Happenings: February/March 2014

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

Mara Benjamin, an alumna of
The WGF (Class 10), on being granted tenure and being named Associate
Professor of Religion at St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Bob Berrin, an alumnus of the The WHP (Miami), on becoming president of Miami Federation.

Elisa Spungen Bildner,
an alumna of The WHP (Metrowest), and Rob Bildner , also an alumnus of The
WHP (Metrowest), and founders of The Foundation for Jewish Camp, for
receiving the inaugural Shapiro Prize for Excellence in Philanthropic
Collaboration from The  Jewish Funders Network.This award marks the first two collaborative gifts made to create the FJC by The Wexner and The Samuel Bronfman Foundations.

Melissa Buckner,
an alumna of The WHP (Miami 11), for winning the Miami Federation's
President’s Young Leadership Award, along with her fellow classmate, Mark Kravitz​, an alum of The WHP (Miami 11). 

Martine Fleishman,
an alumna of The WHP (NY4), for being honored for her role at the
Westchester Jewish Council 38th Anniversary Gala in February.

Eric S. Goldstein, an alumnus of The WHP (NY 3) who was appointed the next CEO of the NY UJA Federation, effective July 1, 2014. 

Dr. Lynne B. Harrison,
a friend and partner of The Wexner Foundation, on being honored by
Friends of Israel Sci-Tech Schools for her achievements in furthering
science and technology education in Israel on February 25, 2014.

Gary Hiller, an alumnus of The WHP(LA 03), and his wife Kathi, for receiving the Leadership Award at the Annual Dinner for Young Israel of Century City. 

Janice Kamenir-Reznik, an alumna of The WHP (LA/Westfield), on receiving the Sherut La’Am Award from HUC-JIR.

Laura
Lauder, an alumna of The WHP (SF III), on receiving the American Jewish
Distinguished Service Award and for being a graduation speaker at
HUC-JIR.

Suzi LeVine, a member of The WHP
(Seattle 12), on her appointment by President Obama as Ambassador to the
Swiss Confederation and Principality of Liechtenstein,  Department of
State.

Jay Liberman, a member of The WHP (Dallas 13), on receiving the RBC Wealth Management 2014 Dick McFarland Volunteer of the Year Award.

Reda Mansour, an alumnus of The WIF (Class 10), on being appointed as Israel’s Ambassador to Brazil.

Leon A. Morris,
an alumnus of The WGF (Class 4), on becoming Vice President for
Programs in Israel at the Shalom Hartman Institute-North America.

Jan Reicher,
an alumna of The WHP (San Francisco 03), on becoming Director of
Strategic Projects at the Jewish Senior Living Group in San Francisco.

Gayle Schnitzer Romain,
an alumna of The WHP (Portland), for being honored at the 100th Year
2014 Friends of the Center Dinner by the Portland, Oregon JCC.

Mark Schwartz, an alumnus of The WHP (LA/Bank of America), and his wife Lisa, for receiving the Humanitarian Award at the Annual Purim Ball at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. 

Michal Smart,
an alumna of The WGF (Class 6), on her book Kaddish, Women’s Voices,
receiving the 2013 National Jewish Book Award in the category of
Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice. Wexner Graduate Fellowship alumni
Laura Sheinkopf, Jennie Rosenfeld, and Esther Reed contributed essays to the collection.

Aviva Sufian, an alumna of The WGF (Class 14), who has been appointed by the White House as the Department of Health and Human Services’ Special Envoy for U.S. Holocaust Survivor Services.

Shmuly Yanklowitz, an alumnus of The WGF (Class 19), on the recent publishing of his book "The Soul of Jewish Social Justice" (URIM Publications, Israel, 2014) 

MAZEL TOV TO:

Audrey Marcus-Berkman and Jethro Berkman both alumni of The WGF, (Class 15), on the birth of a son, Edan Shalom Marcus Berkman.

Anton Gorshkov, a member of The WHP (NY RSJ), and his wife, Elvira, on the birth of a daughter, Renee Ellie Gorshkov.

Jane Greyf, a member of The WHP (NY RSJ), and her husband, Arthur, on the birth of a daughter, Abigail Dina Greyf.

Yoni Heilman, a member of The WGF (Class 25), and his wife, Gabrielle, on the birth a son, Yaniv Shai Heilman.

Leslie Ginsparg Klein, an alumna of The WGF (Class 16), and her husband, Chaim, on the birth of a son, Nachman Yaakov (Jakey) Klein.

Rebecca Joy Fletcher, an alumna of The WGF (Class 9), on her engagement to Alan Kannof. 

Robin Nafshi, an alumna of The WHP (SF 1) and The WGF (Class 13), and her wife Shira, on the arrival of Liba Ma-ayan Nafshi.

David Russo, an alumnus of The WGF (Class 19) and his wife on the birth of a son Natan Adir. 

Tali Esther Zelkowicz, an alumna of The WGF (Class 15), and her husband, Benny, on the birth of a son, Haba Asher Salomon Zelkowicz Baruch.

Michael Zurakhinsky, a member of The WHP (NY RSJ), and his wife Marina, on the birth of a son, Samuel Zurakhinsky.

Lisa Lisser, an alumna of The WHP (MetroWest, NJ 08), on the Bat Mitzvah of her daughter, Jessica, on March 8.

MAY YOU BE COMFORTED WITH ALL WHO MOURN IN ZION AND JERUSALEM:

Laura Lauder, an alumna of the WHP (SF III), on the death of her mother, Marlyn Gloria McClaskey z”l.

Eitan Mayer, an alumnus of The WGF (Class 7), on the death of his father, Benyomin z”l.

Julie Silverstein, an alumna of The WHP (Phoenix 09), on the death of her father, Peter Bernstein z”l.

Ellie Starr, an alumna of The WHP (Boston 2), on the death of her mother, Eunice Karsakov z”l.