Mazal Tov and More…. March 23, 2017

MAZAL TOV TO …

Forrest and Miriam (Z”L) Foss, on the marriage of their daughter Rabbi Ilana Foss, to Raphael Franck this past Sunday.

Laura and Elli Lieberman and Fran and Mark Pressman on the marriage, this coming Sunday, of their children Ori (05) and Leah (05). Another KSDS match!

Joy and Richard Silberg on the engagement of their daughter Dahlia Silberg (01) to Drew Rifkin.

Marcie Dickman and Ralph Schwartz on the birth of their granddaughter Shai Eleanor Schwartz, daughter of Ari and Tal

Stacie and Jeff Dubnow on the birth of their grandson Leo Oliver Dubnow, son of Noah and Krystle.

Linda & Mark Levy on the birth of their grandson, Noahm Cole Levy , son of  Aaron (94) and Mandy Levy

Cy Smith on recently being inducted as a Fellow in The American College of Trial Lawyers.

 

Join Deena and Paul Margolis at An die Musik, where Deena is organizing the lineup of musicians for the Singer Songwriter Series and where Paul is part of the lineup. An Die Musik is a local music venue,  featuring a number of genres of music.

Kari Davis (03), for being  accepted into a residency in anesthesia at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Watch Aaron Gillette (05) talk about what led him to to the  MBA program at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.

Nicole Talor (05) on being featured in the “You Should Know”   section of the Jewish Times, this past week. As well as working at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Nicole serves on the Baltimore region’s Young Leadership For Friends of the IDF and she is also the president of the Baltimore Chapter of the JNF Future.

Sam Crystal (06) for being featured in an article in the Massachusetts Jewish Ledger regarding a  recent talk he gave to the Jewish Federation of Central Mass, on Israeli Current Affairs.

Leah Rubin (12) on completing her thru-hike of the entire 2,189 mile Appalachian Trail. Her experience was recently featured in the Baltimore Sun. Pikesville High grad defers start of college to hike Appalachian Trail – Baltimore Sun

Alex Rabin (12), for having an article published in Penn’s The Daily Pennsylvanian, titled “Was Trump Really a Top Student at Warton?”

Rebecca Sereboff (13) on being elected the International President of B’nai B’rith Girls. Read in JMore, about Rebecca’s rise in BBYO.

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SAVE THE DATE

Mazel Tov Seniors!

KSDS Class of 2013 Launch Party

Sunday, August 13th from 4-6 pm

Poolside at the home of Ethan (Class of 2013), Tammy and Fred Heyman

Address will be provided when you RSVP

Please do so by August 10th to Liz at lminkinfriedman@ksds.edu

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MESSAGE FROM JANINE FRIER (Board Chair)

Krieger Schechter would love your help and support of this year’s 5K Race.

DO YOU OWN A LOCAL BUSINESS?  – BECOME A SPONSOR! 

This is a very easy way to give back to the school, which provided an incredible educational foundation to our children. All proceeds go to KSDS scholarships. Look  HERE for 2017 sponsorship levels and HERE for a fillable sponsorship form. Need more information – please contact our 5K Race corporate sponsorship chairs, Randi Turkel (RT@sostechgroup.com) and Melanie Wilder (greenme0@hotmail.com).

ATTEND THE RACE.

The sixth annual event will be held on Sunday, June 4 at 8:00 am. Registration is open.

HELP THE COMMITTEE TO ENCOURAGE OTHER ALUM PARENTS TO ATTEND.

We are seeking a few alum parents to help the committee with this. If you are interested, please contact Liz at  lminkinfriedman@ksds.edu

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Rabbinic Transition Roundtable Discussions

What are your hopes and dreams for our KSDS and Chizuk Amuno community?  All who are affiliated with KSDS, are invited to come to the Rabbinic Transition roundtable discussions on April 2, 3, 23, and also May 24, 25. . Visit the Roundtable site  for more info on times and to RSVP.

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Alumni Parents are invited to join Jewish Meditation for KSDS Parents and Faculty –  Friday Mornings In March

Co-sponsored by the KSDS PA and The Soul Center

Come experience a 30-minute guided meditation “sit” with Schechter alumni parent Steve Siegel. These sits are appropriate for beginners and experienced meditators, and will allow you to step out of the busyness of your life and experience the benefits of being present in the moment and free of self-judgment.  KSDS parents and alumni parents are welcome to attend any or all of these sessions. Learn more about Steve Siegel and The Soul Center.

Sessions will be held at KSDS on March 24, and 31, and will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and conclude by 8:30 a.m. RSVP preferred to Rachel Siegal at rachels@bethelbalto.com. A $10 donation per session is suggested.

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BE  ENTERTAINED

• We certainly did not get snow day announcements like this one!

• Or inclement weather delay notifications, featuring the Yeti (take 2).

• Aladdin, was yet another incredible KSDS 8th grade production. Here is a taste, if you weren’t able to attend.

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ISRAEL TRAVEL OPPORTUNITY 21-35 YEAR OLDS

Feel free to pass on the information about the Naomi Chazan Activism Fellowship 2017/18. to your children, who fall in this age group and who may be interested.

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Do you have news to share with us?

Please let Janine Frier know at janinefrier@yahoo.com

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Catching up with our Alumni February 16, 2017

Mazal Tov to….

Jacob Vogelstein (92), on being honored in January, by President Obama with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor given by the U.S. government for science and engineering professionals, in the early stages of their careers.

Jonathan Talor (00) for receiving his masters in chemical engineering from university of Houston on December 16, 2916. He did his masters in 2 years while working full time for Emerson (Energy solutions) where he us still currently employed.

Brad Levin (13), who will be graduating from Gilman in June and attending MIT, where he will play on their squash team.

Michael Hantgan (01) for being featured in the Jewish Times, for his role as the YL Chapter president (Young Leadership division for ages 21 to 40) for the Baltimore region of the FIDF (Friends of the Israel Defense Forces).

Read Hannah Stoller’s (11)  inspiring article, in My Jewish Learning, about being an inclusion counselor at Capital Camps.

Joel Fink (97) on being the 2016 Julius Rosenberg Award recipient from the Associated. Watch the video on of Joel, talking about what the award means to him.

Celia Neustadt (04), who founded The Inner Harbor Project,  was the featured speaker at Chizuk Amuno’s recent Women’s Tu Bi’Shevat Seder. The focus of the seder was on a number of women from the Chizuk and Krieger Schechter communities, who have started non-profits. Others who were highlighted were Arielle Lever (02), founder of CO/LAB  in New York, Aviva Paley (05) founder of Kitchens for Good in San Diego, KSDS alum parent Randi Pupkin founder of Art With a Heart, KSDS alum parent Karen Singer founder of Something Good and Joelle Novey from Interfaith Power and Light.

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WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING AT KRIEGER SCHECHTER?

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Mazal Tov to KSDS 4th grade for their BGE “Wires Down” public safety video win, the Grand Prize in BGE’s Video challenge, just as last year’s 4th grade’s video had done.  BGE President and CEO Stephen J. Woerner presented Rabbi Schwartz and Wendy Gelber with a $10,000 check.  Some of the money will be donated to KSDS’s two local partner schools, Millbrook Elementary and John Eager Howard Elementary.  The rest will be used to improve KSDS’s STEM curriculum.Read the  wonderful article in the Jewish Times on this fabulous accomplishment

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Props Needed for this year’s 8th grade play – ALADDIN.

Please see the “Aladdin Props Needed” list and if you have something you can contribute, please contact Morah Reichman at mreichman@ksds.edu. The list will be updated as props are received.

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Be a Sponsor for the 2017 Schechter on the Move 5K Race!

Want to Promote Your Business, Company or Firm?

Be a sponsor for our annual Schechter on the Move 5K Race and get your company’s name on our race shirt and other race materials.  All proceeds go to KSDS scholarships.  Last year we had over 700 participants and raised over $50,000.  With your help, we anticipate we will be even more successful this year!  Click HERE for 2017 sponsorship levels and HERE for a fillable sponsorship form.

If you need more information, please contact our 5K Race corporate sponsorship chairs, Randi Turkel (RT@sostechgroup.com) and Melanie Wilder (greenme0@hotmail.com).

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Art With a Heart is recruiting for their 2017/2018 Art of Leadership cohort. This program is open to 10th and 11th grade students. More information and the application are on the Art With a Heart website. The deadline is 3 March.

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Do you have news to share with us?

Please let Janine Frier know at janinefrier@yahoo.com

Do you enjoy receiving these updates?

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Mazal Tovs and More…. January 8, 2017

MAZAL TOV TO…

Debbie Gilbert Glassman and Mel Kramer on the marriage, of their daughter Michelle Kramer (98) to Matt Coakley on 27 August 2016. Michelle’s 95 year old grandfather, Dr. Hal Gilbert, officiated at the ceremony!

Heller and Jeffrey Kreshtool on the engagement of their daughter Alana Kreshtool (04) to Jeff Snyder.

Dorothy Gold and James Wolf on the marriage of their son Joshua Wolf (00) to Sarah Henke.

Current parent and KSDS staff member Liz Minkin Friedman and alumni parents Randi Pupkin and Gary Attman for being included in the list of 18 of the Baltimore Jewish Community’s Leading Lights in JMore magazine’s November issue.

Alumni parent Dr. Kenneth Stoller, who was one of ten recipients of The Nyswander/Dole Award given at The 2016 American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) Conference, this fall in Baltimore. The individuals that received this Award were nominated and selected by their peers for extraordinary service and contributions in the opioid treatment community. Dr. Vincent Dole and Dr. Marie Nyswander were the first recipients of this Award in 1983. The Association has been responsible for bestowing this honor since the first Regional Conference of 1984 in New York.

Alumni parent, Gary Attman, of FutureCare, which  was named one of the Baltimore area’s top large company workplaces in 2016.

Alumni parents, Frank Spector, outgoing JNF president and Orly Shalem incoming JNF president. Orly will be the regional office’s first female and Israeli president.  JNF National Campaign Director, Diane Scar is also an alumni parent. Read  JMore’s Changing of the Guard at JNF Regional Office (written by another alumni parent Simone Ellin).

Sarah Rose Attman (01) of Sarah Rose Public Relations, which was named one of the 15 top Baltimore PR firms by Expertise.

Kenneth Mallott (98) who starts a fellowship in January, in the translation of Chinese patents at the World Intellectual Property Organization, an agency of the UN, Geneva Switzerland.

Josh Sherman (06), who was featured recently in the Jewish Times for his work with Repair the World, a Jewish service organization targeted at millennials.

Sam Crystal (06), who once again had an article published in The Times of Israel.

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KRIEGER SCHECHTER –  a special community.

An incredible story of pikuach nefesh involving, alumni parent and KSDS faculty member, Sally Grobani and fellow faculty member Brina Pintzuk. Read the full story in the latest edition of JMore.

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CALL FOR PRESENTERS!- Middle School Learning Festival

Tuesday, February 14 – Thursday, February 16th

Our annual  Middle School Learning Festival will take place on February 14th through 16th. One of the goals of the Middle School Learning Festival, is to connect KSDS students with their local community. We are in need of  presenters (or people who could connect us to presenters) who are willing to speak from expertise and/or experience on a variety of topics related to this year’s theme:  “The Brain.”

Students will spend three days studying the following topics through teacher- and community member-led learning sessions at school:

• The Brain and Behavior

• Technology and Medical Advances

• Anatomy and Physiology

• Disorders, Diseases and Differences

• Brain Games

If you are interested in participating, please click here

Please contact Karen Booth at kbooth@ksds.edu if you have any questions!

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Alumni parent Bob Hallock is returning to Germanos

with a cabaret show “Magnificent Melodies”

He will be performing February 2, 3, 4, and 25.  Seating for dinner is at 6pm, followed by the show, which will include some great songs from Pippin to Sesame Street, from Frank Sinatra to Mama Cass, and much in between!

To book your reservation, click here and  scroll down to the date you want and purchase your tickets. (Note, on the website, the Feb. 25 show is below the Feb. 2,3,and 4 shows–keep scrolling).

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Please let Janine Frier know at janinefrier@yahoo.com

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Mazal Tov and More October 31, 2016

MAZAL TOV TO….

Robin Kaplan and Abram Kronsberg on the birth of their granddaughter Maya Rachel, daughter of Joey (97) and Melissa Kronsberg.

Saundra and David Madoff on the birth of their grandson Yuval Yoseph, son of Jonathan (94) and Roni Madoff.

 Dixie and Neil Leikach on the engagement of their son Eric (09) to Ke’Onna Woodard. A June 2018 wedding is planned.

Drs  Susan Wolfsthal and William Keys on the marriage of their daughter  Jennifer Keys (00) to Aaron Weintraub.

Dara and Ronald Schechter on the marriage of their daughter Nicole Schechter to Howie Goldstein.

Cindy and Robert Max on the marriage of their son, Ben Max (05) to Marley Lowenthal.

Current parents, Liz Minkin Friedman, Adam Baumwald, and alumni parent Steve Pomerantz, who were given the honor of Hatanei v’Kallat Torah (Bride and Grooms of the Torah) on Simchat Torah, for their work on making the playground and outdoor amphitheater project a reality.

HaMorah and alumni parent Shuli Raffel and alumna Yael Lowenberg (’09), along with GECEC teacher Alison Feldstein, who were given the honor of Kallot Bereishit (Brides of Bereishit) on Simchat Torah, for their care and educational creativity.

CATCHING UP WITH OUR ALUM

MAZAL TOV TO ….

Dr. Anna Dreyer, KSDS alumna (95) and parent of current students Devin (Gr. 1) and Sammy (Gr. 3), for being named by The Daily Record as one of Maryland’s Leading Women of 2016.  The reception, award ceremony, and dinner will take place on Monday, December 5 in Annapolis.

Joey Reisberg (14) on being named one of the 5 National Student Poets by the White House committee, National Students Poets Program. Read about and see pictures of Joey receiving this honor at the White House.

Sam Crystal (06) for his articles America We Need Our Own Shimon Peres  and Washington Warned us of Men Like Donald Trump, published in the Times of Israel.

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KSDS BOOK FAIR

Support KSDS and stop in at the Book Fair, being held 7-10 November.

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KRIEGER SCHECHTER WHITE COAT CEREMONY

This week Krieger Schechter Day School Kindergarten students were welcomed into the  Science community with a “white coat ceremony”, led by physicians and KSDS parents Dr. Jonathan Thierman and Dr. Annie Grossberg. The students recited a KSDS version of the Hippocratic Oath, in which they promised to collaborate, cooperate and ask great questions to further the learning of the class. This program was made possible by innovative Lower School Science teacher, Alex Thaler, who envisioned this program to inspire our youngest learners.

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For those of you on Facebook, you can watch some of the ceremony here.

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Do you have news to share with us?

Please let Janine Frier know at janinefrier@yahoo.com.

Do you enjoy receiving these updates?

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Mazal Tov’s and More September 8, 2016

Mazal Tov to…

Shuli and Gary Raffel on the birth of their grandson Liam Sidney Smoler, son of Libby (97) and Adam Smoler.

Ellen and Alvin Levi on the birth of their grandson Ezekiel, son of Debi Levi Lowy (93) and Eric Lowy.

Susan Wolfsthal and William Keys on the birth of their grandson Harry Isadore Miller, son of Rebecca (97) Keys and Yonatan Miller

Sharon and Donald Edlow on the birth of their granddaughter Emma Lily, daughter of Joseph (95) and Jaime Edlow.

Miriam and Jay Gerstenblith on the birth of their grandson Eytan Samuel Gerstenblith, son of Ted Gerstenblith (95) and Shira Zeliger. And a special mazal tov to great grandmother Helen Lewis.

Hedy and Irv Goldstein on the birth of their granddaughter Laila Neve Weinberg, daughter of Nissa and Paul Weinberg.

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Arlene and Tom Prince on the engagement of their son, Jared Prince (class of 1990)  to Kelly Emerson. Jared  is the founder and operator of Muir- Way artistic map company

Forrest and Miriam (Z”L) Foss on the engagement of their daughter Rabbi Ilana Foss to Raphael Franck

Susan and Lewis Pollack on the engagement of their daughter, Stacey  Pollack (99) to Adam Avni, son of Gail Greenburg and Eitan Avni.

Susan and Lewis Pollack on the engagement of their son, Ross Pollack (03) to Marissa Feiwus, daughter of Michelle Zeman and Howie Feiwus. A double mazal tov to the Pollacks – two engagements in two days!

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Pam and Jeffrey Platt on the marriage of their son David Platt (00) to Rabbi Ariel Greenberg.

Ellen and Richard Gillette on the marriage of their daughter Rebecca Gillette (02) to Max Brondfield

Debbie and Chuck Frazer on the marriage of their son Joshua Frazer (01) to Meredith West.

Rhonda and Hyam Levitsky on the marriage of their daughter Abby Levitsky (02) to Josh Miller.

Ilene and Neri Cohen on the marriage of their daughter Dena Cohen to Ryan Blaustein. Read about their wedding in the Baltimore Sun. A special mazal tov to Barbara Cohen, Dena’s grandmother.

Hana and Eyal Bor on the marriage of their daughter, Nurit Bor (02) to Drew Wilkins.

David and Donna Brooks and Becky and Steve Gordon on the marriage of their daughter Alana Brooks (02) to Eric Fields. Alana and Eric’s new married name will be Brookfield.

Jan and Jay Schein on the marriage of their daughter, Johanna Schein (03) to Samuel Black.

Shelley Hendler and Scott Lever on the marriage of their daughter Arielle Lever (02) to Andrew Eisen on Labor Day Weekend.

Heller and Jeffrey Kreshtool and Nancy and Steven Levine on the marriage of their children Rebecca Kreshtool (04) to Jared Levine (04) on Labor Day Weekend. Another KSDS love match.

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Bert Vogelstein for his breakthrough research on liquid biopsies in cancer detection.

Catching up with our alum…

Mazal tov to….

Aerin Abrams (12) and Jordan Abel (12), who won the Park School unsung hero awards male and female for 2016, for their dedication and leadership on the playing field.

Aviva Paley (05), for being a recipient of one of the University of California’s  first Global Food Initiative 30 Under 30 Awards. According to U.C., these are “young pioneers and innovators trailblazing to solve the global food crisis by making extraordinary contributions in a wide array of food-related fields.” An article by Civil Eats features these 30 Under 30 Change Makers To Watch. Watch Aviva explain how Kitchens For Good works.

Maya Mordecai (12) for being the class speaker at the Pikesville High graduation ceremony in the spring.

Good luck to Leah Rubin (12), who set out in June as a “thruhiker” on the 2,189.1 mile Appalachian Trail. She hopes to accomplish this within about five months.

Nicole Talor (05), board member of the Midatlantic Chapter of FIDF’s Young Leadership Chapter and a co-chair of the Black and White Summer Party, for her wonderful work with FIDF.

Sam Crystal (06) for his article Lets make Nuance and Debate Cool Again in the Times of Israel.

Amy Singer (10) for her work ,this summer with Religious Action Center of  Reform Judaism’s Machon  Kaplan summer study-internship program. Amy wrote an article for the Baltimore Jewish Times about her experience.

Andrea Wolf (nee Brem) (97) for her work with Breast Cancer awareness and prevention and for being recognized and nominated as one of the 10 women to watch through the JWI. Andrea is the president and CEO of the Brem Foundation, which provides education, screening and access to diagnostic tests, in its efforts to beat Breast Cancer.

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The playground was completed in June and is bringing delight to so many. This Jewish Times article captures the essence of this incredible project.

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ALUMNI PARENT RE-U-NIGHTS

There is one left. Hope to see you there.

OCTOBER 23, 2:00 – 4:00 P.M.

At the Attman Sukkah at KSDS/CAC – hosted by Liba Goldblum and Jay Baraban and Jodi and Sam Moskowitz.

Please rsvp to Liz Minkin-Friedman at lminkinfriedman@ksds.edu

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We love to know your news and your fellow alumni parents love hearing it.

If you have any to share, please contact Janine Frier.

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Click here and look for the SUBSCRIBE button in the top right hand green tab.  Enter your e-mail address and click on the white square. You will be sent a confirmation e-mail  from WordPress.  Please be sure to click on the confirmation link in that e-mail.

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Scene Around – Spring Events July 8, 2016

Alumni and alumni parents were seen around at numerous KSDS events this spring.

Thank you to Jill and Aaron Max and Leslie and Steve Pomerantz for hosting the 3rd RE-U-NIGHT in the 5 part series. (slideshow below). The rain did not stop the group from gathering outside and enjoying catching up with each other and hearing from Rabbi Moshe.

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Thank you to Jessamyn and Ken Abel for hosting this year’s LAUNCH PARTY. This Fall, our 2016 high school graduates, will be  attending an impressive list of colleges, be going on a gap year and one is hiking the Appalachian Trail. Krieger Schechter is extremely proud and wishes them all much success.

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Mazal tov to alum parent Cindy Goldstein for being the 2016 recipient of the Daniel Thursz Distinguished Jewish Communal Service Award.This award recognizes an individual who has worked in the field of Jewish communal service for at least 20 years and is currently serving the greater Baltimore community. The individual should have demonstrated leadership and exemplary professional skills and a lifelong commitment to the field.

Additional mazal tov to current parent Rachel Siegel for being the 2016 recipient of the Neely Tal Snyder Community Impact Award. This new award honors the memory of Neely Tal Snyder z”l by recognizing a professional with strong commitment and passion for Jewish community. The winner of this award has helped to build immersive and hands-on experiences/programs that have community impact and demonstrates creativity, openness and inclusion.

Many from the KSDS community were on hand at the DFI AWARDS CEREMONY, to help celebrate these two well deserving women. (slideshow below)

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ALUMNI PARENT RE-U-NIGHTS

There are two left. Hope to see you there.

AUGUST 28, 12:00 – 2:00 P.M.

At the Schon home – hosted by Erika and Lew Schon and Karen Garber and Andy Sandler.

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OCTOBER 23, 2:00 – 4:00 P.M.

At the Attman Sukkah at KSDS/CAC – hosted by Liba Goldblum and Jay Baraban and Jodi and Sam Moskowitz.

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Addresses will be provided after you RSVP here.

 

 

Please Take Note! February 29, 2016

KSDS alumna Elana Rubin (13), a Junior at Carver Center for the Arts and Technology, will be leading a poetry group at the Pikesville library, which is open to all students in grades 5-8.  She formulated this idea herself, and has pursued it to fruition.

April 10 2:00-3:30           May 11 7:00-8:30             June 5 2:00-3:30

 More details.

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This Thursday, March 3, KSDS alumna Aviva Vogelstein (01) will be one of the panelists presenting on the topic “The Battle on Campus and What BDS Means,” which is part of a series of programs  being coordinated by alumni parent Neil Rubin called “New Frontiers in Confronting the New Anti-Semitism.” 

More details.

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Baltimore Onward Israel is currently recruiting for their 2016 Summer Program. Priority is given to students and young professionals from the Baltimore area.

Develop your professional future in Tel Aviv this summer (June 8 – August 3, 2016) and build your resume through a high-level internship based on your skills, interests, and future plans. See, smell, taste, touch and feel Israeli city life with a select cohort of young adults from Baltimore (ages 19-27). Get ready to live and learn like a local! Space is limited and application are accepted on a first-come first-served basis. Rolling admission through March 15, 2016.  Cost: $1,000 + flight (includes full board, modest stipend for food, insurance, transportation and program costs). Register now.

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KSDS Alum Parents Re-U-Night

Don’t forget to RSVP for the KSDS Alum Parent Re-U-Night series. The first one is coming up on March 10, 7:00-9:00pm – at Art With A Heart.

Information and RSVP

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Alumni Night at this year’s Grade 8 play

The Little Mermaid

Wednesday March 30th

Dinner 5:30 PM

Play 7:00 PM

Gordon Center at the Owings Mills JCC

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Fifth Annual Schechter on the Move 5K Race and One-Mile Fun Run

Sunday, June 5

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!  

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Help build the Playground.

VOLUNTEER for any of the build days (May 22, 29, 30).  No skills necessary but if you can handle a circular saw, we define you as “skilled” and you are extra valuable. Slots will fill to capacity. Reserve a slot now.

• ADOPT a playground component,

• SPONSOR a “seat” in our camp-like outdoor classroom/prayer space amphitheater for $613.  It’s a Mitzvah!  Click here to order.

• CONNECT us to in-kind donations and discounts on materials and services (such as lumber, hardware, gravel, concrete, wood fiber, food, and entertainment) by contacting us at playground@chizukamuno.org. Businesses will be recognized permanently on our donor board.

• ENGRAVE a personalized fence picket that will surround the playground for $100.  Complete form here.

Questions? Please email playground@ksds.edu

May 22nd:  Alumni Reunion and Playground Build

Come see old friends and build Schechter’s new playground together.

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Alumni Spotlight December 18, 2015

As was mentioned in the first Alumni Spotlight post, a new feature has been added to KSDS’s  Tov Lada’at newsletter. Each week one alumnus is featured, under the tag line “We are extraordinarily proud of all that our KSDS alumni accomplish; enjoy reading each week about what KSDS students achieve when their KSDS foundation is put to use in the adult world!”

Below are the next group of alumni who have been in the Tov’s spotlight . We plan to collect up a few at a time and re-post them here for you to enjoy too. If you know of KSDS alumni who are involved in interesting endeavors, please let Robyn Blum know at rblum@ksds.edu.

 

IN MEMORIAM –  DANIEL JOSEPH SIEGEL (KSDS’03) Z”L

Daniel Siegel was a remarkable KSDS graduate. A strong student with a keen mind and deep curiosity, Daniel excelled in all of his endeavors, from the classroom to the kung fu arena. Daniel was beloved by his classmates and his teachers for his ethics, kindness, friendship, intelligence and remarkable sense of humor. After graduating from Krieger Schechter, Daniel attended Beth T’filoh for high school, and then Yale University, where he was a political science major. Daniel passed away in 2010 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 22 years old at the time. Daniel embodied the values that characterize the KSDS 7th grade award that bears his name; the Daniel Siegel Award is presented each year to a KSDS 7th grade student who exhibits honor and integrity and who has a positive influence on others.

To add to the legacy that Daniel left in our world, the Sparks of Change Foundation was created in his memory. The mission of the Foundation is to provide the catalyst for change by supporting individuals/organizations that are involved in improving communities worldwide as well as strengthening and developing individuals. At this time of year, as we observe Daniel’s yahrzeit, KSDS and Chizuk Amuno deeply appreciates the support of the Sparks of Change Foundation in promoting special programs that add light to our world and bring our community together. The highly successful “Hanukkah Lights Up the Sky” event held on Tuesday the 8 Dec, was co-sponsored by Chizuk Amuno, Beth El Congregation and the Sparks of Change Foundation. We are so grateful to the Sparks of Change Foundation and were honored to be able to commemorate Daniel’s memory in this way.

 

ABIGAIL MALIS (02)

                                      

Now: Senior Associate for Community Partnerships at the Jewish Volunteer Connection in Baltimore.

I am very excited to have returned to Baltimore after nine years away! After KSDS, I attended Garrison Forest School and then took my long hiatus from Maryland, starting with college at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, two years of service with AmeriCorps, also in Minnesota, and three years in New York City for graduate school and work. I completed the dual degree masters program in Jewish Professional Leadership at the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, earning my MA in Jewish Studies and my MSW.

It has only become clearer to me over time how much of an impact my time at Schechter had in forming and solidifying my strong Jewish identity. Through high school and college where the percentage of Jewish students was quite low, I remained committed to my Jewish identity. In college, I studied religion and even wrote my senior thesis on Jewish Day School curricula. Now, I find myself engaged to a Jewish Educator who also attended Jewish Day School!

I am so excited that in my new role at JVC, I will be working with KSDS along with many other schools, synagogues, camps, and other organizations to help them integrate community service into their programming. I have been so pleased to learn that KSDS has really been a leader in this work and a valuable partner of JVC, which makes me even more proud to be an alum!

REBECCA HOFFMAN HAMMERMAN (92)

                 

Although I graduated in 1992, I still feel like a Schechter student. You see, my life at KSDS was a little different.  Of course, I learned science and Tanach, Hebrew and Spanish, math and English. I remember the early days when we went to Oregon Ridge for Lag B’omer picnics, parents preparing deli sandwiches for hot lunch days and the balloon ascension. I was in the first class that went to Israel! However, I had a little bit of a different view of things because my mother was the Middle School Principal. My experience and insight into Jewish Day School life was viewed from her perspective as well.

Today, after a bit of journey, I, too, am a Day School leader. I took all that I learned at KSDS (then SSDS) and I went on to Bryn Mawr, where my Jewish identity evolved. I even spent two months away during my junior year to participate in a High School in Israel program. While I never really had any intention of becoming a Jewish professional, I went to college in New York City, where I studied at both Columbia University and List College, the undergraduate program of the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Four years later, with degrees in Anthropology (a topic that drew my interest at Schechter after studying the Hmong people for an eighth grade project) and Modern Jewish Studies, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher.  At that time, I moved out of the Jewish world and into secular independent schools, where I taught third grade for several years. I missed the rhythm of Jewish life in those workplaces. Good fortune then found me as the Assistant Dean of List College (Rabbi Moshe’s mom was my boss!!). Later, after a stint as a teacher at Schechter Westchester in New York, I am now the Principal of Carmel Academy, a pluralistic Day School in Greenwich, Connecticut; I am married to Eytan Hammerman and we have three daughters:  Ary, Rena and Lani. My parents think I am the poster child for Jewish Day School education. I don’t know if that is true, but what I do know is that my years at KSDS certainly shaped who I am today.

EMILY KRAMER (96)

                       

Mrs. Gottlieb pulled out my loose tooth in addition to teaching me how to read a clock and understand math tables. I dressed up as Queen Elizabeth II and presented my first speech for Mrs. Elrick’s history assignment. I recall learning how to read a map and legend with Mrs. Goldstein. I can still recite Maryland’s counties because Mrs. Zisow embedded state pride in her curricula before we earned a field trip to the U.S.S. Constellation downtown.

Middle school brought more lessons, but most of them were life lessons. Yes, I still recall spending half the semester poring over the first seven words of the Torah and deconstructing Rashi with my classmates. I still have my posterboard “newspaper” of the Korean War and creative writing assignments from the Renaissance Festival. But with amazing teachers like Mrs. Kiner, Mrs. Lombardo, Mrs. Abarbanel, Morah Tasch, Morah Raden, and others who truly care about each student’s journey, menschlichkeit character development was always the primary and most long-lasting lesson.

After graduating KSDS in 1996, I matriculated into McDonogh High School and continued applying the solid work ethic and analytical skills gained at KSDS. I attended the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and earned a Bachelors of Business Administration. From the early days of Mrs. Gottlieb’s math blocks, I had an affinity for numbers, so I took a job at Citigroup in New York City after college. A few years into Citigroup, I desired to round out my skill set and apply for a graduate degree. I received an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, graduating Beta Gamma Sigma, and transitioned into marketing and strategy at American Express. At American Express, my business development roles spanned strategic partnerships, payment technology, loyalty programs, and acquisition marketing.

Catching the startup bug, I left American Express after five years to work at ClickPay, a payment technology startup for the Real Estate industry. As Vice President of Client Development and Partnership Strategy, I feel as though many academic and life lessons taught in the edifice of KSDS are combined; I collaborate with Real Estate Property Managers to analyze their people and processes in order to launch demonstrable growth initiatives. At a startup, every day is different, and I look forward to the challenge of putting ClickPay on the map (perhaps even with a legend).

While there are hundreds of synagogues within blocks of where I live in New York City, I still belong to Chizuk Amuno 200 miles away because the KSDS building–with its profound effect on my personal and professional life– will always be my makom and my home.

HALLIE SCHEIN CIARLONE (99)

                             

KSDS will always feel like home to me.  Although I have moved away from Baltimore, KSDS will remain as a staple in my personal narrative. The lessons learned in the classrooms as well as from the daily interactions with faculty and peers prepared me not only for future educational journeys, but also for personal achievements.  I attended KSDS from Kindergarten (when it was still Solomon Schechter Day School!) through 8th grade. KSDS is where I transformed from a crying kindergartener to a confident student leader in middle school and beyond.

After graduating KSDS in 1999, I attended Pikesville High School and Netivon, and then Franklin & Marshall College where I majored in Sociology and minored in Public Policy. I attribute much of my academic success in high school and college to the solid education I received at KSDS. My Jewish identity continued to play a large part in my education as I served as the college Hillel President and staffed Israel trips for KSDS and The Shoshana S. Cardin School.  While at F&M I spent significant amounts of time working in the Admissions Office as well as participating in a variety of clubs including the all-female a cappella group. After graduating from F&M, I was hired as the Director of College Counseling at the Shoshana S. Cardin School. I also completed a Masters Degree in School Counseling at Loyola University when I moved back to Baltimore.

In 2011, I moved to the Philadelphia suburbs and began work as the Director of College Counseling at the Delaware Valley Friends School, a Quaker college preparatory independent school for students with learning differences. I have truly enjoyed working with this unique group of students and guiding them as they pursue their academic dreams. This school educates students in grades 6 through 12 and has a focus on multisensory education. My role is to help the students navigate the college admissions process and find their best-fit options for after high school. There is something very special about being part of a values-based small school community. In 2013, my husband and I welcomed our son, Samuel, to our family and we have enjoyed watching him grow and learn. He enjoys returning to Baltimore to visit my family and loved the old KSDS playground, which I remember building with our community. I’m sure he will love the new playground that will be built later this year, and look forward to bringing him to play there!

ARIELLE MILLER (03)

     

My name is Arielle Miller and I’m a 2003 graduate of KSDS.  After graduating from KSDS, I was then a part of the first graduating class at the Shoshana S. Cardin High School (’07). Following high school I went to Israel for nine months on Young Judaea Year Course (Shevet). I had an amazing experience studying, learning, and volunteering all over Eretz Yisrael. When I came home, I attended CCBC where I earned my Associate Degree in Psychology.  I currently attend Towson University where I am in the process of earning my Bachelors Degree in Family Studies, with a track in Services to Children and Youth. It has been very exciting, as I have recently returned to Krieger Schechter as the After-School Activities Coordinator. I am so thrilled to be working in a place that feels so much like home. In addition to my studies and my new job, I babysit and dogsit; I also enjoy going to concerts, especially country music concerts!

When I reflect on my time at KSDS, I fondly remember so many teachers and staff, including Mrs. Ellis (my lifeboat!), Morah Berman, Dr. Schneider, and Morah Madoff. Thank you, KSDS for welcoming me back! I’m looking forward to many more years together!

ELI PLAUT (07)

                               

After graduating from Krieger Schechter in 2007, I then attended Beth Tfiloh for high school and graduated from the University of Maryland in 2015. I majored in psychology and minored in Israel studies. During my junior year, I spent a semester in Tel Aviv, studying abroad at Tel Aviv University. This was an incredible experience. Krieger Schechter truly prepared me for my time in Israel because of the great Hebrew language instruction I received. I am currently in the process of applying to graduate school for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.  I also coach the Boys “B” Basketball Team at KSDS.

As I reflect on my 10 years at Schechter, I think about the wonderful education I received. Learning about Israel and being able to visit the country in 8th grade has shaped me into the Zionist I am today. I am very thankful for the years I spent at Krieger Schechter and I cherish all the great memories I had at the school.

LIBBY (RAFFEL) SMOLER (97)

                                    

When I graduated from Krieger Schechter in 1997, I would never have imagined I’d end up where I currently am. After KSDS, I attended BT and then went on to Barnard College where I majored in English Literature. I spent a year backpacking in South America and then was all set to head to Israel to look for a job, when I serendipitously was asked to join a media tech startup called Joost, created by the founders of Skype. The early years of my career ended up completely changing the path I thought I was headed on, resulting in my completing my MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and deciding to stay in Chicago permanently with my husband Adam (who is from Chicago). I currently work as a Brand Manager in Marketing for Tyson Foods. Outside of work, I am extremely involved in my synagogue, where I run women’s tefillah and holiday programming. We have a son, Ari, and are expecting another next year.

I credit KSDS with providing me with the skills and foundation that made this journey possible. While the school nurtured my love of literature, languages and the arts, it also taught me to keep an open mind and be open to other possibilities and disciplines. I left KSDS with a love of learning, the mantra to always be curious and a framework by which to examine the world around me and deal with the challenges and situations that came my way. I am also grateful for the Jewish skills which I took for granted for many years, but that now enable me to take on leadership roles in my community.

As my mother still teaches at KSDS, I enjoy hearing about all the updates and changes that have occurred since, and I remember fondly all of the teachers who nurtured me along the way.

Mazal Tov and More July 28, 2015

Mazal Tov to….

David and Debbie Roffman on the birth of their granddaughter Hannah Rose Roffman, daughter of Rabbis Adam (94) and Shira.

Ruth and David Simon on the birth of their grandson Jonah Solomon Rozenbaum, son of Miriam and Chanan Rozenbaum.

Heller and Jeffrey Kreshtool and Nancy and Steven Levine on the engagement of their children Rebecca Kreshtool (04) to Jared Levine (04). We love it when it is a total KSDS match!

Hyam and Rhonda Levitsky on the engagement of their daughter Abby  (02) to Josh Miller.

Shira Lander and David Portnoy on the marriage of their son Zachary (02) to Elana Shpritz.

Jay and Cindy Goldstein on the marriage of their son, David (02) to Laura Schimberg.

David and Donna Brooks and Becky and Steve Gordon on the upcoming marriage of their daughter Sophie (05) to Daniel Bitran. The wedding will take place in a few days in the north of Israel and Sophie and Daniel will live in Haifa.

Ilana Spitz (04) for being  accepted into DeSales U’s Graduate PA (Physician’s Asst) program.

Ilana Herr (04) on being accepted to NYU Law School. She is the recipient of the prestigious Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship. The Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship Program is the premier public service scholarship in the nation. It provides full tuition, without regard to financial need, for JD applicants with a demonstrated commitment to public interest work. Read Ilana’s article Why I’m Here, about her work as an advocate for victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking.

Sara Lever (05) on being accepted into University of MD Medical School.

Ethan Frier (05) on being invited to teach a Fall course in Industrial Design at Carnegie Mellon University, as an adjunct professor.

Samantha Max (10) and Max Buchdahl (10) who are interning at WYPR with Midday With Dan Rodricks.

Micah Saltzberg (11) on being the recipient of a Blumenthal Unsung Hero Award at Park School’s 2015 Athletic Breakfast.

 Lew Schon on being invited to sing on stage with Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters. View the ABC News report and interview with Lew and watch the whole performance of Lew singing Seven Nation Army.

Jim Kraft on receiving the faculty award for excellence in advising at Gilman graduation.

Good luck to Simone Ellin, who has started a freelance writing and editing business called Simone Sez Communications. She does feature writing, brand journalism, blogging, copywriting and editing. Please consider using her, should you have needs in this area. She can be contacted at 410-917-0924 or simonesez@comcast.net.

Catching up with our Alumni June 8, 2015

KSDS high school seniors – where are they off to?

Aaron A – has verbally committed to play lacrosse at F&M. 

Anna B, Darby L – U Penn

Brandon B, Rebecca F – Salisbury University

Joe B, Frank G – UMBC

Nathan B – University of Michigan

Maddie B – Lehigh

Hannah C – Guilford College in North Carolina

Liel C – gap year in Israel followed by McMaster University

Elana C – American

John D – the Military

Hannah F, Mielli L – Ursinus

Julia F – Virginia Commonwealth

Joely F, Marina K, Jordan K, Jacob L, Isaac L, Jenn M, Micah S – UMD College Park

Sara M – UMD College Park (Scholars Program)

Ryan F – Harvard

Jennifer G – Georgia Institute of Technology

Jonathan G – University of Arizona

Harris H – Arizona State University

Kira K – Boston University

Maura L – University of Delaware

Rachel M – The College of Wooster (Ohio)

Dylan M – Goucher

Ben M – Northeastern

Sam M – GW

Caroline M – Wash U

Daniel M – Vassar

Alon P, Lianna R, Chanan R, Alyssa B – Towson

Ben S – Drexel

Dean S – Israel Defense Forces

Sarah S – Marymount Manhattan College

Hannah S, Rayna V – Tulane

Stephanie S – Johns Hopkins

Alyssa W – MIT

Micah Saltzberg was named a Blumenthal Unsung Hero at The Park School – mazal tov!

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Sarah Cohen (10) co-led  Yale University to the 2015 Mock Trial National Championship Tournament (NCT) hosted by the University of Cincinnati, April 17-19. Sarah was part of a Yale team that rose to the final round of the 48 team national tournament following regional competitions involving 600 teams from over 350 colleges and universities. Yale and Harvard faced off in the final round, with Harvard ultimately winning the 2015 Championship.

Mazal Tov to Jordanna Lachow (10) on her engagement to Toyam Cox.

Read Hallie Miller’s (10) wonderful article,  Students Sit Down to Stand Up Against Sexual Assault in the UMD’s Writers Bloc blog,

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KSDS class of 2007. Here is what some of them will be doing this summer and next year.

Jordanna Suldan – working for American Express in NY

Jenny Sloane – Doctorate in Psychology at Syracuse

Ilana Frier– Summer internship in Elijah Cummings Capitol Hill office

Rachel Miller– GW -Masters in Psychology

Adina Shanholtz – graduated from Oberlin College with a double major in Computer Science and East Asian Studies. She will be moving to New York City to begin working for Microsoft as a Technical Evangelist in July.

Jessica Pupkin – Masa summer internship in Tel Aviv, working with refugees from Darfur

Yvette Noah – will be working at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus OH, in the Child Psychology Dept.

Michael Katz – will be working in Provo UT, at Qualtrics/ research survey software.

Ben Greenberg – going to Columbia for grad school

Aaron Chafitz – Med School Ohio State

Allan Brown – Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual

Ben Schon – will be working for Trammell Crow in DC, starting in July

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Sam Crystal (06) is finishing up his stint as an Israel Goverment Fellow in Jerusalem. He will be the Director of Political Affairs at the Israeli Consulate in Boston. Watch Sam, as he is featured in an Israel Government Fellow video.

Joel Cohen (06) is a legislative correspondent at the U S Senate.

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McKenzie Kruger (05) received a Masters in Special Ed and Early Intervention. She will be working at the Early Childhood Center at the Central Synagogue in NY.

 Ori Lieberman (05) is finishing his second year of medical school at Columbia and will be starting the doctoral part of his program  doing research on Parkinson’s Disease.

Leah Pressman (05) graduated from NYU with her Master’s in Social Work and will be staying in New York City to continue her career.

Ethan Frier (05)  has been working on a number of free lance projects. He was invited to be a Fortnight intern at IDEO in Chicago, where he worked on the IDEOgraph. He and a partner currently have an installation exhibition, “Is Spirulina Furniture the Future of Interior Decor?”  at the Mattress Factory, a contemporary art museum in Pittsburgh. Watch the video about this exhibition.

Jake Simon (05)  is the Administrative Assistant to California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Brina Furman (05) – Production Associate at Feats in Baltimore

Eva Zenilman (05) -Monitoring and Evaluation Associate/Princeton-in-Africa Fellow at The BOMA Project

Ilana Obuchowski (05) – Intramural Sports Graduate Assistant at The College of William and Mary

Aaron Gillette (05)  – Marketing Specialist at NeoNiche Strategies in VA

Jacob Agus-Klenman (05) – Operations Associate, Public Safety Performance Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts

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Gary Weisbaum (04) – Federal Account Manager at Kforce Inc in DC

Nicole Blaker (04) – Strategic Planner at Media Storm in NY

Maytal Eyal (04) – Research Coordinator at Project STAR in Denver

 Ian Schon (04) – Mechanical Engineer at IDEO in Boston

Joshua Goldstein (04) – Senior Associate at Optimity Advisors in DC

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Sydney Kruger (03)- Project Manager at Quintiles in Boston

Marisa Obuchowski (03)- is sadly leaving KSDS, where she has been a graphic designer and marketing manager. She will be moving to Hopkins Hillel, where she will be the Director of Student Engagement.

Amy Crystal (03)- Will be teaching 2 year olds at a school on site at  Booz Allen Hamilton in Northen VA.

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We are so proud of all our alumni.

We, along with you, the alumni parents, love hearing where they are and what they are doing.

We would love to do a follow up post later in the summer with more information on other KSDS alumni. Please share with us any info you have, so that we can be as inclusive as possible. Feel free to contact Janine Frier with any questions or info to share.