Schechter Chai-lights is a brief monthly newsletter for parents of alumni, alumni, current families, and friends of Schechter connecting you to all things SSLI, the latest news, events and more.
We hope you will share your thoughts and stories with us.
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February 18, 2021 / 6 Adar 5781 |
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Ars gratia artis, art for the sake of art, is the well-known motto of Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) studios, the American media company founded by Jewish entrepreneur Marcus Loew. Nevertheless, I’m not sure if the underlying concept of ars gratia artis, namely that art serves nothing but itself, is a particularly Jewish idea. Indeed, proscriptions such as the commandment not to create a graven image have been posited as an excuse to devalue the arts more generally, suggesting that art can somehow promote idolatry. And yet that is surely an overreach. Indeed, the notion of hiddur mitzvah, the carrying out of a mitzvah in the most beautiful way possible, dictates much in our halachic and ritual world. It is why we try to purchase the most perfect etrog we can afford, why we create beautiful ketubot, mezuzot and other ritual objects, why our religious services are filled with song and music, and importantly why so many prominent visual artists, musicians and actors are Jews (far more than our numbers would predict).
In Western culture and within the American education system the status of the arts has unfortunately been in decline for some time. Among many educators, arts education is at best viewed as an accompaniment to the “core” curriculum that we expect to be taught in schools. Although there has recently been some regaining of footing for the arts in education (due in large part to research that continues to prove their benefits for cognitive and social development), more and more schools are discarding their arts programs in favor of other initiatives and priorities.
As a professional musician myself, and someone for whom arts education was a critical part of my schooling, I am pleased that we at the Schechter School remain committed to the arts and arts education. Indeed, SSLI has always valued the creative and performance arts, and continues to take pride in the many contributions to the arts of our current students and alumni. This month, our Chai-Lights features that part of the Schechter tapestry, with columns written by former students who have pursued the arts beyond our doors. I hope you will be inspired by their stories as much as I.
B’todah uvizmrah (in grateful song),
Dr. Scott Sokol, Head of School
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We asked our performing and fine arts faculty to provide their thoughts on teaching during the
COVID-19 pandemic:
Feedback From Faculty
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Art in the Light of Pandemic
When you start a school year knowing what the potential stressors will be and not knowing when they will end, you have no choice but to be flexible and positive. For starters, the idea of losing an art room was somewhat devastating. Teach on a cart?? What would happen to the art program without a sink and not being able to use certain art materials? Those were just a couple of concerns. How would the K-12 art program be impacted by this pandemic’?
One of my essential goals in teaching, aside from skill development, is student success and independent growth as artists. Was this going to be impacted? I am one who steers away from ‘what if’ thinking but now found myself wondering about so many uncertainties.
In a time of uncertainty for each of us, this new world has taught us a great deal about coming together as human beings. Though we are still waiting for the rainbow after the storm, in a way, I feel we are amid something quite magical. We have come together at Schechter to meet the new challenges in education. Putting our students first, we have set proper guidelines, and all adapted to what needs to be a safe environment. There is some comfort in knowing that we all care for each other and are doing what we need to for all of us to succeed in educating and learning.
So, what does this mean for art education? What better time for children to be able to express themselves and feel good about creating. Art became more important than ever for students. It doesn’t matter that we are without an art room or that we have smaller table surfaces to work on. We create. We question, observe, and create something that would never have existed without us. This has been an opportunity for me to reflect on what the children really need right now. They need time to process what is still a new reality and ways to express themselves so they can become confident and feel good.
Some of the art covered this year revolved around love & happiness, rainbows, personal inspiration and bringing happiness to others. One of the works that students in all grade levels did was the happiness card project. Inspirational, joyful cards were made and delivered to elderly people in nursing homes. We discussed how essential this was, during this time, to reach out to those in need. It brought awareness of what these unfortunate circumstances have been like for the older people who aren’t able to see family or be involved with their social activities with friends. How so many are getting sick and some fighting for their lives. Art can have a great positive impact, not only on the person receiving but on the person, who is creating for someone else.
Feeling good is key! Learning through creative expression and thought processes is so essential at this moment. I feel fortunate to provide our students with opportunities to express and feel success.
The magic is the mystery, unseen to the naked eye. It is what we are all experiencing that will change us forever. We may not see it now but when the rainbow appears, it will all be clear.
-Joy Gatto
SSLI Art Educator K-12
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Every Wednesday morning, high school students, barely awake and coffee thermoses in hand, would descend to the music room to attend our weekly chorus rehearsal. At our 7:40 am start time, we’d be dragging our behinds but it never took long to get us perked up and by 8:20 we would be filled with oxygen, music, laughter, and the joy of singing with friends. The students would exit hurriedly, telling me they had a math test to take. I would be yelling from the bottom of the stairs, “But I need more time with you!” Wow, how I miss those days! There are no choirs this year. Not in high school and not in middle school either. ( Singing, it seems, expels too much breath.) And so this year began with major changes to both our music and drama programs. Music can provide us with so much comfort and stress reduction in these troubled times and ironically, we’ve had to cut back on precisely those activities. Those of you who know me, however, know that I am a mama bear, an attack dog, and a relentless fighter when it comes to providing arts opportunities for my students. So the show must go on, even during the pandemic!
Music class in middle school, as many of you will recall, was all about learning how to play the recorder. And before your mind takes you to off-key renditions of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, I wish to remind you that I am a pretty serious recorder player myself and regularly tell my students that “real” music has always been a part of the recorder repertoire. Moreover, I have always wanted my students to feel what it’s like to hold and play a musical instrument. Fast forward to this school year, and the recorder (which must not be played with a mask across your face) has been replaced by a ukulele. As a result, the entire middle school is now playing the ukulele. Some can even spell it! So in addition to critical thinking, davening skills, Judaic knowledge, and the promise to be a life-long learner, a graduate from the Schechter School of Long Island will be able to play the ukulele as well.
The drama club faced its own challenges this year but I knew from the get-go that I was not going to surrender to that Covid monster and that we would figure out a way to have a show no matter what. Only seven students were game enough this fall to give COVID - Drama Club a shot. Conveniently, this turned out to be the perfect number for the show we presented last November, The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead. It was originally conceived as a solo show for one woman playing seven different roles. We broke up the roles, divided the characters among the actors, and were able to produce a show that was structured so that only one actor was on stage at any given moment. The play worked beautifully and we were all so happy with the results and especially delighted by the fact that we were able to use the Long Island Children’s Museum as our fall venue. (The Museum theatre had no bookings all season, so it was wide open for us to use). Sadly, our audiences for both shows were very small: sixteen people was our largest crowd, even though we could safely have seated an audience of thirty-two. But we are pushing forward nonetheless and this spring will be presenting a new-ish musical entitled The Theory of Relativity. This is also a show that will lend itself to social distancing on stage and to taking all necessary precautions to keep everybody in the audience and on the stage safe and healthy. Rehearsals involve masks and shields and require actors to stay far apart from one another. Nor will there be any quick costume changes in cramped spaces or hordes of people on stage appearing together. As we like to joke at rehearsals, the CDC is directing the play this year, not me. But the important thing is that the show will go on. It’s sad enough that the seniors may have to forgo their prom and their trip to Israel, but I’ll be damned if they won’t get their final show before they graduate!
-Joan Cohen
Music and Drama Director
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Performing Arts at Schechter 2020-2021
In the Lower School at Schechter LI, the Arts hold a special place. Our children sing, dance, play instruments, and are eager to go on stage.
Every week we welcome Shabbat together with songs. Often, a grade is featured with a special presentation, as we gather, grades K-5, faculty, and parents. A few months into the year, kindergarten students ask me again and again- when will we "be on" for Kabbalat Shabbat?
Shiru Lo, Zimru Lo, these are words we live by. We sing in prayer, in celebration, in expressing feelings and hopes.
This year of course presents a challenge in many ways. We have limits on the number of people in a room, mask-wearing is a must, singing can be done following strict guidelines, many of us are often on zoom. It is not easy.
However, I will say that looking at our community, at our children who see music as a natural means of expression, this year has provided many opportunities. What I see is that children are digging deep into their creative souls, finding a way to do what they love, learning the art of thriving while experimenting with something new. They are learning the art of not giving up which in so many ways is the essence of being Jewish.
Our piano club students are learning virtually, and preparing for their participation in the NYSSMA Festival, same as every year; but this year, when they have their lesson, I often ask them "What would I say now, what would I mark in your music now, if I was sitting next to you?" They have become their own teacher, more independent, more empowered.
Our choir, the AriNotes, added their voices, as every year, to the Long Island celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. It was a virtual event of course, and we recorded our part outside, distanced, with masks, but singing with the same, if not more ardor.
Broadway, our musical theater program is in the final stages of an original play: Behind the Mask. Many lines and lyrics were contributed by our students. We work in school and on zoom, which gives the students the opportunity to truly show what is behind the mask! In the spring, when we can have a stage outdoors, we will showcase Mary Poppins - with a twist! Grade level events will also take place on our outdoor stage. Second grade will present "The Creation", and fourth grade will present "A Brave New World", about the Jewish settlement in the United States. Kindergarten children will have their "move up to first grade" - ceremony. First Graders will receive Siddurim, and Fifth Grade students will celebrate their time in the Lower School as they move up to Middle School. Third Graders, of course, already celebrated receiving their Chumashim in the fall, in our tent.
Children are learning about and creating music every day. We hold class inside, and outside when weather permits.
When virtual, the children are engaged in finding a creative way to make music, to make instruments out of anything that is within their reach as they sit in front of the screen. These great little heroes, our children, model adaptability and creativity.
Shiru Lo, Zimru Lo. It's what we do because the little neshamot in our care are filled with joy and curiosity, a love of learning and creating, gratitude for the talents we have been granted.
-Elana Lencovski Stern
Lower School Program Director
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Spotlight On Alumni
A young child sits at the piano for the first time, running his hands across the keys, kicking his legs beneath the bench. As the curtain rises, a family sits together in the center aisle ready to watch the opening night performance of a new play. Two friends dance together in a den, creating their own choreography to their favorite music, twirling and gyrating to the sounds around them. A cast of high schoolers stand anxious and excited on stage in the bright spotlights, adorned in colorful costumes. These vignettes are examples of music, theater, and dance — artistic genres that are individually and collectively defined as the performing arts.
Historically, the five main fine arts were painting, sculpture, architecture, music and poetry. In practice, outside education the concept is typically only applied to the visual arts. Today, the range of what would be considered fine arts (in so far as the term remains in use) commonly includes additional modern forms, such as film, photography, video production, editing, design, and conceptual art. The visual arts are considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture.
Many of us cherish the opportunity to watch our favorite play or musical, sing our favorite songs, dance to our favorite music, go to the movies, stroll through a museum or capture a moment in time with a camera. The performing and fine arts exist in many formal and informal settings and are an important part of our lives, and a vital and necessary part of our culture and society.
I am so grateful that our Schechter alumni are sharing their individual journeys to self-expression.
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Hi Schecter!
My name is Jullian Burger and I graduated from Schechter Long Island in 2016. Before I attended Schechter Long Island, I went to Solomon Schechter School of Queens. Some people might know that I was in the drama club at SSLI but before I joined that team, I was in the drama club at SSSQ. I joined in the first grade, participating in Annie, the Musical as a little orphan. Little did I know that randomly deciding to join the drama club in the first grade would quite frankly shape the rest of my life. Today, I am an aspiring actor who is trying to make her way in the film industry (wish me luck). It took a very difficult year to make me realize that I have to follow my dreams or else I will live my life with regret, and I do believe that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and work hard for it. I just got my headshots done, got my website rolling, built my Backstage profile, and now I’m auditioning for short films to build my resume and my reel. I know I have an uphill battle ahead of me, but I look forward to what the future brings.
The truth is, I don’t think I would have the same amount of passion if it weren’t for the drama club at SSLI and more importantly, Joan Cohen. Joan made the drama club a safe space and gave us all that deep sense of community. I and I imagine other drama club alumni, will never forget the long crazy tech weeks and energetic dinners together. Even though the long tech weeks made us all exhausted, nothing felt better than when that curtain would go up at the start of the show. It was such a heartwarming experience, one that I don’t think any of us would have encountered in a public school with a big drama department. We were small in number, but we worked hard. We created something special. Joan is the one who inspired us, storytellers, to believe in ourselves and reach for the stars. Here’s to you, Joan.
As we approach the upcoming holiday that is Purim, I think of how grateful I am to put on a new “costume” every time I audition or am up on stage. While Purim definitely has its darker backstory (you know, the whole “plan to annihilate the Jews” thing), the lighter takeaway is that we should all dress up, have fun, and celebrate the fact that we are strong and resilient. In an interesting way, the story of Purim kind of sets up the guidelines of a play. Many dramas have a villain, and people always want to root for the hero and heroine. Purim is a classic story in the Jewish world, and isn’t that what acting is - telling a story?
Just as Esther was afraid to approach Achashverosh, I have been fearful of taking on the film industry - totally not the same thing, but we’re just going to run with it. If Esther hadn’t faced her fears, she never would have saved the Jewish people. Just like Esther, I need to overcome my fears in order to do what I know to be right. I think of how beautiful it is that Purim gives children the opportunity to dress up and act! Who knows… It may just lead to a passionate career in the Arts.
I send all my love,
Jullian Burger
Jullian Burger (SSLI '16) is currently auditioning for short films and is looking forward to building her reel and moving forward in her career.
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I attended Schechter from 2003 all the way to my graduation in 2016. I wasn’t really creative when I was little though. The most creative I was while I was little, was selling toys in the bathroom of the lower school and trying not to get caught (which we did). I made little short films (if you could call them that) with my friends when I was 11, but before then I had no creative aspirations. At the time I wanted to be a race car driver, every Jewish mother’s dream. Look how well that worked out, eh? I found my calling with acting, voice acting to be more precise, and that was the first spark of my creative spirit. So, naturally, when high school came around, I didn’t join the drama department. Yup, you read that right. I didn’t do it. Not until junior year, after months of being asked to and being told how fantastic it would be and how much fun I would have. The truth is, I had terrible stage-fright and I didn’t want to confront it. Of course, I finally did join and I went on to perform in a total of 4 shows at Schechter. My only regret is not having joined much sooner because I had the time of my life on that stage with some of the most talented people I have ever worked with, even to this day. It gave me such joy in life and it was around then when I really started to grow into who I am today.
A short time before drama came into my life, I became enamored with watching the movie making process unfold. All I could ask myself was, “how do they do that?” And I badly wanted the answers. After that the path was clear; film school was my new goal. From the fall of 2016 to spring of 2020-ish I attended Ithaca College as a film student. I loved every minute of it. Playing with cameras, working with actors, and learning my craft. I decided pretty early on that I wanted to direct. I wanted to be at the helm of the ship. Thank goodness I ended up enjoying making movies as much as I did watching them because this is a crazy business and I didn’t know how crazy at the time. As time went on and I learned more and more and worked internships, I loved it more and more. I acted in 4 tv shows, hosted 1, and directed and produced another while I was in Ithaca. All of that taught me to love what I do. I would legitimately have moments walking back to my apartment in 20-degree weather and say to myself with a smile on my face “wow, I love what I do.”
Since graduating from Ithaca, I started my own production company and I’ve been a full-time voice actor. I guess you could say it all worked out and you know what? I think it did. For me, creativity is a never-ending process. One idea blooms and becomes a beautiful flower and then dies before ever seeing the true light of day only to grow into a completely new idea. It’s spontaneous and exciting and I allow it to take me wherever it wants. So, be creative whenever creativity sparks and let it take you wherever.
Michael Kaplan (SSLI '16) is the CEO of Blue Teddy Productions and a full-time voice actor.
Click below to view a sample of Michael's work:
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It was my Junior Year at Solomon Schechter. I walked into Ofra's office and told her I'd like to start an improv club, "We'll meet at lunch on Wednesdays and I already have ten people ready to sign up." She looked up from her desk, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "Sure." Just like that, I had my improv club. Now all I needed was to actually find the ten people to sign up.
Unintentionally, my time at Schechter taught me one of the most valuable lessons I have ever received about living a life in the arts. It is a lesson I have taken with me through my acting training at NYU Tisch, through all the various productions I acted, wrote, and directed, as well as the short films I've made and edited. I used this lesson in my music career and the many times I jumped in headfirst agreeing to a job I was not qualified for.
The lesson being through pure ambition, drive, love, and passion I am able to conquer anything.
While it is true that graduating with an arts degree during a pandemic is not necessarily an ideal train for success, it is not all that dissimilar to what a life in the arts looked like before all of this. As an artist, things change at a moment's notice, opportunities present themselves only just as I've reached my wit's end and am ready to quit. My mornings are spent crouched over a piano plunking out chords to a new song and my nights are, eyes glazed over a computer screen editing footage, sending new self-tapes to my manager. Sometimes inspiration strikes, I write something deeply poetic and it feels as if I have just cracked the meaning of life. Similar to the feeling, I imagine, Darwin had upon discovering the theory of evolution. In that moment of discovery, I fully believe that somehow the metaphor or allegory I have created will reveal the world's greatest truths to humanity. And then other times, I find myself at the kitchen counter at 2 am, robotically eating a bowl of ice cream wondering if anything I have ever said is worth a cent. This is not to say being an artist is chaotic and it doesn't help that society chooses to not fund the arts the way they do other professions. There are no entry-level jobs or tricks to getting to a certain level. The path is mysterious and dependent mostly on the kindness of strangers and luck.
However, it is also much more than a job. My art is a part of every aspect of my life. Every person I meet has the potential to be the kernel for my next movie, every picturesque view will sooner or later show up in one of my songs, every struggle and triumph becomes part of the fabric in which I see the world and therefore how I write about the world or even portray a character. In this pandemic, art has become more important than ever before. In August, I flew to Indiana for three months to live on a farm with nine other artists. Living, sleeping, collaborating, we were given the resources and opportunity to make and perform two brand new plays safely in a Covid world. One of the plays, "Children's Crusade", tells the story of eight children living in rural upstate New York, who begin to believe the new kid on the block might be a prophet. All of the children, each struggling with their relationship to God, decide to follow their kid prophet all the way to Jerusalem. It's a beautiful play about faith, purpose, and community. In a time when people are unable to hug and kiss each other, "community" is akin to a fairy tale myth in a faraway land. With this play, we were able to bring a community of people living in Indiana together and give them a two-hour show, outdoors in a perfectly socially distanced way.
Sometimes you don't know what you're missing until it is right in front of you. The value of community is something I deeply internalized during my time at Schechter. It is always very obvious to me that there is a skill in crafting community and luckily at Schechter, I was able to see firsthand how to use it as a tangible tool. Getting to put on a play with such deep reflective content in a time where people need socialization and escape more than ever completely overtook me. When I left Indiana to come back to New York I was fixated on how I could re-engage with my community here. My next project will be to bring "Children's Crusade" to the east coast and perform the show on the road, troubadour style, in people's cul de sacs, backyards, synagogue parking lots, church gardens, etc... Do I have any experience as a theater producer? Absolutely not. Will I make it happen anyway? I certainly will. So, Schechter community, if you have any leads, send them my way. :-) Stay tuned.
Jess Kantorowitz (SSLI '16) is a multi hyphenate artist who graduated from NYU Tisch with her BFA in drama and is a member of the Off-Broadway theater company "The Flea". She is currently releasing an album and shooting the short film "Gameboy". You can find her single "SunMoon" on Spotify and all streaming platforms. To see more of her work, visit JessKantorowitz.com and click below to view a sample of Jess's work:
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משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה “Whoever embodies the spirit of Adar will grow in happiness.”
When I was a young mensch, I always loved celebrating Purim. It represented such an appealing balance between structure and creativity. The wild costumes, the indulgent mishloach manot, the amusing shtick, the hootin’ and hollerin’ over Haman’s name – it felt like a Jewish Mardi Gras. But as crazy as things got, I knew it all fell well within the bounds of fulfilling mitzvot and observing the holiday properly.
Looking back, I think this may have informed my professional life in the arts. And like Megilat Esther, it makes for a pretty good story.
I’ve always been interested in the amazing variety of the visual arts, but always needed some structure to reign in my curiosity. My attempts at painting or sculpting were frustrating; I found myself creating too many rules for the process which ultimately derailed any kind of meaningful result.
When it came time to deciding a major in college, I thought I had found the perfect synthesis of creativity and (literal) structure and enrolled in the Syracuse University School of Architecture. Architecture brought its own rubric – the necessity for efficient, structurally sound, and sustainable spaces coupled with the beauty of different materials, shapes, views, and functions. But ultimately the rules outweighed the creativity, and I felt the need to tackle design problems at a more personal, human-sized scale. In 2004, I transferred to the School of Industrial and Interaction Design, where I got my degree. As the name implies, this field deals with the design of all the things we interact with – from apps on your phone, to kitchen tools, to sneakers, to flat-pack furniture. The structure in this field was twofold: first was ethnography, the study of cultural groups. It’s crucial to know who you’re designing for! A mouse for a dedicated video gamer will look and function differently from one designed for someone with mobility issues. Second was ergonomics, how things are sized, shaped, and colored to fit use by the human body. If you’re ever frustrated by an uncomfortable vegetable peeler, blame the designer who didn’t study ergonomics!
I thought that was the end of my journey into the world of art and design, and that I’d fall into designing Wi-Fi-routers and water bottles for a while. But the professional world in 2007 wasn’t very hospitable toward new graduates and I began my professional career in an architect’s office. Little did I know that this slight backtrack would lead me toward another development in my love for structured creativity. While working at the architecture firm, I had the unusual but remarkable opportunity to build sculptures for the well-known artist James Turrell (who happened to be a good friend of the lead architect!). I enjoyed being the ‘muscle’ for the artists so much – bringing their vision to life - that it opened a whole new world of prospects for me: I could BE the structure of support to the creativity of artists!
In a roundabout and very fortunate way, I started working for James Turrell and other artists as an exhibition designer, project manager, and on-site artwork installer. This work has allowed me to travel to some amazing places, including South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy – and even Texas. I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many different teams of wonderfully talented and skilled people at some of the most amazing museums and galleries in the world.
In 2019 I took a job with Pace gallery in New York City, who represents James Turrell. I am now the Technical Exhibition Manager for one of the top five largest contemporary art galleries in the world.
So, it’s bit meandering, without the intrigue, villains, and drama of the Purim story, but I’d like to think I embodied the spirit of the Purim celebration throughout: maintaining a level of structure while still feeding my creative dreams.
Wishing everyone a happy, joyous, fun, and wild Purim – chag Purim sameach!
Yadin Dickstein (SSDS '01) is the Technical Exhibition Manager for Pace Gallery, NY.
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Quaecumque Sunt Vera - Whatsoever things are true.
I suppose it’s a rather odd idea to start a letter to the Solomon Schechter community with a quote from the New Testament, but then again if Schechter taught me anything, it was to always look beyond the page in front of you when seeking answers; to always question the obvious. Right? Did every Rabbinics class we took not require us to look past the blunt answers on the page and seek to read between the lines to unearth the full story? Is it not the foundational value of Judaism to question and seek further explanation? I’d like to think I’ve always been curious, but how lucky am I to have been in an educational environment for 3 years that not only accepted (most of the time) such a sense of unquenched curiosity but encouraged me to continue to question?
Whatsoever things are true. Traditionally, during the month of Adar, we don masks and costumes seeking to conceal our true identities much in the same way that Esther hid her truth. During our Purim celebrations, we emphasize the concealment of Esther’s true identity, but it is her unmasking and thus the revelation of her truth that is the true cause of celebration. The strength that it took to risk her life and bear her truth is where the heroic act lies.
Whatsoever things are true. When Schechter parent Ken Bob founded the Paw Print Newspaper during my sophomore year of high school, he opened my eyes to a world of possibility. My love for writing and unquenchable curiosity could actually combine to be of value - there was a career path where both of those attributes were not only assets but prerequisites. Journalism - at its core - is the seeking of truth. It is, much like the study of Rabbinics, the job of a journalist to look at the obvious, evaluate it, and then look beyond it. I love that aspect of journalism. In fact, the Latin phrase that I’ve referenced throughout this letter is the university motto of the school where I honed my craft, but it was at Schechter that I discovered that direction.
Whatsoever things are true. It is indeed true that journalism is about seeking truth, but in the corner of that field that I’ve pursued a place in - it is not just about truth, but also about unmasking. I’ve interviewed NBA all-stars and Olympic gold medalists, but that’s never the most interesting part of their stories. My job when I am sitting across from these athletes and asking them about their lives is to help them find that same strength that Esther exhibited. The stakes might not be as high, but revealing your truth - especially to a total stranger and doubly when you live in the public eye - is never easy. I wear a lot of different hats as a producer, but always at the core is the very idea that truth is our greatest pursuit, that truth leads us to justice, that truth - like in the story of Purim - can set us free.
Whatsoever things are true. I wear a lot of different hats as a producer. I am balancing a budget one minute and then have to jump from creative decisions to technical hurdles and everything in between - somehow it’s never quite as challenging as trying to keep English, Hebrew, Spanish, and Italian straight over the course of a single school day - but the idea that I am fortunate enough to have a job that enables me to aid people in taking off their masks and setting free their truth.
Netta-Lee Lax (SSLI '10) is an Emmy-winning producer, director and editor. She is currently a digital content producer for Malka Media and Malka Sports. She is also working on a documentary called “How Chari Won The War” about the effects of intergenerational trauma. Her niece and nephew, Maytal (3rd grade) and Liron (1st grade) are currently students at SSDS.
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Purim and Social Action
Along with the festivities that surround the celebration and traditions of Purim, its deeper message is about social justice. We are told to eat, drink and be merry, indeed, to turn everything upside down, but not to forget the mitzvah of matanot le-evyonim and tzedakah.
The basic plot of Purim is deeply familiar; the story of a people imperiled and redeemed. However, the story centers on two women, Vashti and Esther – one who says no and the other who says yes. Looking at this through a feminist lens we appreciate that they both risk their lives. The two are in peril for themselves and in Esther’s situation, for her people as well. We can say that one had much to lose and the other had much to gain. Their environment was threatening and endangered civil liberties. In order to achieve justice, we will always need those who walk out of a situation because of their principles and those who choose to stay and work through the issues – those who say “yes” and those who say “no.” Here are a few suggestions for fulfilling the mitzvot and helping others as part of your Purim celebration:
- Donate food and self-care items to shelters.
- Use boxes of macaroni as groggers during the Megillah reading and donate them to a food back after the holiday.
- Set aside time to work for women’s empowerment campaigns
- Give your cell phones to victims of domestic violence
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen or food distribution site.
- Conduct a canned food drive for a local food bank.
- Bring new and gently used clothing to drop off sites.
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Announcing: CHAI Club- Monthly Giving at SSLI
At the Schechter School of Long Island, one of our goals is to continue providing the highest quality education possible for all students. By becoming a Schechter Long Island Monthly Giving Club Contributor, you can help us make Jewish education accessible for everyone and ensure that our students succeed in school and thrive in life.
BEGIN YOUR MONTHLY GIVING AT PURIM
Based on the interpretation of the verses at the end of the Book of Esther, the Rabbis established four mitzvot for Purim.
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Mikra Megillah - the reading of the Megillah on the night of the 14th of Adar and again in the morning;
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Mishloach Manot - the distribution of at least one food parcel of two types of food to a friend;
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Matanot Le’evyonim - the distribution of charity to at least two people;
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Seudat Purim - having a festive meal for Purim.
With 45% of our current families receiving tuition assistance, we rely on our supporters to help us provide for those students. With your monthly gift you can join a dedicated group who understand the importance of making a commitment to provide education for our Jewish youth. Your donation can be designated for tuition assistance which assists families in need and helps us grow our school enrollment.
With each donation of $18 or more we will send a tribute card to those you’d like to honor.
What better way is there to fulfill the Purim obligations?
For more information or other opportunities please contact
Eileen Olan Bohrer, Director of Institutional Advancement
by calling 516.935.1441 ext. 1131 or
by emailing ebohrer@schechterli.org.
Jewish education is the key to the survival of our special community. Your monthly gift will safeguard the sustainability of our school by providing funds for subsidies, teacher and curriculum development, infrastructure improvement and community outreach. Of course, you can always change your monthly amount or modify your preferred method of payment by calling our Development Office.
On behalf of all the students we serve, thank you for making an ongoing investment in their future. Your gift provides an extra level of certainty as we expand existing innovative educational programs and develop new ones for every child, every classroom, every day.
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Mazal Tov to David Abada ('13) and Hannah Goldberg on their engagement!
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Mazal Tov to Rachel Lelonek (‘14) and Ezra Gould on their engagement
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Mazal Tov to Sophie Vranian and Yadin Dickstein (SSDS' 01) on the birth of their daughter Salome Lev Vranian
on October 15th 2020 .
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Mazal Tov to Blair and Jonathan Steinberg (SSLI '08) on the birth of their son, Russell Irvin
on February 3, 2021.
Congratulations to Ellen & Jay Steinberg, long-time SSLI Board member, on the birth of their grandson.
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If you would like to honor a person's memory or mark a celebration with a contribution to Schechter LI, you may make an online donation, or send your donation to the Development Office. The family will be notified of your contribution.
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To discuss making a donation to Schechter LI, please email Eileen Bohrer, Director of Institutional Advancement to ebohrer@schechterli.org or call 516.935.1441 ext.1131.
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