WINDOWS 2020
SAR ACADEMY & HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT Strong, Passionate, Caring, Community 1 TO OUR Literally THOUSANDS CHERISHED SAR of people came together in your COMMUNITY virtual spaces to sing, learn, An open letter from SAR’s principals, connect, and The past year at SAR was aptly characterized by the themes of Happiness and Gratitude, which guided the programming at both the High School and the Academy. For most of the year, our celebrate Israel. students learned, played, experienced, grew and developed in the spirit that is uniquely SAR. The SAR spirit is characterized by a commitment to Torah infused with joy, innovation, From the big kindness, mission, community, and creativity. Undoubtedly, though, the year was reshaped by the pandemic that brought so much destruction to the world. Students across the globe will ceremonies to remember the 2020 school season as a lesson in managing the darkness of pandemic while the intimate bringing light, routine, structure and predictability to a world that lacked all of these. With the dubious distinction of being the first school in the country to close its doors and pivot conversations to remote learning, we experienced something magical, surprising and so completely SAR and everything during the last four months of the school year. SAR’s dynamism became even more dynamic. Its creativity became more creative, and its innovations more innovative. The partnership in between—rich between the educational professionals and the parent body became more deeply collaborative. content, great Our chesed, which animates so much of SAR’s soul, became a cri de coeur, and the response was overwhelming and inspiring. To witness the selflessness of parents, students and staff as spirit, connecting they cared for the broader community was to feel honored to be a part of SAR. multiple Over the last four months of school, staff members, parent volunteers and students experienced generations what the positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi refers to as “flow.” Flow is being in the zone. Flow is when you face a challenge and find yourself positioned to stretch and meet and multiple that challenge. As Csikszentmihalyi writes, “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, countries, receptive, relaxing times…. The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”The pandemic showcasing has caused so much suffering, but the flow that we all experienced pushed us well beyond our individual kids comfortable limits, and the joy of meeting that challenge is a gift for which we are so grateful. for their talents What was it that allowed of us to experience that flow and enabled our community to thrive during trying times? It turns out that when you have a school whose mission and core values and passions— highlight innovation, creativity, empathy, and a can-do spirit, you develop a school community poised to rise to challenges and live its values with pride, inspiration, and confidence. We feel thank you for blessed and honored to be members of this community. With humility and deep gratitude, we making that all thank every one of you for contributing to the success of this extraordinary year. happen today.
Rabbi Binyamin Krauss (AC ‘84)
APRIL 29, 2020, SPEAKING TO ACADEMY FACULTY ON YOM HAATZMAUT HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL Rabbi Tully Harcsztark Rabbi Binyamin Krauss Rabbi Jonathan Kroll
PRINCIPAL, SAR HIGH SCHOOL (AC ‘84) PRINCIPAL, SAR HIGH SCHOOL DEAN, MACHON SIACH PRINCIPAL, SAR ACADEMY & SAR ACADEMY SAR 3 ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTS 4 ENTERING HIS GATES WITH THANKFULNESS 89 192 947 בואו שעריו בתודה This year, the Academy focused on being grateful for all Hashem has bestowed upon us. ACADEMY STUDENTS ACADEMY FACULTY GRADE 8 GRADUATES The theme was especially meaningful during a most arduous time and deepened our appreciation for all of our blessings. STUDENTS ZOOMED THROUGH SPRING We broadened students’ conception of thankfulness, anchoring it in an inner connection For the first time • Grades 1-5 ‘toured’ Yerushalayim on Yom Yerushalayim, led by Secrets of with Hashem and the many ways we can experience and share blessings. ever at our very the Old City guides. special Leil dor • Grade 3 was able to welcome special guests and family members L’Dor program, • Faculty taught monthly lessons on from California, Canada, London, and Israel to their online Wacky Wax we gathered Rosh Chodesh. Museum. together, in • Prompts were offered for students’ • Faculty who developed the integrated arts and Torah text program at Koolulam style, to sing two beautiful gratitude journals. the Teacher Institute of the Arts last summer, along with the Grade 3 team, transformed this year’s Grade 3 Rashi Breakfast. Families created renditions of • We issued a monthly “Call to Action” to a text-to-symbol project on a portion of the studied divrei Torah. Hallelujah. pay forward our gratitude. • Students in Grade 4 curated a living portfolio, the “Corona Chronicles,” • A variety of the Art Team installations showcasing scenes that preserved their home experiences. were featured in the atrium. • Did Grade 5 cancel the Teva camping trip? NO! They went virtually! They studied nature, bees, composting, and pickling and went on virtual • Classes held cross-grade learning programs hikes. They learned how to build birdhouses, plant seeds, and create to prepare for Maccabiah. a wilderness first-aid kit! The “trip” included a virtual campfire with • Grade 6 held a Yom Iyun concentrating stargazing, parsha stories, s’mores, and song. • One of the special events of Grade 5 is the NYC tour. This year’s program on hakarat hatov. was experienced virtually as two guides walked in the City pointing out • We published a weekly Chadashot column both iconic locations and neighborhoods where immigrants first settled on gratitude for families. to students watching on Zoom.
INNOVATIVE JUDAIC CURRICULA ELC’S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IGNITES On Gratitude Experiential INTEGRATES 3N THROUGH GRADE 8 STUDENT CREATIVITY AND CONFIDENCE Day in January, we used various modalities to teach Students expressed gratitude b’Ivrit for the many blessings Ivrit immersion extended to the the importance of gratitude in their lives, including the creation of the world, our ability three-year nursery this year, as we work toward to perform mitzvot, and our bodies, food, family, and friends. with each ELC grade now able to Students demonstrated gratefulness through the arts, understand and respond to friends שעריו בתודה exemplifying .The atrium was alive writing, video production, and dialogue. and teachers in Hebrew .בואו with music ensembles and Students uniquely experienced art projects, and each class special days and strengthened their attended a “Call to Action” connections to Medinat Yisrael: tent to write notes of appreciation to our school • On Yom Haatzmaut, Zoom transported the children community. to Israel to visit ‘friends’ and a native Ivrit speaker in Yerushalayim, the Negev, and Herziliya. Artist in • Kindergarten and 4N commemorated Yom HaZikaron Residence, through an interactive Zoom class with our very own visiting artist/ chayalim, SAR alumni. engineer Ayelet
HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL Feinberg worked REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL • In an effort to expand our students’ repertoire of literature with students as well as allow them to explore their voice through to create this hands-on literacy experiences, we introduced “Tell homage to our Tales” storytelling programs including ShakesPreK and theme. WonderSparks Puppet Theater. & SAR ACADEMY SAR & SAR ACADEMY SAR 5 ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTS 5 TREMENDOUS 34 SUCCESS FOR K-4 AFTER SCHOOLS FIFTH-GRADE (7 CONTINUED ON ZOOM) STEM IN-CLASS New: Cooking with Chef EXPERIENCE Eran, Double Dutch Our STEM team was Jump Rope, Exciting particularly proud of Experiments, Improv the enhanced Grade 5 STEM program that had two consecutive STEM 25 periods, added three unique rotations, and MIDDLE SCHOOL maintained our small To allow parents the opportunity to engage and collaborate ELECTIVES student/teacher ratio for with their children, we initiated new STEM workshops for New: Band, Cooking, this hands-on experience. families with students in Grades 4-5. Parents also joined Music Theory Students studied units students for SAR’s Fourth Annual Family STEM Day. in engineering, coding/ robotics, and data During the virtual spring semester: collection to make •Lower School students continued to build coding skills 95 recommendations for a using Scratch or Tynker platforms. VOICE & CHOICE ARTS fictitious candy company. CLASSES • Science continued with interactive experiments using 36 IN GRADE 5 AND 24 IN GRADE 6 simple household materials. New: Art Weather Studio, STEM and chag intersected as ELC students collaborated • Our virtual After School program, SAR Design Masters Digital Collage Studio, to plan, design, and construct their very own life-sized Competition, challenged students to design and build Manga & Anime, Techie kosher sukkah on the field using magnetic building tiles. physical structures and mechanisms to enhance a Interiors The Grandparent Giving Circle generously funded this innovative project. virtual island.
SPECIAL CHESED PROJECT More than 100 students in Grades MIDDLE SCHOOL To demonstrate gratitude, we partnered with Montefiore 1-8 enrolled in the Hospital’s “Adopt a Frontliner Program” to support essential The Middle School Active duty SAR alumni new (Zoom) Music workers by delivering cookies, supplies, and thank you notes. mentoring program, chayalim Elliot David (AC & Art Academy, created to cultivate student ‘09, HS ‘13), Tamar David offering private independence and leadership, (AC ‘12, HS ‘16), Amit music lessons and carried last year’s Grade 7 Ginzberg (AC ‘14, HS ‘18), small group art and Kindergarten pairing Liana Katz (AC ‘13, HS ‘17), instruction. into this year’s grades, giving and Leah Nerenberg (AC Grade 1 continuity in the ‘13, HS ‘17) Zoomed in to ‘big building.’ The program observe Yom HaZikaron SO CLOSE, BUT YET SO FAR! expanded with a new cohort. with middle-schoolers and The sports season started off strong as all four fall teams the ELC. qualified for the playoffs: Boys Hockey, Grade 7 Boys Basketball, Middle School students had a Several new programs encouraged Torah Lishma and Both the Grade 7 Yachad Grade 8 Boys Basketball, and Grades 7 and 8 Girls Basketball. blast during a live haircutting Shabbaton and Grade 8 advanced Ivrit conversation skills, including Mishmar, Grade 4 students began their study of Navi by exploring the Both the Grade 7 and the Grade 8 Boys Basketball teams were party on Lag B’Omer. Shabbaton, held virtually, Morning Cocoa Club, evening Zoom learning sessions for order of events that preceded the leadership of Yehoshua and scheduled for semi-final games before the league postponed were complete with pre- Grade 8, and Beit Sefer Ivrit. the entrance of the Jewish nation into the land of Israel. the rest of the season. The Grade 8 team lost only one game in Mazal tov to Yonah Glazer, Shabbat kumzitz, divrei three years! Grade 8, and his mother Our Middle School’s partnership with ‘sister school’ Torah, and Kabbalat Shabbat Yardaena Osband for Atmosphere Academy, the Bronx public charter school, reflection and ruach! qualifying for the Talmud With every challenge, entered its third year, with collaborative programs on Israeli Chidon Olami Martin Luther King Jr. Day, covered by News 12-TV, and SAR seems to grow stronger competition international BEE STRONG - Names Not Numbers. finals held—and televised— ZOOM COULDN’T and even more impressive, and we in Jerusalem. • Following several tragic racial incidents this year, we STOP US! facilitated an open dialogue among students, using art know that isn’t possible without therapy to encourage creative expression and foster We may have been in Zoom HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL At the January debate meet REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL your tireless, brave, resilient, and at Barkai Yeshivah, the SAR empathy. school, but that didn’t stop Grade 8 from having visionary leadership in place...” Middle School debate • For the first time, SAR’s Grade 7 and Atmosphere their very own virtual team won in EVERY SINGLE partnered in a “Cultural Exchange” elective to build Donna & Adam Von Samek Maccabiah! CATEGORY! bridges between cultures. ELC PARENTS, SPRING 2020 P.E. and Sports staff & SAR ACADEMY SAR & SAR ACADEMY SAR 7 HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS 8 THE PERFECT YEAR TO EXPLORE SIMCHA For this year’s theme, we explored the 591 127 138 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES שמחת החיים role of simcha (joy) in one’s service of Hashem, the simcha that results from the performance of mitzvot, and the idea of NEW DESIGN ENGINEERING FOCUS simchat hachayim—that our lives should TORAH LISHMAH INCREASED The new Design Lab and adjacent Fabrication Lab—outfitted be full of simcha. EXPONENTIALLY with 3D printers, a laser cutter, and a WAZER (a high pressure water jet cutter which cuts metal, stone, and glass)—are • 40 students participated regularly in the twice-weekly cornerstones of the new 10th grade Design Engineering course chaburot given by Rabbi J. Kroll (Masekhet Makkot) and and related co-curriculars. Students were introduced to Rabbi Harcsztark (Masekhet Brachot), a nearly three-fold programming, electrical engineering, gaming, and design via increase from last year. Arduino boards. ●• 125 students (including 47 freshmen) regularly The Robotics team nearly doubled in size this year. Two participated in SAR’s weekly ITIM learning, a 10% squads competed for the first time in the tech challenge run increase from last year. by FIRST Robotics, an international league. The varsity team • 275 students attended competed at Horace Mann in the regional FIRST Robotics the monthly Mishmar qualifier, honing the autonomous and driver-controlled Madness programs functionality of their hand-built robot. including the Eitan Katz Ten sophomores participated in CIJE’s Hackathon at concert, Sting Night, Yeshiva University, creating a device to foster environmental Zoom Mishmar with conservation. grandparents, and the Beit Midrash Fellows Zoom. While in quarantine, both teams completed remotely in Trinity School’s Hackathon, each winning an award: Best Project for a beginner team and Best Representation of the Theme, “Connection.”
Simcha permeated the building and Zoom, serving as the 125 parents and students studied together at SAR’s first POST-COVID, SAR REINVENTS CHESED cornerstone of this year’s programs. Family Yom Iyun. Sessions were led by SAR faculty, with the keynote address delivered by Rabbi David Fohman Chesed work was more innovative and immersive this year Our simcha modes of the month exposed students to of Aleph Beta Academy. than ever before. Agencies were ‘blown away’ by SAR’s ability different avenues through which they could experience to pivot and provide consistent support. Our volunteers simcha, including gratitude, friendship, music, and reimagined three scheduled events the same week we movement. closed. Agencies reported that SAR was typically the first—if • Writing postcards of gratitude to someone special in not the only—school in the area to continue programming. students’ lives reinforced appreciation. Individuals and SAR families volunteered 800 hours from • The Torah Video Learning Series examined simcha based March 3 to June 15: on texts that teach the value of joy. • creating videos ranging from artmaking and filmmaking • Our Friday “Simcha Sendoffs” ushered in a sweet Shabbat. techniques to technology support for The Hebrew Home and The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. • baking and delivering 150 challot for BJCC. • calling Riverdale Y seniors to say ‘happy birthday’. • engaging in Dorot workshops and Yachad events. • baking and delivering thousands of cookies to Montefiore, Parsha study was strengthened led by SAR alumna Talia Askowitz (AC ‘08, HS ‘12). by Tanakh teachers’ discussion questions to stimulate Shabbat table conversations. Sam Weingard’s (HS
HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL ‘20) Kosher Comics series, started for Senior Ex, will continue this year. The Kartisei Shabbat Grand Conversation in Hebrew connected Parsha to Medinat Yisrael. & SAR ACADEMY SAR & SAR ACADEMY SAR 9 SAR ACADEMY & SAR HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT • • • • speakers included: standing tradition, thisyear’s In keeping withalong- EXPERTS STUDENTS WITH CONNECTS DEPARTMENT SCIENCE Rumors, SAR’s fall drama production HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS BRAVO FOR SAR ARTS &MUSIC Accomplished artist andactor Mr. Barthelemy Atsin joinedtheFine Arts Department. perform anoriginalsong, “Joy isOur Sound.” The SAR choirpartnered withthe band Distant Cousins to compose, arrange and Playbill complete withensemble numbers, solos, anddramatic readings. The cast andcrew produced a Tony Award-worthy virtualandinteractive Pippin artwork from theevent was spotlighted inthenewly launchedvirtualartgallery. brain research. revolutionizing thefield of Gurion U., whoare researchers from Ben Three of Israel’s top of Biotechnology. of Engineering, onthe power Dept. of Biomedical Isaacs, YaleUniversity’s SAR parent Dr. Farren Cloning, and Jewish Law. Stem Cell Research, Rabbi Ed Reichman on Cancer Research. CEO, onMajor Trends in Kettering’s President and Researchers, andSloan- as Elijah’s cuponaseder table. Students drew theirown kiddushcups from home, reimagining them artwork, available atbit.ly/SARPirkeiAvot Pirkei Avot andproduced anoriginalbookof commentary and In preparation for Shavuot, all9th-11th grade students studied Pippin were aspecialhighlight. The student and songs. Performances from thespringmusical well asmusical performances, readings, poetry paintings, graphic designs, andvideogames, as more than100 students, showcasing drawings, celebration of SAR’s creative expression of The Nightof the Arts was abreathtaking York annual gala. Colitis Foundation of New Award attheCrohn’s & received theRisingStar (HS ‘21) Jacob Libin Grades 11and 12. High School students in Academic Center, for Jewish College of Technology, Lev Center andthe Jerusalem by the Walder Science Science Contest, sponsored International Jerusalem the its Relevance to Judaism” in Suppression“Memory and place for herpresentation ‘16, HS ‘20) came insecond Rachel Vidomlanski (AC auction heldfor students. at SAR HS’s pre-Shavuot incredible 55hours of Torah committed to learning an (ACBatya ‘16, HS Sarna‘20) #BEEPROUD served asStudentCouncil presidents. Millie Helft(AC ‘16, HS ‘20) and Josh Morris(AC ‘16, HS ‘20) part of theevening. dinner. Last year’s faculty advisor, GloriaSchneider, emceed Janet Yellen, attheCouncil onEconomic Education’s annual presented to business leaders andeconomists, including Dr. ‘20), winners of theNationalPersonal Finance Challenge, Adam Nerenberg (AC ‘16, HS ‘20) andEric Ajdler (AC ‘16, HS and leadership from herdaughter, Emma Freund (HS ‘22). CTO, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, withmuchhelp and taught by SAR parent Deborah Leff, IBMGlobal Leader and knowledge to solve real world problems. The class was designed SolveGirls Who focused onbuildingartificialintelligence CO-CURRICULAR CORNER and managingtest anxiety. dialectical behavior therapy skills, peer support, healthy relationships, workshops, includingthepower of Silverman. Students chose from 20 health nationaladvocate Randi and parents heard from mental SAR psychologists. Students by theMental Health cluband Awareness Day was organized SAR’s first Mental Health or second choice college matriculated into theirfirst of theClass of 2020 71% year inIsrael to attend ShanaAlephgap of theClass of 2020 plan 84% Performing Arts Solve, JV Robotics, SARts First Responders, Girls Who Comic Books, Cookies for New: Allyship, ChaiLIfeline, HS CO-CURRICULARS 86 10
SAR ACADEMY & SAR HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT MACHON SIACH ADDRESSES QUESTIONS CRUCIAL TO ORTHODOX JEWISH LIFE • • • • the demonstrations thatfollowed, Months later, inthewake of themurder of George Floyd and solidarity withallof Klal Yisrael. the tragic attack atthe JC Kosher Market in Jersey City in Students also paid ashiva visitto oneof thevictimsof Bureau of NYS Attorney General. Rights, theNJDivisiononCivilRights, andtheCivilRights program withpresenters from theNYS Divisionof Human Morris (AC ‘16, HS ‘20) organized aschoolwide awareness Tri-State area, seniors MillieHelft(AC ‘16, HS ‘20) and Josh Immediately following the anti-semiticJanuary attacks inthe to andlegacy honorthememory of J. MichaelFried. This initiative was created andsponsored by theDayan family conference andpost-conference briefings. pro-Israel community. Additionally, students attended pre- lobby members of Congress aboutissues of concern to the conference in Washington DCandhadtheopportunity to SCHOOL AIPACFELLOWSHIP . Fellows attended the AIPAC Eight students were part of thefirst annual SAR HIGH Semitism 2020 in January. marchersMarch aspart of theSolidarity Against Anti- SAR students andfaculty members joinedthousands of STUDENT ADVOCATES LEADCHANGE programming. were invited to participate in “alumni” started athird cohort, whilepast groups Our parent program, Makom B’Siach, Spirituality cohort andGrading cohort. to thinkaboutinthe Adolescents and and Citizenship; andlaunchednew ones study, research, andwriting, inGemara group of committed faculty for long-term cohorts, whichbringtogether asmall We continued ourfaculty research contemporary world. crucial questions of Orthodox life inthe of highschool educators to address experience, knowledge, andexpertise retained its core focus: to engage the and migrated to Zoom, MachonSiach through programs thatwere retooled by onlineprogramming. And yet, with thebroader audiences reachable others were reimagined andflourished Some initiatives were putonhold; was vastly different thananticipated. Like every otherprogram, MachonSiach and davened for ourcountry’s welfare. We discussed theevents, thepain andanger behindthem, SAR ACADEMY & SAR HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT Students formed anew Allyship club. SAR’s mental health counselors worked withstudents. as Jews to fight racism. History andGemara classes focused onourresponsibility League Substance Use Initiative, a continued ourwork withthe Yeshiva pioneers inreligious peacemaking. We Michael MelchiorandSheikh Ra’ed Badir, host avisitatSAR HighSchool of Rabbi Abraham Center, we were honored to conflict. In conjunction withthe S. Daniel examination of theIsraeli-Palestinian for ayear of learning andin-depth educators from five yeshiva day schools we began aprogram bringingtogether Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, In partnership withtheS. Daniel first Modern century Orthodoxy. their lives asemerging adults intwenty- issues thatthey face asthey navigate learning anddiscussion aboutessential alumni, aspace to engage inmeaningful professionals, bothSAR alumniandnon- Graduate Fellowship, offering young We were delighted to launchtheSiach the Year. More than1,300votes were cast inthecompetition. Ben Meyers (HS ‘21) won SAR’s 2020 StingMadness Play of Zoom HotShotChallenge. Champion atMVP Basketball Camp’s Boys 2020 All Stars Akiva Schanzer (AC ‘19, HS Star ‘23) was namedMVP All in Florida, withNetanel Hymannamedtourney MVP. Boys JV Basketball won theKatz YeshivaHS JV Tournament and Varsity GirlsBasketball. Girls Basketball, JV Boys Basketball, Varsity Boys Basketball, named MYHSAL league co-champions: JV Boys Hockey, JV season bests were set. MYHSAL ChampionshipMeet. Many personal records and (HS ‘21) andKaila Zimnavoda (HS ‘20), won First Place inthe SAR’s Cross TeamCountry , ledby captains Daniel Tsesarsky STING NATION’S CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON www.machonsiach.org. Orthodox community more broadly. the SAR community andtheModern papers, podcasts, andSiachwith mailings thatshare MachonSiach our new InsidetheConversation Grand Conversations blog, andthrough audiences, through ourrelaunched the work of MachonSiachwithbroader digital mediaandplatforms to share We have also expanded ouruse of had previously reached. audience than ourin-person programs UWSand Jews, whichdrew abroader spring, incollaboration with BABayit We offered community programs inthe substance use intervention. rabbinic supportfor acommunity-wide We worked to gather institutional and surveying intheday school community. teenagers, completing asecond round of to address substance use amongour partnership across yeshiva day schools five SAR teams were officially to thechampionshipgames, With playoffs paused prior the semifinals. basketball teams madeitto history, allfour SAR For thefirst timein school 11 12
NATIONAL AND AREA PRESS REPORTS ON SAR’S EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP • Multiple articles citing SAR appeared in The Wall Street Journal soon after school closed down. The March 11 article “School Closures Bring Digital Hurdles” reported on SAR’s expedited shift to distance learning, quoting Rabbi Avi Bloom and Adina Shoulson. SAR ENGAGED WORLD- •○The New York Times, Wall Street RENOWNED SPEAKERS Journal, Times of Israel, and Jewish THROUGH IT ALL, THERE WERE MANY SILVER LININGS! TO ADDRESS OUR Link repeatedly covered SAR’s families, COMMUNITY students, and thought leaders. Several prominent speakers shared their vision and wisdom with our community through both Zoom visits (see p. 13) 212 MAZAL TOV and the SAR HS C.A.R.E.S Speaker SAR TOGETHER Series (Coronavirus Authorities’ LETTERS Reflection & Education Series) including WERE HANDWRITTEN BY FACULTY Gavy Friedson of United Hatzalah; AND STAFF, AND SENT VIA Compassion, Programming evolved from Alessandra Biaggi, NY State Senator; SNAIL MAIL, TO CONGRATULATE in-person to virtual events, Dr. Micah Goodman, Research Fellow GRADUATING EIGHTH-GRADERS. including the annual Siyum Transparency, at the Shalom Hartman Institute; Dr. Tanakh on Lag B’Omer, the Brendan Parent, JD, Bioethicist and Wacky Wax Museum and Rashi NEARLY adjunct professor, NYU; and, Rabbi David Flexibility, Breakfast, a Teva camping trip, Shabtai, MD, Jewish Bioethicist. 254,000 ZOOM shabbatonim, co-curriculars, Continuity and lifecycle celebrations. HOURS WERE LOGGED BEGINNING COMPASSION MARCH 3 FOR TEACHING, ENGAGEMENT, AND MEETINGS. • Our community donated $300,000 These words guided SAR’s actions LIFECYCLE to the Cooper Fund to provide relief from March 3, 2020 onward. EVENTS from economic hardship resulting Collectively, we weathered the Events no one from the pandemic. pandemic day by day, pivoting to meet thought could • Psychological counseling was made happen as we available to students, faculty and the needs of the community. We have ‘sheltered in place’ parents. were turned into virtually unforgettable immeasurable gratitude for our SAR moments. SAR families made it possible • Food, necessities, and care packages students and families. We are humbled DECLUTTER, DONATE, DO GOOD! for so many of us to attend B’nai were delivered to quarantined Mitzvahs, britot, l’chaims, weddings, families where needed. by our faculty and staff’s dedication, We had tremendous response to the BEE4SAR Day chesed program. In Laura Shaw Frank, SAR parent and former faculty shiva visits, and much more. member, March 31, 2020 ingenuity, and resourcefulness. We two collection days, we filled FOUR moving trucks with donated goods to support New Yorkers in need. We are grateful to our partners in helping treasure the volunteers and Board, the SAR community perform this mitzvah: Brown Harris Stevens and As I prepare to bring in Shabbat, I wanted to take a moment to whose commitment to SAR’s mission agent Scott Harris, springcleanchallenge.com, Rainbow Movers, and Goodwill Industries. extend my thanks for your Herculean efforts this week. To say that enabled us to stay on course. the week’s developments have been shocking and unsettling would be an understatement, but as community leaders, you and the SAR team have HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL handled the challenges with grace, sensitivity, respect, and ingenuity. I feel tremendously fortunate that our children have had the opportunity
to learn from such exceptional dugmaot.” — Susie CharendoffSAR PARENT, MARCH 2020 & SAR ACADEMY SAR & SAR ACADEMY SAR 12
SAR ACADEMY & SAR HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT academic best practices. our tech team ledtheway ininnovation, support, and and virtuallearning after thecoronavirus outbreaks began, to provide guidance. Quickly pivoting to Zoom classrooms SAR leadership were called on by Yeshivot around theworld nationwide. basement, andvirtualpiano concerts for nursing homes simulation, a social distancing videogame, refinishing ahome impressive, includinga2020 March Madness computer particularly challengingthisyear, buttheexperiences were The seniors’ capstone project, Senior Exploration , was for SAR—to speak withourstudents andparents. to anonlineplatform hosting colleges 48 —a record number to reconfigure theannualjuniorclass college nightprogram SAR was oneof thefirst schools, ifnotthefirst, inthe country COLLEGE CORNER Teach Us Cosmic Optimism. of the Virus That Causes Covid-19; andHow theRabbis Government Responded to Mass Casualties; The Biology in Halakha; This Republic of Suffering: How the Federal relevant to thepandemic. Topics includedHealth Risk exploring Judaic andGeneral Studies perspectives a Grand Conversation-style program taught by faculty, Adult Education pivoted, offering SpringtimeatHive Live, SPRINGTIME AT HIVELIVE NO ONE TISCHES THEWAYLIVE HIVE and community. learning, programs, replete withvibrant magic into Hive Live, transformed SAR’s HS completely came alive asthe Sting Nation Photograph taken Winter 2020 TISCHES ! informed andsafe. Center, for volunteering untold hours to keep ourcommunity Respiratory Care Unit, bothatNorthwell Health’s LIJMedical Outpatient Work Navigators) andMedical Director of the Gita Lisker, Director of theCROWN (Coronavirus Related Dr. Josh Rocker, pediatricemergency physician, andDr. always, invaluable. Inparticular, we recognize SAR parents volunteer heroes whose commitment to SAR was, andis SAR expresses ourheartfelt Hakarat HaTov to allof the Sara Blechner (AC ‘92) Jason Dana High School: Malki Bernstein Sarah Roer-Bendheim Academy: CHAIRS PARENT ASSOCIATION Dr.Zvi Weiss Dr. YochevedWeiss Dr. Dena Rabinowitz Dr. TamarGordon Dr.Esther Altmann GROUP MENTALHEALTH ADVISORY Ariel Weiner (AC ‘92) Jason Dana Sara Blechner Sarah Roer-Bendheim Etan Bendheim (AC ‘98) HOTLINE VOLUNTEERS Dr. Seth Sokol Dr. JeremySimon Dr. JeremyRosenblum Dr.Rocker, Josh Chair Dr. YardaenaOsband Dr.Milner Josh Dr. Gita Lisker, Chair Dr. TeenaLerner Dr.Fierstein Judah Dr. Nimrod Dayan MEDICAL ADVISORY TEAM גיבורים Hila Stern Esther Sperber David Salamon DESIGN, ENGINEERING FACILITIES- ARCHITECTURE, Aviva WolfSchneider Ilana Milstein (AC ‘91) Eliana Sable Kaye (AC ‘00) Shira Gordon Ellie Goldenberg Irrit Dweck Denise DeCesare Eve Bondareva CLASSES FITNESS &COOKING Maudi WeissSarah Ariel Weiner WeinbergerElana (AC ‘94) Jill Horowitz Swergold Shara &David Israel Michelle Humi Sophia Hershman Adrienne Goldfeder Alan Friedman Miriam Filer Rebecca Feit Rosalyn Feinman CohenSherry Tal Bouskila, Chair CHESED TEAM Beth Shalev Jill &Bruce Schanzer Dr. YardaenaOsband Stuart Milstein Sarah Zitter Milstein & Yael Martin(AC ‘99) Jessica &StuLoeser Lauren Lieberman LewinHillary James Lapin Sara Kranz Marc Kramer Gila Kolb Rachel Kirschenbaum 13
SAR ACADEMY & SAR HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT BJCC, andthe JCY/FSSY SummerReading Buddies Program. this summeratBronx County’s Kosher Food Pantry, Afya, We won’t stop! UnderSAR’s auspices, families volunteered & theMiddleEast Since 1979. Justice System, Kabbalat Shabbat, Animation, and America Physics of Climate Change, Tanakh, Race &theCriminal Middot through Media, Volunteering andtheCreative Arts, and incoming students andClass of 2020 alumni, including summer program offered 16 month-longclasses for current Hive Live: Summer Edition, SAR HighSchool’s first ever Learning MelachimAleph. issues through Jewish sources, Gemara, Social Justice, and 6-8 students, includingmath, bookclub, Ivritwriting, global SAR faculty offered Middle School learning for risingGrades Arts Academy engineering. We also designed aseparate Virtual Summer fashion illustration, parsha, animation, andsoundtrack watercolor, musical theater, young chefs, dance, design, artists. Virtual classes includedprintmaking, nature art, for students entering Grades 1-8, was taught by 14 teaching Summer Arts AcademyThe Virtual , afour-week program volunteer intheKHprogram inIsrael duringthesummer. by 70 counselors, mostly SAR alumni, who were unable to at-risk youth andorphanages inIsrael. Campwas staffed with Kol HaNearim, theIsraeli organization supporting SAR/Kol HaNearim SummerProgram heldinpartnership 150 Kindergarten through fifth-grade children attended the in our51-year history. summer learning andrecreational programs for thefirst time Given themany summerclosures, SAR offered a variety of SAR’S SUMMER 2020 for parents andgrands. • • • RITUAL • • • • • • • • • EVENTS CONCERTS, ENTERTAINMENT, • • • • • • • GUEST SPEAKERS • • TOWN HALL MEETINGS • • • REGULAR EMAIL UPDATES: • • • HOTLINE DEDICATED& WEBSITES SAR’S VAST PANDEMIC PROGRAMMING steps” ruach Weekly ACpre-Shabbat the “on Weekly HSpre-Shabbat Tisch ACPerformanceChoir Virtual The Great ChallahBake Joel Chasnoff, comedian Announcements AcademyClassroomDay Virtual Daily davening, musical Hallel musician Ryman,Lamelle SAR parent and Grades 4-8 SAR/Israel school talent show for Soul Farm’s Noah Solomon-Chase Moshav Band Shlomo Katz, singer Community of Belarus) (Tzedakah for CSI Bronx, Jewish Leiner, Eitan Katz, Benny Friedman featuring ShimCraimer, Simcha Community-wide tribute concert film producer Nancy Spielberg, former SAR parent, rights activist andauthor Natan Sharansky, politician, human speaker Rabbi SimchaKrauss, Yom HaShoah Rabbi Benny Lau Israeli Democracy Institute executive Sable, Global Y&R CEO Senator Joseph LiebermanandDavid Yonah Fuld Former SAR Principal Rabbi Cohn’s wife, ShulamithCohn Former SAR Principal Rabbi Joel Guest speakers grandparent, alumni Community-wide, grade level, Community Happenings Coronavirus Updates SAR Coronavirus Hotline activities andschedules websites, repositories for alldaily Hub.sarhighschool.org—Dedicated class sites, Covid information, etc. schedules, directory to allzoom links, SAR Virtual Community—AC &HS — — — — — — University Vaccine Center, Rockefeller Jill Horowitz, alumniparent, Adina Garbuz, SAR parent Affairs for Gov. Cuomo Michael Snow, Director of Jewish host “The Happiness Lab” podcast Dr. Santos, Laurie Yale professor, NYS DOH Danielle Greene, Chief of Staff, Senator Alessandra Biaggi
• • • • • • • • • FACULTY SUPPORT • • • • • CHESED • • • • • • MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT • • • • • produced by students AC Teacher video appreciation Virtual TeacherLounge party catering to SAR faculty Jordana’s cancelled Bat Mitzvah The ShmidmanFamily donated in need The Cooper Fund supports families sessions for parents AC &HS guidance counseling hour AC Teachercocktail Appreciation HS faculty talent show for seniors you SAR e-cards HS StudentCouncil organized thank classes Exercise, yoga, andmeditation Jesselson by Carmel Winery President Roni Gift of Pesach wine sponsored PA-organized Pizza Dinnerdelivery HS ‘Zoom After Dark’ reading. Chumash, Math, Hebrew, orEnglish benefit from individualpractice in to work withstudents whomight students volunteered theirtime Program: 38SAR HighSchool High School/Academy Buddy Hebrew Homeresidents Sting Nationbirthday celebration for diapers) to families distribute essential products (e.g. Partnership withOlamChesed to physical fitness, etc. familyConnections, ‘togetherness’ painting, Zumba, yoga, Pilates, Digital Parent classes: photography, break Support for students duringPesach HS student “Workout of theDay” regular check-ins withstudents Grade level counseling sessions; psychology volunteers Free mental health sessions withSAR Shavuot TorahHS Auction Tefillot list Shleima Refuah Spring Chaggim, Yom’s programming Pre-Purim Cook-a-thon Community-wide Havdalah 15 16
PRIDE IN OUR FACULTY PARENTS—BEE INVOLVED AC PROFESSIONAL Gruss Life Monument Funds Whether making aliyah, ELC CLASS GRADES 1-8 DEVELOPMENT recognized Rabbi Dr. Moshe moving, or retiring, we wish PARENTS REPRESENTATIVES to faculty הצלחה רבה Drelich’s contributions to SAR has always been Jewish education with their members leaving after 10 or Kol HaKavod to our committed to building Excellent Teacher Award. more years of service: 26 ELC Class Parents faculty expertise and SAR and SAR’s Teacher Shoshana Bender increasing student Lea Aharon Institute for the Arts team Ayelet Berger achievement. Rachel Bemak were awarded a micro-grant from the Legacy Heritage Fund Beth Braunstein (19 years) Tal Bouskila This year’s professional for work developing programming that integrates Torah text, Barbara Feld (24 years) Miriam Gitelman Ari Glass Sally Dorfzaun development for the Academy the arts and creative problem-solving. Miriam Friedman Adiva Eliach-Garber centered on improving Michelle Gevanter Dr. Gillian Steinberg, AP Literature and English teacher, HS SENIOR EXPLORATION Shira Billet Exler Todah Rabbah to Avigail reading comprehension Shira Irwin authored the March 16 Washington Post Sunday Magazine Deena Faleck Sugarman for serving again and developing higher Agnes Judin The following volunteers and young alumni generously cover story “Teaching Hamlet While Quarantined.” Talia Frommer this year as the Academy’s level thinking skills. Faculty Robyn Raskas created Senior Exploration fieldwork opportunities: Sarah Glickman Grade Representative exponentially grew The High School faculty performed an “Epic Teacher Recital” Chana Sommer Michael Benedek Aviva Gordon (AC ‘02) Coordinator, and the 16 students’ ability to discuss as part of Simcha Mode of the Month. Talent: Judith Ballan, Susan Tober Miriam Gitelman Jessica Jesselson representatives: and critically question Kenny Birnbaum, Qiao Feng, Dr. Gillian Steinberg, David We recognize the invaluable Leora Joel concepts, lead stimulating Ari Glass Yael Baker Wander, and Ron Zamir. work of the teacher Leora Kessler conversations on broad Jessica Haller Arielle Cohen committees, liaisons to the Ashira Loike topics (e.g. civil rights, Tammy Jacobowitz, Tanakh department chair, discussed Daniel Hazan (HS ‘ 10) Liana Goldmintz administration on behalf of Marisa Mahler race, family dynamics) “I’ll Be There for You: Blessings and Challenges of Friendship, Shira Hecht-Koller Sarah Goodman the faculty. independently, celebrate their Especially Now” in a Yeshivat Maharat and Svivah webinar. Beth Pepper Daniel Harelick Sharon Richter own voices, and integrate Artwork by David Friedman and David Wander was Barrie Krause classmates’ perspectives into Liana Lichtman exhibited at the Stanton Street Shul in “The Pen and the Shimona Katz and grandparent Annette Strongin one conversation. Danielle Liss Knife: Jewish Papercuts.” volunteered in the AC library, while Shoshi Talesnick once Academy faculty Elana Minkove To expand professional again assisted in the HS. Jenny Horowitz, Director of Physical Education for the Pamela Moskowitz knowledge in both theory Academy, created a global COVID shared Google Drive for ACADEMY TEACHER In a unique new offering, 60 ‘budding artists’ participated Yael Martin Judith Heistein Sabba and practice, several pre- P.E. teachers around the world, including at-home activities COMMITTEE in SAR’s Music and Art Academy for Parents and Shlomit Feit Sandler school and Grade 1 teachers and Zooming techniques. From March through May, Jenny attended the Annual Hebrew Jessica Bartel Grandparents, held over Zoom, including Ta’amei Hamikra, Yael Martin (AC ‘99) Matthew Schneider also consulted with schools across the country on how to Conference of North Ali Bloom (AC ‘88) iPad Photography and Digital Oil Painting. Diana Nahmias Jessica Rezak Schwab manage online P.E. for all ages. America, where they met Elayna Koevary Shira Sandel Rebecca Shmidman curricula designers and Jenny Sokol reigned supreme in the Faculty Cholent Shoshi Radinsky SAR organized a wide Yael Schlanger Rachel Wald learned about innovative Throwdown, the last in-person Middle School event of the Melissa Rothwax variety of Yom Haatzmaut Shimrit Schmuckler teaching methods and year. In other cholent news, Rabbi Steven Moskowitz (AC Talia Sadres programs for our parents Rachel Solomon THANK YOU learning materials. ‘79) continued cholent sales throughout the Covid crisis to Adiella Shem Tov and grandparents, Marina Solovey Thank you to the following benefit Tomchei Shabbos. Sharon Sturm culminating with an Nicole Strongin ELC professional parents for sharing their Lynn Zadoff inspirational talk with former Laura Sugarman development focused on professional experience SAR principal Rabbi Yonah Samantha Wiener space, design, and meaningful After nearly 40 years with students in HS co- HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY Fuld and his wife Mary. Ronit Wolf learning environments. teaching in the Lower curricular programs: School, beloved LIAISON COMMITTEE Morah Gaby Zevi Arielle Cohen Joshua Bilenker Adina Dolfman moved to the Middle Rebecca Jaffe 25 parents participated in the new Adult Hebrew Ulpan, Deborah Leff School to teach Ivrit. Tali Karp taught by the Academy Ivrit faculty. Stephen Smith Jonathan Tropper (AC ‘83) I remain empowered by what SAR can Thank you for all you are doing! Except for Shoshana Winter
accomplish and genuinely energized for the first responders, no one is working harder Deborah Leff
HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL possibilities offered to us by this moment.” REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL than the teachers and administrators. We’re so lucky Dr. Gillian Steinberg to be part of the SAR community.
HS AP LITERATURE AND ENGLISH FACULTY MEMBER Alyssa Wilk Pre-Shavuot HS Debate “LEAVING THE DESERT” GRAND CONVERSATION BLOG POST, MAY 21, 2020 SAR PARENT, SPRING 2020 & SAR ACADEMY SAR & SAR ACADEMY SAR 17 18 Together, nearly 850 donors contributed $3 million in 50 hours!
Kol HaKavod to the lay leadership team: Ari Glass, David Lieberman, Teena Lerner, and Ariel & Josh (AC ‘92) Weiner, and 18 parent, alumni, and FINANCIAL REPORTING grandparent callers.
DEAR SAR FAMILY: THE YEAR 5780, SAR’s 51st year, proved to be one of tremendous challenges. Our world experienced global unrest, the pandemic, an unpredictable political scene, and racial tensions. Inside SAR’s doors, we conducted an intense effort to successfully complete our very important capital building projects and later worked diligently to keep everyone on campus, in a safe and healthy way, in the coming year. After two years of fundraising, planning, All along, it was comforting to know that our children and grandchildren were able to enter and construction, the new ELC building the classes of SAR, physically or virtually, happily and confidently. Staff and faculty put the is ready for the 2020-2021 school best interests of every child first. Our students witnessed SAR actively pursuing opportunities year. During the past year, while the to live out our Jewish values of chesed, acts of loving kindness, tzedakah, and so many building was under construction, the more as our community sought ways to keep each other and those around us safe, fed, sheltered, Academy shared every available space and uplifted. with our nearly 250 ELC students. Every ELC faculty member was involved in We thank you for bringing your values of community and Jewish education to the forefront and conceptualizing the new classroom for making them a priority. You have deployed your talent, wisdom, and generosity for the good spaces to best reflect SAR’s mission of the kehillah. Parents have shown their commitment through strong enrollment for September and goals. opening even in the face of uncertainty. Through your tzedakah, we raised over $4.1 million for the Scholarship Fund and $4.2 million to finish our Spectacular Future capital campaign. Additionally, you contributed generously to the Cooper Fund effort to help one another through these difficult times. Our most heartfelt thanks for your trust and for making SAR a priority in your tzedakah. GOVERNMENT GRANTS Jack C. Bendheim — PRESIDENT, SAR BOARD OF TRUSTEES SUPPORT UPGRADED SECURITY SYSTEMS SAR was successful in securing 2019-2020 2019-2020 $200,000 in federal and state OPERATING OPERATING BUDGET grants to cover a significant REVENUE* EXPENSES* portion of the expenses to upgrade our security systems. TOTAL REVENUE n 84.4% TOTAL EXPENSES n 65.2% (IN MILLIONS) Tuition, Annual Fund and Fees (IN MILLIONS) Academic Salaries and Payroll Taxes n 10.25% n 9.4% Fundraising Employee Benefits n 4.1% n 8.8% We gratefully acknowledge the support received from the $38.1 Educational Grants and Other $38.1 Bus. Office and Facilities, Salaries, and PR Taxes BEE4SAR, following funds: n 1.3% n 6.6% THE ANNUAL Other Income Facility — Building Expenses SHAVUOT n 2.0% UJA-Federation of New York and the Rose Supplies and Equipment APPEAL Biller Day School Scholarship Fund. n 1.9% While the pandemic Food Program changed our lives, n 1.7% our commitment to Legal, Accounting and Other Services transmitting Torah values The Gottesman Fund, managed by members n 1.2% to our children and of the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman family, Student Activities, Trips and Teams protecting and preserving who provided a grant of $300,000 to support n 3.3% Jewish life and practice scholarships at SAR High School in the 2019– Technology remains strong. The 2020 academic year. Annual Shavuot Appeal raised $289,000 from HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL The Fund for Jewish Education, 642 families saying YES to Jewish education and enabling SAR sponsored by Caroline and to extend tuition assistance to those who qualify. Joseph S. Gruss, Life Monument Funds, Inc. and UJA-Federation of New York. Photograph taken Winter 2019
& SAR ACADEMY SAR *SAR Operating Budget & SAR ACADEMY SAR 19
SAR ACADEMY & SAR HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT (ACWeiner ‘92) Jason,& Joshua Ariel Dana (AC ‘92) &Marc Jill & Ami Goldfein, Dinner Chairs: THE EVENT, ATTENDED BY NEARLY 900GUESTS, WAS OUR LARGEST COMMUNAL GATHERING OF THE YEAR. 51st ANNIVERSARYSAR’S DINNER all of ourstudents. ensure aSpectAculaR experience for dedication, talent, andtzedakah tribute to ourcommunity, whose night, “Gratitude,” to life aswe paid Dinner was to bringthethemeof the Our mission for SAR’s 51st Anniversary 20 21
CLASS OF 2019 GAP YEAR GATHERING 2019-2020 SAR HS AND REUNION YOUNG LEADERSHIP The Alumni Association hosted a fall gathering and a winter BOARD reunion for them to catch up with each other and former faculty. Shira (Lerner) Baratz (AC ‘06, HS ‘10) By mid-March, the majority of the Class of 2019 came Franni Bernstein (AC ‘06, HS ‘10) THANK YOU ALUMNI back home, and we hosted pre-Passover shiur as a way to Lizzy Brenner (AC ‘08, HS ‘12), Co-Chair reconnect with the class. Members of the Naomi Cooper (AC ‘03, HS ‘07) Class of 2018 Talya (Lerner) Douek (AC ‘06, HS ‘10) 87% OF THE CLASS OF 2019 SPENT A GAP YEAR IN attended SAR’s 51st P INDICATES PARENTS OF CURRENT STUDENTS ISRAEL LEARNING AND GROWING. Anniversary Dinner. Derek Greenbaum (AC ‘04, HS ‘08) Zev Hait (AC ‘05, HS ‘09) SAR connections remain strong among our 4300+ graduates. SAR alumni were actively Matt Landes (AC ‘09, HS ‘13) engaged in our community, serving as school ambassadors, volunteers, mentors, donors, Academy Class of 2004 Aaron Lichtschein (AC ‘07, HS ‘11) Yehuda Cohn Eliana Rohrig (AC ‘11, HS ‘15) and so much more! We thank our alumni who included SAR in their tzedakah. ROBUST LIVE AND ZOOM ALUMNI Talia Aqua & Michael Litwin LEARNING PROGRAMS Rebecca Schwartz (HS ‘13) Academy Class of 2006 Academy Class of 1988 Eliana White (AC ‘03, HS ‘07) Bogrim, the annual spring intensive learning program Talya & Kalman Laufer P Sam Zakay (HS ‘08), Co-Chair PERSONAL DELIVERIES CELEBRATE Joanne & Barry Aranoff P for college-age alumni, went virtual! The day-long pre- Ali & Daniel Bloom P Academy Class of 2010 Etan Zapinsky (HS ‘09) Sandra & Uri Weinstein P Shavuot education event drew close to 100 participants, GRADUATES Goldi Weiser Academy Class of 1989 representing the classes of 2015-2019. The Class of 2020 graduates had a surprise visit from High School Class of 2007 Deena Berger P • Topics included: Health Risk in Halakha, This Republic of High School Class of 2011 Aryeh Zapinsky administrators and faculty who delivered lawn signs to Michelle & Stefan Frank P Sarah Belfer 138 HS graduates on Lag B’Omer. Lisi & Michael Mandel P Suffering: How the Federal Government Has Responded Rachel (AC ‘03) & Jeremy Matan Bocarsly (AC ‘07) High School Class of 2015 Meredith & Jesse Bemak P Amanda Herman to Mass Casualties,” and Hilkhot Corona: Leadership & Dalia Gatoff Rosenblatt P Shoshana (AC ‘03) & Aaron Lichtschein (AC ‘07) Danielle Harris (AC ‘11) Margaret & Yehuda Sheinfeld Halakha in Times of Crisis. Zachary DuBow Jacob Saal Rami Levi Melissa Weintraub Molly Heller Danielle Lebowitz (AC ‘11) Academy Class of 1990 An SAR first! The Cooper Wiener family has Talya Levi Talia Zapinsky We continued our series of conversational style learning Ayala Raice (AC ‘03) & Talia Zanger Maruja & Allon Ivri P three generations at SAR! The first generation is Samuel Pearlson P High School Class of 2012 Dina & Jonathan Kaufthal Adrienne Cooper (AC ‘78), followed by second programs, Siach Limud for young professionals, co- Naomi Cooper (AC ‘03) & High School Class of 2016 William Cooper (AC ‘08) Renee & Ari Mermelstein Ardon Wiener (AC ‘03) generation and SAR HS alumni couple Naomi sponsored by SAR Alumni Association, Machon Siach and Zachary Dicker Yitzhak Goldstein Adeena & David Rosen P Ilana Wilner (AC ‘03) Cooper (AC ‘03, HS ‘07) and Ardon Wiener (AC BAbayit. This year’s sessions: Aviva Friedman (AC ‘08) Meredith Greenstein (AC ‘12) Cory Greenbaum (AC ‘08) Rachel Meyer Academy Class of 1991 ‘03, HS 07)), who are parents of third generation High School Class of 2008 Tova Kamioner (AC ‘08) Jessica Sherman (AC ‘12) Annelle ( AC ‘29, HS ‘33), and, hopefully, in a few • Keeping Torah Alive in the Big City with Mr. Simon Fleischer, Yael & Cory Baker P Seth Botnick Eliezer Lerea (AC ‘08) Elana Sichel Jamie Vichinsky & years, David, born in 2018. • Alone Together: Citizenship in the Time of Social Distancing Dina Green Zev Lindenbaum Ariel Smith (AC ‘12) Zachary Noble (AC ‘08) Julian Snyder Salanter/Akiba/Riverdale Tammy & Lawrence Adler P Academy Class of 1984 Seth Braunstein P Kira Joel (AC ‘04) Jonathan Nulman (AC ‘08) Charles Thau Graduates Deborah & Jonathan David P Tamar & Jonathan Croog P with Rabbi Jonathan Kroll and Dr. Rivka Schwartz and, Cynthia (AC ‘04) & Shana & Binyamin Krauss P Hadassah & Meir Lewis P Evan Kollander Oliver Schwalbe Shoshana & David Noble Jodi & Alan Friedman Debbie & Akiva Block Harvey Augenbraun Orit & Stephen Smith P Ilana & Ari Milstein P • Community, Covenant and Covid: A Conversation about Lily Wilf & Noam Mintz Benjamin Shenwick (AC ‘08) High School Class of 2017 Debby & Bruce Prince P Talia & Alen Gollender P Avigail Sugarman & (Salanter ‘61) Stephanie & Shachar Jamie Schneider Schwartz Lizzy Brenner (AC ‘08) & Deb Benovitz-Tepler & Sharon & Raphael Sasson P Menachem Danishefsky P Taharat HaMishpacha with Dr. Rivka Schwartz and Ms. Bracha Eisenstat (AC ‘13) Hadassah & Harvey Bennett Academy Class of 1985 Minkove P (AC ‘04) & Akiva Schwartz Sam (HS ‘08) Zakay Mendy Tepler Dahlia Adler & Yoni Fisch Devora Goldstein (Akiba ‘63) Maya Bernstein & Noam Shuli Taubes. Rachel Varon & Jacob Orlee Levin Maxwell Gross David A. Goldberg David Becker Silverman P Academy Class of 1994 Dector High School Class of 2013 Academy Class of 1979 Jessica Bartel & Ethan Ezra Hermann (Salanter ‘47) Ardra & Paul Belitz P Elana & Avi Spira P Leora Yasgur (AC ‘04) Petra Cecilia Lopez Becher & Zadoff P Orly Arbit Benjamin May (AC ‘13) Debbie & Menachem Merel Shani & Moshe Gold Judy & Marc Berger P Michelle & Robert Zellner P Together with Machon Siach, this year we launched Lizzy Brenner (AC ‘08, HS Saul Becher P Mollie & Matt (AC ‘09) Allison Sherman (AC ‘13) (Salanter ‘69) Francesca & Scott Cindy Bernstein P ‘12) & Sam Zakay Noa Jeselsohn & Yitzie Blau Anat Barber & Avi Bloom P Academy Class of 1999 the Machon Siach Graduate Fellowship (SGF) program, Landes Atira Zeitchik (AC ‘13) Evelyn Rubin-Houpt Goldenberg P Academy Class of 1992 Sara & Laurence Hasson P Yonina Levin (AC ‘09) (Akiba ‘61) Yael & Neil Wasserman P Abigail & Ari Glass P conceived as an opportunity for young professionals, together High School Class of 2009 Samantha Brinn Merel & Tali & Yechiel Broder P Tamar Lindenbaum High School Class of 2018 Phyllis & Herbert Charles Shulie Rubin-Hochstadt & Dana & Marc Jason P Daniel Hochstadt P David Merel P Sara & Mark Lerner P with SAR faculty members and guest speakers, to engage in Jonathan Greenberg (AC ‘05) Jeremy Sherman (AC ‘09) Schulberg (Salanter ‘47) Academy Class of 1980 Deborah & Jonathan Bina Aaronson (AC ‘14) Debra May P Regina Spektor Yael Schiller Martin & Rachel Friedman & Rebecca Sichel Kahan P text study, conversation, and reflection on topics confronting Sara Goldstein Paulette & Jeff Morris P Elana & Mark Weinberger P Jonathan Martin P Aminadav Grossman Isaac Stein (AC ‘09) Academy Class of 1973 Barbara Sopher & Shari & Uri Kanovsky P Naama Kobrin (AC ‘14) Daniel Pulver Sarah Nattel & Jack Zev Daniel Harelick P Nomi & Akiva Roseman P the American Modern Orthodox community, with an eye toward Talya Lisker Gil Ehrenkranz Academy Class of 1987 Academy Class of 1995 Shoshana & Wayne Samuels (AC ‘05) Hait High School Class of 2014 Rebecca Michelman & Erin Leib Smokler & Daniel Sophia Samuels Shimrit Hait & JJ continuing to develop their intellectual and religious identities. Kelila Kahane (AC ‘05) James Kosakow P Smokler P Sarah Cate & Leonard Rachel Ashe Academy Class of 1974 Hudi & Lawrence Askowitz P Schmuckler P Erin Fortgang (AC ‘05) & Ariel & Joshua Weiner P Glickman P Tova Goldstein High School Class of 2019 Ilana Gordon & Avi Daniel Weiner • Under the leadership of Zev Hait (AC ‘05, HS ‘09) and Eli Ollech (AC ‘02) P Academy Class of 1981 Danielle & Yaakov Liss ß Yonatan Israel Marcy Goldstein & Eran Bernstein P Samantha & Daniel Wiener P Shelby (AC ‘05) & Alex Reich Academy Class of 1993 Bat-Sheva & Jonathan Yarone Tokayer (AC ‘05, HS ‘09), Fellowship Co-Directors, Aaron Liberman (AC ‘10) Gavriel Kaplan Bellin Allison & Jonathan Bellin P Sema Goldstein Rachel Rothfeld Stayman Maslow P Samuel Marcus (AC ‘10) Eliana Schochet Elisheva Rothstein & Adina & Adam Kahn P Lesley & Mark Belkin P Academy Class of 2000 the first cohort of SGF included 11 alumni from the classes (AC ‘05) Michal & Yaniv Schiller P Ben Ottenstein (AC ‘10) Hannah Vorchheimer Ira Kalfus Academy Class of 1982 Shifra & S. Weinstein Allyson Fishman P Alex Steinberg Shifra Landowne & Matthew Noah Falkenstein of 2008 - 2014 and a total of 22 participants. Bella & Barry Weintraub Yarone Tokayer (AC ‘05) Amy Michelman & Schneider P Miryam & Jonathan Fiskus P Joshua Trachtenberg Eliran Isaacson P Anna & Elisha Fredman • See the Machon Siach Year in Review for more details. Academy Class of 1975 Aaron Wilner Chani & Daniel Oshinsky Academy Class of 1996 Etan Zapinsky High School Eve & David Farber Naomi Schorsch Academy Class of 2001 Abbie & Moshe Greenberg Danielle (AC ‘83) & Sarah & Joshua Blechner P 100 Alumni Community Alan Wasserman Steven Thau P Sarah & Yoni Goodman Lael & Jonathan Seplowitz P High School Class of 2010 Living in Israel Tamar Schiller Hakimi & Caryn Keller & Isaac Shira (AC ‘06) & Isaac Hakimi P Academy Class of 1976 Academy Class of 1983 Silverstein P Being out of school for a few Zachary Baratz P Michelle (AC ‘97) & Rachel Belfer Alumni Currently Debby Ziering & Steven Naomi Dreisinger & Rafi Halpert P Academy Class of 2002 Yael Bellin (AC ‘06) Markowitz Avi Fischer P Jonah Heilman years, I missed having a 20 Serving in the IDF Franni Bernstein (AC ‘06) Rachel Gelband Alison & Isaac Judd Aviva Wilner & Daniel Jackie Cohen & Academy Class of 1977 Tamar Bezborodko & Gordon P dedicated space in my life with the Oren Charnoff Jeremy Horowitz P Joe Teplow (AC ‘05, Zoe Heisler (AC ‘06, Academy Class of 1997 Erin Fortgang (AC ‘05 HS Total Alumni from Suzanne Waltman & Martin Talya (AC ‘06) & Mark Douek Mishaela Rubin & Jeffrey HS ‘09) at the annual HS ‘10) was SAR’s ‘09) & Eli Ollech P High School Friedman Michelle & Rafi (AC ‘96) same group of people to discuss and Elisha Friedman (AC ‘06) 1530 HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL Rubenstein P SAR Guardian Circle ten-year anniversary REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL Rachel & Jay Jubas Cindy & Jonathan Sherman Halpert P Academy Class of 2003 Donny Greenberg (AC ‘06) Ellen & Dean Ungar P process issues related to my religious Zoe Heisler (AC ‘06) Danielle & Steven (AC ‘82) Dinner discussing alumni speaker at the Teri & Harold Rosengarten P Alumni on Shana Thau P the personal and HS’s 2020 graduation Sara Fredman Aliza Kahn Academy Class of 1978 Sarah & Michael Heller Benjamin Laufer Aleph Gap Year Stephanie & Jonathan professional impact of ceremony. Academy Class of 1998 P and community life.” 119 Tropper P Max Hockley Hillel Neumark (or 86% of Class of 2020) Adrienne Cooper & his SAR education. Sarah Roer-Bendheim & Sarah Sichel Arthur Adler Etan Bendheim P SGF YOUNG PROFESSIONAL PARTICIPANT Rebecca Skolnick (AC ‘06) & SAR ACADEMY SAR & SAR ACADEMY SAR 22 23 WE SALUTE OUR OFFICERS, VOLUNTEERS! BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND COMMITTEES כל נדיב לבו יביאה — SAR APPRECIATES YOUR GENEROSITY
SAR PARENT GR. 11 PARENT SOCIAL EVENING 2020-2021 Polina Liberman 2019-2020 Diana Zanger & Noah Berkowitz, Hosts David Lieberman ASSOCIATION (PA) OFFICERS 2019-2020 Nathan Lindenbaum HIGH SCHOOL LIAISON JUNIOR COLLEGE NIGHT Ludwig Jesselson z”l, Founding Jennifer Paradise COMMITTEE Chairman, Board of Trustees Malki Bernstein, Sarah Roer- Careena Parker 9th Grade - Tali Rosenblatt Cohen, Hudi Askowitz (AC ‘87), Alice Lebowitz, Ludwig Bravmann, Chairman, Board of Bendheim, Academy Chairs Daniel Perla Danielle Thau (AC ‘83) Chairs Trustees Sara Blechner, Dana Jason (AC ‘92), Ruth Raskas 10th Grade - Josh Duitz, Liat Karsch Committee: Rachel Brody, Deborah Jack C. Bendheim, President High School Chairs Bruce Schanzer 11th Grade - Hudi Askowitz (AC ‘87), Cooperman, Michael Cooperman, Michael Jesselson, Vice President Deborah Shapira Chair Diana Gitig, Sherri Libin, Deborah North, Spencer Waxman, Vice President Vladimir Shendelman Laurel Hecht, Ruth Raskas Sonia Roitman, Matthew Schneider, Joshua Weiner (AC ‘92), Vice President AC BOOK FAIR Jennifer Smith 12th Grade - Michael Appel, Susie Paris & Harry Stulbach Esther Sperber, Felecia Stern, Adrienne Stephen Neuwirth, Treasurer We extend our heartfelt Ellie Goldenberg, Jill Goldfein, Barbara Sopher (AC ’80) Charendoff Goldfeder Turok Abe Eisenstat, Secretary appreciation to the brilliant Michelle Zellner (AC ‘91), Chairs Noah Weisberger FINANCE COMMITTEE Jonathan N. Wiener Dana Jason (AC ‘92) for her SAR ACADEMY EVENTS NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHTS, A BOARD OF TRUSTEES Stephen Neuwirth, Chair SAR ACADEMY BOARD OF AC CARING COMMUNITY Alyssa Wilk Sandy Kahn, Vice Chair three years of service as the GRAND CONVERSATION IN YOUR Barry Aranoff EDUCATION Etan Bendheim (AC ’98) HS Parent Association (PA) INITIATIVE CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATION COMMUNITY Hudi Askowitz (AC ’87) AUDIT COMMITTEE Deborah David (AC ‘78), Chair Jack C. Bendheim Leanne Levin, Frederique Small, Ariel Weiner, Volunteer Elana & Edan Nayowitz, Bergen County Harvey Beker Dr. Giti Bendheim co-chair. She significantly Adam Ingber, Chair Arthur Green Volunteers Hosts Dr. Harvey Bennett Tamar Eisenstat broadened the number of Barry Aranoff Faye Landes Committee: Cori Ann Robinson & Gavi (Akiba ’68) Melanie Levy Fagelson opportunities for parents to ELC PAJAMA NIGHT Noah Weisberger Dr. Teena Lerner HS ADMISSIONS PARENT Belino, Sarette & David Hornblass, Tamar Croog (AC ’91) Menachem Frommer Tal Bouskila, Jessica Jesselson, Chairs Jennifer Paradise engage with SAR and instituted AMBASSADORS Louisa & Josh Kalish, Beth & Kevin Deborah David (AC ’78) INVESTMENT COMMITTEE Michal Geller Ari Glass Bruce Schanzer Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg several new programs Hudi Askowitz (AC ‘87) Sklar, Alyson & Tzvi Small, Aliza & Craig Joshua Weiner (AC ’92), Chair ENRICHMENT CLUSTERS Arthur Green Noah Weisberger Yosef Helft benefiting our students. Sophia Hershman Solomon Harvey Beker Jessica Haller, Volunteer Adam Ingber Ben Prager Ayala Helft Ardra Belitz Dana Jason (AC ’92) Donna Rudolph Gita Lisker Tali Rosenblatt-Cohen & Sender Cohen, Jack C. Bendheim Howard Jonas Kuty Shalev Robyn Samuels GRADE 1 SIDDUR SPARKS Manhattan Hosts Ludwig Bravmann Nathan Kahn Esther Sperber Chani Teigman Leora & Ari Perl, Hosts Committee: Jane & Jay Blumenstein, Sender Cohen Faye Landes Nicole Molofsky-Strongin Danielle Thau (AC ‘83) Esther Sperber & Bruce Goldberger Michael Jesselson Josh Landes Ariel Weiner LEARNING TO LOOK, VISUAL ARTS Vered Kellner & Joseph Cedar, Sarah Fay Landes Dr. Larry Lerner Robbie Zellner SAR SPIRITWEAR PROGRAM Zitter Milstein & Stuart Milstein, Daniel Perla Michelle & Yehuda Sarna, Paris & Harry Ari Rennert Yael Fraenkel, Cecily Marbach AC: Meira Werblowsky, Chair Stulbach HS: Sara Blechner, Chair Oberstein, Chairs Simone & Mark Semer, Westchester SAR WOMEN’S FLYWHEEL EVENT: NAMES, NOT NUMBERS Hosts IN MEMORIAM CYCLE & BARRE ADMINISTRATION 2020-2021 Debby Ziering, Coordinator and Committee: Hudi (AC ‘87) & Lawrence Sophia Hershman, Chair Sponsor Askowitz, Aviva & David Mann, Elana DAVID LANDES & Shami Minkove, Elana & Avi Spira, Husband of Faye Landes, SAR Board of Trustees ADDITIONAL PARENT POWER OF WORDS DAY Shlomit & Arnon Storfer BUSINESS OFFICE & TECHNOLOGY Father of Chana (AC ‘97) (and Rusik Jennifer Fenster, Founder and Chair Debra May (AC ’85) Welcome to Sophia Hershman ASSOCIATION PROGRAMS Mundhe), Yitz (AC ‘02) (and Daphi), Matt PROSPECTIVE PARENTS Executive Director (AC ‘09, HS 13) (and Mollie), and Adir (former AC PA Chair) and Alyson NEIGHBORHOOD PARLOR MEETING Pearl Magence AC CHESED WEEK SAR HIGH SCHOOL Landes (AC ‘14, HS ‘18) Small, who join Sara Blechner as the Director of Finance HOSTS: SEPTEMBER 2019 coming year’s PA Chairs. EVENTS Nick Fadda Amanda & Hillel Parness, Englewood Director of Facilities RABBI FRED ELIAS CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATION Adina & Marc Dolfman, Manhattan Joanne (AC ‘88) & Barry Aranoff, New DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Husband of Michelle Elias Ariel Weiner, Volunteer Rochelle Father of Kayla (HS ‘23) and Eitan Elias Heidi Greenbaum Estee & Mayer Waxman, Queens Director of Development FEBRUARY 2020 CLASS OF 2020 SENIOR SEND-OFF Ruth & Nigel Ohrenstein, Riverdale SAR HIGH SCHOOL Sara Hasson Susie Charendoff, Danielle Thau (AC ‘83), Danielle (AC ‘83) & Steven Thau (AC ‘82), MARILYN SOPHER Rabbi Tully Harcsztark Associate Director of Development Volunteers Stamford Longtime member, SAR Board of Trustees Principal; Dean, Machon Siach SAR ACADEMY Heidi Kane Manager, Community Engagement Mother of Barbara Sopher (AC ‘80) Rabbi Jonathan Kroll Rabbi Binyamin Krauss (AC ’84) (and Dan Harelick), Jonathan (AC ‘82) Lauren Katz Principal Principal (and Aviva) Sopher, Lisa Sopher (AC ‘91) Alyson Small at the Challah Bake Director of Alumni Relations (and Jeremy Deutsch) Nancy Lerea Alana Rifkin Gelnick Tami Tropper FEBRUARY 2020 Associate Principal, Director of Associate Principal, ELC Development Associate AC & HS CHAGIGA FEATURING Admissions, Emerita Beth Pepper INA PRETSFELDER SIMCHA LEINER, RECORDING 2020 ANNUAL REPORT Lisa Schlaff Associate Principal, General Studies Her family were among the founders ARTIST Director of Judaic Studies Sharon Richter Heidi Kane of SAR and always remained dedicated Gloria Schneider Associate Principal, Judaic Studies Editor supporters HIGH SCHOOL | 2020 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL REPORT ANNUAL | 2020 HIGH SCHOOL Dr. Gillian Steinberg HS PARENT PAINT NIGHT OUT Director of General Studies Mother of Gary Pretsfelder (and Nina Rebecca Ostro Nagata Contributing Editor Bruder), Steven Pretsfelder (and Barbara Dr. Rivka Press Schwartz Associate Principal, Middle School Ahlgrim Design Group Gochberg), and Evy Gottlieb SAR RABBI WILLIAM Z. & EDA BESS Associate Principal, General Studies Design Grandmother of Tali (AC ‘06), Maya (AC NOVICK Z”L YOM HAATZMAUT Rabbi Daniel Kroll Jane Haslam ‘10, HS ‘14 ), Yonah (AC ‘17, HS ‘21), and Avi Sophia Hershman at Colonial Day CELEBRATION Sara Blechner, HS PA Malki Berstein, AC PA Etan Bendheim (AC ‘98) Assistant Principal Photography (HS ‘23) Pretsfelder and Sara Roer-Bendheim, JULY 2020
& SAR ACADEMY SAR AC PA Chair & SAR ACADEMY SAR On the last day of school, in awe of my children’s teachers and the educators I feel blessed to call colleagues. You shepherded our children through uncertain times with grace, creativity, and love. You held a mirror to their fears and refracted back their courage and dignity. You rendered zoom squares into a diverse and beautiful mosaic. You created space for their fears and hopes, disappointments and jokes. You found moments to celebrate; you fostered joy. You anchored their day with meaning and community. You laughed at their whimsy, but never at their dreams. Today may be cloudy, but tomorrow the sun shines brightly.
Thank you. — Michelle Sarna, SAR PARENT AND GRADE 7 GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, JUNE 18, 2020
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL! JOIN US FOR SAR’S 52nd ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION @saracademyriverdale @sarhighschool THURSDAY EVENING, @sarstingreport JANUARY 14TH
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SAR ACADEMY SAR HIGH SCHOOL Jesselson Campus Dedicated to the Memory of JJ Greenberg z”l 655 West 254th Street 503 West 259th Street Riverdale, NY 10471 Riverdale, NY 10471 718.548.1717 718.548.2727 www.saracademy.org www.sarhighschool.org
If this report is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Development Office at 718.548.1717 x1275 with the correct mailing address.