Hillel Community Day School
72nd Annual Scholarship Benefit
Vol. 1, No. 1
Rochester, NY
Av 5780
August 2020
Libraries a Lifelong Passion Hillel School Then and Now For PTO Volunteer of the Year Sandra Kushner
Sandra Kushner and granddaughter. The Hillel School on East Avenue circa 1947. by
JULIANNE MILLER
Hillel Community Day School is thrilled to honor Sandra Kushner as the 2020 PTO Volunteer of the Year. Sandra’s work — week in and week out — in Hillel’s library has directly supported the library curriculum in multiple grade levels while also allowing the school’s librarian, Abbey Brothers, to focus on enriching and expanding the library program. For her direct impact on students and staff, the Hillel School community is extremely grateful. A passion for literacy and libraries has shaped much of Sandra Kushner’s life. Over a long career as a teacher in multiple districts, Sandra taught, in her words, “every grade but fifth!” She encouraged a love for reading in all her students, keeping her classrooms stocked with magazines students could read in class or “check out” to
take home. While much of her work involved teaching remedial reading, which she loved, she also enjoyed working with students who had a passion for reading. While working in the Genessee Wyoming BOCES, she coached a competitive reading team in a program called “Pageturners.” Students in grades 3-6 (the program has now expanded to include grades 9-12 as well) would read up to 25 books each semester and prepare to answer questions about them. Sandra read the books along with the school librarian, and then developed questions about character, setting, vocabulary, metaphor, quotations, and more. She remembers that she never went anywhere without a book, a pen, 3x5 cards (for questions), and post-it notes! Her work was so valued that even after she retired, the school (Kushner — Page 11)
A Jewish Education Every Week
Barbara and George Morgenstern by
JULIANNE MILLER
The Jewish Ledger has been a part of Jewish Rochester since 1924, in large part because of the tireless work of Barbara and George Morgenstern, who took over the paper in 1987. Over the past 33 years, they have adapted to our changing community and
changing forms of communication, maintaining the paper’s role as a voice for and about the Jewish community in Rochester, the United States, and the world. Their dedication to Jewish identity, the Jewish community, and the power of the written word (Jewish Education — Page 16)
by
JULIANNE MILLER
Since its founding in 1947, Hillel Community Day School has changed in many ways: the location has changed, additions were built, the curriculum has grown, the use of technology has increased, and new clubs and traditions have developed. But many things about Hillel have remained the same: the school’s commitment to academic excellence in General and Judaic studies; the close friendships among students and families; the celebration of Jewish values; the dedication to building understanding across streams of Judaism; and the devotion to community service and tikkun olam (repairing the
world). Reflections from alumni from various times in the school’s history highlight this balance of continuity and change.
The Early Years Irwin Goldberg, who started his educational career at Hillel School in 1949, remembers when the school building was an old, restored mansion on East Avenue — quite different from the sprawling campus with specialized classroom spaces at Hillel today! Unlike today, when multiple school busses bring students to Hillel from districts across the Greater Rochester area, students during Goldberg’s time were picked up
To The Community:
I want to offer a heartfelt “Mazel Tov” to this year’s Scholarship Dinner honorees. While school leaders are often provided opportunities to write letters that express our thanks or recommendation, it is rare to be able to craft one that is so deeply deserved. Barbara and George Morgenstern are both pillars of our community. Their selfless dedication has consistently provided our region with up-to-date, weekly, Jewish news. The Jewish Ledger has served alongside Hillel to educate our community about global, national, and local stories that impact the Jewish and broader community in Rochester and around the world. In addition to their work at The Jewish Ledger, the Morgenstern’s have consistently supported our community through their philanthropy, volunteerism, creativity, and support. Both Barbara and George are two of the most dedicated, kind, and humble individuals that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Their
Mrs. Tracie Glazer
commitment to clear communication, accurate information, and personal service truly represent why they are both recognized as notable changemakers in our community. Their tireless dedication and commitment to the success of Hillel Community Day School also deeply inspires many of us in both the Jewish and broader Rochester community. Thank you for being a part of Hillel’s story and coalition, as we prepare our students to become informed and truth-driven leaders themselves. Ms. Sandra Kushner also embodies selfless acts of service.
by a school bus driven by Mr. Zeke, the school maintenance man, or a station wagon drive by his wife, who was also the school nurse. The school provided lunch to all students, as it still does today, but unlike today’s students, Irwin and his peers ate in their classrooms, and teachers graded them on their eating habits! Students played on a playground in the school’s back yard, and occasionally went to the old JCC (in Mr. Zeke’s school bus) to swim the “JY.” Classes at Hillel in the early 1950s emphasized many of the same ideals that students today (Then and Now — Page 6)
Her dedication to our library has allowed our students to build their literary practices and hone their reading skills. She has been a game-changer for how our school’s library is organized and run. Her previous service, philanthropy, and dedication have enabled multiple generations of readers to have access to well-run libraries across our state. We are blessed that you have chosen to situate yourself as a highly valued volunteer, grandmother, and member of our school’s family and community. While the COVID-19 situation may have changed our plans, it has not changed our deep-felt appreciation for our honorees. I want to thank each of you for your time, hard work, vision, and service to Hillel Community Day School. We know that with your continued support, our school, and children’s futures are bound to be bright and sustainable. — With Deep Appreciation, Mrs. Tracie Glazer