Alumnae Newsletter A Dvar Torah from Mrs. Kahan Winter 2014 IN THIS ISSUE: D’var Torah from Mrs. Kahan, page 1 Message from Mrs. Ennis, page 2 Alumnae Career Spotlight, Pages 3-5 Introducing Ma’ayanot’s College Fellows, Page 6 Alumnae Aliya Panel, Page 7 Joint Ma’ayanot/TABC Career Networking Event, Page 8 Alumnae Giving Back, 9 Class Notes, Pages 10-12 Ma’ayanot in the News! Page 13 Continuing Ed at Ma’ayanot, Page 14 Alumnae Board, Page 15 Dear Alumnae, While the story of Hanukah is, of course, not among those recounted in Tanakh, it is interesting to consider Biblical narratives that embody the values represented by the struggle and victory of the Hanukah story. In a midrashic reading, one of these Biblical antecedents in found within the story of Yaakov’s struggle with the angel in Parshat Vayishlah. Hazal, in Bereishit Rabbah 77:3, interpret the angel’s touching Yaakov’s thigh as a metaphor for his figurative confrontation with the future generations of Yaakov’s family; this is consistent with the frequent usage of the phrase “yotzei yerekh” as referring to a person’s descendants (for example, see Bereishit 46:26 and Shemot 1:5). The midrash interprets “he touched the hollow of [Yaakov’s] thigh” as meaning that “he touched the righteous people and prophets who would, in the future, descend from [Yaakov]. And to what does this refer? To the generation of persecution [shemad].” In other words, the angel was defeated by the vision of Yaakov’s descendants who, throughout the ages, would withstand the pressures of religious persecution. Rav Hutner, in the fifth maamar of his sefer Pahad Yitzhak on Hanukah, draws the midrash’s idea further, suggesting that if the source of the angel’s defeat is the spiritual strength of those who would withstand religious persecution, then the source of Yaakov’s pain (and the angel’s partial victory) is those who would succumb to the pressures of shemad. In Rav Hutner’s reading, the struggle between Yaakov and the angel is the maaseh avot that prefigures the tension between Jewish particularism and assimilation throughout Jewish history, which is especially commemorated on Hanukah. Even for generations such as our own, which are privileged to live in a time and place of religious freedom and in an unparalleled malkhut shel hesed, I think that Rav Hutner’s interpretation of the story of Yaakov’s struggle is resonant. Several mefarshim interpret the new name of Yisrael, which Yaakov receives during his encounter with the angel, as a symbol of the spiritual, miraculous dimensions of his life, while the name Yaakov represents his practical, worldly occupations (for example, see Malbim and Rabbenu Bahaye). Both of these names remain important in Yaakov’s identity and experience for the rest of his life, suggesting the centrality of both the otherworldly and this-worldly aspects of his mission. Yaakov’s struggle with the angel can be read not only as a maaseh avot for strength in the face of religious persecution, but also as a maaseh avot for the ways that Jews might seek integration of the various aspects of their religious, intellectual, and social identities as they encounter general culture. Even in the most open Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 1 and free of societies, this engagement can pose challenges to the formation of a strong, internal religious compass. At the end of his maamar, Rav Hutner points out that the name of Hanukah contains a directive as to preserving and strengthening religious identity in the face of competing values; it contains the same shoresh as “hinukh” (education). Through thoughtful education, it is possible to work toward a religious worldview that provides the tools to navigate this complex world and seek integration of the many pursuits and values that give our lives meaning. This vision is central to the habits of mind and spirit that we try to nurture at Ma’ayanot, but is also a lifelong mission that is nourished through continued learning and intellectual and spiritual engagement. As we celebrate Hanukah, may we each find personal meaning in its powerful story and messages. Best wishes for a Hag Urim Sameah, Dear Alumnae, We hope you enjoy this winter issue of the Ma’ayanot Alumnae Newsletter! A highlight of this newsletter is our Career Spotlight feature, in which six alumnae share their career experiences and offer to answer questions or serve as mentors for other alumnae considering their chosen fields. We are also pleased to introduce the first of what we hope will be many joint Ma’ayanot/TABC career networking events. Finally, we hope you will enjoy our Class Notes column and that you will consider submitting an update about your milestones, professional or personal, for our next issue in June. As always, a main goal for the Alumnae Association is to provide a forum through which you can remain in contact with your former classmates and teachers and continue to feel part of and connected to the Ma'ayanot family. Toward these goals we invite you to: Like us on Facebook! Email your class representative(s), or email me at [email protected], to share special milestones or to update your contact information; Click here to see our Annual Report; Send us ideas or suggestions for programs or events that you would enjoy and that would help you remain connected; Keep an eye out for the next issue of the Ma’ayanot Alumnae Newsletter in June! Once again, feel free to contact me at [email protected] with suggestions for how the Alumnae Association can better meet your needs. Warm regards, Pam Pam Ennis Director of Community Relations Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 2 In an attempt to further grow our career network, we reached out to six alumnae in different fields and asked them to share their career experiences with the Association. These alumnae have also volunteered to answer questions and/or mentor alumnae who may be considering entering these same fields. We hope you enjoy reading about the amazing successes of these talented women! Aliza Abrams, Class of 2001 Aliza is the Director of Student Life and Jewish Service Learning at Stern College. She holds a BA in Judaic Studies from Stern College and a Masters in Social Work from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Aliza’s began her career at YU’s Center for the Jewish Future as a Presidential Fellow in the Department of Community Initiatives. At the beginning of Aliza's year as a Fellow, she had the unique opportunity to volunteer, under the auspices of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, with Hurricane Katrina evacuees; it was during this experience that Aliza began to learn about career opportunities, outside of teaching, for people interested in Jewish education and Jewish communal work. After the trip Aliza became very involved in development of the Yeshiva University Service Learning curriculum, which ultimately led her to decide to pursue her Masters in Social Work with a focus on community organizing. As one of the youngest senior staff members at Yeshiva University, Aliza has worked with thousands of college students; indeed, over the last nine years she has led over 20 different service missions around the world and has sent over 3,000 students on the Schreiber Torah Tours, a program that enhances services at Synagogues across North America over a variety of Jewish holidays. As a granddaughter of the Bielski Partisans, Aliza's passion for Jewish community, peoplehood and leadership has led her to lecture around the world, including in the UK, Israel, Brazil, Poland, Ukraine and all over North America. Aliza is one of three members of the inaugural Wexner Field Fellows program through the Wexner Foundation. In Aliza's free time she volunteers for her synagogue, Mt. Sinai Jewish Center in Washington Heights NY, and has run half marathons to raise money for children with terminal diseases through Team Lifeline. Last, but certainly not least, Aliza is engaged to Sam Konig; a January wedding is planned. Mazel tov! If you're interested in a career in Jewish communal work or leadership, please contact Aliza at [email protected]. Gila Hoch, Class of 2003 After learning for one year at Midreshet Lindenbaum, Gila earned a B.A. in Jewish History from Barnard College, and she taught at Ramaz for one semester before she made Aliya in 2008. In Israel, Gila learned for three years in the Matan Advanced Talmud Program, a program that, according the the Matan website, "exists solely to enable women to deepen and expand their Talmudic knowledge toward a goal of providing women with the Talmudic expertise needed to enable them to contribute to Jewish education, culture, and the world of Talmud study." For the past four years Gila has taught Talmud and Halakha at the Shalom Hartman Institute High School for Girls, and she is the Director of the Dr. Beth Samuels Drisha Summer High School Program for Girls. She is also studying at Bar Ilan University and hopes to graduate with a Masters in Talmud in the spring. Finally, Gila recently became engaged to Avi Bieler, brother-in-law to Nina Bieler, Ma'ayanot's Director of Admissions; a February wedding is planned. Mazel tov! Gila is a fantastic resource for alumnae interested in pursing advanced studies in Talmud and/or a career in education in Israel, and she is also a wonderful sounding board for alumnae thinking about making Aliya on their own at a young age. Gila can be contacted at [email protected] Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 3 Michal Kaufman, Class of 2001 After studying at Midreshet Harova for one year, Michal attended MIT, where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Materials Engineering. A highlight of her college years was her semester abroad, which she spent at UNSW in Sydney, Australia. Upon graduation, Michal obtained her first job on the Fixed Income Team in the Investment Banking Division at Credit Suisse; within this capacity she worked as a foreign exchange and interest rate trader, creating markets for clients and trading on a proprietary basis with the firm's capital. After eight years at Credit Suisse, Michal recently switched to Bloomberg to work as an OTC Derivatives Application Specialist. Within this capacity she liaisons between Bloomberg’s sales force and financial engineers, and she helps external clients (such as traders) get the most out of what Bloomberg has to offer. Incidentally, Michal’s husband is the in-house lawyer at a Bloomberg competitor, which, she reports, makes for good fun at home. Michal and her husband have been blessed with three daughters who make them “extremely happy...and crazy!” Michal is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about career options within the financial industry, including both financial services and financial engineering opportunities. Michal also interviews high school students for admission to MIT, so she is a phenomenal resource for anyone interviewing for a competitive undergraduate position. Michal can be reached at [email protected] Daniella Lichtman Esses, Class of 2001 After studying at the Overseas Program at Bar Ilan University for one year, Daniella attended Barnard College, where she majored in Religion, and Columbia Law School, where she won numerous honors and served as the Executive Essay and Review Editor of the Columbia Law Review. For one year between college and law school, Daniella worked as the Director of Vocational Services for the National Jewish Council for Disabilities (NJCD); within this capacity she secured job placement for individuals with disabilities and she organized programming for children and teens with special needs. After her first year of law school, Daniella worked as a Summer Intern in the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the Criminal Division of the US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, and after her second year she interned at the Cravath, Swaine & Moore law firm in New York. Upon completing law school Daniella secured a one-year federal clerkship for the Honorable Cathy Seibelin in the Southern District of New York, after which she returned to Cravath as a Litigation Associate working on cases involving antitrust regulation and complex commercial litigation. Interestingly, Daniella has also represented a death row client pro bono in habeas corpus proceedings. Daniella is an amazing resource as she has public and private sector experience and she has worked in both criminal and civil law. She is happy to speak with alumnae who are interested in obtaining internships and/or pursuing other career opportunities in law. She can be reached at [email protected] Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 4 Meena Viswanath, Class of 2006 After studying for one year in Israel at Nishmat, Meena attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a junior year abroad at the University of Cambridge. She majored in Civil Engineering, interning along the way at Ingersoll Rand, CDM Smith, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and Turner Construction. Meena also earned a Masters of Science in Civil Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology with a focus in Geotechnical Engineering, a field that deals with designing earthen structures and foundations. She currently works as a senior staff engineer for Geosyntec Consultants, a mid-size engineering consulting firm with a focus on civil and environmental engineering. Within this capacity, she spends her days designing and monitoring foundations, landfills, underwater structures, and highways. Meena has also published four conference papers in the field of geotechnical engineering. Meena would love to be a resource for any Ma'ayanoters interested in any field of engineering. She can be contacted at [email protected]. SaraNoa Mark, Class of 2009 After spending a year studying at Emunah V’Omanut, SaraNoa attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) with a concentration in painting. SaraNoa has exhibited artwork in thirteen exhibitions within the past year; one of these shows included a painting in The Smithsonian Institute's S. Dillon Ripley Center in Washington, D.C., where she received an award of excellence from Congress for her painting in the group show. SaraNoa has also received twelve awards and grants in the past year, including a personal summer painting residency in Amish Country in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This summer SaraNoa will travel to Europe as the recipient of a competitive European travel scholarship awarded by PAFA. This award will allow SaraNoa to “craft a personal pilgrimage throughout Europe to visit specific sites of inspiration. “ SaraNoa agreed to share her story to communicate to other alumnae that “it is possible to follow your dreams, even if those dreams do not follow a clear career path.” She deeply believes that you should always be pursuing something you are passionate about. SaraNoa is happy to speak with anyone thinking of pursuing a career in the arts, and anyone specifically looking to apply to art schools, residencies, or grants in the arts. She can be reached at [email protected]. Finally, if you are curious about her art, check out: http://saranoamark.tumblr.com!! Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 5 Three alumnae, Layla Blenden (’11), Racheli Ambinder (’12), and Kayla Gottlieb (‘12) are participating in our College Fellows Program this year. This program affords alumnae who have an interest in formal and/or informal Jewish education the chance to work with Ma’ayanot students and teachers to gain valuable classroom experience and to hone programming skills. Each fellow works at Ma’ayanot two Fridays per month, attends and helps plan the school-wide Shabbaton and two grade Shabbatonim, and attends Mishmover and other mishmar programming throughout the course of the year. In addition to sitting in on Friday classes and helping students with chavruta work, this year’s Fellows have decided to run programming during breakfast centered around the theme of relationships; the first three such programs were on Relationships with Family, Relationships with Am Yisrael and Klal Yisrael, and Relationships with Tefila. The Fellows are also initiating tefila chaburot “for students interested in enhancing their tefila experiences.” I recently sat down with Layla, Racheli and Kayla to ask what they hope to accomplish as Fellows this year. Layla, who is a second year Fellow, explained that she believes that she received excellent teaching experience last year, and since she plans on becoming a high school Tanakh teacher, she is excited about having similar teaching opportunities again this year. Indeed, Layla maximized her teaching opportunities last year, going above and beyond her Fellowship responsibilities, by establishing a Wednesday weekly learning chaburah with a group of then sophomores who wanted to learn more about the topic of tzniut. Both Racheli and Kayla explained that they became Fellows because they “wanted to give back to Ma’ayanot,” and also because they want to remain connected to the school that they love. Racheli also commented that because she benefited greatly from her relationships with various madrichot as a teen, she is excited at the prospect of being a role model to Ma’ayanot students. All three Fellows became animated when asked what it feels like to interact with their former teachers as almost-peers rather than as students. Layla commented that she especially enjoys speaking with teachers about their teaching methods. Racheli echoed this sentiment and explained that interacting with the teachers as a Fellow has allowed her to realize how “thoughtful and passionate Ma’ayanot teachers are.” Kayla noted that “it is really cool to feel like I am a partner with my former teachers in the common cause of working toward the betterment of the school.” Kayla concluded the interview with a beautiful thought: “I love how much faith and potential Ma’ayanot sees in us. They leave it to us to decide what we want to do and where we want to take this Fellowship. They rely on us to bring our own selves and our own flavors to create programming for the students. This is the same faith they had in us when we were students; they are still teaching us to bring our full selves into whatever we do.” Read more about what Layla, Racheli and Kayla are up to in life in our Class Notes column on p.13. Layla Blenden,, Racheli Ambinder, and Kayla Gottlieb Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 6 In recognition of the fact that, for many Ma'ayanot students, the dream of Aliya takes hold while they are still in high school, Ms. Sarah Gordon, Ma'ayanot's Director of Student Activities, recently invited seven Ma'ayanot alumnae who are living in Israel to return to Ma'ayanot to participate in a panel discussion exploring post high school Aliya options and challenges. At the start of the program, which was organized for the current senior grade, Ms. Gordon explained that the purpose of the program was to shine a light on the fact that "there is not just one path to Aliya," and that "these are serious issues deserving of serious thought." Of the seven panelists, all of whom studied at an Israeli seminary for at least one year after graduating high school, four, including Michal Fromowitz ('12), Racheli Fromowitz ('10), Sarit Forman ('10) and Rena Bierig ('12), completed sherut leumi and have recently enrolled in Israeli colleges; one, Hannah Erdfarb ('11), serves as a Staff Commander in Tzahal; and two, Nikki Sadek ('10) and Lottie Kestenbaum ('10), are nearing completion of Israeli undergraduate degrees. (See Class Notes to learn more about the panelists.) After each panelist introduced herself and gave a brief description of her Aliya path, including what motivated her Aliya and challenges faced in pursuing her path, the floor was opened to questions from the students. Unsurprisingly, one of the first questions asked concerned Hebrew, specifically whether a lack of Hebrew competence should serve as a barrier to making Aliya. Sarit confided that she "did not speak well," even after her year at Migdal Oz, but that her Hebrew greatly improved during her year of sheyrut: "the more you speak it, the better it gets; it is not a goal that you can't reach." Hannah conferred and noted that "joining the army was really hard Hebrew-wise; people laugh at you, but you learn to get over it and it really works out." When asked what motivated those who chose do to sherut leumi to do such, Racheli explained that she always knew she wanted to make Aliya, and she viewed sheyut as a path that would allow her to culturally "fit in" while affording her a means of helping people. Rena added that "I wanted to feel like I was in Israel and part of it. I figured—let me first give to my country, and then let me start my life here." Lottie pointed out that even if you do not do sherut or army service, you will still be warmly received by Israelis; "whether you go to university or do sherut or army, people will be shocked - good shocked wow, you left New York. You will still learn Hebrew and you will still integrate into Israeli society." All of the panelists seemed satisfied with their decision to make Aliya, and all seemed impressively well-adjusted in Israel, but they did acknowledge that there were, and probably will continue to be, significant challenges along the way. These are important messages for any student considering making Aliya on her own at a relatively young age. Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 7 For the first time ever, the Ma’ayanot and TABC Alumni Associations are joining forces to run a NETWORKING EVENT for Attorneys, Accountants, Financial Professionals, and those working in related fields. The event is open to Ma’ayanot and TABC alumni, and spouses of alumni that work in these fields. Keynote Speaker: Jeff Cohen, Author and Career Consultant SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATHING: TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR CAREER Location: PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC, 300 Madison Avenue, NY, NY Date: Wednesday, February 4th, 7:00 p.m. Buffet dinner will be served! Click here for more information! Event Committee: Rachel Katz, Esq. and Naama Leven, CPA EZ Shaffren, Esq. and Noah Goldberg, CPA This is only the first of what we hope will be ongoing joint Ma’ayanot/TABC career programming. To volunteer to help plan a future event, contact Pam Ennis at [email protected]. UPCOMING REUNIONS ISRAEL REUNION!! All alumnae from the CLASSES OF 2000-2013 living or studying in Israel are invited to a winter reunion with Mrs. Ennis in January. Details to follow shortly! SHANA ALEF REUNION! All members of the CLASS OF 2014 are invited to a reunion with Mrs. Cohen in Yerushalayim on Monday, January 26th. Details to follow shortly! SAVE THE DATE! The 10 year reunion for the CLASS OF 2005 will take place on Sunday, May 17th. Details to follow shortly! Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 8 We are grateful to all of the numerous alumnae who have devoted time and effort to helping both the school and our Alumnae Association within the past few months. Some of the ways in which alumnae have given back include: First and foremost, we take this opportunity to Thank you to Rena Levin ('10), a Communications thank the alumnae who serve as Class Repre- & Marketing major at Queens College, for creating the marvelous first day of school/welcome back video that we posted on Facebook and sent out to students. sentatives and Alumnae Board Members. See p. 15 for a full listing of Board members. Thank you to Eliana Grosser Rotenberg (’05) for agreeing to serve as the alumnae representative on the Ma’ayanot Board of Directors! Click here to see the video! Thank you to the alumnae who served on our recent Michal Fromowitz (’12), Racheli Fromowitz (’10), Sarit Forman (’10), Rena Bierig (’12), Hannah Erdfarb (’11), Nikki Sadek (’10) and Lottie Kestenbaum (’10). Aliya panel: Thank you to the following alumnae who participated in our annual school-wide Shabbaton in Layla Blenden (’11), Racheli Ambinder (’12), Kayla Gottlieb (’12), Eliana Sugarman (’12), Tziporah Herzfeld (’11), Zisse Hanfling (’12), and Gali Sadek (’13). Our students, especially our seniors, November: enjoyed reconnecting with the alumnae and speaking to them about Israel schools and college choices! Thank you to Eliana Grosser Rotenberg, Elena Rosenbaum and Nava (Wexler) Urkowitz for serving on the Class of 2005 10th See p. 7 to read more about this amazing event! Thank you to Arielle Isaac, Shulamit Stochel and Chavi Cohen for helping Rabbi Zev Prince plan a shana alef reunion shiur at Midreshet Harova for all shana alef alumnae! Reunion Committee. Stay tuned for details! Thank you to Racheli (Rosen) Katz (‘06) and Thank you to Ilana Naama Levin (‘04) for serving on the planning Levin (‘03) for serv- committee for our upcoming Young Professionals ing as a guest speaker at our recent 12th Grade Interdisciplinary Day. Networking Event, and to Michal Kaufman (‘01) for assisting in all facets of our career enhancement programming. Click here to read more about this event. Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 9 We would love to share your milestone events (professional, educational or personal) with the Ma’ayanot alumnae community! Either email your class rep or email Pam Ennis at [email protected]. Class of 2000 If you are interested in becoming a board member and class rep, please contact Pam Ennis at [email protected] Class of 2001 Michal Kaufman Gulko is your new class rep.! Read more about Michal in our Career Spotlight column on p. 4. [email protected] Daniella Lichtman Esses is your new class rep.! Read more about Daniella in our Career Spotlight column on p. 3. [email protected] Aliza Abrams is engaged to Sam Konig! Mazel tov! Read more about Aliza in our Career Spotlight column on p. 3. tice in New Rochelle. She lives with her husband and three children in the Bronx. Adina (Leidner) Bernstein and her husband welcomed a baby son, Nitanel. Mazel tov! Shira (Stokar) Kessock works as a speech therapist in a public school. She lives with her husband and three children in Bergenfield, NJ, but hopes to return to Israel where they own an apartment in Ramat Beit Shemesh. Channah (Pilavin) Charlton and her husband recently welcomed a baby son, Shai Kalev. Mazel tov! Esther (Berman) Lefkowitz works for Hadassah WZOA in Brooklyn. Ellie (Shulman) Schlanger is living in Israel with her husband Daniel and three children, Tikva, Yakir and Lev. She invites any of her classmates traveling to Israel to contact her at 054249-0082. Shonnie (Schwartz) Chambre works as an Early Intervention Therapist in NJ. She lives in Clifton, NJ with her husband Yoni and five children. Aliza (Moskowitz) Sokol teaches English and is the Rakezet of the English Department of an elementary school in Efrat. She lives in Alon Shevut with her husband and two children. Devorah (Stein) Edelman made Aliya last year and currently lives with her husband and children in Beit Shemesh. We wish her and her family much luck in their Aliya journey! Sari (Stein) Willig and her husband recently welcomed a baby son, Roey. Mazel tov! They have two older children, Emunah and Azaraya. Aderet (Block) Frager is a pediatric nurse practitioner. She moved last year to Lower Merion, PA with her husband Yehuda and their three sons, Max, Tzvi and Mikey. Michal (Safier) Goldberg earned a PhD in Clinical Psychology and works as a psychologist and supervisor at the Center for Applied Psychology of Bikur Cholim in Monsey, NY. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children. Talia (Wiesen) Hindin is a psychologist working in a public school in Rye, and she also maintains a private prac- Class of 2002 Dahlia (Fein) Goldbrenner is your new class rep.! She works as an administrative assistant at SAR High School and lives in Riverdale with her husband Baruch and children Aliza and Jack. [email protected] Sarah Rindner recently welcomed a baby daughter, Bat-Tziyon Bayla. Mazel tov! Sarah is an English Professor at Touro College and she runs a book club in Englewood. Class of 2003 Ilana Levin—[email protected] Leetal (Rivlin) Forkosh and her husband recently welcomed a baby daughter, Amelia. Mazel tov! Chavie (Machefsky) Fuchs and her husband recently welcomed a baby son, Moshe Eliyahu. Mazel tov! Alyssa (Garfunkel) Barzideh works in Risk Management at Morgan Stanley and lives in Bergenfield with her husband and three children. Gila Hoch is engaged to Avi Bieler. Mazel tov! Read more about Gila in our Career Spotlight column on p. 3. Rebecca Koolyk and her husband welcomed a baby son, Ori Moshe. Mazel tov! Cheryl (Hirschhorn) Scher and her husband welcomed a baby daughter, Gabriella Sarah. Mazel tov! Timi Strauss recently married Danny Waltuch. Mazel tov! Class of 2004 Ariella (Ross) Shaffren [email protected] Dena (Katz) Block and her husband Avi recently welcomed a baby daughter, Ayala Shalva Sarah. Mazel tov! Esti Schloss is engaged to Adam Palmer from Yerushalyim. Mazel tov! Esti lives in Israel and works for Hillel International as the Assistant Director of Israel Experiences. Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 10 Green. Mazel tov! Class of 2005 Eliana (Grosser) Rotenberg [email protected] Eliana recently accepted an invitation to serve on the Ma’ayanot Board of Directors! Elena Rosenbaum [email protected] Sara Hindin married Yechiel Mor in December. Mazel tov! Class of 2006 Racheli (Rosen) Katz [email protected] Leora Cohen is currently a student at Georgetown Law School. Tova Flancbaum recently married Dovid Bashevkin. Mazel tov! Miriam (Escott) Fein recently graduated from NYU Nursing School (mazel tov!) and is working as a nurse. Miriam and her husband also recently welcomed a baby son. Mazel tov! Rebecca (Stern) Rauch and her husband recently welcomed a baby daughter, Atara. Mazel tov! Ahuva Schwartz became a private chef in Israel and has a popular blog called The Katamon Kitchen. Ahuva also works for the One Family Fund. Sara (Blass) Weingarten and her husband welcomed a baby daughter, Kira. Mazel tov! Class of 2008 Rachel Shulman recently married Benjamin Gottesman. Mazel tov! Class of 2009 Leah Felner—[email protected] Rachel Weber [email protected] Dalia Arussy recently made Aliya—we wish Dalia much luck on her Aliya journey! Ilana Barta made Aliya and married Akiva Fund his past summer. Mazel tov!! Click here to see an interview of Ilana featured on an Israeli news broadcast the day after she made Aliya. Tamar Blanchard married Adam Winer in August and they are living in Israel for the year. Mazel tov! Dena Peyser and her husband welcomed twins. Mazel tov! Chani Markel is your new class rep.! Chani earned a B.S. in Speech Pathology from Stern and an M.A. in Speech & Language Pathology from Queens College. She works as a speech pathologist at The Community School, a private special education school in Teaneck. [email protected] Meena Viswanath is an engineer and lives in Atlanta. Read more about Meena in our Career Spotlight column on p. 5. Jordie Gilbert is engaged to Moshe Honick from Baltimore. A January wedding is planned. Mazel tov! Aviva Novick and her husband recently welcomed a baby daughter, Shlomit Bracha. Mazel tov! Bayla (Balk) Haskel recently graduated Bar Ilan University with an MBA— mazel tov! Bayla is working for Intel in business development for their new RealSense technology. Sara Schild recently married Ron Nahshon. Mazel tov! Esther Hindin recently graduated law school and passed the bar—mazel tov! She spent the last few months in Ethiopia working on a health project with the NALA Foundation, an Israeli organization focusing on NTD's (neglected tropical diseases) in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Batya Sadek—[email protected] Amanda (Alexander) Moskowitz and her husband Avi welcomed a baby daughter, Nechama. Mazel tov! Class of 2007 Tamar (Katz) Halpern is your new class rep.! Following her graduation from Barnard, Tamar learned in the GPATS program at Stern for a year and a half. She is currently studying toward a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and lives in Philadelphia with her husband Dovid and son Shai. [email protected] Sara (Fredman) Aeder and her husband recently welcomed a baby daughter, Lianna. Mazel tov! Yael Selter recently married Jonathan Shira Fox is engaged to Yair Hillman. Mazel tov! Gabrielle Hiller is engaged to Akiva Berger. Mazel tov! Lauren Horowitz recently married Joseph Novogrodsky. Mazel tov! Class of 2010 Aliza Gottlieb—[email protected] Talia Adler is graduating from Queens College and is making Aliya in January. We wish Talia the best of luck in her new home! Sarit Forman made Aliya last year. She studied Psychology for one year at Bar Ilan, but recently transferred to IDC. Read more about Sarit’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 11 Racheli Fromowitz made Aliya last year. She is currently studying political science and communications at Bar Ilan University. Read more about Racheli’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Lottie Kestenbaum made Aliya last year. She is currently studying English Literature and Jewish History at Bar Ilan University. Read more about Lottie’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Layla Blenden is a senior at Stern majoring in Judaic Studies. She is also taking courses toward a Masters in Jewish Studies at Bernard Revel. Read more about Layla in our Fellows column on p. 6. Kayla Gottlieb is a junior at Stern and is double majoring in Psychology and Jewish Studies. Read more about Kayla in our Fellows column on p. 6. Class of 2013 Tobey Linhart has agreed to be a class rep.! [email protected] Shira Rosenberg recently married Shmulie Ayala Laub is engaged to Eli Waltuch. Golomb. Mazel tov! Mazel tov! Julie Schwartz has agreed to be a class rep.! [email protected] Niki Sadek made Aliya last year. She is Shira Westrich made Aliya in October! currently studying Architecture and Interi- We wish her much luck in her new or Design at ORT Singalosky, a Science and home! Technology college in Tel Aviv. Read more about Niki’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Class of 2012 Class of 2011 Sara Kaszovitz— [email protected] Rena Bierig made Aliya in October! She is studying Psychology, Criminology and Sociology at Bar Ilan University. Read more about Rena’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Ariella Cohen was accepted to G.W. Medical School as a sophomore at the Chani Colton recently married Josh Gildin. University of Maryland. She will not be Mazel tov! required to take the MCATS! Mazel Michal Fromowitz made Aliya in October! Tov! She is studying Social Work at Ariel University in Kadumim. Read more about Hanna Erdfarb made Aliya last year and is currently serving as a Staff Com- Michal’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Rena Levin is majoring in Media Communication at Queens College and will graduate in May. She created a wonderful “first mander in the Operation Division of day of school” video for Ma’ayanot, which Electronic Warfare in the IDF. Read you can see by clicking here. more about Hanna’s Aliya journey on p. 7. Shira Marder married Jason Saibel in July. Mazel tov! Shira also started medical Aliza Friedman is engaged to Benjy school this past September—we wish her Kreitman. A January wedding is the best of luck in her studies! planned. Mazel tov! Shiri Tsour recently married Ajay Rosenbloom. Mazel tov! and Jewish Studies. Read more about Racheli in our Fellows column on p. 6. Tsipporah Rossman made Aliya this past August and is currently doing sherut leumi. We wish her much luck in her new home! Talia Moss— [email protected] Daniella Greenbaum [email protected] Racheli Ambinder is a sophomore at Stern double majoring in Psychology We would love to share your milestone events (professional, educational or personal) with the Ma’ayanot alumnae community! Either email your class rep or email Pam Ennis at [email protected]. SAVE THE DATES!! Reunion for alumnae, Classes 2000-2013, living or studying in Israel in January—stay tuned for details! Reunion for shana alef alumnae with Mrs. Suzanne Cohen is on Monday, January 26th! Class of 2005 10th year reunion is on May 17, 2005! Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 12 Ma’ayanot has been featured in numerous articles since September. Below are links to many of those articles! News Articles: Ma'ayanot Seniors Contemplate their Place in the World Ma'ayanot Students Learn About Aliya and Israel Ma'ayanot Student Chosen as Regional Finalist in Siemens Competition Teachers Teaching Teachers: Professional Development at Ma'ayanot Ma'ayanot Growth, Renovations and Innovations Siemens Regional Finalist Devorah Saffern Sports Articles: Ma'ayanot Swim Report Ma'ayanot JV Volleyball Report Ma'ayanot JV Basketball Report A Great Start to the Ma'ayanot Varsity Basketball Season Varsity Rapids Open With a Win Ma'ayanot Volleyball Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 13 For Alumnae who live in or around Bergen county, we invite you to join our continuing education program. Below is the schedule for this year. Dr. Oshra Cohen, Guidance Counselor The Psychology of Teshuva September 18th Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft, Assistant Principal Ezra, Nechemya, Chagai & Zecharya: The Forgotten Neviim October 23 & 30 November 6, 13 & 20 Rabbi Zev Prince, Director of Religious Programming K'tav V'Kabbalah: The Story of the Sidrah as Told by the Sages of the Talmud December 4, 11, 18 & 31* January 8 & 14* (*Wednesday) Mrs. Leah Herzog, Director of Israel Guidance Prophets and Prophecy February 12, 19 & 26 March 12, 19 & 26 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Mrs. Rivka Kahan, Principal & Dr. Rayzel Yaish, Director of Guidance B’chol L’vavcha U’vechol Nafshecha: The Interplay of Torah and Psychology May 7, 14, 21 & 28 June 4 & 11 We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of parents from the class of 2014 who donated toward a class gift that will be utilized to support this Continuing Education Program. Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 14 Michal Kaufman (class of 2001)* Daniella Lichtman Esses (class of 2001)* Dahlia (Fein) Goldbrenner (class of 2002)* Ilana Levin (class of 2003) Ariella (Ross) Shaffren (class of 2004) Elena Rosenbaum (class of 2005) Eliana Grosser Rotenberg (class of 2005)** Racheli (Rosen) Katz (class of 2006) Tamar (Katz) Halpern (class of 2007)* Chani Markel (class of 2008)* Rachel Weber (class of 2009) Leah Felner (class of 2009) Batya Sadek (class of 2010) Aliza Gottlieb (class of 2010) Sara Kaszovitz (class of 2011) Talia Moss (class of 2012) Tobey Linhart (class of 2013)* Julie Schwartz (class of 2013)* The Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association Mission Statement Promoting fellowship among alumnae Providing opportunities for alumnae to remain connected to the greater Ma’ayanot community Assisting in the planning and implementation of activities relating to alumnae programming, including class reunions and other alumnae events Cultivating leadership and financial support for Ma’ayanot priorities Developing an alumnae career network that will secure mentoring, internship and employment opportunities for current students and alumnae *New this year **Also serves on the Ma’ayanot Board of Directors Like us on Facebook! Click here to view the our Annual Report Send an email to [email protected] if you would like to: Help plan our next career networking event Share a special milestone, personal or professional, with the Ma’ayanot community! Share ideas or suggestions for programs or events that you would enjoy and that would help you remain connected! Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association [email protected] 15 INAUGURAL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ALUMNI EVENT NETWORKING FOR ATTORNEYS, ACCOUNTANTS, FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS AND RELATED FIELDS FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKER JEFF COHEN SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATHING: TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR CAREER EVENT INFO EVENT COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015, 7:00 P.M. RACHEL KATZ, ESQ. AT THE OFFICES OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP 300 MADISON AVENUE DEC CONFERENCE ROOM NEW YORK, NY KAGAN LUBIC LEPPER FINKELSTEIN & GOLD LLP NAAMA LEVIN PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP EZ SHAFFREN, ESQ. MADISON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES LLC COST: $12.00 NOAH GOLDBERG PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP CLICK HERE TO RSVP BY: JANUARY 29TH MONDAY, BUFFET DINNER WILL BE SERVED THE FIRST 20 REGISTRANTS WILL RECEIVE A FREE SIGNED COPY OF JEFF COHEN’S BOOK: RECESSION PROOF CAREERS FOR MORE INFORMAITON CONTACT: THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO MA’AYANOT AND TABC ALUMNI AND THEIR SPOUSES IN THESE FIELDS PAM ENNIS Ma’ayanot Alumnae Association RABBI HOWARD JACHTER [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 16
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