April 20, 2012 / 28 Nissan 5772
In This Issue
Shabbat Shalom
Shabbat Table Talk
Click on the image below...
Survivors of the Shoah Share
Their Stories with Sager Middle
School Students and Faculty
Skokie K-2 and Sager Elementary
Remember, Honor, and Pay
Tribute to Victimes of the Shoah
Solomon Schechter Joins Sifriyat
Pijama B'America Initiative
Fourth and Fifth Graders Enjoy
"Drills and Skills"
Spring is Here for Sager
Kindergarten Students
Rabbi Felsch Visits Solomon
Schechter
Schechter Shinning Moment by
Rachel Spiro
to hear second grader Orli Gluzman play "Eli, Eli" on the violin
and the Schechter choir sing "I Still Believe."
Alumni News: Yali Derman (Class
of 2005)
"At Solomon Schechter, our observance of Yom HaShoah
has two parts: the first is remembering what happened,
because by witnessing the lives and testimonies of Jews
who lived in Europe we keep alive the memories of those
who did not survive and honor the experiences of those who
Contact Us
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847.498.2100
Middle School Office
847.412.5700
Sager Office
847.412.5600
Skokie Office
847.679.6270
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Trees Bloom!
Purchasing a leaf for our tree
of life in Skokie
or Northbrook is a perfect
way to honor your children or
grandchildren when they read
Torah for the first time,
receive their first siddur, or
any other milestone in the life
of your family. For more
information, click here.
did. The second is to learn to be attentive to what happens
in the world around us, so that the governments should not
stand by while genocides are carried out anywhere," said
Rabbi Daniel Rosenberg, Director of Jewish Life and
Learning.
"Hearing the stories of survivors and of Jews' lives in
Europe before the Shoah honors the lives of Jews and
honors the experiences of those who survived, while
keeping alive the memory of those who did not. It is
important for students at Solomon Schechter to see and
listen directly to the people while they are still with us,
because it is important to bear witness to the truth of our
national history," he adds. "The Shoah is a part of our
history and still affects our families. It makes immediate for
us how much we have to be attentive to the world around
us, so that genocides should not be carried out while others
(governments, nationalities, individuals) stand by."
scroll down to read more about Solomon Schechter's
Yom HaShoah observance.
Shabbat Table Talk
Parshat Shemini
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When the Mishkan is finally
dedicated and made ready for the
beginning of worship by the people,
Nadav and Avihu (Aharon's two
older sons, and his apprentices in
making sure that the worship of God
happens as it should) die after
bringing outside fire into the inner sacred place, when they were
not asked to do so. Although the incident/accident happens during
the middle of the dedication, the dedication is so important to the
whole nation that it cannot be interrupted. When Moshe finds out
that one of the sacrifices that should have been eaten had not
been, he gets angry, and Aharon gives him perspective. The
words for "finds out" are precisely the middle of the Torah,
straddling the "continental divide," and they're even both the same
word in different forms: "darosh darash" ("he carefully
investigated"). Rashi tells us that each one teaches us to ask
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Schechter News
something different about before and after: why was the sacrifice
burnt, and why was it not eaten.
Parshat Shemini also teaches us about purity and impurity
regarding animals - some that we eat (livestock), and some that
we do not (critters). In the midst of this is almost a side note: that
a spring or cistern, a place where water is collected, shall be pure.
The mikveh is defined as a place of purity because the water that
is there has never been channeled or drawn through pipes or
artificial means, and is only in the "original" state that God
intended it - whether from a spring, or rain water naturally fallen.
In this way, a mikveh is like Shabbat, which is a time that we
observe by refraining from imposing artificial control upon it and
simply accept in the presence of its "original" state. The mikveh is
meant to recharge us and return us peace the same way that
Shabbat does.
Questions to take away:
What are the questions of before and after that have arisen for
you this week, with Yom haShoah v'haG'vurah? What are the
questions that will rise this Wednesday, on Yom haZikaron for
Israel's fallen soldiers?
Whom would you most trust to give you perspective on
unanswerable questions?
Do you have a feeling of what your "original" state is?
How do you, or where do you go to, renew your feelings and
recharge yourself?
Mazal Tov
to
Solomon Schechter alumni
parent and teacher
Barbara and Danny Fox on
the birth of their
first grandchild, Julia Miriam,
7 lbs and 13 oz.
born Tuesday, April 10th to
their daughter Amy (Class of
1995) and her husband Ben
Fisher.
Survivors of the Shoah
Share Their Stories with
Sager Middle School Students and Faculty
The Yom HaShoah Program for Sager Middle School students
and faculty began with a candle lighting ceremony as Principal
Holly Rosenberg lit six candles to represent the six million Jews
who perished in the Shoah. Then, Rabbi Julie Pelc Adler, of Aitz
Hayim Congregation in Highland Park, poignantly described the
importance of remembering and learning from the Shoah.
Yasher Koach
to Our Torah Readers
Sager
4th & 5th Grade
Shemini - 4/2
1.) Mollie Chubin
2.) Zoe Shiman
3.) Noah Shanes
Shemini - 4/16
1.) Ayelet Blumovitz
2.) Ilan Elenbogen-Siegel
3.) Micah Shaffer
Shemini - 4/19
1.) Owen Stern
2.) Sam Velblum
3.) Taylor Fingerhut
Middle School
6th Grade
Shemini - 4/2, 4/16-19
1.) Barak Farhi
2.) Dena Romanoff
3.) Anna Ecanow
7th Grade
Shemini - 4/2, 4/16-19
1.) Elizabeth Janssen
2.) Kayla Dogadko
3.) Sweetlana Portnaya
8th Grade
Shemini - 4/2, 4/16-19
1.) Jason Taitz
2.) Ariel Sheffey
3.) Ariel Sheffey
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.Skokie
For the next half hour, students and faculty watched a studentprepared multi-media presentation which featured excerpts from
survivor stories found on the Centropa.org website. As each story
was presented, maps of the country where each survivor had
lived, along with family photos, were projected onto a screen. The
media presentation was created by Sager Middle School student
Sarah Kramer, and the readings were written by student
Rebecca Abrams and Sager Middle School teachers Carol
Miller, Alicia Honan, and Debbie Harris.
4/20............Regular Friday
Dismissal Begins
4/23............K, 1, 2 Tour Sager
School
4/25............Yom HaZikaron
Afternoon Performance-Sager Dance
Troupe/Choir
4/26............Yom HaAtzma'ut
5/4............Rescheduled
Kindergarten Family Shabbat Lunch
11:45am
5/11............Author Beth Finke visits
5/17............Performance by
Puppeteer Marilyn Price
5/18............Grade 1 Partners with
God 8:30am
Tuesday, April 24
Hamburger
Wednesday April 25
Grilled Cheese
Thursday, April 26
Israel Birthday Lunch
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Sager
4/26............Israel Independence
Day (Yom Ha'atzmaut) - Wear Blue &
White
5/7..............SgConf: Vision &
Hearing Screening
5/8...............SgConf: Vision &
Hearing Screening
5/9...............SgConf: Vision &
Hearing Screening
One of the stories presented was that of Leon Gotfried, father of
Sager nurse Joanne Gotfried Kirshenbaum. Joanne came to
the stage to convey her appreciation to student Joseph Spellberg,
who brought her father's story to life. The stories of Lilli Tauber,
Perle Liya Ephshteyn, Mimi Matilda Pizanti, Leon Gotfried,
Lia German, Marco Arroyo, Teofilla Silberring, and Rosa
Kolevska were described respectively by students Josh Zaacks,
Davida Goller and Annabel Levin, Hannah Brown, Joseph
Spellberg, Hana Lieber and Hannah Shanes, Eric Greenfield,
Daphne Budin and Gili Yeger, and Rebecca Abrams.
5/10...............Lag Ba'Omer
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Middle School
4/23............LA/General studies
tutorial in room 219, 3:30pm
4/23............Organization lab/Judaic
studies tutorial in room 208, 3:30pm
4/23............6th grade intramural
basketball, 3:30pm
4/24............Art Studio open during
lunch/recess
4/24............Sh'mirat Hal'shon group
during lunch/recess
4/24............Jazz band after school
4/24............Judaic studies/Hebrew
tutorial in room 206, 3:30pm
4/25............Yom HaZikaron
observance
4/25............7th grade advisory
board during lunch/recess
4/25............LA/General studies
tutorial in room 219, 3:30pm
4/26............Yom HaAtzmaut
observance
4/26............Math tutorial in room
217, 3:30pm
4/26............Yearbook in computer
lab, 3:30pm
NOTE: THERE WILL ONLY BE
A LATE BUS IF STUDENTS
SIGN UP
Check Edline for sports
schedule
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Eight members of the seventh and eighth grade band played a
beautiful rendition of "Ani Maamin" with clarinets, flutes, oboes,
and violin, directed by Marsha Rosenson. The musicians included
Ethan Weiner, Eric Herwitz, Sarah Gilman, Ariel Sheffey, Sara
Okner, Talia Berkowitz, Sara Behn, Kayla Lesch, Topaz Lavi,
and Shani Friedman.
Community News
Volleyball Skills and
Drills
at CJHS
for Jewish boys and girls
in grade 5-8
April 30, 2012
Schedule
4:00 pm. - 5:10 pm
Develop your skills and run
drills with CJHS Coach Chris
Hambach and CJHS volleyball
teams. Afterwords, receive a
free t-shirt and other fun
prizes and snacks.
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Cheer on the CJHS men's
varsity volleyball team
against St. Edwards High
School for an exciting and fun
game.
Have Questions?
Then, Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann, also of Aitz Hayim Congregation,
spoke about the need to not only remember the Shoah but also to
have hope for the future, before playing the guitar and leading
everyone in the singing of Oseh Shalom.
Following the assembly, students and faculty gathered in
classrooms to hear first-hand the personal stories of guests from
the community. The guests and their "Schechter guides" are
pictured below.
Contact Josh Gleicher,
Athletic Director at
847.423.5491 or
jgleicher@cjhs.org
Click here to print out a copy
of the registration form.
-------
The Isidor and Rose
Wagner Institute
for Leadership
Development
of The Jewish Theological
Seminary in partnership
with Chicagoland Jewish
High School
"The Ethics of Power:
Might vs. Right"
JTS Chancellor
Arnold M. Eisen
Keynote Address
Sunday April 29 and
Monday April 30, 2012
Fees for this program are only
$72 per participant. This
includes all texts and program
meals: snacks and dinner on
Sunday and breakfast, lunch,
and snacks on Monday.
Sunday, April 29, 2012Registration begins at 1:00
p.m.
The first learning session will
begin at 1:30 p.m.
Speakers include:
Wendy Abrams, who described the story of beloved Kate Lipner
z"l, who died last year. During the past several years, Kate visited
Solomon Schechter frequently to describe her life as part of the
French underground.
Jonah Newman, grandson of Holocaust survivors, who has spent
the last two years working on a documentary about his
grandparents' experiences during the Holocaust. He shared clips
from the documentary and spoke of what it means to be a third
generation Holocaust survivor. Jonah is currently a journalism
and international studies student at Northwestern University.
Mitch Lieber, father of Schechter eighth grader Hana Lieber, who
is the producer and director of Rumbula's Echo, a documentary
set in Latvia. Mitch went to Latvia to find information about his
great grandmother for whom Hana was named. Mitch was joined
by Sarah Klein, Assistant Producer/Assistant Editor of the film as
well as Sia Hertsberg who is a survivor from Latvia. Sia lived in
the Riga ghetto as a young teen. She and her mother just barely
Dinner with keynote address
by JTS Chancellor Arnold M.
Eisen will be at 5:30 p.m.
The program will conclude for
the day at 7:00 p.m.
Monday, April 30, 2012Program begins at 8:00
am and concludes by 4:00
pm
escaped the march to Rumbula. Her story is included in Lieber's
documentary.
Eve Perkal, a Holocaust survivor who was born in Germany and
escaped to Shanghai in 1939 when she was 10-years old. Mrs.
Perkal taught middle school for 30 years, and shared her story
with Schechter sixth graders last year.
Click here for more
information.
Please click here to register
for one or both days
For further information,
please contact Nadine Sasson
Cohen, principal gifts officer,
JTS Midwest Region at
312.606.9086.
------The Jewish Learning
Institute (JLI) presents
"The Art of Marriage"
a six week course that will
provide spiritual and practical
ways to enhance your
relationship, increase your
happiness, and strengthen
your marriage.
Morning and evening
classes starting
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
at
Lubavitch Chabad of
Northbrook,
2095 Landwehr Rd.
Registration and information
847-564-8770 or
www.myJLI.com. Course also
presented at additional
Chicagoland locations.
Nicole Terry (pictured above), who is the great aunt of sixth
grader Noah Blaustein. Nicole was a hidden child in France
during the Holocaust. Nicole and others were well taken care of
by a group of nuns. Nicole is involved with the Hidden Children
Association, and they are in the process of writing a book of their
stories.
Isaac Daniel, father of three Schechter alumni, who was a child in
Greece when the Nazis showed up in 1943. He and his father ran
and were hidden by righteous gentiles in Greece.
Renee Birnberg Silberman, who is on the Holocaust Community
Services Leadership Committee and is the daughter of
------Deerfield Parent Network
Presents
survivors. Renee is also the parent of four Schechter graduates.
The title of her presentation is "Knowing an Angel: The Story of
Marisia and How She Saved My Mother's Life." Renee and her
son Ricky traveled to Poland to retrace the steps of their
mother/grandmother and the woman who saved her.
The TWEEN Social Scene:
An Insider's Guide to
Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Social
Dance & MORE
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 7:30
p.m.
Caruso Middle School
Auditorium
Join a panel of former Caruso
& Shepard parents along with
special guest, John Mirretti,
former Assistant Principal at
Shepard & Caruso Middle
Schools for an evening of
questions answered, myths
debunked & wisdom shared
about how to navigate the
6th, 7th & 8th grade years.
Everyone is welcome at this
free program! Please bring a
friend!
Click here for more
information.
-------
Don't Miss These Great
Teen and Family Events for
IsraFest!
Nelly Weisenthal Fink, a survivor and hidden child, who shared
her story of survival from her days in Berlin until settling in New
York. She spoke about her thoughts on family, history, and love
during this most difficult time.
Look Back, Walk Forward:
Teen Walk With Israel
Sunday, May 6
For the first time, teens from all
over Chicagoland celebrate
Israel's independence with a
journey through Jewish history.
The day begins at the Illinois
Holocaust Museum & Education
Center in Skokie with a heartfelt
program with Holocaust
survivors, followed by a Walk
with Israel from the museum to
the Mayer Kaplan JCC. The day
continues with advocacy
programming, hands-on service
projects, sports and more! This
program is offered to teens in
grades 8-12 only. SPACE IS
LIMITED, so register today!
Locations & Times:
Illinois Holocaust Museum &
Education Center (9603 Woods
Drive, Skokie)
9:00 a.m. Registration
10:00 a.m. Program
11:15 a.m. Teen Walk with Israel
Mayer Kaplan JCC (5050 Church
Street, Skokie)
12:00 p.m. Activities and food
(food available for purchase
only)
2:00 p.m. Program ends
Click here to Register!
Here is info on the family
events:
IsraFest Family Fun:
Sunday, May 6
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Spend a day of Israel-themed
family fun in one of six
communities across
Chicagoland!
Each location will feature unique
programming. Highlights include
an interactive trivia game for
"It is so important that our students hear these stories from
survivors," said Debbie Harris (pictured with students Sara
Kramer and Rebecca Abrams), who developed the Yom HaShoah
program for the middle school students with her colleagues Carol
Miller and Adrienne Eisenmann.
"Our students are the last generation to actually hear about this
from people who lived through it," she added. "We are incredibly
grateful to the people who took time out of their day to share their
stories with our students. The students were mesmerized - they
were engaged the entire time, asked insightful questions and
behaved beautifully."
"I had so many favorite parts of this Yom Hashoah experience,"
added Carol Miller. "Spending hours reading the interviews on
Centropa.Org became an obsession for Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Honan,
and me as we were trying to select which interview to use.
Another favorite part was going from room to room and watching
the faces of our students. I saw tears. I saw pensive looks. I had
to tear myself away as I wanted to hear every single speaker!"
kids 7+, craft projects in the
style of Israeli artists, screenings
of Shalom Sesame and Rechov
Sumsum and character visits,
cookie decorating, inflatables and
more. Additional features of each
location are listed below. This
program is best suited for kids
ages 12 and under and their
families.
Bernard Weinger JCC (300
Revere Drive, Northbrook)
Featuring: Sports & Israeli
Athletic Training
Arts & crafts projects, cookie
decorating, inflatables,
interactive trivia game for kids
7+, screenings of Shalom
Sesame and Rechov Sumsum, a
chance to meet the characters
and more!
Basketball clinic with Israeli star,
Tamir Goodman
Open family swim (an adult must
accompany any children 10 or
under in the pool, swim diaper
and/or rubber pants required for
any child not potty trained)
Swimmers must adhere to pool
rules
Parking is available on site.
Bernard Horwich JCC (3003 W.
Touhy, Chicago)
Featuring: Agriculture &
Environmentalism
Arts & crafts projects, cookie
decorating, inflatables,
interactive trivia game for kids
7+, screenings of Shalom
Sesame and Rechov Sumsum, a
chance to meet the characters
and more!
Planting and education about
Israeli agriculture through the
Gan Project
Swimming for participants ages
11 and over
Male swim from 9:45 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
Female swim from 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Swimmers must adhere to pool
rules
Note:
The students were given a journal to record their thoughts about
what they would have wanted to ask or say to the people whose
stories were presented during the first part of the morning, as well
as what they would want to teach their own children one day
about the Holocaust. Some of their reflections will be shared on
the Centropa.org website.
Following the programs, the speakers and student presenters
joined together for lunch in the Beit Knesset.
Just a few hours after leaving Schechter, the school received an
email from Nelly Fink, one of the speakers that stated, "Thank you
for letting me have a part in the memorial services today. I had an
absolutely wonderful time and enjoyed being with the students so
much. We were very awed by the students and their extremely
polite and quiet time during the service."
Skokie K-2 and Sager Elementary
Remember, Honor, and Pay Tribute
to Victims of the Shoah
Limited parking is available on
the street. Satellite parking with
shuttle buses will be available at
the northeast corner of
Lincolnwood Town Center.
Click here to Register!
-------
One Mile Walk to Raise
Awareness for Lung Cancer
Join Sager kindergarten
teacher and lung cancer
survivor Lynda Fisher
Sunday, May 6
9:00 am
on a 1 mile walk to raise
awareness for lung cancer
sponsored by
Lungevity.
For more information,
contact Lynda at
lynda.fisher@schechter.org
------
Make incredible memories
- unique family getaways
& vacations!
In Skokie, kindergarten, first and second graders gathered in
the Beit Knesset to spend time together remembering that at one
time in Europe there were evil men and women who hurt and
killed the Jewish people and other human beings.
"We remembered that even though there were some people who
brought evil to the world, there were also good people," said
Skokie Principal Irene Sufrin. "We read Anne Frank's words that
she still believed that people really are good at heart."
The students and faculty observed a moment of silence beginning
with a simple tune played by Hazzan Perman on her guitar just
like Israelis have a moment of silence beginning with a siren
sound. Together, they lit six candles in memory of the six million
Jews who died. The first candle was for the importance of
memory learned in kindergarten. The second candle was for
respecting differences in human beings. The third candle was for
the bravery of the righteous gentiles. The fourth candle was to
remember the hardships in Europe and to acknowledge the hope
that Jews found after the war in Israel. The fifth candle was for the
citizens of Denmark who risked their lives for the Danish Jews.
And the sixth candle was for Hannah Brady who was killed in the
war and for her brother George Brady who lived to tell their story
and who visited our school to tell us the story.
"We sang together and then we davened schacharit using the
tattooed Torah scroll," added Mrs. Sufrin. "We looked at the scroll
to remember the many Jews who read from the scroll."
JCC Perlstein Resort &
Conference Center, Wisconsin
Dells
All inclusive!
exciting hands-on activities *
swimming/boating * meals *
lodging * much more!
At the Sager School...
Memorial Day Family
Vacation
May 25-28, 2012
Grandparents &
Grandchildren Weekend
(L'Dor Va-Dor) Weekend,
June 22-24, 2012
August Family Vacation, Aug
13-19, 2012 * includes many
featured actvities!
For more information, contact
Lawrence at
847.763.3603
or prcc@gojcc.org
------Please send all Community
News to Millie Cave at
millie.cave@schechter.org
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We remember.
We care.
We are sad.
We try to understand.
We won't let it happen again.
Sager kindergarten students had a very special Yom HaShoah
service where they talked about the Holocaust, read prayers,
sang songs, and lit candles to remember those who perished in
the Shoah.
First and second graders, and third fourth and fifth graders also
participated in Yom HaShoah V'Hag'vorah services, prepared by
Sager Tefillah Coordinator Elana Carmel Levy.
Each service began with second grader Orli Gluzman (pictured
above) playing Eli, Eli on the violin followed by the choir singing
the song in Hebrew and English. Together, with their classmates
and teachers, they read reflections that remembered, honored,
and paid tribute to the memory of the six million Jewish who lost
their lives during the Holocaust.
Each assembly also included a candle lighting ceremony as well
as the poignant story of Mrs. Fela Dogadko (pictured below)
grandmother of Schechter students Kayla, Sasha, Mira
Dogadko.
The programs concluded with a recital of El Malei Rachamim, the
memorial prayer, by Schechter parent Rabbi Aaron Melman.
Solomon Schechter Joins
Sifriyat Pijama B'America Initiative
Solomon Schechter is pleased to announce that it will be
participating in Sifriyat Pijama B'America (SPBA), a Hebrew and
Jewish family engagement literacy program being implemented
throughout the United States. The program is designed for
families with at least one Hebrew reading and speaking parent
raising Jewish children between the ages of three and six that are
at a native Israeli speaking level.
Families participating in the program will receive free, high-quality
Hebrew children's literature and music on a monthly basis for two
years. In addition, the families will be invited to periodic reading
events at Solomon Schechter throughout the year. SPBA was
inspired by the very successful PJ Library program, and is being
made possible through
partnerships with
philanthropists and local
Jewish organizations.
The SPBA books will be
selected in Israel by a
committee of experts in
preschool and Jewish
education. They will be
delivered each month to
the registered child's
home address and
contain a parents' guide
with activities and
discussions for parents
to enjoy with their
children.
(sample book)
Families interested in participating in SPBA must register for
the program at one of two kick-off events at the Skokie
Campus being held on May 23, 2012 and/or June 5, 2012 from
9:45 am - 10:30 am.
"We are thrilled to be participating in this program," said Linda
Foster, CEO/Head of School. "This is a wonderful opportunity to
reach out to current and prospective Hebrew-speaking families by
offering a free and meaningful program that is sure to enrich their
entire family."
For more information, contact leslie.rosenstern@schechter.org. If
you know of families who should receive an invitation, please
contact Leslie.
Fourth and Fifth Graders
Enjoy "Drills and Skills"
During a Special Soccer Clinic
After school on Wednesday, the Sager gym was filled with
excitement and soccer balls! Sixteen current fourth and fifth grade
students attended a soccer clinic with Coach Niko Baxevanakis
and Coach Rick Cohen. The students worked on drills and skills
and played a game.
"There is quite a bit of talent for next year's Lions soccer team,"
said athletic director Alicia Honan. "We had some students who
played on the Fall 2011 team and the help of three-year soccer
team player, Abby Bettenhausen. Abby, Coby Drexler, and
Benji Salzman are graduating this year and leaving huge cleats
to fill!
We look forward to sharing the Fall 2012 tentative schedule with
you before the end of the school year."
Spring is Here for Sager
Kindergarten Students
Spring started early this year and the Sager kindergarten classes
couldn't wait to change their bulletin board from snowmen to
spring stories. The children wrote their own stories about what
they like to do in the spring.
If you are in the Sager building, stop by and check out the stories!
Rabbi Felsch of B'nai Tikvah Congregation in
Deerfield Visits Solomon Schechter
Early this week, Rabbi Alex Felsch from B'nai Tikvah
Congregation visited Solomon Schechter to have lunch with
Schechter students that attend B'nai Tikvah. The Rabbi joined the
students during their lunch period and they shared stories about
their Pesach seders, vacations, and favorite things about school.
"This was a wonderful opportunity for our students, and we
appreciate the time that Rabbi Felsch spent at Solomon
Schechter," said assistant principals Daniel Weinberg and
Michael Kahn.
Schechter Shinning Moment
by Rachel Spiro, Schechter Parent
On Yom HaShoah, my husband, Howard,
and I had the privilege of witnessing our
daughter Naomi read Torah for the first
time. This was such a meaningful
moment for us. Both of our fathers
survived the Holocaust. It was incredibly
momentous that our daughter, their
granddaughter, read from the Torah on this day. We are
overwhelmed by the significance of their survival at moments like
this. All of the students who read Torah did a marvelous job. We
are blessed to be able to send Naomi to a school like Solomon
Schechter.
Alumni News
Yali Derman (Class of 2005)
Yael (Yali) Derman
(Class of 2005) was recently
awarded the Glamour
Magazine Top Ten College
Women Award. Glamour
magazine flew Yali in from
Israel to New York City for
the award ceremony. Yali is
a nursing student at the
University of Pennsylvania
and is currently on a Penn
Nurses Abroad Program in
Israel where she is studying
pediatric and maternal-child
nursing at Hadassah
Hospital in Ein Kerem.
Click here to read the article
about her that will appear in the May Issue of Glamour.
In addition to the Glamour Magazine Top Ten College Women
Award award, which includes college scholarship prize monies
and a four day trip to New York, Yali was awarded the
L'Oreal Cosmetics "Beauty of Giving," and was presented with an
additional check for $2,500 dollars to "Yali's Charity of Choice -KIDSS for KIDS" (a fundraising organization for Children's
Memorial Hospital in Chicago) for the continued construction of a
new artistic play space for the hospital's youngest patients. The
$150,000 that Yali has raised thus far from sales of her Yali Carry
On bag is also going to the play space.
Yali is being recognized by
Glamour for her ability to use
her unique strengths,
experiences and education to
develop creative arts
programs and a philanthropic
handbag design and
production company to help
others carry on in the face of
challenges.
When asked how she
became passionate about the
field of nursing, Yali
explained: "As a childhood
cancer survivor I observed
and reaped the benefits from
nurses who addressed me as
an individual rather than as a
disease process," she said.
"As I grew, I never forgot this, and I realized that my experiences
gave me the insight and the capability to augment this caregiving
art. I want to affect the world by being a healthcare champion who
will creatively, collaboratively, and effectively implement
innovative strategies to benefit seriously ill children."
In her work, Yali draws on her Jewish values that she first learned
at Solomon Schechter. "The essence of nursing is caring," she
said. "The essence of Judaism is repairing the world. Caring,
tzedakkah, tikkun olam, and healthcare of seriously ill children are
my inspirations and direct my aspirations...and I bring all these
together in my projects."
Following her graduation from University of Pennsylvania, Yali
plans to attend Penn's graduate school of Nursing where she
intends to become a nurse practitioner in pediatrics who
integrates creative art strategies in the care continuum. She also
plans to expand the Yali's Carry On company product line and
continue with my philanthropic endeavors.
Yali bags are available for Mother's Day on-line at
yaliscarryon.com