Kol Bogrei February 2013 ~ Shevat-Adar-5773 Rambam Page 1 of 5 Connecting Maimonides Alumni Worldwide

Kol Bogrei Rambam is the Alumni Council’s monthly e-newsletter for and about Maimonides School graduates. Each month we share infor- mation on individual graduates’ ventures and accomplishments, as well as general news notes, all reflecting the school’s mission of preparing educated, observant Jews to be contributing members of society. Your ideas and accomplishments will help sustain and strengthen this key communications tool; please forward to [email protected].

Alumni Celebrate School and Each Other at Massive Gathering in

by Sarah Bronson ‘90 Out of Maimonides’ 1,800 alumni, almost Feb. 10 was a historic day for 250 —a full 14 percent Maimonides School, as 225 alumni, — have made aliyah, former faculty members, and friends and as indicated by of the school gathered for an all- their remarkable school reunion — the first to be held attendance at the in . reunion, they were The reception, at the Menachem hungry for a way to Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, connect with their was held in honor of Maimonides alma mater. Addi- School’s 75th anniversary, at the tionally, 41 members initiation of a group of alumni who of the Class of 2012 live in Israel. The organizers origi- are in Israel this year nally thought the event would draw studying at yeshivot Medinah (Katchen) Korn ‘94, left, and Sarah Bronson ‘90 “perhaps 40” participants, but so and seminaries. many dozens of alumni and friends Alumni drove in from Citybook Services, and formerly served registered, the planners decided as far north as Ma’alot in the Galilee and as chief of staff to Natan Sharansky and to rent the Begin Center’s spacious Ra’anana on the northern coast, and as the director of The Jerusalem Project. auditorium as well as its reception from Sderot on the southern coast, just In his opening remarks, he said that space — a problem, as noted by Rabbi to see old friends and reconnect with a the fact that such a large percentage David Shapiro in his remarks, “that is taste of “the Old Country.” “of our school’s alumni live in Israel wonderful to have.” speaks volumes about Maimonides,” to Mordechai (Maurice) de a response of thunderous applause from la Fuente ’65 said that the audience. he encountered “people I haven’t seen in 45 or 50 Kazhdan introduced a special video years — wow! It’s very produced for the occasion, showing interesting to see what photos submitted by participants. The people have made of photos were shown in chronological themselves. ‘Unbeliev- order, and as the eras represented able’ is the word of the changed, the pictures drew cheers day.” De la Fuente made from alumni of different ages. There aliyah in 1984 and now was particularly enthusiastic applause lives in Ra’anana. for photos of Rabbi and Mrs. Cohn and Rabbi and Mrs. Wohlgemuth, of blessed After the participants memory. had a chance to mingle, the formal program was Kazhdan’s references to Mike Rosenberg led by Elie Kazhdan and to the Blizzard of 1978 also drew ’86, who is the CEO of cheers, as did his reference to Rabbis Jessica Shrayber ‘12 (left), Yael Shapiro and Penina Seigel (right) continued on page 4 Visit Maimonides on Facebook Follow our Twitter feed, KolRambam Subscribe to our YouTube channel, MaimoTube Kol Bogrei February 2013 ~ Shevat-Adar-5773 Rambam Page 2 of 5 Connecting Maimonides Alumni Worldwide Chaplaincy at Oxford Challenging and Rewarding, 1997 Graduate Says Hannah Braune-Friedman ’97 says when serious anti-Israel and/or there is something familiar about the anti-Semitic occurrences take traditional students with whom she place,” Hannah said. Recently works at Oxford University. “They the university has been in the remind me of many of my peers from news as the Boycott, Divest- high school. They are intellectual, a ment and Sanctions movement little shy, and very kind.” has attempted to enlist student support. Hannah and her husband, Rabbi Daniel Braune-Friedman, have served as “We have the privilege of Oxford’s Jewish chaplains for three- working with incredible and-a-half years. They met as under- students from all over the graduates at the University of Massa- world — and feeding them!” chusetts, Amherst. Hannah continued. “I have been humbled by how many of them Now they work for University Jewish are true mensches, especially Rabbi Daniel and Hannah Braune-Friedman and Eliana. The Chaplaincy, an independent charity the Rhodes Scholars.” Braune-Friedman Family also includes a seven-month old with a role similar to the Orthodox son and brother, Ze’ev. Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on As a social worker, she said, “I was Campus in the U.S. “UJC places rabbin- a bit daunted by my role here “I think some of this relates to a ical couples on campuses throughout when I first arrived, and I have really fear of anti-Semitism and some to a the to provide for enjoyed becoming an informal Jewish culture that views religion as some- Jewish students at universities,” educator. The relationships that I thing personal and not an identity to Hannah explained. have been able to build with Oxford disclose too publicly,” she surmised. students have been an inspiring expe- The Oxford student community “Unfortunately, this lack of openness rience for my own professional and includes about 500 registered Jewish causes a lot of ignorance in various personal growth.” students, “but we estimate that ways and at times leads to more number to be higher,” Hannah said. Hannah noted that a major chal- anti-Semitism.” The chaplains offer a broad range of lenge at Oxford, and living in the UK This attitude “certainly makes our work services to students, from educational in general, “is that folks are not open with students all the more important,” programming to social activities to about being Jewish. There have been she said. “In any case, I am much more welfare programs. a number of instances in the past appreciative of growing up as a Jewish four years when we have come across “We also act as the official chaplains American and I no longer take for students and adults who do not auto- for Jewish students on campus, granted that most Jews are openly and matically disclose that they are Jewish.” intervening at the university level proudly Jewish.”

Members of the Maimonides Class of 2006

(and two spouses) pose during a mini-

reunion thaty took place in during

Chanukah: from left, Evan Levine, Tova

(Stark) Levine, Rachel (Epstein) Klausner

‘07, Moshe Klausner, Bezalel Haberman-

Browns, Ezra Waxman, Reuven Kawesch,

and Moti Tufeld. Kol Bogrei February 2013 ~ Shevat-Adar-5773 Rambam Page 3 of 5 Connecting Maimonides Alumni Worldwide A Football Odyssey: From the Maimonides Courtyard to Israel’s Hall of Fame

Dvir Weinberg ’96 needed 20 years “Dvir also was a member of the Israel by Brookline’s Kraft family, included to travel from the trenches of the National Team from 2007-2011, and more than 50 teams this year. “Most Maimonides School courtyard to the proudly represented Israel at two of the yeshivas have one team, and esteemed American Football in Israel World Championships, the European there are a number of Israeli teams. Hall of Fame — an There are well over 500 unlikely journey, but a players,” Dvir said. gratifying one. Hall of Fame members Dvir was inducted can remain active, but during ceremonies on Dvir, 34, acknowledges Motza’ei Shabbat, Feb. that “my body can’t 15, during halftime do what it did 10 years of the AFI champion- ago and I’m consid- ship game. He is one ering retirement.” of only 35 athletes A research analyst who honored this way, and works out of his home the recognition is well- in Efrat, Dvir plans deserved, according to spend more time to Dovi Rabinowitz, a with his wife Zehava former Maimonides and their five children, student who serves including four girls. as spokesman for “There’s a women’s the AFI Hall of Fame Dvir and Zehava Weinberg and family trek Mount Hermon league, and a lot of Selection Conclave. girls here are really into As a youngster in Malden, baseball Championships, and several interna- it,” Dvir said. He said if he practices was Dvir’s passion. But football was tional tournaments.” In May 2007, he with his daughters, “maybe someday the primary sport on the Maimonides joined other members of the national they’ll be able to play at a high level courtyard in the 1990s. “That’s what team to play an exhibition game in like I did, thank God.” we did during our breaks — we Gillette Stadium to highlight a New played tackle football,” Dvir remem- England Celebrates Israel program. bered. “And we didn’t hold anything Dvir said that in his career he scored back. We played in any weather; Senior Thesis Published more than 100 touchdowns at wide I’d come home covered in mud.” receiver and totaled more than 100 Benjy’s Katz’s 2012 Maimonides (The courtyard is now covered with interceptions as a defensive back. He senior thesis has been published in synthetic turf.) has played on several teams, most the current issue of Avotaynu maga- His experience with AFI, which is a flag recently Jerusalem-based Big Blue, zine, the world’s largest circulation football program, began during his which won the Israel Bowl champion- publication devoted to Jewish gene- two post-graduate years at Yeshivat ship in 2010. He also has been named alogy. Benjy’s research was a continu- HaKotel. After graduating from to the league’s new all-star game. ation of his grandfather Stephen Yeshiva University in 2000 he made Denker’s efforts to determine whether “I have to say that playing every break aliyah — and returned to the league. their family is related to that of Rabbi in the courtyard with my classmates Dr. Joseph Soloveitchik, zt”l, founder “Dvir has been a perennial All Star Nahum Palefski, Elisha Blechner, of Maimonides School. Benjy’s thesis throughout his 14 seasons,” Rabi- Steve Shimshak, Raphy Savitz and concluded that more information is nowitz declared. “He played primarily all the other guys really prepared me,” needed for a certain determination. at cornerback and receiver, while also he stated. “Several circumstantial clues exist, but filling in ably at virtually every other The league, which plays all of its none provides a direct connection,” position, including quarterback.“ games in the Jerusalem stadium built he wrote. Kol Bogrei February 2013 ~ Shevat-Adar-5773 Rambam Page 4 of 5 Connecting Maimonides Alumni Worldwide

Alumni Gathering in Israel, continued from page 1 Simon, Cohn, and Wohlgemuth as foremost a gambler,” Rabbi “giants of Torah and of Kevod Habriyot.” Rubin said. “He had bet that Jewish children in America Alumni representing three different could become knowledge- eras of the school took to the podium able in Torah. He jumped to reminisce. Rabbi Yitzchak Rubin ’56 in like Nachshon into was a member of Maimonides’ fourth Dorchester and Roxbury high school graduating class. Among to start a religious co-ed school, and bring in faculty from famous yeshivot.” “The school faced two obstacles when it was founded,” Rubin noted. Adena (Polen) Mayer ‘01 and Yael (Malkin) Halevi ‘01 “One was the Depression. The other was gaining the Maimonides president emeritus. Elie trust of parents to enroll their children. now lives in Alon Shvut, south of Jeru- My neighbors told my parents that salem. “We are here tonight not just to enrolling me in Maimonides would celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary be a monumental mistake. They said, or to see old faces,” he said, “we are also ‘You’ll ghettoize him. He won’t speak here to say thank you for the cocoon we English. He won’t know how to live all have inside of us called Maimonides with goyim.’ Well, I’m happy to say that, School.” Baruch Hashem, I speak English, I lecture The final graduate to speak was a new to Christian groups, and I don’t live in a alumna, Tess Niewood ’12, who is ghetto.” Yehudit (Wolf) Green ‘55 and her daughter, Raeli studying this year at Migdal Oz on her Elie Gertel ’91 remembered way to the University of Pennsylvania. Maimonides as a “safe haven,” a place “I finished Maimonides not only with a his many accomplishments are two that represents “childhood and home” great five-year plan,” she said, “but also MAs and a PhD. He served as an army for everyone gathered. Gertel is the son with pride to be a Maimonides graduate. chaplain during the Vietnam War, made of Harvey and Reva Gertel ’68, and I cannot spell it without cheering the aliyah in 1978, and was a long-time the grandson of Abraham Levovitz, z”l, letters and adding ‘Let’s go!’ ” member of the Rabbinical Council of continued on page 5 America, for whom he facilitated conver- sions. He is now a tour guide in Israel, focusing on Christian groups. “Maimonides graduates are a unique group of people,” he said. “We may be separate from each other in decades, but we share our identities as living testimony that Rav Soloveitchik did not spend his time in vain.” He remembered entering Maimonides in 1942 as one of 14 kindergarten children, of whom six eventually graduated from the high school, and reminisced about the role of Bnei Akiva in the school, and about the Rav’s shiurim. “Only years later did I realize that Rav Members of the Class of 1976: from left, Mindy Schimmel , Elihu Stone, Renee (Blechner) Hirsch, Esti Soloveitchik, the scholar, was first and (Hoelzel) Gross, Judy (Thaler) Lev, Esther (Rubin) Bernstein Kol Bogrei February 2013 ~ Shevat-Adar-5773 Rambam Page 5 of 5 Connecting Maimonides Alumni Worldwide

Alumni Gathering in Israel, continued from page 4

Niewood reminisced in particular about from 1940-1978 (mention the value of her extracurricular activities, of Mrs. Pollen drew audible through which she learned “how to act “aaaaaw”s from older alumni) in a way that is a kiddush Hashem,” and about how they could scrape said “I will never lose my title of ‘Maimo together money to pay the kid.’ Maimonides gave me a history to teachers. “All we heard in our cherish, and a community that I can be house was ‘payroll,’ ‘Mrs. Pollen,’ proud of.” and ‘Maimonides’,” Dr. Lichten- stein said. “We were jealous of After the remarks by alumni, the podium this other child, Maimonides, was turned over to Dr. Tovah Lichten- Members of he Class of 1974, from left: Daniella (Peyser) because we children just had Teutsch, Debra Weiner, Jay Solomont, Donny Gopen stein, who entered Maimonides in 1940, to be fed three times a day, but moved on before the high school was Maimonides had to be paid (Halbfinger) Tal, z”l, of the Class of 1976, established — and is the daughter every Friday.” and her father, long-time community of Rav Soloveitchik. She confirmed leader Rabbi Abraham Halbfinger, z”l. Rabbi Rubin’s memories about parents Finally, Rabbi Shapiro, who led the who refused to send their children to school as assistant principal, principal, After the remarks, the scores of alumni Maimonides because they were and friends of Maimonides all living in afraid of “ghettoizing” their kids, Israel sang Hatikvah together – one of and acknowledged the extraor- many powerful moments during an dinary courage of the founding event that displayed, as Rabbi Shapiro parents, and their faith in her said, “a united dedication to Rav father. Soloveitchik’s values as we encoun- tered them at Maimonides School.” She also said that “many people don’t know that my mother Alumni agreed afterward that it objected to the founding of the had been a special evening, and school at first. Not for the same a meaningful chance to reflect on reasons as other members of Maimonides’ place in the Jewish world the Jewish community at the and in the lives of its graduates. time, but because she felt it was Elie Gertel ‘91, left, and former student Yehuda Solomont “Would my parents have ever imag- financially irresponsible. It took ined that the school would celebrate my mother longer to overcome her and then rosh yeshiva between 1974 its 75th anniversary?” Rebbetzin Lichten- objections to the fiscal problems.” and 2011, gave a dvar Torah. In a moving stein had asked. “I don’t think they did. Rabbanit Lichtenstein remembered the moment, when he walked onto the They needed a school, and so they did daily phone calls between her mother stage, those seated in the auditorium what they had to do. But after a while, a and Mary Pollen, executive secretary silently stood up in a display of respect school takes on a life of its own. I think for their former teacher, they would be very proud of the school, principal and rosh yeshiva. and of all the ‘children’ that they have.” He noted that it was Rosh Sarah Bronson ‘90 is a marketing writer for Chodesh Adar, and that The Jewish Agency for Israel, and a part-time the Maimonides reunion freelance journalist. Her work has appeared in echoed the themes of The New York Times, Glamour, The New York social cohesiveness and Jewish Week, The London Jewish Chronicle, Jewish unity highlighted and dozens of other Jewish and general publi- by Purim. cations. She made aliyah in 2003 and lives in Jerusalem. The gathering also paused to pay tribute to the recent passing of Bracha Marsha Razin, Stuart Razin ‘59 and Rabbi Yitzhack Rubin ‘56