Tehiyah Shelanu

Tehiyah Shelanu

The Magazine and Annual Report of Tehiyah Day School

Volume 14 Number 1 Fall 2009









30 Years of Innovative Jewish Education

Tehiyah Day School

2603 Tassajara Ave

Administration

El Cerrito, CA 94530 Head of School Bathea James

Head of Judaic Studies Rabbi Tsipi Gabai

phone: 510.233.3013 Head of General Studies Elise Prowse

fax: 510.233.0171 Chief Financial Officer Amy Coty

www.tehiyah.org Director of Admissions Amy Utstein

Director of Development Heike Friedman

Tehiyah welcomes students from all religious Director of Communications Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz

and ethnic backgrounds. It is a beneficiary of the

Jewish Community Federation and Foundation of

the Greater East Bay, the Koret Foundation, the Board of Trustees

Jim Joseph Foundation, and Keren Keshet — The

Rainbow Foundation. President Adam Mizock

Vice Presidents Harrison Alter

Andrew Cohen

Table of Contents Rebekah Wildman

Secretary Gene Millstein

Welcome Letter From Bathea and Adam 1-2 Treasurer Buddy Warner

Reunited ... and It Feels So Good! 3 Assistant Treasurer Scott Hanin

Looking Back on Tehiyah’s Roots 4-5

Q&A With Three Founding Families 6-7

Tehiyah Alum Returns Home 8 Members

From Modeh Ani to Nerdcore Rising 9

Debbie Bamberger

Tehiyah Serves as Lifelong Base 10

Lisa Cohen Bennett

Building Israel Connections 11

Melissa Eizenberg

Foundation for Life 12

Revital Gilad

Offering a Helping Hand in Guatelmala 13

Andrew Greenberg

Playing With Pride 14

Maya Guendelman

The Gift of Song 15

Joan Kiang

Alumni Highlights 16-17

James Leventhal

Tehiyah Welcomes Five New Trustees 18

Michele Levine

Thank You for Your Support 19-20

Sheri Madden

2008-09 Annual Report 21-25

Greg Marell

Malka Scheinok

Dina Tasini

Credits

Madeline Weinstein

Tali Zamir

Editor: Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz

Victoria Zatkin

Design: Nancy Rosenblum, Frisco Graphics

Photography: Heike Friedman, Debbie Rosenfeld-

Caparaz, Nadine Samuels, Bob Schwartz, Dave Board of Senior Trustees

Weiland, supplied by alumni, and others

Debra Barach

Front and Back Cover Photos: 2008-09 all-school Eugene Bardach

photograph, by Nadine Samuels; 1979-80 school Simon Guendelman

photograph, unknown photographer Chaim Gur-Arieh

Greg Marell

Stuart Marson

Mission Statement Gene Millstein

Debra Sanderson

The mission of Tehiyah Day School is to inspire Victoria Zatkin

curiosity, a strong sense of community, and a vibrant

connection to Judaism. At Tehiyah, we live the

curriculum!

Welcome Letter From Bathea and Adam

Tehiyah leaders celebrate 30 years of innovative Jewish education



Dear Tehiyah Community,

Our amazing Tehiyah community has accomplished so much in 30 years.

A consistent school vision and community spirit bonds generations of Tehiyah

students, families, and supporters. We are thankful that a group of families

had the courage to follow through on their dream of providing an excellent

education for their children in a pluralistic Jewish community. We continue

to honor that mission today.

It is inspiring to see what a community can do in 30 years. Tehiyah started

in a small room at the Kensington Youth Hut, and work parties were sched-

uled to lay a new floor and build and paint tables. We have grown steadily

through the years as we transitioned from our 6th Street location in Berkeley,

to more than 270 students at our current El Cerrito facility. We have a well-

resourced campus with a gym, library, computer lab, and art room. Solar

panels are being installed throughout the campus this fall, showcasing our commit-

ment to being a “green” school.

Student-painted murals add beauty to our environmentally-aware school. Last

school year’s two middle school art murals depicting Jewish values exemplify in- Tehiyah’s Past Heads of School

tegration of our curriculum. Under the guidance of our veteran art teacher, Janet

Lipkin, the students have expertly used the murals to showcase the core Jewish

Jean Glasser

values that guide our school — kehillah (community), l’midah (lifelong learning), Diane Etzel

menschlichkeit (being a good person), ruach (connection to Judaism), tikkun olam Dorey Brandt-Finell

(social responsibility), and Yisrael (the land of Israel).

Despite the difficult economic times, we are thrilled that our enrollment has re-

Jody Hirsch

mained steady. As we begin to write the next 30 years of Tehiyah’s history, we will David Losk

continue to strive to provide a Jewish education for all families who seek one for Michael Pincus

their child(ren). Efforts are under way to open a bridge-kindergarten program by

August 2010 to address a critical unmet need in our community.

Alison Beskin

Thirty years of devoted faculty, staff, volunteers, parents, and board members David Finell

have brought us to where we are today. Although we face challenges, we have Donna Craft

come so far, earning multiple accolades, including continued accreditation from the

California Association of Independent Schools and Tehiyah’s selection as the Best

Revira Singer

Jewish Day School in the East Bay, according to the readers of the J. newspaper. Steve Taback

We maintain our high standing because our faculty and staff are dedicated to Bathea James

helping each of Tehiyah’s students realize their individual potential. They under-

stand what it means to educate the whole child and instill in each of their students

a love for learning.

Many of our founding families have shared stories with us that from the begin-

ning, they wanted their children and future children to be excited to get up every

morning and go to school. Something exciting is always happening at Tehiyah,

which has allowed us to build a community of engaged and enthusiastic learners.

For many years, all of our students have been greeting the day as a community

by singing Modeh Ani — a prayer of thanks. Music is a wonderful way to start the

day and clear the mind for learning. Our students experience the curriculum in a

hands-on way in the classroom and through numerous field trips throughout the

year. While field trips are limited at some schools, our faculty knows it has the

freedom to plan outings away from campus that will enhance the classroom experience.

The opportunities afforded your children provide them the foundation to be

whatever they want to be. Time will only tell what the current collection of stu-

dents will go on to become. But, the legacy in front of them is strong, as you will

see in the pages ahead in this magazine. Tehiyah students are well prepared for

high school and have attended some of the best public and private universities in

the United States and abroad. Our alumni include doctors, lawyers, teachers, en-

trepreneurs, musicians, playwrights, comedians, and athletes, and they are thriving

and positively affecting the world around them.



1

Welcome Letter (continued)





Tehiyah’s Past Presidents We are so thankful for everything that Tehiyah families do to help our school be

the best that it can be. Fundraising has always been a necessary ingredient to our

Laurie Marson 1979-1980 success. Laurie Marson, Tehiyah’s first president, recently recalled the bagel fund-

Ivor Emanuel 1980-1982 raisers at the Pickle Family Circus in the early years that raised a few hundred dollars.

The money funded a few text books, and everyone was thrilled!

Nancy Bardach 1982-1983

Today, successful fundraising efforts are vital to support Tehiyah’s educational

Stuart Marson 1983-1984 program, which culminates with our eighth-grade student trips to Israel and Wash-

Gene Millstein 1984-1985 ington, D.C. We know we ask a lot of our community, and you never cease to im-

press us with your enthusiasm and dedication.

Friedner Wittman 1985-1986

In addition to providing necessary volunteer hours of support, we ask you once

Judy Greene 1986-1987 again to give to the Tehiyah Annual Fund to the best of your ability. We recognize

Elisheva Gur-Arieh 1987-1988 that many of our families are enduring difficult economic times. Last year, the an-

nual fund drive raised an all-time high of $220,000.

Davida Cohen 1988-1989

We want you to know that every dollar raised has a direct impact on Tehiyah.

Robin Blum 1989-1990 We are all stewards of the school’s resources and are working diligently to ensure

Rena Rosen 1990-1992 that Tehiyah will continue to flourish for our children’s children. We know we’re

up for the challenge, and we invite all of you to join us this year as we celebrate 30

Martin Dodd 1992-1993

years of innovative Jewish education and our unique Tehiyah spirit.

Tom Graff 1993-1994 Tehiyah means renewal in Hebrew. When you step foot on campus, we hope

Debra Sanderson 1994-1996 that your hearts are renewed knowing that you have provided the children of our

community with the gift of a Tehiyah education.

Greg Marell 1996-1998

Gene Millstein 1998-2000 L’Shalom,

Debra Barach 2000-2003

Leslie Crary 2003-2006

Adam Mizock 2006- Bathea James Adam Mizock

Head of School Board President









2

Reunited … and It Feels So Good!

Tehiyah celebrates its 30th with a glamorous reunion gala

By Laurie Earp and Lara Dutta, Event Co-Chairs



Tehiyah is celebrating its 30th anniversary on November 14, 2009, with a glam- We have chosen an extraordinary venue to

orous reunion party in one of the Bay Area’s most incredible new venues — the

celebrate with you. The Craneway Pavilion

historic Craneway Pavilion next to the Richmond Marina. We hope that many of

our former and current parents, faculty and staff, old and new friends, and our is part of the old Ford assembly plant in

older alumni will join us for a festive dinner, a silent auction, and dancing. Richmond. Designed by the renowned

During the evening, we will honor our beloved faculty. Many of our teachers

industrial architect Albert Kahn, the 45,000

have been with Tehiyah for many years, and we will pay a special tribute to the five

teachers who have taught at our school for at least 25 years: Jean Glasser, Ruth square-foot hall is located right on the water,

Gorrin, Gail Taback, Deborah Weinstein, and Allison Kent Weiss. facing the magnificent San Francisco skyline.

A commemorative book will give current and alumni families the chance to let

these teachers know how much their work is appreciated. Please use this oppor-

tunity to share your favorite moments with all of us and preserve your memories

for the future. Write a poem, draw a picture … or just say, thank you!

Another great way to show your appreciation and to support Tehiyah is to be-

come an event sponsor. Buy a table and invite your friends along to celebrate with

you. You will also have the opportunity to bid on a premier selection of items

during a silent auction.

Proceeds from the tribute book, sponsorships, auction, and ticket sales will

immediately impact the school by supporting Tehiyah’s outstanding educational

programs, and ensuring that Tehiyah stays financially accessible to all families who

seek a Jewish education for their children.

Tehiyah’s 25 Years of Service Honorees

Jean Glasser taught the first group of kindergartners at Tehiyah, and she When: Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m.

has been introducing young children to Judaic studies and Hebrew since then. A Where: Craneway Pavilion in Richmond

Northwestern graduate, Jean started her teaching career at a Chicago high school What: VIP reception, cocktails, dinner,

in the early 1960s, instructing English and biology. Her East European-born parents

were Hebrew educators, and Jean grew up speaking Hebrew at home. Jean had just silent auction, and dancing

finished her master’s in Hebrew/near Eastern studies and early childhood education For more information: visit www.tehiyah.org

at UC Berkeley when Tehiyah was founded.

Ruth Gorrin came to Tehiyah in 1983 with a degree in psychology. She worked or email gala@tehiyah.org

in pre-schools and summer programs with disabled and severely emotionally dis-

turbed children before coming to Tehiyah.

Ruth’s disability unit has changed the way

that her students look at themselves and the

world around them.

Gail Taback joined the Tehiyah faculty

the same year as Deborah Weinstein. After

graduating from Northwestern University,

her love of literature and writing led her to

work in the publishing business in New York

and Berkeley. Realizing her true calling was

teaching, Gail has used her own passion for

writing and history to make writers out of

her students and to instill a love of history as a great narrative. (Left to right): Deborah Weinstein, Ruth

Deborah Weinstein has been teaching Tehiyah’s second-graders for 27 years Gorrin, Jean Glasser, Gail Taback, and Allison

without raising her voice once. She ignites a spark for poetry in her students and Kent Weiss

builds a strong sense of community. Deborah, who holds a master’s degree from

Stanford, took a sabbatical during her Tehiyah tenure to teach at the American

School in Paris, following her deep love for the French language and culture.

Allison Kent Weiss joined Tehiyah in its second year and has taught nearly

every subject and every grade — except P.E. Currently, she is instructing the fourth

grade with Ruth Gorrin. Allison looks at her class as a community of learners and

teachers: “We spend our days together doing, questioning, seeking, and exploring.

We learn the importance of self-respect and respecting others.”



3

Looking Back on Tehiyah’s Roots

A one-of-a-kind community connects the years

By Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, Director of Communications



Jean Glasser and Allison Kent Weiss have seen Tehiyah Day School mature

from its infancy in a one-room school house in Kensington to a thriving

well-resourced campus in the El Cerrito Hills.

Jean was one of Tehiyah’s original two teachers in 1979-80, and Allison

joined the mix in 1980-81. Through the years, the faculty has been incredibly

committed to Tehiyah, and Ruth Gorrin, Gail Taback, and Deborah Wein-

stein join Jean and Allison as current teachers with at least 25 years of

experience at the school.

While Jean has witnessed many changes through the years, it’s easy for

her to identify the similarities that unite 30 years of innovative Jewish education.

“The most amazing thing about Tehiyah has always been the sense of

family and community,” said Jean, who is Tehiyah’s long-standing Hebrew/Judaic

studies kindergarten teacher. “That’s something that has never changed. When

people have tragedies, simchas, family events, anything that’s going on in their

lives, people always come together and help. It has always been that way. It hasn’t

changed.

“The mission has always been teaching Judaism in a non-dogmatic way. There

is no sense of should about the way we teach. We present the children with the

information, with the language, the history, and traditions, but we never impose

anything on the children. The children experience it in a positive way. It’s their

choice to carry it on in whichever way they choose.”

Jean taught with general studies teacher Diane Etzel in a kindergarten-first-

grade combination class during the 1979-80 school year. Etzel was a kindergarten

teacher at Congregation Beth El in Berkeley prior to joining Tehiyah. Initially,

Tehiyah’s founding families had hoped that Beth El would extend their educational

offerings beyond kindergarten.

After it became clear that Beth El was not interestd in a new educational initia-

tive, a core group of families did not get discouraged and joined together to form

a Jewish day school, which would serve the diverse needs of the community. The

founding families divided up tasks and took advantage of everyone’s strengths. For

example, Carl Groch, an architect, acted as a part-time consultant; parents with

business backgrounds gave sound advice; and those with an education background,

such as Evie Groch, interviewed new teachers, and helped develop the curriculum.

Robert Alter, who is a professor of literature at Cal and one of the founders,

came up with the name Tehiyah. Robert thought Tehiyah, meaning renewal in

Hebrew, was an appropriate name since for many families this Jewish day school

meant the renewal of their commitment to Judaism.

The founding families explored numerous locations for the new school and finally

decided upon the Kensington Youth Hut for the sum of $1 an hour. The

Kensington Youth Hut had strengths and weaknesses as a new home.

It was conveniently located. It had one small classroom, but had easy

access to the Kensington Library, Blake Gardens, a playground, and the

larger community room, when it wasn’t in use. The parents worked

together to paint the room, build tables to Diane Etzel’s specifications,

and get the school ready for opening day.

When school opened there were 12 students, and by the end of that

first year there were 15. The K-1 combination class met the individual

needs of the students.

“While we functioned on a shoe-string budget, I always felt like we

had all the necessary supplies to operate,” Diane said. “People donated,

we made do, and we always got just what we needed.”

As the first school year came to a close, Jean and Diane realized they

needed to hire additional staff for the following year. The current

Top to bottom: Allison Kent Weiss, 1980s; students were ready to move up a grade and a few older siblings were joining the

1985-86; 2008-09; 2008-09 student body because their parents wanted them to share in this wonderful



4

educational experience.

Jean contacted Allison, who she knew from college, and brought her on board

to teach a 1-2-3 combination class of 20 students. Allison recalls clutching her plan

book in amazement that she survived her first year at Tehiyah.

“This place is my entire adult life,” said Allison, who currently teaches fourth

grade with Ruth Gorrin. “I came here straight from grad school. This was my first

full-time teaching job. We have grown and matured and become adults together.

When I started here, I was the young kid; now I’m the old lady.”

Before the founders knew it, the first two years had flown by, and Tehiyah’s

numbers outgrew the Kensington Youth Hut. It was time to move on. But where?

How? Again, the group called on the skills of one of their own, a parent who hap-

pened to be an architecture student at the time, Nancy Bardach. She scoured the

East Bay to find a new home for the flourishing Tehiyah.

Through the assistance of founder Irene Winston’s friend who was a realtor,

Nancy searched until she found an appropriate site on 6th Street. The location,

which is now home to Black Pine Circle, was to become the school’s next home,

and was affectionately known as “the school that Nancy built.” The down payment

came from a parent loan program in which every family participated. The school

had the support of contractors, a pro bono attorney, and again the contributions

of time and energy of the parents. The 6th Street site opened on time and served

the school well for the next three years.

As the school continued to grow, it also became more complex: additional

teachers, more students, more classrooms, larger budget, and hiring school direc-

tors. In three short years, Tehiyah outgrew the 6th Street site, and the search for

a new location was on once again. Through the steadfast efforts of Gene Millstein

and Stuart Marson, the present campus in El Cerrito was identified and

purchased for the reasonable price of $465,000. Parents once again

loaned the school money for the down payment. The expansion and

growth of the school brought in a new group of enthusiastic and dedi-

cated parents who, along with the founders, charted the course of Tehiyah

for the following years.

The 2009-10 school year marks Tehiyah’s 26th year on Tassajara

Avenue, and cherished families, faculty, staff, board members, and com-

munity supporters have helped make Tehiyah a place where children

want to go every day. Allison has numerous special memories during her

29 years with Tehiyah.

“I was cleaning out my closet and found a script from a play we did

my first year — The Wizard of Oz,” Allison said. “The kids have to be in

their mid-30s now. I have taught just about every grade here — general

studies, Judaic studies. I was the music teacher, and I was the secretary

for one week. Some of my fondest memories include graduations. I think I have

been to every graduation, watching all of those kids graduate and my own two kids

graduate from Tehiyah.”

Jean has enjoyed interacting with the children the most over the years. The least

enjoyable part of her tenure was the board meetings in the early days that went

until 1 a.m.

“I am just so happy to be part of this community and this experiment that turned

out to not be an experiment at all, but something beautiful and unique,” Jean said.

“We have so much diversity of thought. What’s the miracle of this school is that it

works. In the end, we respect each other, hear each other, and debate with each

other, but we’re family. I have personally felt such a coming together and support

from this community. It’s my family, too.”



This story was written with contributions from a story in a 1995 Tehiyah tribute book. Top to bottom: 2008-09; 1980s; 2008-09;

1979-80



5

Q&A With Three Founding Families

These families and others came together to make Tehiyah possible

By Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, Director of Communications



Eugene Bardach, Current Tehiyah Senior Trustee (children: Rebecca

and Naomi)

Why was your family interested in helping to found a Jewish day school

in the East Bay?

“We wanted a place for our children that would provide excellent secular edu-

cation and also a solid Judaica and Hebrew education. The available options at the

time did not appeal. Also, we wanted to found an institution that would serve not

only ourselves but others like us, and that would, in particular, provide good Jewish

education, not only for our generation of friends and peers, but for the future as

well. It occurred to me some months into the heavy lifting (personnel, fundraising,

governance, etc.) that I had always taken it for granted, growing up in Baltimore,

that “somebody else” did that sort of stuff. Out here on the Jewish western fron-

tier, there wasn’t any “somebody else.” If this was going to be done at all, we had

to do it.”

Nancy and Eugene Bardach How did you and the other families approach the task of starting a school?

“Basically, most of us were reluctant participants. I certainly was. So was Nancy,

though she had more enthusiasm for the problem-solving surrounding all the ar-

chitectural and construction issues (she being an architect), such as finding a site,

drawing up plans, supervising the demolition and the parent work parties on the

Tehiyah Timeline weekends, and managing the contractor. … Laying out $350,000 that we did not

1979 — Tehiyah welcomes first class have in order to buy the building (on 6th Street), and then another $100K or so

of 15 students to the Kensington for renovations, was scary! … There was also an element of excitement and ca-

maraderie. To this day, our children who were in Tehiyah then regard the founding

Youth Hut era of pioneering as one of the wonderful and formative experiences in their lives.”

1981 — Tehiyah moves to newly What was the camaraderie like among the founding families?

purchased 6th Street campus “Nancy and I (particularly Nancy) were among the highly committed, highly

responsible parents. And, we liked and respected the other parents who were like

January 1984 — Gene Millstein us; and vice versa, for the most part. That was satisfying. ... For me, one of the

secures Tassajara campus location most important elements of community spirit was the level of civility and reason-

ableness that we all attempted to maintain when making important decisions. ... ”

for $465,000

Evie Groch, Ed.D. (children: Davina and Joelle)

August 1984 — Tehiyah relocates

Why was your family interested in helping to found a Jewish day school

to the Tassajara campus with an in the East Bay?

enrollment of 125 students “We wanted to continue the nurturing and academic atmosphere that Temple

Beth El Nursery School had provided our daughters in pre-school and kindergarten.

1996 — Completion of the new There were really no other viable options in the Berkeley area. Instilling Jewish

middle school wing values was also important, as were celebrating and observing the Jewish holidays.

We wanted all children to feel included, no matter their background or degree of

2001 — Completion of the gym, Judaic observance.”

the Beit Midrash, and the TAP room What was the camaraderie like among the founding families?

2010 — Expected opening of our “We all felt nervous, yet excited at this bold undertaking. It was taking a huge

risk, but we felt so was sending our children to inferior schools in the public sector.

new bridge-K program Having worked in education all my life, first as a teacher, then as an administrator,

and finally at the central office in curriculum, I personally felt we could do so

much better than some of the public schools I knew well. There was never 100%

Operating Budget agreement among the founding families, but we knew we had to stick together to

1979-80 — $22,000 make it work, and we did. Each one of us brought his/her expertise to the table.”



1983-84 — $356,000 How are you feeling about Tehiyah 30 years later?

“I’m so proud we were given the opportunity to participate and make a success

2009-10 — $4,500,000 of the school. … We needed money and fundraised like crazy. We somehow came

through with everything we needed. There wasn’t time to complain, just time to

keep it going and make it better and better, adding a grade level at a time. I can’t

6

believe it’s been 30 years until I see how old our daughters are. Tehiyah’s early

graduates have done well. One of our daughters is running for the school board in

Burlingame, and we like to think we modeled parent engagement in education for

her. We even built our house up the street from Tehiyah so our kids could walk to

school. We still feel connected and always follow the goings-on at the school. How

could it be otherwise? Mazal tov, Tehiyah. Long may it thrive!” I negotiated the deal as a volunteer

Laurie Marson, Tehiyah’s First Board President

parent. We were lucky there were

(children: Jonas and Colin)

no other buyers. We obtained the

How did the founding families approach the challenge of starting Tehiyah?

“I think we had no idea what we were getting into and the amount of work that property for the spectacularly low

would be involved. When Beth El said no, we had a meeting and said, ‘Should we go price of $465,000. The seller (the

for it anyway?’ We must have voted and said, ‘Sure, how hard can it be?’ We divided

up into different groups. I was the one who applied for the IRS status — the reli- Richmond School District) carried the

gious school charitable organization status. It was filling out a form. It was no big mortgage. We put $100,000 down,

deal. There was a book called How to Start a School. … Since California didn’t have

a regular licensing for private schools at that time, anybody could start a school. It

all borrowed from parents.

was very strange. You were supposed to follow very broad outlines of curriculum. — Gene Millstein, former Tehiyah parent

… Several people interviewed teachers. We had already picked one (Diane Etzel) and current senior trustee, on buying the

out as she was one of the kindergarten teachers at Beth El and agreed to continue. Tassajara Avenue campus

… Jean (Glasser) was hired by Evie (Groch). We located a space, which was at

the Kensington Youth Hut. We paid like $1 per hour. We had a little room off of

the main room in the youth hut. … We put down a new floor, and we built the

tables and bought chairs. … ”

What were some of your favorite memories of Tehiyah’s first year?

“I remember the day we were building the furniture. It was a beautiful day,

and we were all outside. We were building and painting the tables. They were

around for a lot of years those tables. They were bright red and bright blue and

bright yellow. That’s how the teachers wanted it. … I remember the introduc-

tory coffee that we had to get new students before we opened that no one

came to. That was not so good. It was tough but funny. Some of the events that

they staged in the early years — the plays — were adorable. … Every year, we

looked at each other and said, ‘Oh my G-d, we’re still here, and we don’t have

any money.’”

Stuart Marson, Tehiyah’s Fourth Board President and Current Senior

Trustee (children: Jonas and Colin)

Were there moments of doubts that Tehiyah wouldn’t succeed?

“It was always, ‘this is going to work.’ There are always ways to solve a problem. Carl and Evie Groch

When we hit a wall of some sort, a creative solution was created. … We did all

the things we could and people joined. If you build it, they will come. When there

were financial issues, we came up with creative loan programs. Personally, I never

had any doubt that it would be successful. We were going to make it so. There

were many people who did have doubts. … One of my jobs during many of the

years was to say, ‘Failure is not an option.’”

Looking back, how rewarding is the role that you and Laurie played in

forming Tehiyah?

“Exceptionally so! Tehiyah is one of our children who is now turning 30. What we

didn’t recognize was going to happen was that most of our friends had their genesis

in the fact that they were involved in the school with us. .… The parent relationships

as well as the children-children relationships have been enormously important in our

lives. … Our worries were that after the first group of people go through and put Laurie and

all of this energy in, it then peters out. That has not been the case. Every year, new

Stuart Marson

people come in with vitality. The vitality today is as strong as when we started. That

is a welcome surprise and very rewarding to see that that can happen.”









7

Tehiyah Alum Returns Home

Ronli Moses proudly enrolls her son at her alma mater

By Amy Utstein, Director of Admissions



Famous Family While there are many things we are

looking forward to in our 30th anni-

In addition to being one of the first versary year, perhaps one of the most

alums to send her child to Tehiyah, exciting is welcoming one of our first

alums back as a parent! Ronli Moses,

Ronli has another Tehiyah claim to who was in Tehiyah’s second graduating

fame. Her brother is the renowned class in 1987, is seeing the school in a

new light as her son, Aiden, joined us as

playwright Itamar Moses (who is also a kindergartener in August.

a Tehiyah alum)! We featured Itamar Ronli began at Tehiyah when the

school was still located on 6th Street

in the fall 2008 issue of Tehiyah (now the location of Black Pine Circle).

Shelanu and congratulate him on She was there for three years and then

made the “big move” to our current

his new play, campus in El Cerrito. She remembers

Back Back being part of making the dream of Tehiyah a reality.

“There were work parties every weekend before the school opened,” Ronli

Back, which said. “We painted and planted — it was really our school.”

premiered at The Berkeley resident loved her time at Tehiyah, and she still thinks fondly

about the teachers who influenced her during her time here. She especially appre-

the Manhattan ciated the way that Judaism ran through the curriculum in seamless ways.

Theatre Club “I really got it that it wasn’t just about math, and English, and science,” Ronli

said. “Everything was centered around Judaism, and it was translated into music,

in New York art, field trips, and exploring the world in general.”

earlier this year. Mazal Tov to the entire She remembers the music that influenced everything on campus and specifically

enjoyed singing on the Tehiyah album and at Zellerbach Auditorium as a member

Moses family! of the Tehiyah chorus.

Not surprisingly, being a parent at the school you

grew up at makes for some interesting observations.

Tehiyah has clearly changed from Ronli’s perspective.

“It’s much more of a school now,” Ronli said. “It was

more like a dream when I was there — sort of patched

together. There is much more stability now. We were

trying to create something, and it feels like it’s been

accomplished. Tehiyah has really blossomed and grown

roots.”

Just to give it a bit of perspective, when Ronli was

here, most of the classes were combined (i.e., second

and third grades together), their middle school dances

used to be in the art room, and the gym was just a pipe

dream.

As a parent of a kindergartener, Ronli has experi-

enced a variety of emotions. It was hard for Ronli to let

Aiden Moses (on the right) with fellow her baby leave the nest, but choosing Tehiyah just felt right.

kindergartener Joshua Weschler “I had a real battle this year trying to decide what to do because I like the

Berkeley public school system,” Ronli said. “But as it got closer to making the

decision, Tehiyah just felt safe. I want Aiden’s foundation to be a solid one, and I

wasn’t sure he’d get that anywhere else.”

When asked if she had any advice for current Tehiyah students, Ronli had this

to say: “Appreciate what you’re learning because you’re getting exposed to more

than other kids are. Take advantage of the opportunities even though you might

not see them as opportunities right now.”

Those are wise words from someone who has personally experienced the ex-

citement and warmth of the Tehiyah community. Welcome back to Tehiyah, Ronli.

We’re very excited to have you and Aiden with us!

8

From Modeh Ani to Nerdcore Rising

Gaby Alter writes musicals and songs in New York

By Heike Friedman, Director of Development



It’s a small world if you have friends. When Gaby Alter arrived in

New York six years ago to find his way as a musician and composer, he

was welcomed by playwright Itamar Moses who had been living there

for several years.

“He had always been like a younger brother to me,” Gaby said.

In New York, both former Tehiyah students became friends and col-

leagues. Currently, Gaby and Itamar are collaborating on a musical. The

production is called Reality!, an “irreverent parody of the reality behind

reality television shows.” Itamar’s play, Yellowjackets, had a successful

run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre last year.

There were signs of Gaby’s musical promise during his time at Tehiyah

(1980-87). He recorded his first song with his music teacher, Arella

Barlev, in middle school.

“I wrote a Hanukkah rap song, and Arella liked it, so she included it

on an album that she was recording,” Gaby, now 35, recalled. “There

was a lot of music at Tehiyah.”

He remembers starting the day singing Modeh Ani with his first-grade

teacher, Allison Kent Weiss.

“I think I had a crush on her,” Gaby said.

Allison has her own memories of her first year teaching at Tehiyah.

“One day, we were sitting in a circle having a class discussion,” Allison

said. “I don’t remember the topic, but Gaby raised his hand and said, ‘I

wonder what Nostradamus would say about this!’”

Gail Taback taught Gaby in fourth grade and remembers him as a

creative and smart student. Twenty-two years after leaving Tehiyah,

Gaby can easily list the names of all of his former teachers and classmates.

“Tehiyah creates a sense of community, one that extends beyond your own One day we were sitting in a circle

classroom,” said Gaby, who still keeps in touch with many of his classmates.

Gaby, the son of Bible scholar and former Tehiyah trustee Robert Alter, spoke having a class discussion. I don’t

about the powerful connection with Jewish culture that his education at Tehiyah remember the topic, but Gaby raised

created for him.

“I have a strong sense of my Jewish identity, something I can always come back his hand and said, ‘I wonder what

to,” Gaby said. Nostradamus would say about this!’

After graduating from Tehiyah, Gaby attended Berkeley High School and Wes-

leyan College. During his post-Tehiyah years, he started writing songs for musicals — Allison Kent Weiss

and children’s puppet shows. His musical, Vapor Tales, won the 1998 San Francisco Gaby’s first-grade teacher at Tehiyah

Theater Critics’ Circle Award.

A year after moving to New York in 2003, Gaby enrolled in New York Univer-

sity’s Musical Theatre Writing Program. Also in 2004, his musical, Young Zombies

in Love, was recognized with the New York Fringe Festival Songwriting Award. His

current projects include Band Geeks! (with Tommy Newman, Mark Allen, and Gordon

Greenberg), which will appear at the 2009 NAMT Festival of New Musicals; Reality!,

which was workshopped at the Cape Cod Theatre Project in 2008; and Twenty-

Nine (with Tommy Newman), which was the NYU Steinhardt spring musical in

2007.

Gaby also writes songs for Mr. Steve (a.k.a. Steve Roslonek) for the nationally

televised show “PBS KIDS Block.” His work was part of the film project, Nerdcore

Rising (2008), a documentary “that investigates the newest wave of hip-hop, nerd-

core, as it follows the godfather of the genre, MC Frontalot, on his first national

tour.” Gaby is Frontalot’s co-writer and musical director.

To read more about Gaby Alter and to listen to some of his songs, please visit

www.gabyalter.com.









9

Tehiyah Serves As Lifelong Base

Maya Guendelman pursues a career as a clinical neuropsychologist

By Maya Guendelman (class of 1999)



My current line of work — infant mental health — is as heartbreaking as

it is hopeful. As a research associate at the UCSF Child Trauma Research

Program, I work with a team of psychologists-cum-researchers who specialize

in treating toddlers affected by terrible events. Surely, we cannot reasonably

expect an 18-month old to lie down on a couch and verbalize his feelings

about daddy hitting mommy. But in other ways, such as play, young children

are unusually honest in expressing how they are deeply affected by their

social environments, both healthy and not. Catalyzed by my work, I have

increasingly reflected on the profound importance of early childhood

experience in shaping lifelong development — not only in the lives of the

children we treat at the clinic, but in my own life, too.

For me, Tehiyah is the mouth of a constant flood of vividly positive mem-

ories — the excitement of Purim fairs, assembling the bagel lunches, selling

raffle tickets and the jellybean guessing, morning Modeh Anis and t’fillah, the

Gold Rush trip (my apologies if some of these references are by now out-

dated). … I carry these with me every day, consciously or not. They are a

source of great strength, for which I am extremely grateful, especially as I

work to meet the realities and responsibilities of growing up and “real life.”

Maya (left) with Aviva Gilbert, Tehiyah class

Along with happy memories, many of my closest friends today are also from

of 1999

Tehiyah. Some I speak with or see daily or weekly; I am in touch with most others

in some way or another. I am continually impressed with their characters, per-

sonalities, and strength — they are good people with strong Jewish values. And,

they are successful in other ways, too. In my class of 17 kids, now aged 23 or 24, I

believe, we have three Fulbright Scholars, two Stanford grads, one Harvard grad,

two UCLA, one U Penn, one Brown, one Wellesley, one Wesleyan, one UC Davis,

one UCSC, one UCI, two Berkeley, one Scripps grad … the list goes on. We have

at least two talented musicians, a chef, Spanish speakers, Hebrew speakers, Japa-

nese speakers, world travelers, a social worker, a future clinical neuropsychologist

(that would be me, if all goes as planned with graduate school applications!), and

perhaps not surprisingly, you will be able to hire a top-notch class of ’99 legal

team within a couple years.

I spent a fair amount of time at the beginning of this year getting to know the

young ladies of the seventh grade. One of my closest friends, Shiri Weininger

(alum ’98, daughter of Rabbi Tsipi), and I co-led a workshop in which we explored

Maya with her father, Simon Guendelman, many of the social and emotional issues that we, too, had encountered as 13-year

a current Tehiyah senior trustee olds. I was deeply impressed by the girls’ maturity and expressiveness — they

reminded me a bit of my classmates — and I had them in mind when I accepted

the invitation to join the board of trustees, as one of its first alumni members. It is

a great honor to be a part of this group of incredibly dedicated, talented individuals.

I will work toward helping Tehiyah

I will work toward helping Tehiyah to strengthen its possibilities as a strong and

to strengthen its possibilities as a vibrant home for Jewish education, particularly through its alumni ties. In all senses

of the words — l’dor va dor.

strong and vibrant home for Jewish

As a Fulbrighter myself, I spent last year in my parents’ homeland — Chile. My father

education, particularly through its — whose Instituto Hebreo kindergarten class still has yearly reunions — armed me

with a long list of contacts for any imaginable emergency. The Chilean Jewish community

alumni ties. In all senses of the words

is small but incredibly tight-knit, and I have admired the strong social and cultural ties

— l’dor va dor. that my family has maintained with it despite our physical distance. Our wider society in

the United States is beautifully heterogeneous and opportunity-rich. Yet in some ways,

its fundamental restlessness makes it particularly critical for its members to have a solid

base, if not a physical location then a sense of identity, community, and belonging. In

developmental psychology, this concept is often referred to as a “secure base,” and

having one is seen as critical to healthy socio-emotional and physical development. As

we grow older and our world expands, the concept grows, too, beyond mom and dad.

For me, and I suspect for almost all of its students, teachers, parents, and community-

members, Tehiyah is not simply a school but is also a dear and secure, lifelong base.

10

Building Israel Connections

Eytan Elterman excels as an Israel advocate and entrepreneur

By Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, Director of Communications



Tehiyah alum Eytan Elterman has a deep connection to his alma

mater’s core Jewish value of Yisrael (the land of Israel). From December

2007 until August 2009, Eytan served as the director of public affairs

for the Consulate General of Israel in San Francisco.

Eytan assisted in publicizing Israeli environmental, technological,

and cultural advances within the Jewish and non-Jewish communities

in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and half of California.

These efforts built and maintained a partnership between Israel and

the Pacific Northwest. He also engaged in regular communication

with the general community concerning Israeli political issues.

“I represented something that I whole heartedly believe in,” said

Eytan, who graduated from Tehiyah in 1993. “It’s important to be

able to have a voice and do it in a way that I believe in.”

At the consulate, Eytan coordinated programming with Tehiyah

students. In January, our eighth-graders traveled to the consulate

to observe local Israeli dignitaries casting their votes for the Israel

Knesset and to participate in a mock election. Tehiyah’s fifth, sixth,

and seventh-graders were invited by the consulate to plant trees in honor of Tu

b’Shvat at John McClaren Park in San Francisco in February.

While Eytan’s job involved working with many high-level people within the Israeli

government and infrastructure, he greatly enjoyed welcoming some of tomorrow’s

leaders — Tehiyah students — to the consulate.

“I got to speak to the students for about 10 minutes and give them an overview

of how Israeli elections and Israeli democracy take place,” said Eytan, who like

Tehiyah is 30-years-old. “It was a very good experience. It brought it back full circle.”

Eytan credits Tehiyah for planting a seed for his Jewish cultural identity and for

encouraging his interest in tikkun olam initiatives. Rabbi Tsipi Gabai and Sue Miller

were two of his faborite Tehiyah teachers, and both individuals inspired Eytan to

reach his full potential at Tehiyah and beyond.

Other cultures have always fascinated Eytan, and from an early age, he wanted to

find a way to travel. The son of Mexican immigrants, Eytan was born in the United

States and grew up fluent in Spanish. His love for the international community has

influenced his career and education choices.

A 2001 UCLA graduate with a degree in European studies, Eytan worked in tele- Eytan at the consulate (above)

vision production for three years before moving to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with and in the first grade

Noam Pines, a Tehiyah friend, to teach English, perfect his Spanish, and explore

South America.

After a brief teaching stint, they started Cali Promociones, a hip-hop promo-

tions company in Argentina. Eytan’s adventure motivated him to return to the

United States to earn his MBA in international management from the Monterey I would also like to build a couple

Institute of International Studies. small business ideas possibly related

“If we had made the decision to stay, it’s quite possible I would still be there to Israel. I don’t want to give up on

right now,” Eytan said. “We were relatively successful in our one-year venture.”

Fortunately for the Israeli Consulate, Eytan didn’t want Argentina to become Israel advocacy. It’s too important at

his permanent home. Since leaving the consulate, Eytan’s entrepreneurial spirit has this point.

moved his career forward.

“Other interests of mine include video and television production,” Eytan said.

“I’ve worked on several independent documentaries and human interest stories. I

would like to pursue that avenue. I would also like to build a couple small business

ideas possibly related to Israel. I don’t want to give up on Israel advocacy. It’s too

important at this point.”

Eytan’s future clearly looks bright, and Tehiyah is proud to have given him the

necessary foundation to pursue his dreams.







11

Foundation for Life

Gavri Rosen uses her medical degree to make a difference

By Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, Director of Communications



Gavri Rosen Kellerman views Tehiyah Day School as the foundation for her

personal and professional aspirations. Gavri moved to La Jolla, Calif., with her husband,

Jesse Kellerman, in 2007 to do her psychiatry residency at UC San Diego, but she

is currently taking some time off to work in community psychiatry at a local hospital.

On the strength of Tehiyah’s outstanding aca-

demic preparation, Gavri pursued a challenging

academic path. After graduating from Tehiyah in

1994, she attended College Preparatory School

in Oakland, graduated summa cum laude from

Harvard with a degree in the history of science,

and earned her medical degree from Mount Sinai

School of Medicine in New York.

While at Harvard, Gavri’s life-long affinity

toward tikkun olam projects inspired her to be

one of the founders of the Women’s Resource

Center at Boston Medical Center. The student-

run service, part of a national program called

Project Health, helps patients find housing,

child-care, and employment.

Given that her father is a plasma physicist and

her mother is a lawyer, it is not surprising that

education played an important role in Gavri’s

upbringing.

“Academics were always very important in

our household,” said Gavri, whose brothers,

Michael and Rafi, graduated from Tehiyah in

1990 and 1998, respectively. “The main reason

they sent us to Tehiyah was because we could

Gavri with her husband, Jesse get the academics and the Jewish education. I really enjoyed the academic experi-

ence at Tehiyah. There was so much of it that was great. I don’t want to mention

just one of my teachers. They were all great. I really benefited a lot from that early

The main reason they sent us to education. I felt like it helped me a lot at CPS. I had a leg up in a lot of the stuff we

Tehiyah was because we could were doing there.”

get the academics and the Jewish Gavri’s interest in psychiatry was sparked in high school.

“I took a class in high school where we were reading Freud, and I was taking AP

education. I really enjoyed the biology,” Gavri said. “I thought the brain was totally fascinating. I felt that medicine

academic experience at Tehiyah. would be the most compelling way to study it.”

On a personal note, Gavri and Jesse celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary

earlier this year. The couple met at Harvard as undergraduates, and shares an interest

in traveling and writing. Gavri has lived in Israel, Germany, and Switzerland, and

she has explored numerous countries with her husband, who is an accomplished

writer and playwright. Tehiyah also cultivated Gavri’s ability to craft fiction.

“I recently found a folder of stories and poetry I wrote for (former Tehiyah

teacher) Sue Miller,” Gavri said. “One day a week, we had creative writing, and it

was important to help me start developing my voice.”

Judaism also plays an important role in Gavri’s and Jesse’s lives. They both at-

tended Jewish day schools, keep kosher, celebrate Shabbat, and intend to raise

their future children with Jewish values. Clearly, Tehiyah helped shape a caring and

talented young woman who values her family, life-long learning, and Judaism.

“After I finished high school, I spent a year before college in Israel,” Gavri said.

“That experience was important to me. I went to Midrasha during high school. In

college, I was really involved with Hillel. Judaism has always been there, and I think

it will always be there.”







12

Offering a Helping Hand in Guatemala

Emily Pascal joins her father to provide medical care

By Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, Director of Communications



Despite being only a senior at Marin Academy in San Rafael, Tehiyah alum Emily Helping others was instilled in me

Pascal has already begun to chart her future as a pediatric general surgeon.

Over the last two years, Emily has twice accompanied her father, who is an eye from a young age. It gave me a

surgeon, on charitable medical trips to the Hospital de la Familia in Southwestern less egocentric view of the world.

Guatemala. The facility provides year-round medical care but relies on volunteer

U.S. surgical teams to perform major surgeries. I definitely think that Tehiyah

A 2006 Tehiyah graduate, Emily has done more than just observe various medical influenced me to want to help others.

procedures during her two-week visits to the Guatemala hospital. She has checked

visual acuities in the eye clinic, served as a language translator for the medical staff, Emily (far left) in an operating room at

and has scrubbed in and assisted with several eye surgeries, an ovarian cyst removal, Hospital de la Familia

hernia repairs, and a partial thyroid removal.

Under the guidance of the doctors, her surgical assignments

have included holding the retractor and suturing incisions.

Emily vividly recalled the excitement of witnessing one

woman’s reaction at her post-cataract surgery appointment.

“I took off the eye patch, and she started to cry because

she was able to see,” Emily said. “She started to mumble in

Spanish, thanking G-d and my father. She was blind in her

other eye, so she hadn’t been able to see for a long time.

My dad got tears in his eyes. It was really special.”

Emily has loved her experiences in Guatemala and hopes

to return with her dad in the spring of 2010. With four

different surgeries occurring in one room, she has enjoyed

her exposure to a variety of sub-surgical specialties.

Through a mini-course program at her high school, she

has also shadowed a pediatric general surgeon at Children’s

Hospital in Oakland. Pediatric general surgery is one of her

top career choices because it combines two of her passions.

“I really like kids, so I want to do something working with kids when I grow up,”

said Emily, whose brother Daniel is a fifth-grader at Tehiyah. “I am also really into

art, so I want to do something where I get to use my hands.”

Emily traces her interests in helping others and for art back to her Tehiyah days.

“Community service and tikkun olam were stressed at Tehiyah,” Emily said.

“Helping others was instilled in me from a young age. It gave me a less egocentric

view of the world. I definitely think that Tehiyah influenced me to want to help others.

“Janet [Lipkin] first got me interested in art. She was an amazing art teacher, and

I looked forward to art class.”

Tufts University in Boston and Washington University in St. Louis are two of her

top college choices, as both have large Jewish populations and excellent medical

schools. She has opted to do a gap year between high school and freshman year of

college to spend some time in Israel, perfecting her Hebrew, learning some Arabic,

and possibly teaching on a kibbutz.

After all, Emily, who will turn 17 at the end of this year, recognizes how many years Emily in a supply closet at Hospital de la

of hard work are ahead of her to become a doctor. Additionally, she has already had a Familia

taste of college by attending summer school at Stanford for eight weeks this year.

“I was having a conversation with my dad where he said he went to 24 years of

school plus kindergarten,” Emily said. “Based on his years of schooling, he was tell-

ing me how to study for midterms.”

As Emily pursues her medical degree, she will have plenty of time to master her

own study techniques and will always remember the special place Tehiyah holds in

her heart.

A few years ago, Emily told her mother, “I will never again have an experience

like Tehiyah. There is just nothing like it, and I’m going to for sure send my children

to a Jewish day school.”





13

Playing With Pride

Nadav Kariv spent last year playing semi-professional soccer in Israel

By Debbie Rosenfeld-Caparaz, Director of Communications



Nadav Kariv holds the distinction of being Tehiyah’s first alum to play semi-

professional sports.

A 2004 Tehiyah graduate, Nadav completed his Berkeley High School education

in 2008. After graduation, Nadav decided to move to Israel to pursue his dream

of becoming a professional soccer player.

For the 2008-09 season, Nadav landed a contract with HaPoel Afula’s under-20

team with the help of one of his father’s friends. In Israel, professional soccer

organizations rely on their youth teams to develop future players. The transition

from living with his parents to living in his own apartment in another country

went well. Nadav is fluent in Hebrew, was familiar with Israel from past visits to

see his father’s family, and resided on Kibbutz Ramat David, where his grandmother

lives. He feels his time in Israel helped him grow as a center midfielder and as a

person.

“The practices were more intense than some of the games I played in the Bay

Area,” said Nadav, who turned 19 on September 11. “There were 24 players fighting

to be one of the 18 players who dressed for a game. The level of coaching was

also a lot better.”

For now, Nadav has decided to continue focusing on his professional soccer

career. To stay academically sharp, he plans to take a couple online courses in the

coming year.

Despite the pride he felt playing in Israel, Nadav opted to investigate other soccer

options. He spent the summer of 2009 in Italy exploring professional playing

opportunities through a Canadian program. He was fortunate to be one of two

individuals from the United States among the 20 elite soccer players given the

chance to showcase their skills against some of Italy’s top professional clubs.

“You have to be the best of the best to get into (the Canadian program),”

Nadav said.

When Tehiyah Shelanu went to press, Nadav was hopeful that he would

soon secure a soccer contract in Italy or another European location. A 14-

year veteran player, Nadav was introduced to soccer in a recreational league

cer: when he was five, and quickly demonstrated an aptitude for the game.

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“You really got to know everyone,” Nadav said. “I met my two best friends in

kindergarten at Tehiyah. I like the small community where everyone was really

together. The class sizes were small. It was easy to approach the teachers and talk

to them one-on-one.”

Family, friends, Judaism, and soccer are some of the most important things in

Nadav’s life. While Tehiyah can’t take credit for Nadav’s soccer talent, it helped to

teach him what matters most in the world through an education steeped in Jewish

values.

Top: Nadav; Middle: article about Nadav in

an Israeli newspaper; Bottom: Nadav with

his brothers and grandfather

14

The Gift of Song

Rachel Valfer teaches, plays, and sings Middle Eastern music

By Heike Friedman, Director of Development



Rachel Valfer’s musical tastes can be traced back to her first year at Tehiyah.

“Growing up at Tehiyah, we had so much creative time to express ourselves

through art, music, Israeli dance, and drama,” said Rachel, who was one of the first

15 students who started kindergarten at Tehiyah in 1979. “Somehow those deli-

cious times were always linked in my mind with a feeling of connection to ancient

roots in the Middle East.”

Today, Rachel, who is comfortable in Greek, Hebrew, Turkish, Arabic and Farsi,

teaches Middle Eastern vocal styles and oud, an Arabic lute, from her home in

Berkeley, and sings with several ensembles in the Bay Area.

“Allison Kent Weiss was my first love, with her orderly classroom in which we all

felt so safe,” said Rachel, who graduated from Tehiyah in 1987. “Gail Taback’s room

was a warm and nurturing place for creative writing, reading, and drama, which I

loved so much. And, Arella Barlev gave us the gift of song. ... I can remember my

elation the first time she taught us a Ladino wedding song, and then a Yemenite version

of Dror Yikra. It was love at first note.”

Rachel Valfer and the Qadim Ensemble

After four years at Brown University, Rachel went to Israel as a volunteer.

“I turned on the radio and heard Mizrahi pop, and I knew I was staying,” Rachel

said. “I found a school for classical Middle Eastern music and dance in Jerusalem,

started studying oud and maqam (Middle Eastern music theory), and ethnomusicology

at Hebrew University. I made aliyah and stayed for seven years. Finally after the

second intifada, life got too hard, I missed my family too much, and I came back to

Berkeley, where I joined the band Za’atar and met my husband, Eliyahu Sills.”

Rachel currently performs with her husband and the Qadim Ensemble. The San

Francisco Bay Area-based group’s first CD, Eastern Wind, debuted this summer at No. 7

on the Billboard World Music Charts. Visit www.eliyahusills.com to hear samples of

their music and learn about their upcoming concerts in the Bay Area.

Adam Stern lives and works as a musician in Los Angeles

By Heike Friedman, Director of Development

Since he saw the middle school play production of Bye Bye Birdie while in kindergarten,

Adam Stern could not wait to be in middle school so he could perform in the plays.

“Subsequently I got to be in three of the coolest Tehiyah productions ever, starting

with The Wizard of Oz and being privileged to have amazing opportunities to play Adam Stern

incredible roles, from Danny in Grease to Oliver in Oliver Twist,” recalled the 1998

Tehiyah graduate.

Adam’s early love for performance led to a musical career after attending UCLA. My guiding light at Tehiyah and

Adam, who lives in Los Angeles, just released his debut full-length record, The beyond: Rabbi Tsipi Gabai who

Dreamer Child. Adam describes his work as “music with a folk/singer-songwriter

base, which incorporates a plethora of popular styles from around the world into a tutored me for my Bar Mitzvah and

unique fusion.” still is a very close friend and

Adam remembers being one of the founding members of the Tehiyah Timberwolves confidant.

under coach Barry Kleiman.

“We competed for the title in our first season, and in our second season, a small

Jewish school won league,” Adam said.

He is thankful for Elise Prowse’s “determined patience” and Bruce Taylor for

bringing coffeehouse performances into the classroom.

“All these people never stopped believing in me and exercised a great deal of pa-

tience with me as I was 100% on my own agenda,” Adam said.

“I owe more than words, songs, and poetry could ever do proper justice to, two

women in particular,” Adam continued. “The first was my sixth and seventh-grade

homeroom teacher, Mrs. Gal. And, last but not least ... my guiding light at Tehiyah

and beyond: Rabbi Tsipi Gabai who tutored me for my Bar Mitzvah and still is a very

close friend and confidant.”

To learn more about Adam Stern, to listen to his music, and obtain information

about upcoming concerts, please go to www.adamstern.us.

15

Alumni Highlights





Elijah ben Izzy (class of 2006) served as a member of the 2008-09 East Bay

Jewish Community Teen Foundation. Along with 19 other high school students,

Elijah helped raise and distribute over $36,000. The teenagers awarded grants to

four organizations, which are fulfilling their 2008-09 teen foundation mission: to

prevent malaria and water-borne diseases affecting children and youth in Sub-

Saharan Africa.

“It is a great way to help other people,” said Elijah when he represented the

teen foundation during a presentation for Tehiyah’s eighth-grade class last spring.

Elijah will continue to work with the teen foundation this fall as part of the

leadership council. For more information, visit www.jfound.org/teen.



Ben Bloch (class of 1987) is working as a prison psychologist in the California

prison system. Ben says he keeps in touch with a few good Tehiyah friends, in-

cluding Tony Zwerdling.



Aaron Finkelstein (class of 1997) is a third-year student at Yeshivat Chovevei

Torah Rabbinical School in New York.



Mark Hilsabeck (class of 1993) is a field engineer

at Solar City in Richmond, Calif. Mark is helping to

facilitate Tehiyah’s plans for adding solar panels to the

school. After graduating from Tehiyah in 1993, Mark

went on to attend St. Mary’s High School and Cal

State Hayward.



Elana Naftalin-Kelman (class of 1988) recently

returned to live in Berkeley with her husband, Adam,

and her two children, Yair (age 4) and Nevo (age 1.5).

Elana works for Camp Ramah in California, directing

their Tikvah program for children with special needs.

Camp Ramah has two summer programs for kids with

special needs, a camper program for kids ages 11-17,

a vocational program for young adults ages 17-23, and

a camp for families who have children with special

needs. Elana has worked for many years in the field

of Jewish special education, running the programs at

Camp Ramah in California, consulting with Hebrew

Top: Elijah ben Izzy; Middle: Mark

schools and day schools on how to best support all learners, and running semi-

Hilsabeck (center) with Elise Prowse (left) nars for teachers on how best to teach children with special needs in the Jewish

and Rabbi Tsipi Gabai (right) classroom.



Micha Salomon (class of 1987) has been

working at the San Francisco Estuary Institute

(www.sfei.org) for the past three years. Micha

is involved with environmental research and

geographic information systems (GIS) mapping

and analysis in the historical ecology program.

He is studying and mapping the natural land-

scape of California and the Bay Area as it

existed hundreds of years ago. To see his work

on Miller Creek in Marin County, check out

www.nbwatershed.org/millercreek/.







Left: Elana Naftalin-Kelman and family

16

Tehiyah’s computer teacher from 1999-2006,

Micha earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry

from the University of California in 1996 and is

currently working on his master’s in geography

from San Francisco State University. Micha and

his wife, Maya, had their first child, Lilah Marian,

on June 27.

Sam Shonkoff (class of 1998) recently Far left: Micha

completed a Lisa Goldberg Memorial Fellow- Salomon; Left:

ship with American Jewish World Service. In Sam Shonkoff

that capacity, he wrote divrei Torah for AJWS’s

weekly Torah commentary,

“Dvar Tzedek.” Check out

Sam’s writings at www.ajws.

org/what_we_do/education/

publications/dvar_tzedek/.

Sam also has been working at Hillel at Stanford as its Jewish

student life coordinator since August 2008.

Miriam Snoyman (class of 2000), whose maiden name is

Lyon, moved to Israel with her husband, Michael, and their son,

Eliezer, in March 2009. Miriam met Michael at UCLA.

Tony Zwerdling (class of 1986) lives in Alexandria, Va., with

his wife, Ginger Yowell, and their infant daughter, Lexi. Tony

sings with the Washington National Opera and teaches voice at

the college level.

Congratulations to the five Tehiyah graduates who were

involved with the Young Musical Theater Company’s (YMTC)

summer 2009 performance of Les Miserables at the Julia Morgan

Young People’s Performing Arts Center in Berkeley. The list

features: Simone Kertesz (Fantine), Merav Walklet (Ensemble), Marnina Miriam Snoyman and family

Wirtschafter (Eponine), Edward Gordon (crew), and Seth Gorrin (crew).



Simone Kertesz (left) and Merav Walklet

(right) in Les Miserables at the Julia Morgan

theater

eil and

D ave W









If you have news you would like to share with the community,

Photos:









please send alumni updates to hfriedman@tehiyah.org.

17

Tehiyah Welcomes Five New Trustees

The 2009-10 board of trustees features 23 members





The Tehiyah Day School Board of Trustees elected five new members into its ranks during the annual meeting in May.

President Adam Mizock bid a heartfelt farewell to three departing trustees: Leslie Crary, Holvis Delgadillo, and Kayla

Engel. With the election of the new trustees, the board grew from 21 to 23 members. The entire Tehiyah community

welcomes the following trustees and thanks them for their commitment.



Debbie Bamberger and her husband, Josh, are the parents of Eli, a first-grader at Tehiyah,

and Noah, who is in preschool at Beth El Nursery School. Debbie is a women’s health nurse

practitioner and the lead clinician at Planned Parenthood: Shasta-Diablo’s Central Richmond

health center. A nurse practitioner for 15 years, Debbie is a founder of the Women’s Com-

munity Clinic — San Francisco’s only free clinic for women. The clinic started in 1999 on a

shoestring budget and has grown to an annual budget of $1.5 million, 17 staff members, and

over 100 volunteer health workers and clinicians. Debbie earned her bachelor’s degree from

Clark University in Worcester, Mass., and received her master’s of science degree from the

University of San Francisco.



Maya Guendelman grew up in Berkeley and is a class of 1999 Tehiyah alumna. She has

been active in speaking at Tehiyah events and co-ran a workshop with the seventh-grade

girls last year. She maintains close friendships with many of her Tehiyah peers, and as a

board member is looking forward to helping bring fellow alumni closer to the Tehiyah

community. She graduated from Stanford University in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in

psychology and spent a year conducting public health and psychology research in Chile as a

Fulbright Scholar. She is currently a research associate at UCSF and is interested in pursuing

a doctorate in psychology in the near future.



Joan Kiang was born in Nahariya, Israel, five months before the Six Day War, where her

family was living at the time on Kibbutz Gesher Haziv. When she was three, Joan moved to

San Jose Calif., where she attended public school except for three informative elementary

school years spent at the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School. Joan went on to attend the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a bachelor’s of science degree in art and de-

sign. She has worked in architectural design ever since graduation. Joan is currently a member

of Congregation Netivot Shalom, where she continues her strong connection to the Jewish

community and her deep love for the State of Israel. Joan and her husband, Kang, have a

daughter in second grade at Tehiyah.



Born and raised between New York, Boston, and Tel Aviv, Dina Tasini moved to the Bay

Area in 1992. Dina has two daughters at Tehiyah, Emma in eighth grade and Talya in fourth

grade. Dina is a co-chair of TPO and a member of the 30th anniversary gala committee. In

addition to her work at Tehiyah, Dina owns and operates an urban planning consulting busi-

ness, assisting public and private development throughout the East Bay with a specialty in

military base reuse and redevelopment. Dina holds a bachelor’s degree in urban studies and

planning from UC San Diego and a master’s degree in architecture and urban planning from

UCLA.



Originally from Chicago, Rebekah Wildman moved to the East Bay in July 2008 with

her husband, Jonathan, and their daughter, Aviva, who is now in second grade at Tehiyah.

A development co-chair for Tehiyah for the 2009-10 school year, Rebekah is also active in

other areas of the East Bay Jewish community. For the Jewish Community Federation of

the Greater East Bay, she is a member of the board of directors, the campaign chair for the

Young Leadership Division, and a member of the Finance and Joint Allocations Committees.

Additionally, she is an incoming national cabinet member for United Jewish Communities.

Rebekah has worked in client management in the professional services sector for the past

10 years. With a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in statistics from Miami University

(Ohio), she has a background in corporate financial analysis and operations.





18

The Students, Teachers, and Staff of Tehiyah



Thank You

For Your Kind Generosity









19

Thank You for Your Support in These Times of Need

By Rebekah Wildman and Harrison Alter, 2009-10 Development Co-Chairs







In a year of many challenges, we are grateful to our over 430 supporters for

ensuring that Tehiyah can thrive even in times of need. Thanks to your generosity,

we exceeded our goal for the 2008-09 Tehiyah Fund by raising $220,000.

THANK YOU. In addition, we were able to secure several grants for a fundraising 2008-09

Grants Tehiyah

total of $580,000, nearly 25% more than last year. 59%

Fundraising Fund

These dollars are needed more than ever. After requests for financial aid Sources 38%

jumped 20% for the 2008-09 school year, our business office received a re-

cord number of applications for the 2009-10 school year. Approved requests

Events

for financial aid exceeded $1,000,000. Behind this number are many stories of 3%

personal hardships — lost jobs, illnesses, and divorces. Tehiyah couldn’t turn its

back on its families in need. 2008-09 Tehiyah Operating Budget

Tehiyah remains absolutely committed to staying financially accessible to TAP, food services, rentals,

families who seek a Jewish education for their child(ren). This commitment and miscellaneous

Fundraising 8%

can only be fulfilled with the continued help and generosity of individual donors 13%

and agencies, such as the Jewish Community Federation and Foundation of the

Greater East Bay, the Jim Joseph Foundation, Keren Keshet — The Rainbow

Foundation, and the Koret Foundation. Tuition

80%

The Jim Joseph Foundation is committed to supporting Jewish education in

the San Francisco Bay Area through a two-year emergency grant. Tehiyah will

receive nearly $200,000 over the next two school years for its financial aid

program.

While financial aid is the biggest need that our fundraising efforts address, donation dollars and grants also help us

to sustain and grow our curriculum.



spring of 2009. The journey was underwritten by an $87,000 grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation, as part of the Bay

Area Jewish day school Israel education project (BASIS).

-

lished creative arts program, raising nearly $20,000.



who continues to support the program that was established in memory of her late husband, David Rosenzweig, z”l.



its security system, including installation of a new intercom system and additional surveillance cameras.



school classroom thanks to a grant from the Legacy

Heritage Fund. The SMART Board is an interactive

whiteboard, which is connected to a computer and

uses touch technology to interact with the display, to

visit Web sites, and to access databases.

With a notable 100% participation by the faculty,

staff, and board of trustees in the 2008-09 Tehiyah

Fund campaign, and 85% participation from the par-

ents, we feel confident that this positive fundraising

trend will continue during our 30th anniversary year.

Thank you again for your dedication and support!

Rebekah Wildman, mother of Aviva (second grade), and

Harrison Alter, father of Reuben (third grade), Celia (seventh

grade), and Isabel (class of 2009), are leading Tehiyah’s

fundraising efforts in the 2009-10 school year.

Guests at our Two Nights, One Community dinners: Terry Friedkin

(right), board president of the Jewish Community Federation of the

Greater East Bay, with husband Stephen and Tehiyah alumni parents

Allan and Hannah King

20

2008-09 Annual Report



This report contains information about gifts to Tehiyah for the 2008-09 school year.

In preparation for this report, we have tried to avoid errors and omissions. If any

discrepancies are found, please accept our apologies and report them to the development

office. If your name was not listed as you prefer, please let us know so that our records

may be corrected. If your gift was received after June 30, 2009, your name will appear

in the 2009-10 Annual Report.





Tehiyah Fund and ($1,800 – $3,599) Nancy and Eugene Bardach

Rona Bar-Din and Theodore Levin

Restricted Donations Anonymous (4) Lisa Cohen Bennett and Terrence

Edona and Matthew Abarbanel Bennett

Thank you for sustaining Tehiyah Harrison Alter Cyndi and Peter Berck

through gifts to the Tehiyah Fund, to Debra and Marc Barach Lauren Snider Brandt and Rabbi James

restricted funds, and through partici- Laurel Bray-Hanin and Scott Hanin Brandt

pating in our annual dinner talks — Emily and Andy Cohen Halle Brown and Daniel Emerling

Two Nights, One Community. Leslie Crary and Andrew Stoloff Carol Brownstein and David Lieberman

Jill and Martin Dodd Karah Dunlap Chaver and Alon

The Machers’ Club Laurie and Jonathan Earp Chaver

Heike and Eric Friedman Merle and Seymour Cohen

Tzadik— Sylvia and Simon Guendelman Judith and Neil Collier

Righteous Person ($18,000+) Arlene Immerman and David Brown Amy Coty

Bathea and Sam James Debbie Dare and Joseph Gold

Michelle J. Schwartz Rita and Howard Kashner Melissa Eizenberg and Adam Diamant

Joan and Kang Kiang Amy and Mort Friedkin

Eitz Chayyim— Sheri and John Madden Terry and Stephen Friedkin

Tree of Life ($7,200 – $17,999) Robinn and Daniel Magid Danna Gillette-Pascal and Steven

Linda Manoogian and Nancy Ostrow Pascal

Miriam Moussaioff and Andrew Kim and Steven Marder Tanya and Ernest Goldsmith

Greenberg Laurie and Stuart Marson Ruth and Gregg Gorrin

Jodi and Paul Warner Linda Press-Wulf and Dr. Stanley Wulf Judy Hahn and Ben Lerman

Malka and Dr. Perry Scheinok Ilan and Marlene Keret

Madrikh— Cathy and Dov Rosenfeld Allen and Hannah King

Leader Jacqueline and Dr. Mark Sutter Gail and Greg Marell

Amy and Steve Utstein Amy and Philip Mezey

($5,400 – $7,199) Madeline and Neil Weinstein Dalia and Lance Nagel

Rebekah and Jonathan Wildman Joan Fenichel Rubin and Rick Rubin

Robin and Gene Millstein Eileen and Robert Ruby

Sharon Shoshani and David Goldstein

The Supporters’ Club

($3,600 – $5,399) Claire Sylvia and Peter Menell

Jane Tishkoff

Mishpacha—

Anonymous Marjorie and Barry Traub

Family ($540 – $1,799)

Lauran and Adam Mizock Orit Vogel and Igal Sarfaty

Martha and Leon Muraro Vera and Joe z”l Zatkin

Anonymous (2)

Lael Rubin Jean and Jay Abarbanel

Jennifer Traub and Paul Epstein Tanir Ami and Joshua Konecky

Victoria and Steven Zatkin Kitzi and Bruce Baker

Debbie and Joshua Bamberger



21

Yedid—Friend ($180 - $539) Marcia and Richard Mathog American Leak Detection

Mechanics Bank Betsy Ami

Anonymous (7) Virginia J. Morgan Leah and Ayal Amzel

Barbara Anscher and Steven Binder Joan and Milton Morris Merav and Gilad Arnold

Joanne Backman and Harry Pollack Thao Ngo Troy Arnold

Tania Balazs Gvishi and Zvi Gvishi Megan and Chris O’Brien Gene and Amy Baker

Sharona Barzilay and Tom Graff Rena Pasick and Stephen Garber Janet and Richard Ball

Julie Batz and Jhos Singer Plant Construction Shelly Ball and Jeff Burack

Thea Becker Barbara and Larry Quirico Jeanne Bamberger

Jessica Bentley Katie and Amnon Rodan Deborah Banks and Randy Porter

Karen and Rabbi Mark Bloom Ginny Roemer and Joseph Sylvia and Ron Banks

Betsy Brazy and John Cartan Zicherman Rebecca Bardach and Eliot Goldstein

Sharon and Ronald Brown Yehudit and Ivan Rothman Ursula and Irving Batz

Rebecca Chemla and David Chemla- Sharon and Peter Rukin Edgar Becker

Vogel Taly Rutenberg and Joel ben Izzy Joan and Robert Berke

Beverly Cheney and Avrum Gratch Galila and Eli Sadi Madeleine Berke

Leslie and Aaron Cohen Judy and Hillel Salomon Robin Blum

Ronnie and Stuart Cohen Ellen and Jack Saxe Linda and Peter Boero

Carol Cosman and Robert Alter Janet Schneider and Andrew Kahn Linda and Richard Botton

Valerie and Brendan Creane Jan Schreiber and David Hudson Jean Bradman

Andrea and Jay Dodge Andrea Schumer Joanna Wise Bradman and Asa Bradman

Lara and Richard Dutta Joan and Dr. Lawrence Schwartz Sheila and Arthur Braufman

Ruth Ehrenkrantz and Spencer Klein Ruth Schwartz Suzannah and Richard Bray

Kayla and Barak Engel Helaine and Marc Schweitzer Diane and Stephen Brett

Deborah and Daniel Ezekiel Joyce Selkow and Rod Fujita Jan Bridges

Lisa Fink and Robert Milton Claire Sherman and Ed Anisman Carole and David Brodsly

Susan Frankel and Moshe Maler Heidi and Alan Shonkoff Ellen Brosbe

Marie and Gary Freschi Patricia Sinclair Cathy Fara Brown and Wilbert

Amy and Glenn Friedman Fran Smallson and Christopher Brown

Rabbi Tsipi Gabai Jackson Libby and Bill Brown

Tamar Gershon Drs. Nancy and Robert Stepsis Inga and Adolf Bruk

Revital and Eli Gilad Pat and Cliff Stoll Danu Calderon

Laura and Alexander Givental Donna Sidel Straus Maureen Clearfield and Adam

Jodi and Gordon Gladstone Douglas Straus Whyte

Barbara Goddard Gail and Gene Taback Lorna Cogan and Bob Schwartz

Ruth Goldenberg and Alon Marcus Lisa Tabak and Jeff Lipsett Vally and John Coggshall

Suesan and Saul Grabia Renee and Dan Talmon Dana Cohen

Lara and Philip Grace Nan Toder and Dan McClosky Jane and Jeremy Cohen

Carol Greenberg Hoffman Bracha and Robert Trabin Eve Contente and Adam Duhan

Iris Greenberg-Smith and Jeremy Tali Weininger Nancy and David Coolidge

Smith Deborah Weinstein Katja Cooper

Judy and Sheldon Greene Allison Kent Weiss and Paul Weiss Shawn Corne

Jessica Hadari Nancy Wilkinson and Randall Peter Craig

Diane Halberg and Josh Langenthal Matamoros Carol and James Cunradi

Linda and James Helman Diane and Joshua Wirtschafter Madelyne and Jay Daneman

Jean Henderson Katya and James Woodmansee Marcia and Holvis Delgadillo

Carol and Tony Henning Robert Zivnuska Harriet Dubin

Pam and David Hornik Michal and Michael Dubrovsky

Jewish Community High School of Kehillah—Community (up to $179) Alla Efimova

the Bay Robin Eig

Francine Jolton and David Stone Anonymous (14) Phyllis and Murray Elowitz

Elisabeth Kashner and Jonathan Elizabeth Addison Ruth Elowitz and Todd Rumph

Stern Afikomen Jewish Books, Gifts & Ellen and Ronald Emerling

Karen Klier and James Leventhal Arts Drs. Lois and Charles Epstein

Marcia Lovelace and Dennis Fagaly Frances Alexander Nadyne and Phil Epstein

Dayna Macy and Scott Rosenberg Marilee Allan and Tom Ashkenas Sue and George Ezekiel

Orna and Eyal Maoz Julie Allecta RoseMarie Ezra

Susan Marcus and Amie Miller Galit and Jesse Alpert Nancy Facher and Glenn Wolkenfeld

22

Barbara Fierer and Robert Brandfon Steve Kornfeld Nancy Schliesser

Viktor and Nina Filippova Jennifer Krebs and Amy Patti Schneider and Sammy Joselewitz

Sandra Fox and Gary Hayter Oppenheimer Marti and William Schoen

Anita and Dr. Ernest Friedman Rosalind and Paul Krebs Steven Schoenfeld

Karen Friedman and David Marcus Patrick La Cava and Will Carter Onna Schwindt and Matt Cunitz

Jean and Ron Friedman Patricia and Joel Lamke Barbara Sheehy and Alan Wilkins

Joan and Dale Friedman Viviana and Thomas Lang Carol and Dr. Stephen Shore

Rhoda and David Freedman Liat Lazer and Doron Neuburger Arie Shoshani

Sigal Gafni and Jay Sordean Jeanne Leibowitz Michele Shoshani

Judy Gale Lillian Lerman and George Domingo Moshe and Jane Shweky

Deena Gannot Bev Lesch and David Osburn Magda and Seymour Silberman

Elena Givental Ruth and Jon Levin Rochelle Silberman and Robin Kingsbury

Karen and Paul Gladstone Michele Levine Titi Singer and Yoram Litwin

Jean Glasser Yonit Levy Anthony Solomita

Jeanette Glasser Janet Lipkin and Barry Shapiro Kim Stanley

Kate and Gabriel Gliksman Debra and Michael Lobatz Rica and Willy Steinberg

Molly and Bernard Goldberg Nancy Lord and Ellen Leibowitz Adam Stern

Selma and Nahum Goldberg Wendy and Brian Lukas Virginia and Robert Stern

Julie Golde Jocelyn Lux Nina Stonebarger

Matthew Golde Desmid Lyon Vincent Taldone

Enrique and Jovi Goldenberg Richard Lyon Dina Tasini

Andrea and Gregory Goldman John MacKinney Judith and Bruce Taylor

Diane Kaplan Goldstein and Bob Cilla and Dr. Joseph Marcus Karen Tiedemann and Geoff Piller

Goldstein Norma and Michael Meltzer Leslie Valas and Alan Finkelstein

Julie Goldsmith and Jose Lopez Marissa Meyers Fabrice and Stephanie Vincent

Phil Gomshay Terry Meyers and John Gibbins Fred Wabnik

Randal Gory Jennifer and David Miller Jane Wabnik

Grand Bakery Bonnie and Bernie Mizock Etai Weiniger

Clementine and Joseph Greenberg Alison Green and Donald Moats Dawn Weinstein and Rasmus

Freddy and Gary Greene Maggie Moore Nielsen

Lynn Greene Alisa and Calvin Morrill Suzanne and Peter Weschler

Carl Greenhut Mindy and Richard Myers Polly White

Laurie Greenhut Jessica Nagel Carole and Irving Wigdor

Margret and Milton Greenstein Theresa Nelson and Bernard Smits Maxine and Marvin Winer

Ilene Grossman and Glenn Sullivan Aurora Ortiz and Paolo Guiducci Irene Winston

Hilda Hanin Judy Penso Carol Wirtschafter

Isabel and Henry Hanin Mira and David Peretz Amy Wolf

Allan Hauskens Stephanie and Steven Peterson Irene Wolins

Phyllis Helfand Stephanie Piper Diana Wood and Mark Rasmussen

Catherine and Scott Hendrick Linda and Nelson Polsby Lisa and Jonathan Wurtele

Kay and Barry Hilt Elise Prowse Nirit Yakov

Lilach and Gal Hochman Robert Quon Franny Yep and Simon Labov

Marilyn Holland Miriam Rabinovitz Sue Young

Donna Horwitz Denise Resnikoff and Dr. Leonard Beverly Zell

Maribe Jacard and Fred Caploe Kristal Reni Aniela and Miguel Zuliani

Sarah Jackson and Eric Silverberg Linda and Mayer Riff Florence and Alex Zwerdling

Susan Johnson Rena and Mordecai Rosen

Paulette Kallow Jean and Dr. Coleman Rosenberg Gifts in Kind

June Kamerling and Dana Meyer Ricki and Jerold Rosenberg

Jane R. Kaplan Benjamin Rosenfeld Phil Gomshay

Martha and Zafrir Kariv Barbara and Chuck Rubin Amy and Philip Mezey

Daniela Kaufer and Michael Shapira Barry Sacks Peaceable Kingdom

Jane Kemp Samuel J. Salkin

Dawn Kepler and Mark Snyder Betty and Gershon Salomon

Julia and Mark Kesel Karen Salomon and Jim Sugarman

Jennifer Kirsch Nadine and David Samuels

Laura Klein and Anthony Corman Miriam and Hy San

Sondra and Burton Kornfeld Emmy Scharlatt and Michael Davey

23

Gifts in Honor Laurie and Stuart Marson Imre Kertesz

Nan Toder and Dan McClosky Madeleine Berke

Merav Arnold Adam Mizock Joseph and Sarah Liebenson

Lisa Cohen Bennett and Terry Karen Klier and James Leventhal Jean Glasser

Bennett Debra and Michael Lobatz Mark Podsedly

Nancy Bardach Clara and Elias Mizock Sheri and John Madden

Rebecca Bardach and Eliot Drs. Nancy and Robert Stepsis Eli Resnikoff

Goldstein Mira Peretz Denise Resnikoff

Sasha Batz-Stern Judy Collier Stephen Shore

Virginia and Robert Stern Lisa Cohen Bennett and Terry Jerry Rogoway

Joel ben Izzy Bennett Lisa C. and Terry Bennett

Troy Arnold Saeng C. Phan Shalva Sorani

Theresa Nelson Marie and Gary Freschi James Cunradi

Isabel and Simon Cohen Bev Lesch and David Osburn David D. Freedman

Merle and Seymour Cohen Paul Preston Joe Zatkin

Harriet H. Dubin Anonymous Victoria and Steve Zatkin

Sheri and John Madden Aaron Robbins Herman Bernstein

Kate Feld Madelyne and Jay Daneman Peter Boero

Laura Klein and Anthony Corman Chio F. Saephan

Rabbi Tsipi Gabai Bev Lesch and David Osburn Grants

Julie Batz and Jhos Singer Gershon Salomon

Lance Nagel Karen Salomon and Jim Sugarman The Jewish Community Federation and

Tali Weininger Herb Samuels Foundation of the Greater East Bay

Ruth Gorrin David Samuels The Jim Joseph Foundation

Marilyn Holland Bob Schwartz The Keren Keshet Foundation

Seth Gorrin Lisa Cohen Bennett and Terry The Koret Foundation

Marilyn Holland Bennett Sinai Memorial Chapel

Andrew Greenberg Lev Sugarman U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security

Sondra and Burton Kornfeld Betty and Gershon Salomon

Kalil and Pele-Or Greenberg Gail Taback Matching Gifts

Sondra and Burton Kornfeld Anonymous

Deborah Weinstein Bank of America Matching Gifts

Laurie Greenhut

Heike and Eric Friedman Program

Carl Greenhut

Diane Wirtschafter Barclays Global Investors

Scott Hanin

Carol Greenberg Hoffman Chevron Humankind

Richard Bray

Lisa Wurtele Gordon & Rees

Will Carter and Patrick La Cava

Lisa Cohen Bennett and Terry Macy’s Matching Gift Program

Nancy Lord and Ellen Leibowitz

Bennett NorCal Mutual Insurance Company

Sophie Hanin

Tehiyah’s Talented Teachers Novartis

Hilda Hanin

Marie and Gary Freschi Wells Fargo Foundation Educational

Rachel Heinstein

The TAP staff Matching Gift Program

Danna Gillette-Pascal Steven

Pascal Jonothon Rich

Bakura Leib-Reiser

Event Sponsors and

Betty and Gershon Salomon Supporters

James Leventhal Gifts in Memory

Alla Efimova Tehiyah Day School celebrated its

Joseph Lèvy Paul Dubin community for the third straight year

Yonit Lèvy Sheri and John Madden with a series of dinner parties featuring

Aaron Lèvy -Wolins Olga Dubrovsky inspiring speakers and fabulous meals

Laurie and Jon Earp Michal and Michael Dubrovsky by local chefs. Please thank and

Marcia Lovelace Elliott Glasser support our chefs and sponsors by

David Osburn Jean Glasser patronizing their businesses. Mention

Richard Lyon Sylvia D. Gomshay your Tehiyah connection and help us

Lisa Cohen Bennett and Terry Rebecca Chemla build our community.

Bennett Sam Hamburg

Liam and Natasha Marder Jose Lopez

Kim and Steven Marder Patricia Kemp

Jane Kemp

24

Tehiyah extends a heart-felt thank Melissa Fernandez, Chez Panisse Mechanics Bank

you to our brilliant speakers, out- Restaurant & Café Millstein & Associates

standing chefs, generous sponsors, Cynthia Fung, Restaurant Furenzu The Mizock Family

kind hosts, dedicated event commit- Rabbi Tsipi Gabai, head of Judaic Oakland Kosher Foods

tee, energetic volunteers, and nearly studies at Tehiyah Plant Construction Company

200 guests who attended the 10 Erin Gepner, Personal Chef and Purple Wine Company

community dinners. Catering Rodney Strong Vineyards

Lauren Kiino, Bracina and Il Cane Saffron Gourmet

Thank You Rosso Saul’s Restaurant and Deli

Anthony Paone, Sea Salt Restaurant Michelle Schwartz and MiLa Fine Arts

Speakers/Performers Andrew Stoloff, Red Tractor Cafe The Sutter Family

Joel ben Izzy Jerome Waag, Chez Panisse The Warner Family

Frances Dinkelspiel Restaurant & Café Yali’s Cafe









Klaus Flouride Sponsors Hosts

Candye Kane Afikomen Susan Berger and John Gertz

Josh Kornbluth American Leak Detection Emily and Andy Cohen

Keni el Lebrijano and Friends C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery Maggie Heredia-Peltz and Michael Peltz

Rachel Naomi Remen Copy Central Marlene and Ilan Keret

Daniel Sokatch Dana Cohen Laurie and Stuart Marson

Caitlin Stansbury Grand Bakery Lauran and Adam Mizock

Gary Stewart Greenberg Inc. Miriam Moussaioff and Andrew

Chefs Hagafen Cellars Greenberg

Matthew Abarbanel, Tehiyah parent Jewish Community High School of Ginny Roemer and Joseph Zicherman

Doug Borkowski, Il Cane Rosso the Bay Cathy and Dov Rosenfeld

Lyell Cash, Grace Street Catering Live Oak Landscape Debbie Sanderson and Michael O’Hare

Siew-Chinn Chinn, Chez Panisse The Marson Family

Restaurant & Café Marvin Gardens



25

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage Paid

Permit #156

El Cerrito, CA





Tehiyah Day School

2603 Tassajara Avenue

El Cerrito, CA 94530

www.tehiyah.org









Parents of Alumni: Please forward this magazine. If your son or daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at your

home, please notify the development office of his or her new mailing address at (510) 233-3013, ext. 114.