at Park Day Camp started when she was in kindergarten. She described it as “such a family.” When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Ohio, Sophie said she switched to working at Gross-Schechter Day School’s preschool aftercare and appreciates being able to remain connected with Park Day Camp families. This summer, Sophie will be doing babysitting and Kevin will be cleaning golf carts at Signature of Solon. Sophie did hair and makeup for the show choir at Solon High School and was president of the school’s Spanish club. Kevin was class president at Solon his freshman and sophomore year. He also spent time on the wrestling team. “I think we’ll miss each other, for sure,” Kevin said. “You know, we’ve kind of been together our whole life so it’ll be an adjustment.” - Jane Kaufman
Jake Novack Graduation date: May 8 College: The Ohio State University Hometown: Solon Synagogue: The Temple-Tifereth Israel Jewish activities: BBYO, Hillel at OSU Fellowship Parents: Brian and Sara Novack
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GALLERY OF GRADS
s Jake Novack heads to Chicago for a oneyear placement as a homeless advocacy specialist, the recent graduate of The Ohio State University in Columbus is feeling wellprepared. Having volunteered for Legal Aid Society of Columbus, where he worked for a pro bono attorney advocating for discharge benefits upgrades for U.S. military veterans, Novack said he enjoys a part of the work that some might find dry: records review. “It builds off a lot of the same parallel experiences I’ve had already at Legal Aid with Columbus,” Novack told the Cleveland Jewish News. “I’ll be doing a lot of direct client, face to face interaction and communication and doing a lot of record keeping and just generally assisting a pro bono legal expert in their work and trying to benefit those who don’t really have somewhere else to turn.” He received the upcoming placement through Avodah: the Jewish Service Corps at the Legal Council for Health Justice in Chicago. “The opportunities to drive social justice and social change really resonated with me emotionally,” he said.
Looking back after four years, Novack found the transition to college from Solon High School easier than he anticipated. Novack said he wondered about how it would be to make friends. At OSU, Novack said he did a number of learning fellowships through Ohio State University Hillel on Jewish leadership and advocacy for Israel. He pledged a pluralistic fraternity and served on the executive board of the OSU club tennis team. Novack described his experience as “a tale of two colleges.” In his sophomore year, he was in a log cabin in Kentucky with some fraternity brothers on spring break when COVID-19 hit, adding he had to move out of his dorm a month and a half early “which was really surreal,” he said. “I will look back on these years very, very fondly,” Novack said. “But I’m super excited to explore really a sort of brand-new area of the country. I’m excited to work in a position that really caters to a lot of my interests for this coming year. And I’m excited to continue sort of bolstering that connection to Judaism.” - Jane Kaufman
GALLERY OF GRADS
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Jacob Pilloff Graduation date: May 6 College: Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. Hometown: Orange Synagogue: Suburban Temple-Kol Ami Parents: Julie and Jeremy Pilloff
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hen Jacob Pilloff graduated from Lynn University on May 6, he told the Cleveland Jewish News that he felt a mixture of emotions. “It is something you think of your entire time at college,” he said. “College was a great experience - and now I’m going into the real world and you don’t know where life is going to take you.” Choosing to study sports management at the Florida university, Pilloff said he has an internship with the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League, where he live scores every game. He graduated from Orange High School in Pepper Pike in 2018, where he was also involved in sports at school and in the community. “Lynn is a small school that doesn’t have a
ton of program options and I knew I had to pick one eventually,” he said. “I knew this was a good program here and that it would be the best fit for me. I was right.” During college, Pilloff was a member of the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. “It was definitely an amazing experience and I made lifelong memories,” he said. “I became a better person and learned how to work.” With 2½ of his college years spent in the COVID-19 pandemic, Pilloff said the experience was “more normal than you’d think.” “I was able to get back to school relatively quickly and only came home to Orange for about two months,” he said. With the future at his disposal, Pilloff said he’s eager to see what’s next. “I might not know what exactly is in store for me, but eventually, I know it will be the right path,” he said. - Becky Raspe
Meghan Simon Graduation date: April 30 College: Ohio University in Athens Hometown: Orange Jewish activities: BBYO, Camp Wise camper and counselor, Chabad, Lori A. Weinstein Marketing Intern at Cleveland Jewish Publication Company Parents: Rodney and Tracey Simon
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s Meghan Simon heads to her first postcollege job as a marketing and business development specialist at Cleveland law firm Benesch, Friedlander, Copland and Aronoff, she said she is looking forward to the start of her career. “I’m excited to step into the professional world,” Simon, who graduated magna cum laude from Ohio University in Athens, told the Cleveland Jewish News. Simon, 21, majored in communication studies with a minor in marketing, advertising, public relations and a certificate in sales. At college, Simon said she regularly attended Shabbat dinners at Chabad at Ohio University as a way to connect with other Jewish students. “Within my sorority, there would be a group of us who would always go together, which was really nice,” she said.
Simon served at internships while in college, including as the Lori A. Weinstein Marketing Intern at the Cleveland Jewish Publication Company in summer 2021. When she interviewed, she said the CJN came up favorably, with interviewers telling her it was a “reputable experience.” Simon said going to college during the COVID-19 pandemic was “weird.” “It was actually kind of nice, because I was able to spend more time with my friends,” she said. “There was a lot of flexibility with how our classes were set up and stuff.” Simon said she is thrilled to return to Cleveland to be near her family with whom she is close. “I definitely miss my friends from school,” she said. “But it’s nice being home.” - Jane Kaufman
Mazal Tov! CLASS OF
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Top to Bottom: Zach Smith, Maksim Abramov, Evan Sussman, Anna Belle Shapiro, Ava Gross and Gavi Lappen
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Jack Spiegle
Mazel Tov
Graduation date: June 5 High school: Hawken School Hometown: Pepper Pike Synagogue: Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple Jewish activities: BBYO, Cleveland Jewish Basketball League at the Mandel Jewish Community Center and Camp Wise Parents: Scott and Shani Spiegle
LILY STEIGER
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E Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, President of Chi Omega sorority, President of Club Lacrosse, GlobeMed, active citizen of your city and world. Your famiy is so proud of you! We love you! Mom, Dad, Max, Gramma, and Bubbie and Grampa
University of Rochester
GALLERY OF GRADS
ven though the COVID-19 pandemic affected his last year at Hawken School, Jack Spiegle said receiving his diploma on June 5 will be one of his greatest accomplishments. “High school was a very positive experience for me, between the relationships and the education,” he told the Cleveland Jewish News. “I have a great group of friends, and overall, as a person, my social skills have improved.” Spiegle was also voted to give a graduation speech at commencement, which he admitted he still “had to start writing that.” In the fall, he’ll start at Elon University in North Carolina. Spiegle said he’s unsure what he’ll study, but it’ll be “something business or finance related.” “It’s pretty far from home, but I am a golfer and enjoy better weather in general,” he said. “Secondly, it’s a lot like my current high school
with smaller classes. I love the environment there. I wanted to stick with something I was comfortable with and has worked for me.” Finishing the application process was “like a weight off my shoulders,” Spiegle said. He found out he’d be accepted in December 2021 through early decision. “I did a very good job not getting as stressed as some of my peers with the whole application process,” he said. Spiegle attended Hawken his “whole life,” so he’s ready for a new experience. “It’s exciting to have a whole new world coming up,” he said. “I’m excited to have more options for classes. And to be able to golf year-round.” – Becky Raspe Publisher’s Note: Jack’s mother Shani, is a columnist for Cleveland Jewish News.
Jocelyn Trostler Graduation date: April 30 College: Ohio University Hometown: Orange Synagogue: The Temple-Tifereth Israel Jewish activities: BBYO, Chaia, Camp Wise camper and staff in training, Chabad, Sinai Scholars Program Parents: Doug and Jody Trostler
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hen Jocelyn Trostler isn’t at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court reviewing records or shadowing therapists and probation officers, she can be found waiting tables at Smokin Qs BBQ and Beer House in Mayfield, or working out. Trostler, 21, is a recent graduate of Ohio University in Athens. Regarding COVID-19, “It was hard to be sent home in the middle of my sophomore year,” Trostler told the Cleveland Jewish News. “I did not love Athens my freshman year. And sophomore year, I got a sense of belonging. And then we got sent home.” She said the change to online classes didn’t throw her academically. “It kind of feels like I only really had half of a college experience,” she said.
In the first semester of the 2021-22 school year, students were masked, tested and socially distanced during classes, she said. “It just wasn’t fun,” she said. “It didn’t feel normal.” Mask requirements were dropped in the final semester, she said. Trostler will start graduate school this fall at John Carroll University in University Heights studying clinical mental health counseling. Trostler said her internship at the probation office allows her to see examples of different mental disabilities and illnesses that she had only read about. “And I really like meeting different families and their kids,” Trostler said. “Because they’re … all so different, and they all have different backgrounds.” - Jane Kaufman
GALLERY OF GRADS
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Jewish high schools stress continuity after graduation
Congratulations ABIGAIL BERMAN Solon High School
MEGHAN WALSH @themeghanwalsh mwalsh@cjn.org |
A
Dessler
Photo was taken by Justin Foster
Joel
“Jewish high schools prepare our teens for entering the world.” Rabbi Avery Joel live and lead Jewish lives,” he said. He noted these things are the “ingredients” for Jewish continuity. “I view the Jewish high school experience as a journey of empowerment and development,” Dessler stated. Joel stated young men and women should be prepared to succeed personally and professionally in their next stages of life and should do so through the lens of their Jewish identity. He stated doing this includes solidifying one’s understanding of faith and Jewish identity and having a value system that can be applied to all aspects of life. “Jewish high schools prepare our teens for entering the world both as fully committed Jews and as contributing members of society at large,” Joel explained. He noted Jewish high schools want to inspire students to continuously grow in their faith and be lifetime learners. “It isn’t enough for the evolution of our Jewish identity and our faith to stop at age 18,” Joel stated. “We are constantly maturing and growing. We take that for granted when it comes to our professional lives, but it has to be true of our spiritual lives as well.” As students head off to college, and specifically if they attend a lay university, Joel recommended finding other Jewish people to engage with and grow in one’s faith. “Find community,” Joel suggested. “Find a Jewish community on campus where your faith can grow with others, where your faith can be enriched and where you can enrich others in their faith.”
We are so very proud of all your accomplishments! Wish you all the best with your continuing education and know with your fierce determination you will be destined for success! Love, Mom, Dad and Joshua
Kent State University, School of Business
Mazel Tov MOLLIE DAVIS
Bachelor of Arts Architecture Minor in City Regional Planning. Graduated Magna Cum Laude.
photo credit: Lilia Sciarretti
s the end of the school year approaches and graduations begin, Jewish day schools throughout the area are sending their students off into the world with high hopes for success in all facets of their lives and continued efforts to strengthen their faith. Rabbi Simcha Dessler, menahel and educational director at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland in Cleveland Heights, and Rabbi Avery Joel, head of school at Fuchs Mizrachi High School in Beachwood, reflected on their wishes for graduates and what they hope students take with them. “Jewish high schools typically educate youngsters with a dual curriculum of Judaic and general studies, but the experience, far more than learning a curriculum, is about life lessons, both taught and experienced,” Dessler explained. Education and formation, which are often facilitated by role models, enrich the lives of contemporary teenagers and give them solid foundations and strong values, Dessler noted, adding this is vital because high school is an important bridge between elementary school and college. “So many aspects of the high school student’s life are guided and informed by his or her high school experience,” he pointed out. “This experience often results in subjects learned, skills mastered, philosophies imbibed, friendships forged and an enduring commitment to Judaism acquired.” The school strives to instill a love for learning and life and a sense of respect and appreciation for God, Torah, Israel and mankind, Dessler said. “The great Rabbi Meir Shapiro of Lublin, founder of the Daf Yomi (Talmud daily folio) concept, built a magnificent yeshiva edifice in Poland,” he said. Dessler explained that the edifice displayed a Hebrew sign which read, “lechu banim, go forth my sons, I will teach you how to revere God.” He relayed Shapiro said his focus was educating students in a manner in which lifelong lessons accompany them, well after graduation, wherever they find themselves. Dessler recommended students continuing their education at a university capitalize on their Jewish day school or high school investment. “They should be cognizant of their Jewish heritage, identity, beliefs and culture and to
We are so proud of your accomplishments, with more to come. We look forward to your Masters at Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Studies at University of Michigan. Mom, Dad, Nikki, Grandma Meral and Grandma Sandy
Ohio State University/University of Michigan
46 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG
GALLERY OF GRADS
MAY 27, 2022
Students should be own advocates when transitioning to high school BECKY RASPE @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org | he transition from middle school to high school can be daunting for any student – let alone one socialized in a small Jewish day school preparing to enter a general public or private school community. But, according to Sam Chestnut, head of school at The Lippman School in Akron; Kim Favor, director of the middle school at the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School in Beachwood; and Lauren Henkin, middle school coordinator and eighth-grade adviser at Gross Schechter Day School in Pepper Pike, that transition doesn’t have to be overwhelming – suggesting parents and schools alike ensure their students are prepared with the right learning and socialization tools. “We really focus throughout middle school for students to become their own advocates,” Henkin said. “We work with them on study and organizational skills and find the path that works best for them – whether it’s their passion or how to communicate effectively with peers and adults.” Starting in a tight-knit school community like Gross Schechter is actually a benefit, Henkin added. “Students grow up in a supportive environment that shows them that teachers are there to guide and help them,” she said. “We have their best interests at heart and we want them to take that notion to high school. That gives them a level of confidence to build those relationships with teachers, which is so important to their success in the long-term.” Favor said building confidence is another priority of middle school educators, which is something they focus on at Mandel JDS.
“Essentially, we need them to have those resiliency skills to navigate their new social and academic world and to be able to bounce back from any obstacle they encounter,” she explained. “With the transition, we want them to go in with a positive attitude but also with realistic expectations. Knowing that it is definitely going to take time to acclimate to their new environment.” But, the good news is most students, regardless of the middle school they went to, will be in the same position, Favor noted. “Everyone is in that same transitional phase and managing their emotions and nervousness,” she said. “Students have to be able to come back from any obstacle and be patient. They have to know it’s going to take time to adapt.” Another benefit is if students can speak up for themselves, Chestnut said. At The Lippman School, students are given ample opportunity to work on public speaking and self-advocacy, he added. “They’re encouraged to connect directly with their teachers in their classes to ensure they’re getting all they need out of the experience,” he said. “Both the formal and informal ways we do this translate really well into high school. Teachers in our area always say Lippman students do really well – that they’re vocal leaders in the classroom and school community.” But the preparation doesn’t just happen at school, all three educators said. Parents should also be ready to guide their incoming freshmen in ways they have never had before. “Parents can sort of take the cue from their child as to how they’re feeling,” Henkin said. “I know how hard it is for me to let go of (my students) that I’ve built relationships with and the natural instinct is to be protective and help them. One of the best
Congratulations
Congratulations
Mazel Tov
TIMOTHY CARLIN
JACOB WAXMAN
ADAM HOLLANDER
We are so proud of what you have accomplished! We cannot wait to see what NYC brings!
Congratulations Adam! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what you accomplish next! Mazel Tov!
Love, Mom, Dad and Carly
Mom, Dad, Maya, Noa and Raider
Tulane University
Washington University in St. Louis
T
Bachelor of Arts Journalism & American Studies
Chestnut
Favor
Henkin
gifts we can give to kids is letting them be independent, even if that means they sometimes mess up. Parents should keep tabs, know what’s going on and be active participants, but they’re no longer the captain of the academic ship.” A great way to put students in the academic driver’s seat is to allow them to shadow a day-in-the-life of a high school student, Chestnut said. “And not just the school their child is going to,” he said. “This should be a couple of schools to see how high schools generally operate firsthand. That alleviates a lot of the anxiety and will get them excited about that next step in their academic careers.” These “shadow days” can include getting involved in high school activities that meet before the school year, touring the building, walking their schedule and even practicing their locker combination lock. “Just go in with patience and an open mind knowing that it will take time for everyone to adjust,” Favor said.
Shaker Heights High School
photo credit: Liz Roberto
Congratulations! We are so proud of you as you graduate and embark on your next journey as a journalist with the Greenville News in Greenville, South Carolina! Love, Mom & Dad
Miami University
GALLERY OF GRADS
MAY 27, 2022
CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 47
Private high schools offer unexpected opportunities, aid AMANDA KOEHN @AmandaKoehnCJN akoehn@cjn.org |
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hile Northeast Ohio is home to many great public schools, families seek out local private or independent high schools for many reasons, including smaller class sizes, specialized programming in various subjects and being able to choose a school that best matches their values. Although a common misconception is that private or independent O’Neal schools are unaffordable, admissions leaders from Hathaway Brown in Shaker Heights, Hawken School in Chester Township and University School in Shaker Heights and Hunting Valley all said many local schools offer strong financial aid Rembrandt Calo opportunities and cost shouldn’t deter families from learning about all their options. Jill Rembrandt Calo, director of upper school admission and dean of the ninth grade at Hathaway Brown School, said families will often check out private or Townsend Hartz independent schools because they want their child to be challenged, or because they are interested in a specific area of study such as scientific research, writing or social justice. Moreover, while the national average ratio of college counselors to students is one to 550, at Hathaway Brown there is one counselor for every 30 students, she said. She told the story of a graduating senior who came to Hathaway Brown as a freshman to explore whether she wanted to pursue research and science beyond high school. HB has a program where students work on graduatelevel research in Cleveland laboratories. Students write a 25-page white paper about their research experience and “a lot of our students will actually be published co-authors in research journals before they ever leave high school,” Rembrandt Calo said. Katherine O’Neal, assistant head of school for enrollment management at Hawken, said families seek out Hawken for small class sizes, curriculum focused on current events and resources available. When looking into private
schools, she said families should prioritize whether the school shares their values. “We really do look beyond just the student and we really want the family to share in our values and really support the mission of our school,” O’Neal said. At University School, programming, small class sizes and athletics can be factors why families choose the all-boys school, said Christina Townsend Hartz, director of admission and financial aid (junior k-12). “Exploring different opportunities is something that I think is unique to a smaller school and gives them an opportunity to just look at things a little bit more in depth,” she explained. A mission for University School is for each student to be “known and loved,” Townsend Hartz said, and participating members of the school’s community. Selecting a private or independent school is often about fit, she said. Moreover, the sources encouraged families to understand that many schools offer financial aid. If they assume cost is prohibitive for all private schools, they could miss out on a “fabulous education that would best meet their needs and provide them with some outstanding opportunities,” O’Neal said. “We want our school to be accessible to a wide variety of students and we, in fact, embrace diversity,” O’Neal said. “One piece of diversity is socioeconomic diversity. It’s very important for us. … And quite frankly, that’s why a lot of families don’t choose private schools because they think there is only one certain kind of student or family that enrolls in a private school.” Rembrandt Calo said some families seek out Hathaway Brown for its all-girls environment and high academic standards that prepare students for college and the real world. She said if parents are finding their children aren’t getting what they need from public schools, it never hurts to explore private options. “I think people don’t realize schools have pretty large endowments for financial aid,” she explained, adding families should explore independent options and compare them for the best fit. “That’s one thing that keeps families away from looking at independent schools because they think they can’t afford it. But almost 50% of our students at Hathaway Brown receive some kind of tuition assistance.” Townsend Hartz said University School also tries to let families know cost doesn’t have to be a deterrent as the school aims to make education affordable. “I’d say for all the independent schools in the area, we have really amazing funding resources,” she noted. “We have great financial aid packages that are available to families. And so oftentimes, if we can get people past that
sticker shock, past that initial moment of ‘wow,’ and then look at the ability to afford a private school – that is sometimes the biggest deterrent for people to look at a private school. Our goal is to get people past that.” Beyond high school, Hathaway Brown graduates tend to advocate for themselves, and have strong writing abilities and selfconfidence, Rembrandt Calo said. She hears about graduates unafraid to ask questions, efficiently completing research papers and raising their hands in college classes. “We still do live in a world where women, girls, when they are in a co-educational situation, they do not raise their hands as fast as boys do, even when they are 100% sure they know an answer to a question,” she said. “Boys will raise their hand when they are 40% sure they know an answer.” University School graduates often return to their alma mater to visit, and reflect on the strengths they gained in many different areas of study and how they felt prepared for college responsibilities like writing papers and even assisting other students who may need help. Furthermore, it’s about keeping the school relatively small and, in turn, being able to focus on each boy’s growth as an individual and part of their community.
“The ‘known and loved’ thing that’s so important to us allows teachers to really get to know their boys and really get to work with them on … not just their academic growth, but also character development and socialemotional growth and athletic experiences,” Townsend Hartz said. “There’s a lot there that we are able to do because of the size of the school.” Hawken School, a co-educational school with locations in Lyndhurst and Chester Township, gives students experiences preparing them for college situations where they need to make good decisions about how to effectively spend free time, O’Neal said. And while public schools are great options for many families, like any specific private school, they may not be for everyone, the sources explained. “There are a lot of students who are very well served at private or independent schools,” O’Neal said. “As a parent, you won’t know if you don’t open your mind to consider ... and see if that is potentially an option that might serve your child better.”
Congratulations CADEN VINCENT Orange High School
Congratulations on all you have accomplished! All the best as you move on to Ball State’s Sports Link where we know you will continue to soar. Keep living the dream! We love you and are so very proud of you. Love, Mom, Dad, Ryan, Mimi, Poppy, & Colby
Ball State University Honors College
48 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG
MAY 27, 2022
GALLERY OF GRADS
After graduation, it’s time for parties, gifts, diplomas AMANDA KOEHN @AmandaKoehnCJN akoehn@cjn.org |
A
s graduation day comes and goes, graduates and their families look to the future, often celebrating with a party, gifts and putting up their diploma somewhere special to continually remind them of all they achieved. To help navigate graduation season, local professionals gave advice for parties, gifts and displaying diplomas. PARTIES When it comes to grad parties, it’s never too early to start planning and working with vendors, said Ryan Harmon, director of business development and sales at Lasting Impressions Event Rental in Bedford Heights. Lasting Impressions, which has a home office in Columbus, rents out tents, tables, chairs, linens and other party items. For graduation parties, Harmon said renting linens matching the school colors of a graduate is popular. He said it’s important to consider how food, desserts and gifts will be displayed and to make sure you have the appropriate surfaces and linens. “(It’s) combining what you already own and (considering) what additional ancillary items you need in order to bring your vision together and to life,” he said. One thing that sets grad parties apart from other big events is they often have an open-house design, where guests come and go across a longer time frame. That means to consider how everyone will flow through the space,
making it easy for people to be in and out when the event doesn’t revolve around a sit-down dinner or program. And with COVID-19 still in the midst, Harmon said tents are popular as to have fewer people inside a home at once. Open-sided tents are especially popular to keep air flowing through. Moreover, Harmon recommended deciding whether to rent a tent sooner rather than later since if you wait to see if it’s rain or shine the day of the party, it may be too late to make rental arrangements, citing the labor shortage and the decrease in available vendors postCOVID-19. “The sooner, the better, at least for getting the details together,” he said, adding that if you know next December your child is graduating and will have a party in the spring, start having a conversation about necessary vendors then. “... People always ask that – when is too early? It’s never too early. It’s always that it’s too late.” Additionally, he said any flexibility on the part of the family or planner is “golden.” “If your event is on a Saturday, allowing a vendor to come in on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday for install, and a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday for removal and pickup, flexibility is golden,” he said. “I think now more than ever.” GIFTS While there’s no shortage of thoughtful and useful gifts for graduates embarking on a new phase of life, one idea to bring some memories and color into a college dorm or new
Congratulations
Mazel Tov
JAKE MUENCZ
JOSHUA HICKS Solon High School
Beachwood High School
photo credit: New Image Photography
We are so proud of all of your accomplishments and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!
We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see what the next chapter of your life brings.
Love Mom, Dad, Ben and Ryan
Mom, Dad, and Winni
Miami University ‘26
University of Cincinnati
apartment is a framed photograph or piece of art. Framing any visual that helps a student feel at home is a good option, said Leslie Kammer, general manager of Wood Trader Framing in Cleveland Heights, which specializes in framing. “I think whatever is going to make the students feel comfortable away from home, even if it’s photos of family and friends, a concert poster or somebody you admire whose artwork you’ve always liked,” she said. Adding a frame to a photo or even poster can make the piece stand out and up the decor level. And if it contains meaningful memories, it’s a win-win. “Like a good meal, it evokes a great memory,” Kammer said of a photo. “It brings you back to when it was taken, what you were doing, your relationship with the person.” Another gift – one that grows in value – is purchasing an Israel bond for the graduate. Development Corporation for Israel, commonly known as Israel Bonds, is a broker-dealer that underwrites securities issued by the state of Israel in the U.S. Since Israel Bonds was established in 1951, Israel has maintained a perfect record of interest and principal payments. “It’s a gift of substance because it’s an investment, and they are going to get a return on that investment,” said Thomas Lockshin, Israel Bonds executive director for Ohio and Kentucky. “It’s something tangible.” Those who receive Israel bonds as gifts not only earn interest at a strong rate, but help Israel by strengthening the nation’s economy, Lockshin said. He pointed to the eMazel Tov bonds, which have a minimum investment of $36 and earn interest on a five-year term at a rate of 4.35% for month of May, with rates subject to change. Lockshin said these bonds are popular because they require a low minimum investment. They automatically redeem and owners get a check in the mail at maturity. “Israel bonds have a 70-year history of dependability,” he said. For those who receive an Israel bond as a graduation gift, Lockshin encouraged visiting israelbonds.com to learn more about the mission and history. “They would gain a greater appreciation of why the gift is so meaningful,” he said. DIPLOMAS A graduate will often frame and display their diploma somewhere they can regularly see it. Especially if the graduate is starting a career, they may want to display it at their new job. Kammer suggested a simple black frame for most diplomas. She said while some graduates incorporate their school colors in a ribbon or the frame’s mat, many choose to keep it easy. “Usually simple is better because otherwise you are going to be looking at the frame and not what the person accomplished,” Kammer explained. And if you are buying for a graduate you don’t know very well, a gift certificate to choose their own frame – either for their diploma or a photo of choice – is always a good bet.
GALLERY OF GRADS
CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 49
MAY 27, 2022
Freshmen urged to explore clubs when arriving on campus LISA MATKOWSKY ife as a college freshman can be overwhelming with all new classes, new people, and the importance of the next four years. You may be wondering what you should be doing to start off the process – not only in terms of what classes to take, but also how to manage life outside of the classroom. Elizabeth Cole, student body president at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea; Cindy Deng, director of student engagement & orientation at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, and D. Christopher Gill, dean of students at Notre Dame College in South Euclid, talked about the best ways to find the right clubs and extracurricular activities to join as a freshman, and why the timing is important. Freshman year is a great time to get involved with clubs despite feeling worried or overwhelmed by choice. “Freshmen are typically nervous to plunge in right away with clubs because they are concerned about having enough time for academics, but those that do tend to do better,” Gill said. “We try to hit them hard with how important it is to participate earlier, so that you show well-chosen extracurriculars on a resume, and that you were involved on campus and developed leadership. Suddenly juniors and seniors wake up, but it’s always better to get a head start to develop your interests sooner than later.” Most colleges and universities have an engagement fair at the beginning of the year. It is a big showcase of all of the clubs and organizations on campus. It is all about getting involved and becoming part of your school.
“There are so many ways to search for clubs and groups on a college campus,” Deng said. “Some colleges will host a student activities fair during new student orientation or the first few weeks of the semester, where freshmen can peruse the many clubs and organizations on campus, approach a student group’s table if it piques their interest, and hear from the student group’s officers to learn more about how to get involved with their group.” “They will typically have sign ups so you can connect to the club or organization that you want to,” Gill said. “If you can’t make it, you can always stop by another excellent resource, the Student Activities office: they will find you a group that fits your interests and likes. This is an office that is dedicated to getting students involved and engaged on campus. “They want the new student involved because an involved student is a student that is more likely to graduate than a student who doesn’t get involve.” Even before stepping foot on campus, or at any time once there, the college website is an excel-lent resource as well. “Before they even arrive to campus, incoming students can view a list of recognized student organizations on their school website,” Cole said. “They can start to get an idea of what groups they may be interested in. Baldwin Wallace has a plethora of wonderful cam-pus organizations, and there are many different avenues to find these clubs. Once on campus, clubs and organizations may be found through social media, flyers, the Involvement Fair and word of mouth,” she said. “For example, during my first year, I auditioned for a campus talent showcase that I found through social media. I attended
Mazel Tov
Congratulations
Mazel Tov
LEXI SUSSMAN
MADISON BARAN
JACK SPIEGLE
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications Design
Bachelor of Science Advertising and Graphic Design
Love and Honor from one Miami graduate to his grandchild.
Congratulations Maddie!! We can’t wait to see your creativity skyrocket as you enter this next chapter. We love you!!
Apparently, 2 o’clock a.m. IS the perfect time to work on school projects due the next day. How could we have doubted you? Congratulations, Jack. You certainly had a lot of fun!
Love, Mom, Dad, Meredith, Connor, Mama, Papa and Chloe
Love, Mom, Dad and Sam
Kent State University
Elon University ‘26
L
Papa Marshall and Grandma Judi
Miami University
Cole
Deng
Gill
sorority recruitment after seeing a flyer on campus. I joined our campus Hillel after visiting their booth at the BW Involvement Fair. Lastly, I joined student government after talking to other students about the organizations they valued.” Deng added: “Oftentimes, student groups will host campus programming or events sprinkled throughout the academic year that is generally open for all to enjoy. There are such a wide variety of students clubs and organizations at every college campus. They can range in type from academic to social, religious to service, social justice to cultural, and so much more.” Deng encourages freshmen to use their early college years to explore clubs and organizations that match their interests (and where they may find new friends who share interests) and commit to those that make them happy and/or fulfill their career goals Lisa Matkowsky is a freelance reporter.
Hawken School
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GALLERY OF GRADS
Internships, jobs, fellowships can supplement lessons BECKY RASPE @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |
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ollege is full of new and interesting experiences to help guide students into their careers or continuing education after graduation. Many of those experiences include student jobs, fellowships or internships conducted, according to Jared Isaacson, executive director of the Cleveland Hillel Foundation, and Beth Miller, assistant director of the Bowling Green State University Career Center. “Jobs, internships and fellowships offer additional opportunities to develop skills and engage in practical, hands-on experiences that can significantly enhance their education goals during students’ college years,” Isaacson said. “These options can offer a more well-rounded college experience, supporting individual students in their goals to learn more about themselves and their interests.” Through Cleveland Hillel, which serves campuses throughout including Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University and Oberlin College, students on those campuses have access to several internships and jobs, Isaacson said. Cleveland Hillel also offers organization-specific opportunities, including its Cleveland Hillel Summer Internship Program, which is entering its 14th year. The paid summer internship program is open to Jewish college students entering their junior or senior year in the fall. If selected and hired, Isaacson said interns work for 10 weeks
Mazel Tov HAILEY WEISBERG Solon High School
photo credit: Jess Fishel Photography
We are overjoyed and truly in awe of the tremendous young woman you have become. We love you, and are so very proud of all you have accomplished. Next stop: Big Blue Nation! Love, Mom, Dad and Bethany
University of Kentucky
and partake in excursions around the city, professional development seminars, Jewish learning and opportunities to interact with civil and community leaders. The Cleveland Jewish News is an employer in the Hillel Summer Internship program since its inception. Other opportunities include Cleveland Hillel’s campus internships Isaacson and fellowships on all of its campuses, where interns can “focus their experience on implementing and organizing specific campus-based programs, special interest projects or supporting Cleveland Hillel’s overall organizational structure and program development,” Isaacson said. At a college like Bowling Green, Miller said opportunities can be a bit broader and run the gamut from on-campus positions like departmental or office, customer service, campus media and marketing, or even research-based gigs, to the typical off-campus job or internship coordinated through the school’s career center or the Handshake platform, an interactive tool for students and alumni to connect with employers. While internships and college jobs are a good way to learn more about something you love and want to study, Miller said these activities are also just as good at showing students what they don’t want to do. “It’s a universal experience in terms of what you get out of it,” she said. “All of those learning experiences are valued – negative, indifferent or positive. It is what your takeaways are and how you learn and grow from them. Education is a wonderful thing, and being in a classroom and learning from professionals is great no matter where you are. But, these opportunities complement that.” These experiences can also ready students for upper-level courses, Miller said.
“Field experience in college really gives you the real world experience you can’t replicate in a classroom.” Beth Miller “Field experience in college really gives you the real-world experience you can’t replicate in a classroom,” she explained. “Once you have one of those experiences and come back into the classroom, what you’re studying becomes incredibly enhanced since you have a real-world application. That, in terms of personal growth, is extremely valuable.” Knowing you want to explore career opportunities is just one part of the process, Isaacson noted, adding that finding the right opportunity is another piece entirely. He said his team at Cleveland Hillel “strives to work with all students in helping them find the program, volunteer opportunity and internship/fellowship that would best fulfill their personal needs.” “Finding the right fit is very important, and we want all students to have as meaningful an experience throughout their entire college journey as possible,” he said. “Cleveland Hillel staff are positioned to offer a wide variety of supports as students seek the right opportunity for extra-curricular activities, and our staff can act as mentors in helping students find the right fit for themselves.” Miller said there is also merit in taking time to explore. “I tell students all the time that degrees are tickets to opportunity,” she noted. “It doesn’t mean it dictates the rest of your professional career. It allows you to grow, move and shift to the next chapter of whatever career you’ll have. These opportunities during college just prepare you for that journey, whatever it may be.”
Incoming freshmen should heed this advice ED CARROLL
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o matter what your age is, attending college is often an overwhelming and occasionally confusing experience. There’s a lot to keep track of, and it’s not always apparent what one needs to focus on, and what’s not worth worrying about. Jonathan Wehner, vice president and dean of admissions at Cleveland State University, and Jazmin Jackson-Bernard, a student success specialist at Cuyahoga Community College, shared their advice to incoming freshman for a smooth start to their college careers. Jackson-Bernard said before anything else, students should have a clear understanding of the enrollment process and areas of support, which she said is universal advice for college students.
“For someone coming into Tri-C for the very first time, ‘find their person’ would be my first item,” she said. “Attending a two-year college, a lot of time students don’t understand how important it is and how serious it is to get started off on the right foot. So, my first thing would be: find a person, whether it’s a fellow classmate, whether it’s a staff or faculty member, and also, start with the end in mind. A lot of times there’s so much information, students lose focus. So what is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish? Why are you here getting your degree? What career aspirations are you looking forward to?” She also said students should get familiar with their academic plan. “At Tri-C, the academic plan sets the road map of all the FRESHMAN | CONTINUED ON PAGE 51
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Many ways to engage Jewishly as college freshman LISA MATKOWSKY
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he mission of on-campus Jewish organizations is to connect and engage Jewishly with interested Jewish freshmen students of all denominations and levels of affiliation. Inherent in that mission is a great deal of challenge and nuance, especially as there is so much diversity in Jewish expression. Sara Alevsky, co-director of Chabad at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland; Adam Hirsh, executive director of Hillel at Kent State University; Nicki Greenberg, Metro Hillel Campus Innovation Springboard Fellow at Cleveland Hillel Foundation, and Jill D. Ross, Metro Hillel campus director and assistant director of Cleveland Hillel Foundation, talked about the ways they connect with next generation freshman Jews. Often the first interaction involves a combination of outreach and “inreach.” An organization receives lists of interested freshmen and participates in student fairs during freshman orientation week. “Every year, we get a list of students who express interest, plus we do outreach,” Ross said. “Having info ahead of time is ideal.” Students also hear about Jewish organizations and activities by word-ofmouth, and many activities are offered during orientation week, including smaller fairs, info drop-in sessions, Shabbat dinners, FRESHMAN | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50
course requirements needed to earn their degree or certification,” she said. Wehner offered a simple yet crucial bit of advice for incoming freshmen preparing for college: check their emails. “Colleges and universities are probably going to communicate with you via email primarily,” he said. “Don’t go a week without checking your email because you’ll probably miss an important deadline. That’s always my No. 1 that I advise students, you can’t sleep on your email, you got to be in there every day checking your messages.” He also recommended incoming students double check that they’ve completed all their financing and administrative requirements, such as deadlines for submitting a high school transcript, applying for financial aid or setting up student loans. “It’s way better to have that stuff finished up in advance of getting to campus then having to do that when you get there on your first week,” he said.
and tables around campus. “Hillel at Kent State prioritizes having at least one touch-point with every incoming Jewish student prior to their arrival on campus,” Hirsh said. “By doing so, we can learn about their areas of interests and Jewish identity to connect them with our many student organizations and upcoming initiatives. In order to ensure we have that engagement, we host a table at all university sponsored admissions fairs and incoming student orientations, host summertime student meet-ups in the Cleveland area, and finally a full week of fun events, open to the entire campus community, during KSU Kickoff.” Alevsky said, “We are part of every fair, and we have a big, well-known and well-attended barbecue.” She described the front-and-center presence maintained by herself and co-Chabad representative and husband Rabbi Mendy Alevsky and, often, their children. “We are out there on campus, very visibly,” Alevsky said. “We travel around with a mobile sukkah on Sukkot. We introduce ourselves to everyone personally. We go to fraternity and sorority houses and bring apple pies. We cannot just sit there and wait for people to come to us. We go to them.” Cleveland Hillel Foundation attempts to get “as much info as we can get out. We hired first year engagement interns to do peer-topeer engaging,” Ross said. “Hopefully, every
student will have info about Hillel. The idea is to hit all Jewish students and they are very interested ... this year we had a tremendous amount of first-year interest.” Both Hillel and Chabad make it a top priority to be welcoming and open to every Jewish student. “We helped the students develop their expressed interests for these communities, including Keshet for LGBTQ students and the Hillel Volunteer Collaborative,” Ross said. “Hillel is always a safe space that gives students a place to be authentically themselves. ... We are thrilled that we can afford the Hillel undergrad leadership committee this opportunity … everything is based on student input and desire, otherwise, it’s not going to work. We work with the students to create an environment that’s comfortable for them.” Hirsch said Hillel is an organization unique to itself. “There is nothing like it in the Jewish world pre- or post-college,” he said. “Students often come to campus without an understanding of what Hillel truly is, and if they have heard of it, they think Hillel is a synagogue, JCC or youth group, as that’s what they are familiar with. In reality
we are a student center with wonderful resources and staff, thanks to our supportive community, with the goal for the students we serve to simply succeed academically, outside the classroom and in their journey as a Jew.” Both Chabad and Hillel regularly offer Shabbat-related activities. Hillel has a Shabbat committee, sometimes featuring an activity based in tikkun olam, sometimes a pluralistic approach to Shabbat services, including Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative and traditional choices. “Recently, they requested a traditional egalitarian morning minyan and we made that happen,” Ross said. Chabad offers weekly Shabbat dinners, Orthodox davening, holiday meals and classes, all warm, beginner friendly, welcoming and open to every Jewish student, Alevsky said. “Students can count on us to offer the same warm traditional Judaism every time they come through our doors,” she said. “We bring the people closer to the Torah versus the other way around.” Lisa Matkowsky is a freelance reporter.
Mazel Tov JORDAN GOODMAN Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Jackson-Bernard said Tri-C’s best-kept secret is that most students don’t realize most of the faculty and staff members they encounter are actually Tri-C alumni, including herself. “We are a part of the community, we are graduates of Tri-C and when we say, ‘we are here to help,’ we mean it from the bottom of our hearts because at one point, we were sitting in the same seats that they are right now,” she said. Wehner said one of the best things about CSU is it is a research university that’s still dedicated to teaching undergraduate students. He also said most people don’t realize how much green and natural space is on the campus, which is mainly in downtown Cleveland. “I think that might be a misconception for folks who haven’t visited CSU’s campus,” he said. “People think of us as an urban campus, maybe a concrete jungle, but in fact it’s a really beautiful incorporation of the natural world with the city.” Ed Carroll is a freelance reporter.
Dr. Goodman! We are so proud of you, your perseverance and hard work through this journey to achieve this milestone! Please use all that you have learned to help heal the world! We love you to the moon and back! Mom, Dad, Sarah, Eliana, Samson and Delilah
Northeastern University
52 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG
MAY 27, 2022
GALLERY OF GRADS
CJN goes one-on-one with
Leah Oppenheimer | CWRU Hillel President COURTNEY BYRNES @courtney_byrnes cbyrnes@cjn.org |
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ase Western Reserve University Hillel’s president for the 202223 academic year will be Leah Oppenheimer, a 21-year-old senior from Evanston, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. She is a member of Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago and graduated from Evanston Township High School. Throughout her three years as part of CWRU Hillel, she has served one year as secretary on the Hillel undergraduate leadership committee prior to her presidency. Aside from her commitment to Hillel, she has been involved with the Jewish community as a camper and counselor at Habonim Dror Camp Tavor in Detroit. CJN: When did you decide to first get involved with Hillel and what inspired you take on a leadership position? Oppenheimer: I started going to Hillel my freshman year to connect with Jewish students, and to find a space on campus where I could practice Judaism, which has always been an important part of my life.
Taking on a leadership position was one key way to further my involvement in Hillel and to make my voice more visible. CJN: How do you plan to lead the student board? Oppenheimer: I like to base my leadership style on the voices of the other board members and giving everyone a space to share their ideas. I also want to encourage all of the members to be open to other experiences when planning activities for Hillel, and to not be afraid of trying out new ideas or making mistakes. CJN: What excites you the most about this new role? Oppenheimer: Being president has given me a way to connect with more students at Hillel, both others on HULC and general Hillel members. Everyone comes from different Judaic backgrounds, and I love being able to incorporate everyone’s traditions and ideas into the programming we plan. CJN: How has Hillel shaped your college experience or had an impact on you? Oppenheimer: Hillel has been a great way for me to make new friends and build
Oppenheimer at a CWRU Hillel event with other students: Davida Goldman, Shira Schadick, Liza Tack, Ben Rubinstein, Elizabeth Miller, Leah Oppenheimer and Alyssa Zimmerman | Submitted photo
strong communities. Furthermore, being on HULC has given me leadership skills, such as the ability to communicate, listen carefully, and be strong in my decisions. CJN: How has Judaism impacted you and the decisions you make to get involved? Oppenheimer: My Jewish upbringing taught me that Judaism takes many different forms, and made it a priority for me to foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable and their beliefs and ideas are respected. It also taught me the power of community, which has led me to put collaboration and the blending of ideas in the spotlight.
2022-23 CWRU Hillel student board Name
Position
Graduation Hometown Year
Major
Leah Oppenheimer
President
2023
Evanston, Ill.
Polymer science and civil/ environmental engineering
Davida Goldman
Vice President
2024
Bethesda, Md.,
Psychology
Shira Schadick
Treasurer
2023
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Cemical engineering
Jordyn Kelly
Hillel Volunteer collaborative representative
2025
Cherry Hill, N.J.
Biology
Ari Ostrow
Keshet and Kol Cle representative
2024
Queens, N.Y,
Computer science
Elizabeth Miller
Russian speaking Jews representative
2025
New York City
International studies and English, Russian minor
Liza Tack
General board member
2025
Highland Park, Ill.
Neuroscience
Parents, high school students reminded of Ohio’s alcohol law
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gents with the Ohio Investigative Unit and the Ohio Division of Liquor Control are reminding high school students not to use drugs or alcohol during graduation celebrations. Agents are also encouraging parents to refrain from furnishing alcohol or a place to consume alcohol. “Hosting a graduation party with alcohol is not giving your children and their friends a safe place to gather,” Senior Enforcement Commander Erik Lockhart said in a news release. “Adults who choose to host a party with drugs and
alcohol are not only opening themselves up for jail time, fines, and civil suits; but could ultimately be responsible for the loss of life.” To help foster good choices, parents and teens need to understand Ohio’s underage drinking laws. It is illegal to provide a place for your child and his/her friends to drink in a “safe” environment. In fact, parents may not provide alcohol to children who are under 21, who are not their own, even in their own home with the other parents’ permission. Those convicted of providing alcohol to
a person under 21 years of age face a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. It is illegal to purchase alcohol for anyone under 21. Anyone who purchases, sells or gives alcoholic beverages to underage individuals faces a $1,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail. If you have information of an underage house party, should call the Ohio Investigative Unit by calling the #677 on your cell phone.
GALLERY OF GRADS
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MAY 27, 2022
CJN goes one-on-one with
Michael Snyder & Abigail Zied | Hillel at KSU Co-Presidents COURTNEY BYRNES @courtney_byrnes cbyrnes@cjn.org |
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ichael Snyder and Abigail Zied will be sharing duties as they serve Hillel at Kent State University as co-presidents on the 2022-23 student board. Snyder, a 21-year-old senior, joined Hillel as a sophomore, served as the co-vice president of social action last year, and is minoring in Jewish studies. Originally from Louisville, Ky., Snyder attended high school at St. Francis School, a private progressive school with no religious affiliation despite the name. Zied said Hillel was a big part of her decision to attend Kent State after she graduated from Springboro High School, in suburban Cincinnati and Dayton. The 20-year-old junior has always been involved with the Jewish community through Sunday School, Jewish day camps and overnight camps, and is now pursuing a Jewish studies
minor. She is a member of Temple Israel in Dayton and has served Kent Hillel on the first year students of Hillel committee, vice president of Jewish holidays and now as copresident. CJN: How do you plan to lead the student board? Snyder: I plan to lead with an open mind and encourage everyone on the board to have a voice and challenge themselves. As well as, to be excited about their positions and the work they are doing. Zied: I plan to lead by being a mentor and an approachable person for those who come needing assistance or having questions. I served on the board this past school year which allowed me to understand how the board works and functions and I will use that to help keep the student board running smoothly. I don’t want the student board to feel like work and I don’t want to feel like a boss. I want us all to work together
2022-23 Hillel at Kent State University student board Name
Position
Year
Hometown
Michael Snyder
Co-president
Senior
Prospect, Ky
Abigail Zied
Co-president
Junior
Springboro, Ohio
Amanda Cetorelli
Vice president of social action
Sophomore
Pittsburgh
Sage Brown
Vice President of social action Sophomore
Deerfield, Ill.
Emily Dubin
Vice President of Jewish life
Sophomore
Gahanna, Ohio
Scout Stone
Vice President of Jewish life
Sophomore
Gahanna, Ohio
Andrew Aronoff
Vice President of board operations
Junior
Mason, Ohio
David Brondfield
Vice President of board operations
Junior
Mayfield
Rose Martyn
Vice President of engagement Sophomore
Gates Mills
Camden Miller
Vice President of engagement Sophomore
Perrysburg, Ohio
Snyder
Zied
and collaborate and enjoy our positions. CJN: What excites you the most about this new role? Snyder: The thing that excites me the most about the co-presidency is the opportunity to pursue changes and innovations that benefit Hillel. Such as, working more closely with the Jewish studies program, and uplifting our microcommunities (Achoti, Ruach and GFFI). Zied: I am most excited to work with our new board members to keep Hillel a safe, welcoming place for all students. I am excited to plan fun events, give back to the community, and work with the staff more closely. I also look forward to spreading Hillel on to campus and getting more students involved as well as educating students about Judaism and antisemitism. CJN: How has Judaism impacted you and the decisions you make to get involved? Snyder: Judaism has impacted me because of the great importance placed on individual experiences, and on serving and growing with your community. One of the ideas in Jewish thought I connect most with is tikkun olam (repair the world). I am inspired by tikkun olam because of the
emphasis on living a thoughtful life and being responsive to needs of the community and the earth. Zied: I love Jewish values and use them in my everyday life. Whenever I am with my Jewish friends I always feel like I belong whether it’s summer camp or Hillel which encourages me to do everything I can and surround myself with it. I also want to honor my ancestors and the hardships that came before them just for being Jewish. As a descendant of Holocaust survivors and victims, standing up to antisemitism is so important to me and encourages me to be a leader in my community. CJN: How do you plan to work together as co-presidents? Snyder: I am very excited to work with Abigail. She is an incredible woman. We share a lot of the same ideas and values when it comes to leading the student board and what we want to accomplish as co-presidents. I think we will work really well together to serve the Jewish community of Kent. Zied: As co-presidents we will be a team and bounce ideas off each other and share the work evenly. I would like for us to build each other up and work together to keep Hillel the amazing place that it is.
Kent State University class of 2022 graduates 5,000
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ore than 5,000 students graduated from Kent State University at spring commencement held inperson, outdoors on May 12, May 14 and May 20 and a virtual commencement ceremony for all colleges and
degrees on May 15. In total, 5,021 degrees were conferred this spring, consisting of 804 associate degrees, 3,289 bachelor’s degrees, 740 master’s degrees, 172 doctoral degrees and 16
educational specialist degrees. Graduating students heard from KSU President Todd Diacon and senior vice president and provost Melody Tankersley.
54 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG
Mazel Tov
REBEKAH UTIAN
Bachelor of Arts, Magna cum Laude Art History (with distinction), Studio Art, Italian
MAY 27, 2022
Gallery of Grads Listings HIGH SCHOOL
COLLEGE
Jessica Abrams Twinsburg High School Kent State Honors College
Chad Abrams University of Cincinnati Bachelor of Science, Data Analytics; Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting; and Minor in Sports
Abigail Berman Solon High School Kent State University Area of Study - School of Business Ethan Dobres Solon High School The Ohio State University Area of Study: Finance
Congratulations to our darling granddaughter on graduating with honors. Delighted you will be in Cleveland continuing your Masters Degree education at CWRU with a full scholarship in the Art History Department. Your hard work merits your achievements. With love, Wulf and Moira Utian
Kenyon College
Mazel Tov MATTHEW GOODMAN
Joshua Hicks Solon High School University of Cincinnati Area of Study: Special Education Adam Hollander Shaker Heights High School Washington University in St. Louis Jonah Asher Kaminsky Beachwood High School Syracuse University Area of Study: College of Visual and Performing Arts
Cleveland - Marshall College of Law
Timothy Carlin Miami University Bachelor of Arts Journalism and American Studies Mollie Davis Mayfield High School Class of 2018 The Ohio State University Bachelor of Arts in Architecture Minor in City & Regional Planning Graduated Magna Cum Laude University of Michigan Graduate School Matthew Goodman Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Degree of Juris Doctor Jordan Goodman Solon High School Class of 2016 Northeastern University Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Jake Muencz Beachwood High School Miami University
Jacob Pilloff Lynn University Bachelor of Science Sports Management
Caden Vincent Orange High School Ball State University Honors College Area of Study: Sports Journalism/Broadcasting (Sports Link)
Love, Mama and Papa
Madison Baran Kent State University Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting Minor in Sports Administration
Abigail Lewis Beachwood High School The Ohio State University Honors College Area of Study: Evolutionary Biology/Ecology
Jack Spiegle Hawken School Elon University
Mazel Tov to our grandson, Matthew Goodman on your graduation from Cleveland - Marshall College of Law. We are immensely proud of you and look forward to having another lawyer in the family.
GALLERY OF GRADS
Hailey Weisberg Solon High School University of Kentucky Area of Study: Pre-Physical Therapy
Lily Steiger University of Rochester Bachelor of Arts in Brain and Cognitive Science Lexi Sussman Solon High School Class of 2018 Miami University Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design Rebekah Utian Kenyon College Bachelor of Arts, Magna cum Laude Art History (with distinction), Studio Art, Italian Jacob Waxman Tulane University Double Degree Freeman School of Business and School of Science & Engineering
GALLERY OF GRADS
CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 55
MAY 27, 2022
Students can maximize free money with education loans LISA MATKOWSKY
F
inancing college is a huge challenge and can be very overwhelming. Carrie Miller, assistant director of HFLA of Northeast Ohio, talked about how students can maximize free money to help. Miller said that HFLA education loans can address the gap left by insufficient federal student aid and scholarships. “These interest-free loans can support students as they pursue undergraduate, graduate, vocational and technical education,” she said. “These loans are need-based (not merit-based) and are geared toward those that would either not qualify for traditional loans or would only be eligible for private loans with untenable interest rates.” Students must provide a completed SARS/FAFSA report among other documents. The loan also requires one cosigner who resides in Northeast Ohio. Each subsequent loan will require a co-signer. The maximum loan request available for education loans is $7,500 for one school year. Students can complete a “refill” application for additional funds in future school years if needed as long as the student is enrolled in a full-time
Mazel Tov JESSICA ABRAMS Twinsburg High School
accredited academic program. In most instances, the checks are made out directly to the school. In addition to the student aid information, students must also provide: a completed application, a letter of acceptance from college/university/training program, a financial award letter, a SARS/FAFSA Report, if employed, a current pay stub & the most recent 1040, completed cosigner forms and a student account summary. “Once a completed application is received, an interview will be scheduled for with the loan committee,” she added. “While enrolled in school, payments are $100/month as long as the student is enrolled full time. Once this status changes, the repayment terms revert to higher monthly payments that more closely reflect HFLA’s regular repayment terms.” The student is required to submit proof of enrollment status on an annual basis. “As with all of our lending, we hope to make the application and interview process as painless and dignified as possible,” Miller said. Lisa Matkowsky is a freelance reporter.
Mazel Tov on this milestone! We are so proud of you. We hope you work hard, chase your dreams and have a successful and wonderful college experience. We love you!! Mom, Dad, Chad and Peter
Kent State Honors College
Mazel Tov
Mazel Tov
CHAD ABRAMS
JONAH ASHER KAMINSKY
Business Analytics and Accounting
Beachwood High School
photo credit: Gena Page
Mazel Tov on this milestone of graduating college! We are so proud of you. We love you!! Your future is bright, make the most of it. Mom, Dad, Peter and Jessica
University of Cincinnati
Mazel Tov Jonah! We are so proud of your accomplishments and we wish you all the best in your next adventure! Much love and success always! Love Mom and Dad
Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts