2011-2012 Board of Trustees

Last night, the Board of Trustees elected the new Board for 2011-2012, all of whom will take office pursuant to the Bylaws on July 1, 2011.

Congratulations to the new Board; it is an excellent team for the future of the institution!

*President: Suzy Bookbinder

*Immediate Past President: Jack Sholkoff

*Executive Vice President: Jay Strear

*Finance Vice President: Gary Raikin

*Development Vice President: Esther Vered

*Vice President of the Committee on Trustees: Richard Spencer

*Secretary: Mike Resnick

*ECOM Member at Large: Shawn Evenhaim

Rich Abronson (parent)

Ken Adelberg (parent)

Melinda Feldman (community)

Brett Grauman (parent)

Barry Horwitz (community)

Kate Krause (parent)

Kathy Lynn (community)

Randy Michel (community)

Andrea Primack (community)

Eli Shetrit (parent)

Lina Soifer (parent)

Bronwyn Spencer (parent)

David Vered (parent)

* denotes member of Executive Committee

See the Pictures of the Travelers.

Kadima has three groups traveling the world.

A group of eighth graders are in Tel Aviv.

Another group of eighth graders are in Washington, D.C.

The sixth and seventh graders are in Catalina.

Read about them at kadimatravels.blogspot.com.

Excitement.

Our son called us at 5:00 a.m. to tell us that he had arrived, obtained his luggage, was safe, and very excited to be in Israel.

Our son tends to be unemotional on the telephone, but the excitement in his voice was palpable. When we asked what it was like to be in Israel and to see and hear all of the Hebrew, his voice raised, and "It's Amazing!".

He has learned about Israel for his entire life; he has heard about it, studied it, respected it, and known about it. Now, he sees it, feels it, and for twelve days, he will live it.

Amazing, indeed.

A Day School Moment.

This morning, my wife and I took our eighth grade son to the airport for his first trip to Israel. It was exciting and moving for us, as we recognized that not only is our son going far away, but he's going to Israel for the first time in his life.

For ten years, our son has studied at a Jewish Day School where forging a strong connection to the State of Israel has been a cornerstone of the school's education. He has learned about Israel, met and studied with Israeli-Americans, and shared Israeli cultural norms.

Today, he left for a 12 day trip for Israel.

As the students prepared to leave, amidst all of the excitement of a long journey, the students and the parents shared a Traveler's Prayer. It was one of those moments in which the potentially ordinary--saying good bye--became closer to the Divine, as we all asked for the Almighty's blessings for our children's safe and meaningful journey to Israel. In doing so, I felt a connection to the Jewish people, to Jewish life, and to something larger than ourselves.

It was what Jewish Day School is about. If what we do at Jewish Day Schools means anything, it is that we must see the spirit of God in everything that we do.

Today we did.