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Schechter Chai-lights is a 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.
June - July
July 18, 2021 / 9 Av 5781
All year-ends seem to invite reflection and appreciation. This year frankly demands them, so please allow me that opportunity here in the Schechter Chai-Lights. There are so many people who made this year the success that it was – helping us to pull some sort of victory out of the jaws of what we thought might defeat us all. Staying open all year – with the exception of two days towards the beginning of the pandemic when we were unclear about a potential exposure –, is an accomplishment that itself speaks volumes. The backbone of our ability to maintain classes in school was our re-entry committee and in particular, our panel of doctors, Samara Ginzburg, Steven Palter, and David Rosenthal, whom we have just honored along with other lay leaders at our Gala celebration. 

Our administration, including Ofra Hiltzik, Yvonne Lyon, Denise Condon, Carly Gruber, Mike Hirsch, and nurse Jennifer Maglione kept track of all our students, their COVID status, and answered all manner of questions involving Zoom access and policies. Other staff and administrators in the financial office, building maintenance, and student services also gave tirelessly of themselves, including Eileen Bohrer, Dave Ostrove, Julia Hardy, Tom Bronzino, and Gary Purdy. And of course, acharon acharon chaviv, last but not least our faculty. Dedicated as always, but acknowledging even greater strains and stressors, our teachers managed to maintain the connection to students online and students in the building, keeping up our standards of academic excellence but with more understanding that what our students were going through was outside of their experience as well.

Overall this year has certainly made good on our theme: We4U/U4We. We have been here for each other, and have also relied on one another like at no other time.

At this time, it is also worthwhile to reflect for a moment on the successful paths of our graduating seniors. We were told that this was a very hard year for college acceptances – in part because many graduates last year deferred their freshman year given the uncertainties of the pandemic, which resulted in fewer available slots this year. And yet our Schechter graduates performed extremely well, fielding acceptances from stellar schools. For example, for the second year running we had an acceptance into Princeton, considered the #1 school in the country. Indeed, I believe we had seven acceptances into the top 20 ranked colleges in the country – not bad for a class of 27 students. More importantly than the pedigree of these acceptances, each of our students found the right graduation option for him- or herself, due to the personalized approach of our guidance department, led by Art Mandel and Mark Kowalsky.

With all these words of appreciation and recognition, it would be easy to become complacent, but one thing that this year has surely reminded us of is that one can never know what challenges lay ahead. It is necessary, therefore, to remain at the ready, and plan for the next, even greater year. We have started this process in earnest. In the days and weeks to come, expect to hear a lot more from me on our aspirations and planning for the 2021-22 academic year. May it be a year of health and prosperity, in which we come closer together once again in purpose and pursuit. 

Dr. Scott Sokol, Head of School

Graduation 2020-2021
 
A graduation ceremony is always such a special occasion – the culmination of years of hard work; the actualization of goals attained, and the acknowledgment of dreams achieved. Despite the obstacles that we faced, most specifically in the last 1 ½ years, though certainly at other times as well in the last 13 years, the end results of our coming together, working together, and keeping together are the 27 members of the Graduation Class of 2021. We are inordinately proud of all of these young people and delighted by the success they have made with the opportunities they were offered.!!!
 
Below, for your enjoyment, is a small sampling of the speeches made during the Graduation program. 

Wow… 13 years at Schechter and it all comes down to this. Though I knew that one day we would all graduate, I could never actually picture the moment in my head, probably because I always had at least 3 tests or essays due for the next day. As I’m sure all of you know, the education at Schechter is unparalleled. Not purely because of the rigorous courses and curriculum, but because of the inspirational figures that lead each one of those classes. Recently, my college counselor, the beloved Mark, said something that really stuck with me. He said, the best kind of teacher is not the one who makes you memorize the material through countless assignments, but it's the one who inspires you to learn it on your own. Isn’t that what teaching is all about? Inspiration. That’s exactly what the teachers at this school do. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the teachers for truly inspiring our grade, and shaping the people we have become today. 
I’m not going to expose my entire grade right now because shockingly, we weren’t all perfect students. But we did all generally like to have fun in our classes. Just a quick example, I like to joke that Ms. Poniachek has no depth perception. In class, when we were all in person and not on zoom, every few minutes, the honors Hebrew class would move their desks back about an inch. So as the class went on, we would slowly move farther and farther away from where Poni was sitting at the front of the room. By the end of class, Poni would say “why do I feel like I’m yelling to reach you all?” And we would just shrug our shoulders and say “Todah Hamorah'' and walk out of class. Poni’s lack of depth perception is just one of the many reasons why we love her. 
I could really go on for hours reminiscing about the fun ways we interacted with our teachers in class, but I’m just going to run through a few details that I’ve learned about our teachers that many of you may not know. For example, Mr. Itzkowitz is part of an elite water volleyball team and quite frankly, I’m a little insulted that he has not yet invited me to play. Mr. Thorgerson paces so much in class, he must be a top-tier Fitbit member because he always makes sure to get at least 20,000 steps in as he teaches. But in truth, I know I speak for the entire senior class when I say that we sincerely love and appreciate all of the teachers in this school who have helped us and guided us over the years. One thing that Schechter presents to its students that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else, is the accessibility to teachers. If a student needs extra help about a certain subject matter, there is nothing limiting them from walking into the teacher’s room, or the gym I guess, and approaching said teacher. I know that this incredible advantage that Schechter has granted us, will help us as we eventually all approach our professors in college to ask for help. 
There is something surreal about being a senior and graduating during this crazy time. I know that not many of us really expected to have a Hebrew play this year because we started talking about it when we were still on zoom and it did not seem like a reality. But, we were clearly proven wrong because did you guys see AJ in that thing? Man, he absolutely killed it. That note he hit at the end makes me think voice acting is still a possible career choice… Of course aside from bodybuilding. 
Looking back, high school was a wild ride. From the actual countless inside jokes I have made with my friends, to calling an emergency BC Boys meeting before an important Calculus test, there’s no way I could ever forget my experiences as a Schechter student. I have a tendency to get a little cheesy sometimes, so don’t tease me too harshly. I’m looking at you Yehudah. I truly cannot thank this school enough because I know it has granted our grade opportunities that would have been unimaginable somewhere else. And though it took some time, I believe that the connections and friendships that we have gained here will last a lifetime. To the graduating Schechter class of 2021, there is endless opportunity and possibility out there, so let's show the world who we are and truly make a difference. Thank you.

Benjamin Hakim (SSLI '21) is going to attend the University of Wisconsin.
In the United States, there are three hundred forty-seven thousand two hundred sixty-four people named Emily. The year I was born, it was the most common baby name. In all of my 13 years at Schechter, I have been the only Emily, but not just because I was the only person with that name. One of the most incredible things about our school is that none of us are just a number or a name in a crowd. We have each been taught to embrace not only what is unique about ourselves but what makes each of our classmates special. For example, any one of us could tell you that Shoshana keeps a stash of Chick-fil-A sauce in her car. We all know that Greg loves to play Billy Joel songs on the piano and that Eliran had an affinity for neon-colored clothing in middle school. 
In another environment or at another school, these little quirks that we all love about one another might be labeled “weird.” At Schechter, though, we don’t really care. In fact, we are almost totally unconcerned with normal high school pressures. Our school is kind of like the end of the Breakfast Club, where they all realize that they can be friends in spite of their differences. But, because we have all grown up together, we never really had to learn that lesson the hard way. It has been ingrained in us by our teachers from the time we waddled through Schechter’s doors as kindergarteners. 
Some have compared Schechter’s tight-knit and protective community to a bubble. But, that implies that nothing comes in and nothing goes out. I think that Schechter’s community is more like a cocoon. We are allowed to grow and develop in a safe and comfortable environment. And, when we are ready, we emerge as confident, loving, and mature individuals with the capacity to embrace both ourselves and others. 
It is always hard to leave a place where you feel safe and happy. But, there is so much out there in this world for our class to achieve. Andrew needs to graduate from Princeton and become a world-class surgeon. Isaac has to somehow one-up Elon Musk. Gabby has lacrosse games to win at UChicago. 
In spite of all that there is to be excited about in our futures, there is also a lot of uncertainty. Will we have in-person classes next year? Will we be able to go out and make new friends? This year, we have adapted to so much uncertainty and change. I believe that we are all fully prepared to continue pushing through whatever obstacles might be thrown our way in the future. And, it is a great comfort to know that when things get hard, we will always have one another to lean on. 
In college, I hope that we all continue to embrace the people around us the way that we have embraced one another. If each of us can bring even a little bit of the Schechter community to our college campuses, we will have changed them all for the better. We are moving on to places where we might not always feel so unique or special or different. At Penn, I will certainly not be the only person named Emily. But I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have become who I am alongside some of the most amazing and special people I know. It is because of you guys that I step into the real world as the best possible version of myself. So thank you, Schechter, for allowing me to grow up as the only Emily and for giving me the confidence to be myself in a crowd of the next year.

Emily Bornstein (SSLI'21) is going to attend the University of Pennsylvania.
A Year In Review- from the Athletics Department
What can I say about the 2020/2021 Athletic year? Just like all aspects of school this year, significant changes needed to be made to adjust to our "new normal" of mask-wearing and social distancing. Not to be too self-centered, but the Physical Education and Athletics Department took a huge hit. The loss of our gym could have been disappointing, but instead, we took it as an opportunity for us to think outside the box. Our goal was to ensure that our students were remaining physically active in Physical Education classes and in their extracurriculars. Our SSLI 5/6, 7/8, and varsity programs typically participate in the Private Schools Association of America (PSAA) league. Our 5/6 and 7/8 programs were canceled for the entire year prior to the school year even beginning. This did not mean our young athletes sat on the sideline, however. As for our varsity programs, these continued in a significantly reduced fashion throughout much of the year. 
In the Fall, we were only able to participate in a Cross Country program. The team was able to compete in multiple meets for the season. Through the winter months, our athletes and coaches took a break from competition but did their best to stay physically active. Our PE department worked tirelessly coming up with new and innovative ideas on how to keep these students active in a confined space. 
When Spring approached, new mask mandates and vaccines took Athletics in a completely different direction. We were able to field an Ultimate Frisbee team as well as a Varsity Girls Volleyball team. SSLI also partnered with neighboring schools like Luhi and Portledge to maximize our athletic options and to keep our athletes engaged. When the weather allowed us to be outside, there were other programs in place for grades 3-12. Our elementary, middle, and high school club teams were able to participate by perfecting skills in sports they all love. 
Through the challenges and triumphs our Schechter Athletics department faced this year, we need to thank those who do not usually get thanked enough. To our coaches and PE teachers, thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the Athletic programs. You strive to promote a lifetime of health and physical fitness for all. You inspire us all through all that you do. Thank you to the athletes who participated and committed to the programs provided for them, even if they weren’t always what they would have preferred to participate in. You are all truly inspirational. Finally, a huge thank you to the parents who encouraged their children to participate and helped them to find a new normal in this pandemic reality and to appreciate what they have and not what they lost. 
As your Director of Athletics, it is a great honor to work for such an amazing community of people. To have the opportunity to see skills developing and character being molded is a true privilege. I am sincerely looking forward to the 2021/2022 school year as the year we emerge from the ashes and get back to what we do best: Being part of the Schechter School of Long Island Athletics program, a community of coaches, athletes, and parents who strive for athletic excellence.
GO LIONS!    

Courtney Athenas, High School Athletic Director 
From Shorashim Preschool Academy
"In Hebrew we have an expression, sof ma’aseh b’machshava techila – last in substance but first in thought. It refers to a situation much like today’s where we are seeing the end result of a great deal of early thought. This ceremony marks the end of the first year for Shorashim Preschool Academy, and what a year it has been!
When Talli Levine, Debbie Neuschatz, Ofra Hiltzik, and I first started conceiving what Shorashim could be like, back just before Passover of last year, we could only hope the school might be half as wonderful as it has already proven to be. Each of the pioneer families are a big part of the reason for its success.
We at the Schechter School of Long Island are proud to be a big sister to Shorashim, and to partner with Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation in supporting this wonderful program. We, like you, value excellence in education, want to nurture a strong loving community, and bring our Jewish values into the core of our educational mission. Indeed, excellence, community, and Jewish values are the three pillars of our school.
On behalf of the board, administration, and staff of the Schechter School we wish all the PreK students and their families Mazal Tov, Congratulations, and thank you for allowing us to be part of your celebration today."

Dr. Scott Sokol, HOS SSLI, End Of Year Graduation Ceremony Shorashim
Shorashim Preschool Academy has had a very successful first year. As a brand new school, opening during a pandemic, we were limited to the amount of in-person events we were able to have this year. But, we still had plenty of wonderful programs and activities for our children and their families.

We welcomed the families to the high holiday services at Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation on Rosh Hashanah morning. The children had an "Apple Hunt", which involved picking up hundreds of red, yellow, and green apples scattered across the beautiful lawn, and sorting them into matching colored baskets. We ended the morning with a small storytime service and a snack of apple juice and honey apple cookies.

Long Island Cares benefited from the food drive we held right before Thanksgiving. Each morning the children brought in canned foods to donate to those families in our community who are food-deprived. Shorashim filled three very large bins in a matter of 3 days. This act of kindness was followed by a Toy Drive for JAFCO (Jewish Adoption and Family Care Options). This organization allowed the Shorashim children to purchase gifts specifically chosen by Jewish children in foster care. Tzedakah is an important part of our weekly Shabbat celebration. The children bring in coins from home and fill our Tzedakah "meter". When we reach the top, the money is donated to those less fortunate.

TuB'Shevat gave us an opportunity for our PreK class to work together with the Schechter Kindergarten class. Our Hebrew teacher, Morah Mina taught the children at Shorashim a song and dance and we Zoomed with the Schechter Kindergarten students who had learned the same song. Together they danced and sang to their hearts' delight.

As one of our monthly "Tot Shabbats" we had a cooking class, "A Pizza My Heart". The families had the ingredients beforehand, and then came on to the Zoom and made the pizza altogether.  

Our final Tot Shabbat of the year was a Teacher Appreciation Tot Shabbat. We were able to hold this in person (the others had all been virtual). The families brought picnic dinners and sat on blankets during the service. Rabbi Stanger and Cantor Karavani welcomed Shabbat with the families and blessed the teachers underneath a tallit. It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful staff.

Although the first year of Shorashim had to adjust to protocols and restrictions because of Covid, we can be proud of the year we had and the success of our programs.


To learn more about Shorashim, please visit https://shorashimpreschool.org/our-school, and contact Debbie Neutschatz at missdebbie@shorashimpreschool.org or call (516) 387-2120.
*** JOIN OUR SSLI COMMUNITY IN THE END OF YEAR CHALLENGE***
 
Our fiscal year ends in 13 days. Please join in supporting Schechter Long Island and donate in honor of our faculty, staff, your children, grandchildren, and the continued growth of the Schechter family.
 
Below Schechter parent and Jewish communal leader Stu Botwinick shares his thoughts on his family’s SSLI experience. Enjoy the read!!!

This wasn’t my first time. It won’t be my last…and I plan on it for a long time to come.
Seeing our young people at their Senior Play, at their graduation and last week at the Gala, I couldn’t have been prouder…this wasn’t my first time, I’ve felt that way about them and the Schechter experience over all 13 years.  The first time I remember seeing the impact of Schechter was sitting in the back row with Dana at our first gala, it was spring 2009 at Woodbury Jewish Center.  In front of us the graduating seniors sat and I remember saying to Dana – I want that for Gregory (Layna was just a newborn).  The way the 2009 grads presented themselves, the way they treated each other, the laughter, the hugs, the affection and the comfort and command they had of their Judaism that night was nothing less than inspiring. 
It wasn’t the last time that I saw the Schechter impact.  Over the next 12 years there were shows, fairs, parties, presentations, moving up ceremonies and more – each serving as a public and communal reminder. The personal and private moments were too often and numerous to count, many inspired and all supported by the Schechter experience – volunteering at a senior center, preparing a meal for the food insecure, the ease of a Bar Mitzvah ceremony that could only come from a strong Jewish education…and even small things, like a kind word to someone who needed it at the right time and the happiness for a friend when they found success.  The quality of the general education and the rigor of the dual curriculum were impressive, but to me, I am most proud and thankful that these kids are menschs.  Truly Schechter helped us plant seeds and these metaphoric flowers that blossom and the fruits that come to bear are the result…and I plan (expect!) to see it for a long time to come.
This wasn’t my first time. It won’t be my last…and I plan on it for a long time to come.
Our school relies on every Schechter family to make it a community.  A community supports and is supported in good times and when times are not so good.  Our school needs our support in those same cycles so it can continue to be the best it can be and grow and strengthen.  Financial support matters.  Every dollar counts. I do my best to give every year and even when my children complete their Schechter education, I will support Schechter.
I write to ask for your help now. Join me.  Whether you are ready to make your first gift to Schechter or if you’ve done it before, now is the time to do make a special gift as the parent of a graduating senior. If you already gave this year, give a little more too! My gift this year wasn’t my first and it won’t be my last time giving. Like the families before us who built Schechter for their children and the generations to come, may we see the value and vision in our school and do the same by supporting our Schechter today and for the generations beyond us.  I will continue to give for a long time to come. L’Dor Vador, from generation to generation – I really understand that now…
As our graduating senior paths diverge, their roots are strong….they are and we are Schechter Blessed,

Stuart Botwinick
This month @Schechter LI

To see more pictures and events, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram and visit us at schechterli.org
What a tremendous evening under the Schechter tent!!

For those who attended in person, we hope you enjoyed the Gala and spending real face time with friends and family of the SSLI community.  It was wonderful to celebrate our honorees and the huge accomplishments that our school was able to achieve while overcoming the many obstacles of the past year. 

SSLI was ready to get together and celebrate and our spectacular Gala Chairs, volunteers, and Development team all worked to ensure that we had a long-awaited and very special evening together.  Additionally, we want to extend gratitude to parent and new SRJC caterer, Gil Aldad. How gratifying it was to see this year’s graduates, alumni, parents of alumni, current parents, grandparents, and friends of Schechter come together to enjoy each other’s company. It was a beautiful night, and many lingered till midnight savoring the delightful evening.

Enjoy these impressions from our gala:
MAZAL TOV
Mazal Tov to Upper School Jewish Studies teacher Sara Beckerman and her husband Eli on the birth of their daughter, Molly Ruth, born May 19th at 3:20 am. Big siblings Charlie and Sam, Spencer, and Rory are very excited to get to know their new baby sister.
Mazel tov also to proud grandparents Robert Stave and Stephanie Stave z"l, Sheldon and Carolyn Beckerman
Mazal tov to Shoshana (Klayman) (SSLI '10) & Ian Altman on the birth of their daughter:
Maya Lily, born May 29th at 1:05 am
7lbs 1oz and 20 inches.
Mazel tov also to proud grandparents:
Rahel Musleah and Rabbi Michael Klayman;
Phyllis and Elliot Altman (Longmeadow, MA)
Mazal tov to Ronni Shalem (SSLI '09) and Rob Rothschild who were married on July 10th!
Proud parents are Aviva & Isaac Shalem
and Barbara & Richard Rothschild.
Mazal tov to Raymond Coiro (SSLI '14) and Rachel Cohen (SSLI '14) on their engagement!
Raymond is the grandson of Betsy Shurack, son of Melissa Shurack z"l, and brother of Summer Walters (SSLI '24). Rachel is the daughter of Janet Cohen. 

This month's tributes:
In Honor/ in Memory

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.
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.
Looking for Live Theater this summer?
Look no further! 

From the SSLI drama club to the Broadway stage, join Schechter Alumni Jess Kantorowitz and the cast of Children’s Crusade this summer for a special outdoor performance at Schechter.

The Children’s Crusade Touring Company will be performing their original play, Children’s Crusade, outdoors at the Schechter School of Long Island on July 18th and July 21st to a socially distanced audience as part of their tour around the northeast and midwest.

After premiering in Bloomington, Indiana in October 2020 as part of The Hundredth Hill’s Emerging Theatre Artist Residency, the Children’s Crusade Touring Company is now bringing theater to communities across the country that haven’t been able to enjoy live performances in over a year.

Children’s Crusade is the story of eight low-income kids from Utica, New York who believe one among them to be a prophet. After an inexplicable message from God, it is up to them to travel to the holy land and find Him. Chronicling their journey from their small cul-de-sac all the way to Jerusalem, we watch as these kids adventure beyond the only world they’ve ever known and discover surprising new things about themselves. As Forbes Magazine says, "Children's Crusade allows us to imagine being bigger than ourselves, united in beauty.” 

Location of Show: 6 Cross St, Williston Park, NY 11596
Date/Time of Show: July 18th and 21st @ 7pm

Recommended for ages 13 and up.

For more information about the project and creative team, as well as a full list of tour dates, please visit https://www.childrenscrusadecompany.com/tour