GOLDA OCH ACADEMY
SOLOMON SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL OF ESSEX AND UNION
ALUMNI SOCIETY
NEWS The Road Back To GOA THE INSPIRING STORY OF HOW GOLDA OCH ACADEMY REOPENED IN SEPTEMBER FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING
FALL 2020
GOLDA OCH ACADEMY
SOLOMON SCHECHTER DAY SCHOOL OF ESSEX AND UNION
ALUMNI SOCIETY
NEWS ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS is published twice a year by the offices of Institutional Advancement and Marketing and Communications. Send your comments, questions, story ideas, photos, class notes, and baruch dayan emets to: Erin Sternthal esternthal@goldaochacademy.org INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Stephanie Bash-Soudry Director of Institutional Advancement Caryn Rosenberg Special Events Coordinator Jackie Cistaro Development Associate MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Glenn Slavin Director of Marketing and Communications Erin Sternthal Marketing and Communications Associate James Bratek Digital Marketing Strategist ADMINISTRATION Adam Shapiro Head of School Julia Malaga Chief Financial Officer Jordan Herskowitz Interim Upper School Principal Carrie Siegel ’92 Lower School Principal Karen Spector Lower School Assistant Principal and Director of Early Childhood Education Micah Gottlieb Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management Rabbi Meirav Kallush Director of Israel Education Jamie Himmelstein Middle School Director
in this issue
fall 2020
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The Road Back To GOA
After months of planning, students and faculty returned to in-person learning this fall
8
Silver Linings
How alumni are turning lemons into lemonade
5 11 12 15 16
Class of 2020 Graduation Changing Course Repairing The World Building Community With Music and Tefillah Self-Care During COVID-19
2 3 4 10
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL FROM THE DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT FROM THE ALUMNI SOCIETY CO-CHAIRS FROM THE PARENTS OF ALUMNI COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
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CLASS NOTES OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Keith Biebelberg Chair, Board of Trustees 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.
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL When planning for this issue back in the summer, we were unsure of what content would be included in this newsletter. Many of us were still working remotely, some of you were gearing up for college with the uncertainty of what that would look like, while others were on the frontlines continuing to help those in need. For me, this was a summer like no other, spending many hours working on various iterations of our school’s reopening plan. After months of planning, following the CDC guidelines and recommendations from our team of medical advisors, we opened our doors for in-person instruction on Wednesday, September 9. Thanks to the patience, dedication and creativity of our faculty and staff and the cooperation of our community, we saw many smiling “eyes” on the faces of our students who were thrilled to reunite with their classmates and teachers and return to some sense of normalcy. Since March, we have learned above all else that nothing is static. This new “normal” changes on a daily basis, and we have to be flexible and willing to adapt to any situation. We learned that we must prepare ourselves for various scenarios, and our team has proven they are ready to tackle any challenge. Through this pandemic, many of you have been doing just that. Our recent grads have learned to take advantage of new opportunities. Some made the decision to postpone their freshman year at college and take a gap year in Israel when their first year in college didn’t meet their expectations. Some gathered together virtually to produce a beautiful and inspiring choir video. Others have learned how to seek out the bright light in times of darkness, what we all like to refer to as silver linings. It has been truly inspiring to hear your stories of how your inner light has shined during this pandemic and how many of you found ways to help others. It speaks to so many of our school’s core values—tikkun olam, kehillah, kavod—and brings us so much pride. I hope you continue to share your stories with us and that you continue to stay connected, even in our new environment. Above all else, I wish you all continued health and safety.
Adam Shapiro Head of School
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Dear Schechter-GOA Alumni, As I write these words, I know that this has been a very challenging time due to COVID-19. Some of our alumni have lost loved ones, been sick, served as frontline workers, had jobs or internship offers cancelled, and had weddings, graduations and other simchas delayed. Others have simultaneously juggled parenting and working from home, attended or are attending college remotely, and faced additional challenges. We have all made changes to our daily routines, forcing many of us to dig deep and think about what is really important in our lives. Yet through it all, we at Golda Och Academy have been inspired by the most amazing and unparalleled Schechter-GOA alumni spirit from all of you! I have seen alumni frontline medical heroes giving selflessly to care for others. I have seen alumni clergy providing meaningful opportunities for communities to gather in prayer and mutual support. I have seen alumni teachers committed to keeping their students learning and connected during these difficult times. I have seen alumni musicians sharing the gift of music to make the world a bit brighter and full of harmony and joy. I have seen young alumni enthusiastically pivoting from college to a gap year in Israel. I have seen alumni activists reaching out to us on the important topic of racial justice to find out what we are doing at GOA. Thank you all for living our GOA mission everyday of helping to make a better world—Olam Hesed Yibaneh—a world built on kindness and love. Wishing you good health and happiness in 5781,
Stephanie Bash-Soudry Director of Institutional Advancement
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FROM THE ALUMNI SOCIETY CO-CHAIRS Dear Schechter-GOA Alumni friends, We hope this letter finds you and your families well. We are writing to you at an unprecedented time in the history of our school. Following the pivot to remote instruction in March, the school cautiously reopened for inperson instruction in September with a lot of health and safety procedures in place. A silver lining of the past seven months has been seeing firsthand the strong ties of our Schechter-GOA alumni. You are a source of inspiration for our school. There have been virtual Alumni reunions, Havdalah and Kabbalat Shabbat events. We have celebrated simchas together and sadly mourned losses. At times like this, the importance of the GOA family is more evident than ever. We would love to connect with you. Let us know if you have news for class notes, if you would like to write a newsletter article, organize a virtual class reunion, be a social media ambassador, or help raise critical funds through our GOA Annual Fund. To get involved, please email Stephanie Bash-Soudry, Director of Institutional Advancement at alumni@goldaochacademy.org. Please stay healthy, and we look forward to seeing you back at GOA sometime soon!
Becky Lustgarten ’04 Alumni Society Co-Chair
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Sarah Schonfeld ’06 Alumni Society Co-Chair
Class of 2020 Graduation
June 14, 2020 | Wilf Lower School Campus
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COVER STORY
The Road Back To GOA After months of planning, students and faculty returned to in-person learning this fall On the night before school reopened, Tuesday, September 8, the GOA community joined together via Zoom to say the shehechiyanu prayer. It was a beautiful moment for everyone to virtually come together before starting a new school year. The following morning, Wednesday, September 9, the doors of both campuses, which had been closed for six months, opened wide to the smiling eyes and laughter of students who had been longing to return in person and faculty and staff who were eager to reunite with their students and fill their classrooms with a love of learning. While the majority of students chose to opt for in-person learning, a remote option was made available for families that needed it. For the administration and leadership team, the journey to get to that day was not an easy one. Months had gone into planning and preparation. In June, a School Reopening Task Force convened and worked intensively all summer to prepare for school to reopen safely. This team consisted of Head of School Adam Shapiro, Lower School Principal Carrie Zucker Siegel ’92, Interim Upper School Principal Jordan Herskowitz, Lower School Assistant Principal Karen Spector, Upper School Nurse Ilena Kasdan, Lower School Nurse Roberta Coopersmith, Director of Facilities and Operations Matthew Chase, Chief Financial Officer Julia Malaga and Director of Institutional Advancement Stephanie BashSoudry.
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The Reopening Task Force worked closely with community medical professionals to ensure that all plans followed guidelines set by the CDC, NJ State and the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Planning for several different reopening scenarios was a challenge on many fronts, but ensuring we could return safely to school was our number one priority,” said Lower School Principal Carrie Zucker Siegel ’92. “Beyond measuring classroom spaces, ordering PPE, training teachers in new technology and systems, we did what we do every summer—plan for an academic year that will enable all of our students to grow, achieve and develop as learners and people.” To safely reopen, the School Reopening Task Force addressed 1) Health screening and testing, 2) PPE (personal protective equipment), 3) Cleaning/disinfecting/air quality, 4) Social distancing and facilities Enhancements, 5) Educational technology (Zoom, Seesaw, Google Classroom), and 6) Reopening funding needs. For in-person learning, pre-campus arrival testing remains mandatory for students, faculty and staff. While on campus, everyone must complete a screening questionnaire before arriving at school on the SchoolPass app and have temperatures taken upon arrival at the building. At all times, students, faculty and staff are required to wear masks while on campus. Additionally, as teachers returned to campus for professional days prior to the first day of school,
they received welcome kits with masks, hand sanitizers and packs of disinfecting wipes. “While school looks different this year, the learning and student engagement is still exceptional,” said Interim Upper School Principal Jordan Herskowitz. “Class sizes have been kept small to maintain space in the room, hallways are one-directional and classes have staggered passing periods to minimize the number of people moving at any given time.” As part of the facilities enhancements, classrooms were outfitted with cameras for students on remote instruction and new HEPA air purifiers were purchased for each room. Each campus was also equipped with hand sanitizing stations and electrostatic sprayers. Tents were installed outside of the building, and outdoor spaces were outfitted with WiFi. Golda Och Academy continues to seek funding to do everything possible to maximize the health and safety of students and staff and is also prepared to switch to a remote instruction model if the need arises. At the end of the first week of school, Head of School Adam Shapiro said, “We have a long road ahead of us, but at this moment we also have a tremendous amount to be grateful for. Our entire team is committed to doing all that we can to make this an outstanding year of learning and growth for our students.”
ALUMNI NEWS SPRING 2020 8
ALUMNI PROFILES
Silver Linings How alumni are turning lemons into lemonade It’s no secret that this global pandemic has completely turned our world upside down. Our nation and our communities have suffered in various ways, but on a positive note, there are stories of hope and resilience that have emerged. The stories we have heard from many of you have been inspiring and uplifting. Whether you have taken the time to reconnect with old classmates, gone out to volunteer in your community, dedicated yourself as a healthcare professional to help those suffering, or learned a new hobby, we know you have found the “silver lining” of this crisis. Here are some of the stories our alumni shared with us.
Sam Lurie ’19
After college classes finished up last May, Susan Werk, the education director of my synagogue Congregation Agudath Israel, reached out to see if I wanted to make some videos to keep kids and families engaged and laughing during the pandemic. As a big late-night television fan, I made a Jewish-themed late night spoof, naming it “Sam’s Chug” (Sam’s Club). Every week over
Dr. Rachael Goldman ’96 I wasn’t planning on teaching any online courses. As a historian and speaker, I’m used to changing directions at a moment’s notice, but nothing prepared me for questions that came from my World Civilization class at Union County College such as, How do I move my computer so that I can see my students? How do I make sure that my class can even hear my voice? Can my students even call me at home or text me? This is where my students were up for the challenge, even directing me to the proper place to keep my computer so that my face wasn’t in raking sunlight. Because of my students, the projects changed quickly. No more quizzes, or tests. Together we completed assignments as a class! Lectures were reduced to 10 minutes. And I showed my class how I use a 3D printer to make replicas from ancient and Jewish history. 8
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020
the summer I made a new video, telling jokes about the weekly Torah portion or Jewish event that week. I also interviewed myself as many different “guests,” from an Israeli soldier teaching about how to survive in the wilderness for 40 years, to a bagel and herring-eating version of Superman. I am touched to see that my silly videos had a strong impact in my synagogue community. Many people reached out, thanking me for keeping them laughing during these tough times. I was especially proud that I was asked to film episodes of Sam’s Chug to be included in the Zoom family services for the High Holidays. If you want to catch an episode, check out #samschug on Facebook!
Shana Slater ’19 My original plan this past summer was to work at Camp Ramah Nyack in New York. When the camp decided to close for the summer, I was heartbroken as I had been looking forward to spending my last summer as a counselor. A few weeks after camp officially decided to close, I reached out to Stephanie Bash-Soudry to see if there were any alumni that needed help this summer. Fortunately, Stephanie introduced me to Reisha Goldman ‘98 who hired me as her backyard babysitter/ counselor for the summer. Although I was not able to work at Camp Ramah, I was very fortunate to have had a similar counselor experience with the Goldmans. In addition to working at the Goldmans’, I was able to enhance my knowledge of graphic design by learning how to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Learning these softwares, through Skillshare, has shown me what it is like to design and has taught me what I need to do in order to join the field of design. Although the summer did not turn out as planned, I am happy I was able to learn new skills and help out fellow alumni.
Julia Gaffen ’17 This year started out completely different. In January, I turned 21 and had been offered an internship at Tommy Hilfiger in New York—a dream of mine as I have always wanted to work in fashion. After accepting the offer, I traveled to Italy with the intent of studying abroad in Florence for four months. While traveling in Madrid, I woke up to my phone blowing up from Trump’s announcement and a text from my crazy Jewish mother that the “party is over and it’s time to come home”. After a long journey from Madrid to London and London to Newark, I opened my email to news that all internships at Tommy Hilfiger had been cancelled. I was beyond devastated, but the catchphrase “choose your attitude” from Mrs. Antiles’ math classes echoed in my head. I couldn’t control what I lost or what happened, but I could choose how I dealt with it and what I did next. I used the extra time to join webinars and online networking groups to chat, meet, and learn from different industry professionals. This led to a strategy internship offer with a digital marketing agency based in Brooklyn. The experience I had was absolutely incredible. I had the chance to work with amazing brands such as Pai Skincare, Girls who Code, Marc Jacobs Fragrance, and Jimmy Choo (which did include a gifted pair of shoes). As I go back to school for my senior year and reflect on the past few months, I truly credit my resiliency and adaptability to my GOA experience and especially Mrs. Antiles’ math classes! ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 9
Class of 2019 Alumnus
I was in a mechina (military prep program) in Sderot when the first wave of Corona hit Israel. On eight hours notice, I packed up everything I needed and headed to stay with some cousins in the Golan. With plenty of spare time, we spent nearly a month building terraces on which we would plant a vineyard. Once all the rocks were in place and the vines were beautifully planted, we moved on to our next project — a fenced-in laundry-hanging area. Here my time on the CodeRunners (GOA Robotics Team) came in handy as I made a precise 3D model of the structure we would create, and in just two days we had finished construction. All the time away from civilization made me want to reconnect with my friends from GOA, so when GOA sent an email about the Virtual Journal, I reached out to the rest of Boys Who Sew and together we sponsored an ad. The Class of 2019 also began a minhag of each of us having someone else to catch up with each week. While Corona has certainly thrown a few wrenches into everyone’s plans, I believe I succeeded in making lemons into lemonade. Since the first wave ended (and the second began) I have finished mechina, officially made Aliyah, and am now back at my cousins’ house, building a gigantic deck abutting the vineyard.
FROM THE PARENTS OF ALUMNI COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS Shana Tova 5781! We hope this letter finds you well. While so much of our life during this pandemic is different, what hasn’t changed is our ties to our beloved school. We are all part of the GOA Alumni community. While we couldn’t meet in person to pack our annual care packages to the most recent graduating class — GOA Class of 2020 — the school staff mailed them a package and let them know they are always in our thoughts! We look forward to the time when we can get together again and check in, catch up and see each other face to face! Until then, stay well and safe. We miss seeing you in person, and we are open to your ideas and input. We are here for you—let us know how we can support you and keep us all connected. Contact Caryn Rosenberg, Special Events Coordinator, at crosenberg@goldaochacademy.org.
Amy Borg-Glickman Parents of Alumni Committee Co-Chair 10 ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020
Shari Broder Parents of Alumni Committee Co-Chair
COLLEGE TRENDS
Changing Course Class of 2020 grads opt for a gap year in Israel
following COVID-19 changes on college campuses After Danielle Hodes ’20 returned home from Israel after Neshama was cut short her senior year because of COVID-19, she thought about how she never had the chance to fully immerse herself in Israeli culture and live like an Israeli citizen. As time passed in quarantine, she began to reconsider her decision to study at the University of Maryland in the fall. “I didn’t feel ready for college and was unexcited for school after not having that time of selfexploration and independence in Israel,” she said. “As COVID became increasingly worse, it was evident that everything that makes college, college would be compromised. There would be limited social interactions, few in-person classes, no tailgates, a virtual sorority rush, etc., which made taking a gap year in Israel a more appealing and worthwhile option.” Danielle, along with some of her fellow graduates, realized they could take their situation of a less-than-ideal freshman year and turn it into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Danielle chose to attend Aardvark Israel, where she is living in apartments in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for the year while participating in internships and attending classes for college credit. “This is an amazing opportunity in which I will be able to meet people from all over the world who share the same love of Israel and gain real work experience and a resume before entering college.” Read more from Danielle: blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-open-letter-tocovid-19/ Amy Gaffen ’20 was also disappointed that her time on Neshama was cut short. While she had always planned to go to Tulane University for the spring semester, her original plan for the fall was to be in Rome on a program with Tulane. “Once I knew I would have to quarantine in Rome, I figured I would rather quarantine in Israel and be in a place where I feel comfortable and safe for the first semester,” she said. Amy wanted to find a program that would accept her college credits so she could
graduate Tulane on time and one that would allow her to attend for one semester. In mid July, she chose to attend Aardvark Israel. Noa Russo ’20 was set to go to Northeastern, but decided a few weeks after the deferral deadline had passed in June to spend the year in Israel. Thankfully she was able to still keep her acceptance at Northeastern. “Because of coronavirus, I knew that my freshmen year would be incredibly compromised, so I figured that a gap year in Israel would be the best choice for me,” she said. “Also, I’ve always wanted to live in Israel for an extended period and with only having three weeks in Israel with Neshama, a year in Israel became an easy decision to make.” Noa is participating in the Young Judaea Year Course as she has been involved with Young Judaea for many years, attending and working at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake and Tel Yehudah. “This year, I’m most looking forward to actually experiencing life in Israel and immersing myself in Israeli culture,” she said. “The program has incorporated free time for participants on many nights and weekends, so then I will be able to build my own schedule and really get to live on my own in Israel.” Also joining Noa on the Young Judea Year Course is Jonah Heimowitz ’20 who had originally planned to attend the University of Michigan this fall. On June 1, Jonah put his freshman year on hold and accepted a spot on the Young Judea Year Course Israel. Though he was able to defer his acceptance to the University of Michigan, Jonah said Michigan won’t accept the classes on his gap year for college credit. While on the program, Noa and Jonah will spend four months in Jerusalem, four in Tel Aviv and one month on Kibbutz Keturah in the Negev Desert. “I realized during quarantine that I don’t need my life to be in a rush,” he said. “I am hoping that spending the year in Israel will help me to figure out the type of person I want to be. College will still be there in a year.” ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 11
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Repairing The World More than 60 alumni joined together for GOA’s first Alumni Town Hall Meeting to discuss issues of racial justice During the spring, while our country was still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our nation was shaken by yet another event — the tragic murder of George Floyd. As an educational institution, Golda Och Academy teaches students to speak up for any type of injustice, and so, in response to this hateful act, our students, staff and faculty dealt with this devastating situation as best they could in a virtual environment. Our Upper School students rallied together to organize an assembly over Zoom led by student leader Samantha Rigante ’21. Our Lower School teachers conducted age-appropriate discussions with their classes, and our Interim Upper School Principal Jordan Herskowitz invited Crystal Hopkins, Manager of Operations at the Upper School, to discuss her position as a mother raising two black boys in America on his Live With Mr. H! virtual morning show. We invited Dana Levinson Steiner, Director of ACCESS Global at AJC, to talk about the topic of racial justice and the Jewish community response. Many of our alumni also reached out to the school administration with their concerns and as a result, Golda Och Academy held an Alumni Town Hall meeting on racial justice in August. More than 60 alumni from various class years and from all parts of the world came together via Zoom. It was a testament to the SchechterGOA education that the values of tikkun olam and social justice continue to be of paramount importance to our graduates.
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Representatives from the administration and faculty updated alumni on the work happening in school, including Adam Shapiro, Head of School; Jordan Herskowitz, Interim Upper School Principal; Carrie Zucker Siegel ’92, Lower School Principal; Stephanie BashSoudry, Director of Institutional Advancement; Frederick Ober, Upper School Social Studies Faculty; Lori Jaffe, Director of Student Services; Rabbi Meirav Kallush, Director of Israel Education; and Jamie Mittleman, Upper School Arts and Experiential Education Educator. Samantha Rigante ’21, the head of a new student-run club on racial justice and
“
This committee is so important because we as educators and influencers have a responsibility to the young people here at GOA to expose them to the world and implore them to use their Jewish values not just within their immediate communities but in every encounter they have. diversity, also spoke about how the student council and student body are addressing these important topics. “I am excited to be leading the Racial Justice club, and I think it’s going to be a terrific step in the right direction enriching GOA’s educating the student body on racial issues in the United States,” she said. “The club essentially came about from discussions after the assembly for George
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Floyd and others in May, where we realized that one assembly wasn’t enough, and that we needed a way to incorporate further education on these issues in the upcoming school year.” The club, she added, plans to hold fundraisers for various organizations, discuss different historical aspects of racism in the United States, and keep up with current events that pertain to racial justice and racism. Mr. Herskowitz highlighted GOA’s work with certain organizations, including a partnership with the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Center at Rutgers University for programming. Special programs from TRHT have been offered for our students and faculty, and faculty members on both campuses have attended the Center for Racial Justice in Education’s teacher workshops. GOA also has a partnership with the Robert Treat Academy Charter School in Newark through the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest. In past years, 8th grade students visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC with Robert Treat students, and 6th grade students held model Passover seders. A 7th grade community service initiative with Robert Treat was planned for this past spring, but was unfortunately put on hold due to the pandemic.
Changes We Have Made And Are Ongoing Every student in grades 6-12 had required summer reading. In addition to one required book, students needed to choose a second from age-appropriate books that either feature a prominent character of color or discuss race and diversity. Faculty read these books as well and led group discussions on themes in the fall. Some selections are listed on page 14. A newly-formed faculty committee on Racial Diversity and Inclusion was established to examine curriculum and programming for Pre-K through 12th grade students. The first meeting was held in August. A new student-run club on racial justice was created to pursue community activity and fundraising. A resource board was created on the school website portal called Educational Resources to Combat Racial Injustice. This page will continually be updated and filled with information for our students and faculty. GOA is examining how to expand the current partnership with the Robert Treat Academy Charter School in Newark, especially after the pandemic is over and students are once again able to meet in person.
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At press time, the new faculty committee on Racial Diversity and Inclusion was hoping to begin small group discussions with faculty and students centered around the summer reading assignments. According to Ms. Hopkins, who is participating in the committee, “This committee is so important because we as educators and influencers have a responsibility to the young people here at GOA to expose them to the world and implore them to use their Jewish values not just within their immediate communities but in every encounter
they have,” she said. “We are now recognizing issues that have been occurring around us for years to be humanitarian issues that can no longer be ignored. We have the power to educate a generation of young people who can truly be the change that we want to see in this world.” While these are some short-term initiatives, GOA values the input of the alumni community and will continue to keep our graduates apprised of the work taking place on campus.
Sample Selections from the Summer Reading List
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More than 20 of our alumni singers from various class years came together in song to send a message of hope and unity to our community before Rosh Hashana. It was a beautiful way to start the new year. Visit www.goldaochacademy.org/ alumni/welcome-alumni to view this inspirational video of our talented alumni singing Andra Day’s Rise Up!
Building Community Through Music and Tefillah
On Saturday, May 23, alumni hosted a virtual Havdalah for the GOA community with the help of Ben Rosenbach ‘09, Josh Sauer ‘09 and Whitney Gruhin ‘07.
Early childhood singer/songwriter and Jewish music educator Eliana Light ‘08 led a GOA community family concert on Sunday, June 28.
Noah Aronson’ 01 originally wrote his song, Just Fine, as a letter to himself “as a reminder that it’s all going to be ‘just fine’ if I can remember what’s important in life. If I can stay present and not get trapped in my head, and if I can find more ‘time Erica Rabner ‘09 hosted a virtual family concert with to just laugh’ I’ll get through this just fine.” Noah PJ Library Greater MetroWest NJ on Friday, July 31. released the song in May.
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Self-Care During COVID-19 By Ilana Rosenberg ’02 Over the past six months, our world has experienced a health crisis that has shocked us to our core. COVID-19 has changed the landscape of how we live our lives, how we function as individuals and as a society, how we parent, work, and participate in our communities. When speaking to clients, friends, and family, many have acknowledged feeling out of control, sad and anxious. My first response is always to say, of course you feel terrible; this is truly an unprecedentedly dark time. I always want to validate and normalize these feelings—they are real, they are valid and they are an absolute reflection of the chaos we are living in. While there is space for all emotional reactions, feelings of anxiety, depression and despair are all within the realm of normal. I wouldn’t be a very effective clinician, however, if I left it there. We do have a lot in our power that we can do to take care of ourselves and our families, even when we feel completely powerless. I want to be transparent and share that even as a mental health professional, this has been an incredibly hard time for me both personally and professionally. Below I’ll share four tips and tricks that I have found helpful.
your day to create a routine. A challenge of quarantine is that you don’t have to get dressed for school or work, you can be in pajamas all day, eat whatever you want and whenever you want, you can get lost on your phone and the Internet for hours on end without the pressure of rushing to catch your train into work or attend a business lunch. While this might be fun for a while, it can ultimately contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety. My recommendation is to the extent that you are able, create your own structure and routine. I realized quickly that on “pajama days” my children were wild and cranky, and so was I! Just the act of getting dressed set a better tone for the day. I work to outline what the day will look like for my children and for myself. It gives me a sense of control in a time of chaos and forces me to be present in my given reality. Once I set a structure, I was able to carve in time for things that brought me some joy— whether it was going for a run or speaking with a friend. A set routine gives me an ability to “find the time” for things that bring me joy.
You are not alone. Ask for help when you need it.
When life feels particularly chaotic and out of control, it is extremely helpful to reality test. Our brains are powerful and can often go to the worst case scenario. I encourage clients to stay present in their given reality. Even with fear of getting sick, or of losing a job, it’s important to remind yourself of your current reality. For instance, “While I’m very scared of losing my job or of getting sick, I recognize that right now I’m healthy and I still have a job.” Whatever your reality is, stay there and remind yourself that in this moment you are okay. And, if you are okay for now, allow yourself to be just that – okay for now. Just a gentle shift in how we think is powerful and has a ripple effect on our overall well being. Once you are grounded in your current reality, I encourage creating a sense of structure in 16 ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020
While there is no part of me that is grateful for this awful time, my husband and I have worked to try and find the silver linings during quarantine. We both feel blessed that we have been able to spend so much more time with our boys. We were home when our son had his first steps, instead of at work! My sister moved in with us, and she was able to get much closer to our boys and their bond has never been stronger! While my older son was planning on going to a big camp, he ended up going to a small backyard camp with a few friends and his cousins. While he didn’t learn to swim in a big pool (there’s always next summer), he learned to play in the dirt, make mudpies, and run around barefoot in the grass. Find your silver lining — it helps! I went back and forth about offering this last piece of advice, so I’ll just call it the icing on the cake. M y reluctance stemmed from my own
feelings of inadequacy during the beginning of quarantine, as I’d scroll through social media and watched friends seem to have time to save the world or bake a cake on a day where I felt accomplished for merely brushing my teeth! I felt like if I could keep my family safe and magically keep my job, I had done enough. While this is one hundred percent true, my days felt like a constant game of survival, and there was very little that was bringing me joy. A few months into quarantine I decided I wanted to take on a new challenge and opted to bake challah. It took weeks of failed extremely dense challah for me to master the skill and then find a recipe that I loved. Baking challot has become something that I truly look forward to. Every week we now deliver freshly baked challah to friends and family, and it has become a true highlight of this time. Similarly, my husband started playing tennis on a regular basis, which has brought him more joy than he could have anticipated. He’s healthier and socializing and getting to spend time outdoors. My point in sharing this is to say that there is still joy out there, and it’s okay to push yourself to find time to engage in activities just for the sake of feeling better afterwards. If you find yourself really struggling, my two biggest points are that a) you are not alone and b) ask for help when you need it. May this terrible time soon be in the past and may we emerge from it stronger.
Ilana (Kahn) Rosenberg ‘02 is a licensed clinical social worker. She works as a community liaison at Affirmed Homecare Services, a concierge homecare company. Ilana lives in Englewood, NJ with her two sons Simon and Mickey and husband Paul. ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 17
Class Notes 1979
1990 Mazel Tov to Rabbi Joshua Heller on authoring the Conservative movement’s teshuvah in May on the use of streaming technology for Shabbat and holiday services.
2000 Rabbi Debra Ornstein and her husband Craig Weisz enrolled their daughter Hannah in GOA’s 9th grade this fall. We look forward to her Class of 2024 graduation!
1981 Amy Skopp Cooper will become National Director of the Ramah Camping Movement on January 1, 2022.
1986
Rachel Levy Konik and her husband Konrad welcomed the birth of their son, Liev Stanley, on June 6, 2020. Liev joins big sister Keira (GOA 2nd grade).
2001 Justin Pines and his wife Tali welcomed the birth of their daughter, Aria Juliette, on February 16, 2020. Aria joins big sisters Olivia and Caroline.
Laura Shaw Frank received her PhD in American Jewish history from the University of Maryland. Special kudos for defending her dissertation via Zoom!
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Stay connected with your Schechter-GOA family! SCHECHTER-GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2001
2002 Congratulations to Joanna Stern for her 2020 News & Documentary Emmy Award nomination for her EP work on a video series about Amazon.
Hannah (Kaplan) Meyer and her husband Jared welcomed the birth of their son, Matthew Irving, on July 17, 2020. Matthew joins big brother Nathan.
Evan Majzner and his wife Lindsay welcomed the birth of their daughter, Nessa Jordyn, on May 6, 2020. Nessa joins big brother Nate.
Sara (Woldin) Fieldston and her husband Brett enrolled their son Henry in GOA’s Pre-K this fall. We look forward to his Class of 2034 graduation!
2004
Nikki (Solomon) Engel and her husband Jared welcomed the birth of their son, Jordan Spencer, on May 26, 2020. Jordan joins big sister Lexi.
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 19
Class Notes 2004
2008
Becky Lustgarten and her husband Taylor welcomed the birth of their son, Aaron David, on April 29, 2020.
Sarah Drill Fainshtain and her husband Sagi welcomed the birth of their son, Carmel Louis, on October 1, 2020.
2005
Sally (Elbaum) Friedman and her husband Mark welcomed the birth of their son, Freddy Jay, on September 4, 2020.
20 ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020
Stay connected with your Schechter-GOA family! SCHECHTER-GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2008
2009
Arielle Kuzdral and her husband Matt welcomed the birth of their son, Theodore Kramer, on August 30, 2020.
Erica Rabner is engaged to David Gorvy. Erica also released a new song in July, “Mask On.” Listen to it at soundcloud.com/erica-rabnermusic/mask-on.
The class held a Zoom reunion in July with 13 classmates in attendance.
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 21
Class Notes 2009
2012
Danielle Felder (Reich) and her husband Zach welcomed the birth of their daughter, Atara Devora Felder, on August 19, 2020 in Ashdod, Israel, weighing exactly 6 lbs. Jared Kaplan is engaged to Sarah Weisfogel.
2011
2013
Gloria Rothenberg and Matthew Meshberg were engaged on August 14, 2020. They first met at Vanderbilt University in 2014. Gloria is a nurse practitioner at Montefiore Medical Center, and Matthew is a senior consultant at Ernst and Young. Jessica Bielski is engaged to Jonathan Akhavan. The couple is planning a 2021 wedding in California.
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Stay connected with your Schechter-GOA family! SCHECHTER-GOLDA OCH ACADEMY ALUMNI SOCIETY
2015
Former Students
Dana Halpern is expanding her role at GOA’s Wilf Lower School Campus this fall working as both a General Studies teacher and a social work intern. Dana has served as support in the JS 3-4 program, a substitute and a valued member of the Lower School re-opening technology committee.
2016
Arielle Solomon joined the faculty here at GOA’s Wilf Lower School Campus this fall as a teaching assistant.
Send us your screenshots from a recent Zoom class reunion! alumni@ goldaochacademy.org
Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop and his wife Jaclyn welcomed the birth of their daughter, Stasha “Stassi” Mae, on October 11, 2020. Steve was also recognized at the North Jersey Jewish Business Alliance (NJJBA) annual Legislative & Business luncheon for “his smart, progressive leadership, especially when recently faced with crisis situations” on August 19, 2020. Steve attended Schechter from 1989 to 1993.
We can help organize a Zoom class reunion, too! alumni@ goldaochacademy.org
ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 23
You Make A Difference!
In addition to our regular need to raise dollars to cover the gap between tuition and school operations, this year our school’s needs are greater than ever. COVID has cost our school an extra $1,000 per student in 2020-2021. We need your help now more than ever. Thank you!
www.goldaochacademy.org/annualfund 24 ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020
Our Sincere Condolences Sheldon Aronwitz z”l, beloved father of Michael Aronowitz ’99. Francis Flinker Wexler z”l, beloved mother of Rona Wexler, grandmother of Ariel Fixler z”l ’01. Justin Footerman z”l, beloved husband of Gittel; father of Rifka Moyal ’81 (Joe ‘80) and Rafi Footerman ’84 (Andrea); grandfather of Yitzi, Dahlia, Nina, Simona, Elan ’16 and Maya ’26; great-grandfather of James. Elizabeth Fulop z”l, beloved grandmother of Steven (Jaclyn), Richard ’03 (Vicki), Dan z”l ’92 (Elissa); greatgrandmother of Alexis (Grade 11) and Amber (Grade 7). Tan Tiok Geok z”l, beloved mother of Li Schuman (Dean), beloved grandmother of Amanda ’13 and Josh ’17. Deborah Glass z”l, beloved mother of Rebecca Glass (Derek Fields), grandmother of Noah ’08, Dov ’08 and Adina Fields ’13. Gerald Halpern z”l, beloved husband of Susan Halpern, father of Nicole Halpern ’08, son of Rose Halpern, brother of Zahava Greenberg, Zev Halpern, Shira Rosenbaum and Nachama Loeshelle. Philip Horn z”l, beloved brother of one of SSDSEU/ GOA founding parents Rabbi William Horn, and uncle of Dassy Horn Mark ’77, great uncle of Raffi ’09, Avi ’04, Danit ’11, and Penina ’06.
Marlene Hyman z”l, beloved mother of Vicki Hyman, mother-in-law of Upper School Judaic Studies faculty member Rabbi David Bockman, grandmother of Theo HymanBockman ’19. Sharon Kornspan z”l, beloved wife of Darren Kornspan ’85, mother of Spencer. Ari Kushner z”l, son of Lee and Murray Kushner, brother of Jon Kushner ’95 and Melissa Kushner ’98. Isaac Levi z”l, beloved father of Rachel Moran (Moshe), grandfather of Maya Moran ’13 and Gil Moran ’16. Mildred Levy z”l, beloved mother of Steven Levy (Beena); grandmother of Rachel ’01, Jaime ’06 and Jacob; greatgrandmother of Neomi, Eyal and Matan. Rabbi Ezekiel Nissim Musleah z”l, beloved husband of Margaret; father of Upper School Dean of Faculty and Judaic Studies faculty member Flora Musleah (Rabbi David Levy), Rahel Musleah, and Aliza Musleah (Howie Goldman); grandfather of Aaron Yavelberg (Trudy), Joel Yavelberg ’04 (Hana), Benjamin Yavelberg ’09 (Sarah), Shira Klayman, Shoshana Altman (Ian), Eli Case, Penina Polofsky (Eli), and Miriam Darby (Luke); and great-grandfather.
Stella Rabner z”l, beloved mother of Howard (Hilary) and Stuart (Deborah), grandmother of Lauren ’07 (Liam), Erica ’09, Jonathan ’10, Carly ’11 and Jack ’12. Jill Lynn Safran z”l, beloved mother of Steve Safran and mother-in-law of Lower School faculty member Yael Safran. Tessie Schpiro z”l, beloved mother of Wendy Kaplowitz (Hank Kaplowitz) and David Schpiro (Elise); grandmother of Dr. Mark Kaplowitz ’91 (Rebekah), Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz ’94 (Jonathan Boxer), Beth Gershowitz (Craig) and Alan Schpiro (Natalie); and greatgrandmother of six. Ivan Sobel z”l, beloved husband of Frema; father of Elke Luftig ’96 (Matt) and former student Eric Sobel (Melissa); and grandfather of Sam, Rebecca (Grade 5), Ethan, Eli, Lena and Kira. Marlene Stevens z”l, beloved mother of Lower School faculty member Tina Abrahamian, Harris Stevens ’95, Rob Stevens ’96, Scott Stevens and Mona Stevens-Kellerman. Yocheved Wegner z”l, beloved mother of Lower School faculty member Sari Manor Cohen. Stewart Winters z”l, beloved father of Stephen Winters, grandfather of Lenny ’03, Tamar ’05 and Elana ’07.
Submit your condolences at www.goldaochacademy.org/baruchdayanemet ALUMNI SOCIETY NEWS FALL 2020 25
ERIC F. ROSS UPPER SCHOOL CAMPUS 1418 Pleasant Valley Way West Orange, New Jersey 07052
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