TDSA The Link - Fall 2015

FALL 2015

Celebrating 30 Years

The Link CONNECTING TDSA AND ITS SUPPORTERS

This is what

30 looks like

FRIENDS OF TDSA ANNUAL CAMPAIGN The TDSA Annual Campaign is under way! This is an exciting year for us - our 30th - and it is amazing to see how far we have come.

This year we implemented a new math curriculum and added Judaic electives. We are harvesting fall vegetables from our organic garden, and gearing up for the North Atlanta Jewish Students Tech Fair.

Our Board approved a new strategic plan. We are renewing our accreditation with AdvanceED and SAIS, updating our entry gate and security systems thanks to a Homeland Security grant, and implementing a new school-wide student information/learning management solution to help us communicate with excellence.

Your gift to our Annual Campaign makes a difference! As a Friend of TDSA, you support the Torah education of over 325 children.

The Annual Campaign is our top fundraising

priority—we cannot succeed without you!

Introducing Chai Society! In honor of our 30th year, please consider a gift of $1,800 and receive two tickets to our Main Event, an ad in the tribute book, and a special Chai Society gift.

Answer our call! Please help make our 30th year the best ever, and make your gift today!

Make your tax-deductible gift online at www.torahday.org or contact: Mrs. Marcy Kalnitz mkalnitz@torahday.org Rabbi Elchanan Schulgasser eschulgasser@torahday.org

TDSA Main Event Honorees Dr. Joseph & Phyllis Tate Honorees

Rabbi Moshe & Leah Hiller

Distinguished Educators Award

Yacov & Rachelle Freedman Sadell Sloan Volunteer Award

Gavriel’s SUCCESS Story

DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Mr. Brian Spaner Development Chair

Committee Members Mr. Eric Adelman Rabbi Menachem Deutsch Rabbi Joshua Einzig Mrs. Marcy Kalnitz

Gavriel

Mrs. Jennifer Pearlman Ms. Sara Robbins Rabbi Elchanan Schulgasser Without a doubt, there is nothing as heart-warming as hearing a thirteen-year-old youngster express with sincerity, “Attending Torah Day School created a new life for me!”

Gavriel Golan, a TDSA eighth grader, joined our student body this year after attending public school.

His parents, both immigrants, his father from Iran and his mother from Syria, wanted, wished, and prayed to be able to provide their son a proper Jewish education.

But it just wasn’t economically feasible. And while Gavriel was a star pupil in his public school, he knew something very important was missing in his life: a formal Jewish education. But today he beams, “Now I have a classmate who is my chavrusa (learning partner) who helps me stay up to pace with my classmates.”

When first touring Torah Day School of Atlanta, Gavriel asked if there was a minyan for prayers. When he learned that there was, he knew this was the place for him. He’d never been able to participate in a minyan on a regular basis. Gavriel explains, “On the very first day of school, in my first class, the students and our Rebbe (teacher) were engaged in a wonderful conversation. Everyone was nice to each other and the Rebbe was so funny!” He added, “Torah Day School is a real community--I even get invited to friends’ homes for Shabbos!” When asked about his teachers, Gavriel uses glowing superlatives like outstanding, wonderful, just perfect, and good for my level—attesting to the quality of our fine faculty!

Gavriel’s first outside-of-school field trip was a team-building camp-out in Ocoee (on the Ocoee River), which included participation in a ropes course, a scavenger hunt, and other fun, character-building activities. He later commented that this was a great way for him to adjust to his new environment and that he made friends right away. And now he looks forward with great anticipation to playing on the TDSA varsity basketball team!

Each year, our development team raises over $1 million to allow students like Gavriel to attend TDSA. While students (like Gavriel) desire to attend school here, unfortunately not everyone can afford private Jewish school tuition. For many parents it’s a matter of simple economics: a choice between providing a roof over their heads and food on the table, or a Jewish education. Let’s not make them choose!

With your generous donations, you can help create new lives for deserving students like Gavriel. Indeed, there are countless dreams you can help make heartwarming reality!

Shawndrika Lewis, our devoted Development Assistant and database manager extraordinaire, attended the Blackbaud conference this fall where she earned her “Guardian of the Database” badge. TDSA wishes a warm congratulations to Shawndrika on her recent marriage to DeMarkus Lake. We wish her and her husband a long and happy life together.

New to our TEAM

We are pleased to welcome Rabbi Elchanan Schulgasser, our new Senior Development Manager, to TDSA. Rabbi Schulgasser will concentrate this year on strengthening the School’s Annual Fund Campaign.

“I’m excited to be working with such a great team and terrific school,” says Rabbi Schulgasser. “Our supporters have told me that giving to the school is assuring our community’s future, and they feel a big part of our work through their donations. It’s an honor for me to help strengthen children’s Torah education in Atlanta.”

Rabbi Schulgasser and his family moved from Kansas, where he studied and raised funds for the KC Kollel for the last eight years. Rabbi Schulgasser holds an MBA from Florida International University in Miami. He and his wife Bracha are the parents of six children, four of whom started at the Torah Day School this year.

Bernstein Family Torah Dedication & Celebration NOVEMBER 22, 2015 10:00am - 12:00pm Torah Day School of Atlanta

The Bernstein Family

The

TorahDay.org/Torah

GREATEST Gift

‫הכנסת‬ ‫ספר‬

‫תורה‬

A brand new Sefer Torah! For the first time in 12 years, we will welcome a Torah to the school on Sunday, November 22nd. The Torah is being dedicated by the Bernstein Family—Joan & William, and their son and daughter-in-law, Seth and Abby—in honor of Klal Yisrael, the Jewish People.

Bill, Joan, and their son Seth moved to Atlanta in 1980 when Bill joined The Coca-Cola Company. Seth, an Atlanta real estate developer with The Mainland Company, is involved with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, where he currently sits on several committees, including National Young Leadership Cabinet. Mrs. Marcy Kalnitz Through his involvement with Cabinet, Seth met his wife, Abby, who is now the Senior Gift Officer at JFGA, Director of Finance and Development and formerly served as Campaign Executive for the Southeast Region at the Jewish National Fund.

“As a student, I was taught that Torah is the foundation of all Judaism. We are excited to have the opportunity to dedicate this Sefer Torah and look forward to it being used for many years to enrich the studies of the students at TDSA,” says Seth.

Join us as we complete the Torah and dance the Torah to its new home. Our very own rebbe and sofer, Rabbi Moshe Hiller, will finish the final letters. A festive celebration is planned for Sunday morning, November 22nd from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Visit torahday.org/torah for more information or to make a dedication.

Why We Give

“I love Jewish education ... for children and adults. G-d commands us to teach the commandments diligently to our children. Many people, like me, are not knowledgeable enough to teach the commandments thoroughly. By supporting TDSA, my wife and I enable others to fulfill this duty.” ~ Craig & Faye Lefkoff

Send a Child to Torah Day School WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS!

The State of Georgia’s Student Scholarship Organization (SSO) permits residents to redirect a portion of their state income taxes to Torah Day School of Atlanta. TDSA uses these donated funds to help families who need financial assistance.

Mrs. Erika Needleman SSO Director “Several donors have been giving to Torah Day School since the program’s inception,” says Mrs. Erika Needleman, TDSA’s SSO Director. “Over the years, each donor has given the equivalent of more than a year’s full tuition to educate a TDSA student. Imagine that—sending a child on scholarship to Torah Day School with your tax dollars. That’s pretty amazing.”

We think that’s pretty amazing, too. Contact Mrs. Erika Needleman to direct your tax dollars TDSA, eneedleman@torahday.org, 404-982-0800 ext. 180. Or visit apogee123.org to learn more.

Celebrating 30 Years 1985 LaVista Road Atlanta, GA 30329 404-982-0800 Rabbi Joshua Einzig Head of School Mrs. Linda Rabinowitz General Studies Principal Mrs. Lisa Stroll Assistant Principal Mrs. Marcy Kalnitz Director of Finance & Development Rabbi Elchanan Schulgasser Senior Development Manager Executive Board of Trustees Ms. Sara Robbins, President Rabbi Yoel Spotts, Vice President Mr. Jordan Tritt, Treasurer Mrs. Devorah Feldman, Secretary Board of Trustees Mr. Eric Adelman Mr. Levi Afrah Dr. Jason Berendt Dr. Kim Cohen Mr. Henry Kagan Mr. Shimon Kaminetzky Mrs. Karen Kaplan Rabbi Eli Kerzner Mrs. Betty Minsk Mrs. Rivka Neuberger Rabbi Doniel Pransky Mrs. Robin Saul Mr. Gidon Sobel Mr. Brian Spaner Rabbinic Advisor Rabbi Ilan D. Feldman Accredited by SAIS and SACS Member of AAAIS, GISA Beneficiary agency of the

Building a Lasting Endowment Torah Day School of Atlanta is poised to strengthen its financial position in the years to come, thanks to a collaborative effort of TDSA, the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE), and The AVI CHAI Foundation.

Torah Day School of Atlanta is one of only a handful of qualified schools in North America selected to participate in the second and final cohort of Generations National, PEJE’s groundbreaking three-year endowment-building program. Through Generations, the schools will gain the skills to strengthen and grow endowment funds so they can continue to impart Jewish values and knowledge to children for generations to come. And, with a $1.5 million grant from AVI CHAI, each participating school will receive a match of more than 50% for their enrollment fee to help defray the costs of the program. Additionally, TDSA can receive up to $16,000 thanks to the additional generous funding from The AVI CHAI Foundation and Robin and Brad Klatt, leaders in day school endowment giving.

TDSA’s participation in Generations includes customized coaching, incentive funds to achieving dollar benchmarks, and training and program support from PEJE. The program expands a successful pilot program that started in 2012 and Cohort One launched in 2014, from which participating schools have raised more than $61 million in endowment funds to date.

Building on PEJE’s history of enabling schools to raise endowment funds, Generations National will enable TDSA to secure greater financial sustainability with a long-term, secure income stream. The program gives school leaders the skills to achieve set benchmarks, setting up schools to continue building their endowment after the program’s conclusion. Generations represents one of the best investments TDSA can make to ensure its long-term sustainability.

“We are excited about the impact the Generations program can have on the future sustainability of TDSA. We want to continue to be able to offer a quality Torah and secular education to all students no matter their financial ability for years to come.” says Marcy Kalnitz, Director of Finance and Development who is chairing this initiative.

We also acknowledge Mr. Egon Petschek, of blessed memory, whose generous bequest funded our participation in this program. Egon holds a special place in our hearts as a past “Grandparent of the Year” honoree at Torah Day School of Atlanta, and a friend of our parents, faculty, and students.

To learn more about the PEJE Generations program, please contact Mrs. Marcy Kalnitz, 404.982.0800 ext. 101 or mkalnitz@torahday.org.

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