When the pandemic continued into a second school year, all our religious school volunteers knew their tasks would be less personal and more challenging than in previous years. Yet the community met the challenge and conducted school in a caring and effective manner. It is time to recognize these people.
Thank you to our phenomenal teachers: Molly Curran-Rowles, Jordan Peck, Lauren Springer, Cindy Stein, Edie Harriman, Jen Harriman, Rosie Saffer-Meng, Alana Katz, Danielle Sanokklis, Milo Sannoklis, Wendy Hayes, Josh Ottow, Toby Rosenberg, Lowell Turnbull, Julie Dubovsky, Stacey Jenkins, Catherine Share, Andrew Kosak, Russell Kaback, and Rabbi Saks.
We give thanks to Ivan Gonzalez, who played a vital role in technology this year. He assured smooth entry, transitions, and running of Zoom classes, Zoom services, and Zoom activities. We already miss his great attitude and tech knowledge!
We appreciate the rest of the Bet Ha’am staff, including Chris Skidgel for maintaining our building during the pandemic, Rachel Lefkowitz for constantly making herself available for assistance, Karen Hindall for maintaining the calendar and assisting in unprecedented ways, Teri Berenson for bookkeeping and maintaining school records, and Rabbi Saks for his leadership, guidance, and inspiration.
Our youth advisor Andrea Levinsky kept our teens involved with interactive online activities throughout the pandemic, which kept students engaged outside school.
We appreciated the helping hand from substitute teachers, including Hannelore Sanokklis, Sarah Szanton, Jordan Peck, Rosie Saffer-Meng, and Josh Ottow.
Our curriculum was enriched by guest speakers Lisa Cohen, Sassie Yona, Kate Siegel, Joe Kantor, Kat Violette, and Rabbi Stacey Blank.
Many volunteers stepped up to provide teacher appreciation, including Marin Magat, Martin Lodish, Jill Rosenthal, Andrea Krasker Gavin, Alana Katz, Jen Polisner, Magda Alen, Jon Stavis, Mike Kleinman, David Ginsburg, and Julia Bailin.
The education committee supports me in running the religious school. Andrea Krasker Gavin chaired the committee, supported by Wendy Hayes, Karli Efron, Catherine Share, Rachel Beninati, Eva Balog, Jen Polisner, and Ashley DiPietro.
We appreciate our b’nei mitzvah tutors from the last year: Ellie Miller, Sharon Newman, Dan Rose, Avis Smith, Julia Ostrov, Sarah Szanton, Rachel Stamieszkin, Amy Starr, Cantor Sheila Nesis, Russell Kaback, and Wendy Hayes.
I am sure I missed several names. Each week, behind the scenes or in obvious places, our community comes together and makes this school happen. Thank you again for all you do, and I look forward to your support in 2021-22.
Registration will soon open for the next school year, and we have several teaching and volunteering slots available. Please email me if you are interested!