Schechter Shoutouts Alumni Newsletter: May 2026

Faculty Spotlight: Jane Zimmerman

How long were you at Schechter? I worked at Schechter for 7 years.

What role(s) did you have?  I was the Music Teacher, whose roles included leading the Choruses, the Band and putting on the Middle School musicals.

What is a favorite Schechter memory of yours?  A favorite Schechter memory of mine was chaperoning the annual trust/camping trip with the 7th grade. One trip with a zip line, which I loved. I remember when all the girls piled up on my bed in our bunk

What are you doing now? I am still a teacher, but what I miss the most about being a teacher at Schechter are the enthusiastic and cooperative students I taught.

What lesson/message/idea do you most hope your students took away from learning with you? The most meaningful message that I most hope my students took away from learning with me is that each and every one has a special gift or talent that they will carry along with them throughout their lives.

Who is a colleague you learned a lot from? What did you learn?  I learned a lot from many of my colleagues and that the most important trait that a teacher can have is kindness.

You are now the grandparent of 3 Schechter students and one Schechter graduate. What is different about the Schechter you knew as a teacher compared to now? I think the Schechter of today offers a more varied curriculum and broader learning experiences for the students. The relish Shabbat with the  instrumentalists is a wonderful way of enriching Shabbat for the kids. 

Alumni News

Salo Zelermyer (1993)served in the administration of President George W. Bush as Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Energy before transitioning to private practice in law and government relations. He currently leads Federal Affairs at Valero, where he directs the company’s federal engagement strategy as well as its government affairs work in the United Kingdom and Canada. Salo maintains strong connections with his Schechter classmates. He resides in the Washington, DC area with his wife, Lisa, and their two sets of twins, Joshua and Noa (16), and Lila and Jacob (10). Salo says, “I still keep in touch with a few of my closest Schechter friends and have great memories of Hava, Ernie, Rabbi and Mr. P. And of course, Mervyn, Moshe, Bilha and so many others.” ( see photo)

Shera (Rosenthal) Sacks (1993)lived in southern CA after college; there, she worked in television and went to school for an MFA in Theatre Management.  She married Noah Sacks in 2009 - a friend from years at Camp Ramah (Palmer). They lived in the US Virgin Islands (St Croix and St Thomas) for seven years and had 2 daughters (Arielle and Miryam). In 2016, they moved to Maryland, where Shera was grants manager for TIkkun Olam Women's Foundation  and marketing manager for The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. After the pandemic, Shera moved back into theatre at Imagination Stage, the DC area's largest theatre for young audiences and the leader in positive youth development through the arts. In addition to the shows, classes and camps at the theatre, Imagination Stage is currently running a national tour in partnership with Kaiser Permante and Theatre for Change  exploring social justice issues through theatre workshops in underserved communities. (see photo)

We’re excited that Desiree (Cohen) Graff (1997) has joined the Schechter faculty! Desiree has been working in early childhood education for over 25 years, in daycares and synagogues, and is now teaching Schechter students in Shorashim Bet (EC3-4)! Desiree brings tremendous creativity to the students, as she also has degrees in apparel design, manufacturing, and art! Desiree is also a retired veteran of the United States Army National Guard with over 20 years of service. (see photo)

Mazal tov to Lara Solinsky Shaw (2003) and her husband, Dan, on the birth of their daughter. Samara Nora Shaw was born on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. She joins big sister Anabel (incoming Nitzanim/EC2 26-27). (see photo)

Mazal tov to Zachary Lenkiewicz (2006) and his wife, Aileen Cunnane! Their daughter, Hannah Maeve Lenkiewicz, was born on December 9, 2025. Zach and his family reside in Columbia, MD.

Mazal tov to Josh Benadiva (2009) and his wife, Eden, on the birth of their son, Emmanuel Moshe Benadiva in 2025. Josh and family live in Tel Aviv, where Josh is a Product Manager for Amazon.

Kol hakavod to Talia Feldman (2012), who recently graduated from the UMass Chan Medical School and matched for a residency in Emergency Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia/Cornell! (see photo)

Kol hakavod to Gabrielle Gershon (2013), who recently graduated Emory University School of Medical School and matched for a residency in Cardiology at  Emory! (see photo)

Kol hakavod to Dylan Landau (2014) , who recently graduated NYU Grossman School of Medicine and matched for a residency in Internal Medicine at NYU! (see photo)
 

Mazal tov to Hannah Pliskin (2014) , who recently completed a doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Tufts University! Inspired by her work in the Tikvah program at Camp Ramah of New England, Hannah is now finishing research on mindfulness, self-compassion, and stress reduction for OT students and practitioners, and looks forward to exploring pediatric, geriatric, and mental health settings after graduation and board exams this summer. (see photo)

Noah Silverman (2014) has been living in Chicago and recently started as senior financial analyst with Kirkland & Ellis, a global law firm. He continues to love travel, recently going on a solo adventure in Brazil. (see photo with sister, Liora)
 

Ezequiel “Zeke” Ungar (2014) followed his passion to be a chef. Currently, he is the Chef de Cuisine (head chef) at Altro Paradiso restaurant in Soho, NYC. Since his promotion the restaurant was nominated for a Michelin star! Kol hakavod! (see photo)

Josh Chachques (2016) lives in NYC, where he is a direct support professional for adults with autism. In his free time, he is starting up a theater production company, performing abridged versions of Broadway shows and other variety acts.

Leo Gold (2016) will begin a PhD program in electrical and systems engineering at the University of Pennsylvania this fall. He is currently finishing a Masters’ degree in electrical and computer engineering at UConn.  (see photo)
 

Liora Silverman (2017) graduated from Johnson & Wales with a degree in Fashion & Merchandising entrepreneurship. She is an assistant store manager with Evereve in Chestnut Hill MA and excited to live in Boston where her Papa Joel grew up! (see photo)
 

Mazal tov to Michael Weiss (2018) for graduating this spring from Indiana University with a major in Media Advertising and a minor in Business Marketing! Michael will join Stanley Black & Decker in its Brand + Product Leadership Program, which includes three six-month rotations that provide experience across different areas of the business, with a strong focus on marketing, brand strategy, and product management. Michael is excited for the opportunity to learn from a global company and begin his career in a role that blends marketing into business strategy. (see photo)
 

We are so proud of our Schechter alumni, who become leaders in so many ways! This batch of high schoolers has distinguished themselves as Jewish leaders in USY and BBYO. They are already making an impact on the vibrancy of Jewish teens! Kol hakavodto:

• Noam Berkowitz (2023): HaNer USY Region Religion / Education Vice President
• Jonah Resnick (2023): HaNer USY Region Israel Affairs Vice President
• Avi Kay (2024): HaNer USY Region Social Action / Tikun Olam Vice President; 
• Nava Kest (2024): HaNer USY Region Outreach Vice President
• Micah Patt: HaNer USY Region Communications Vice President
• Milo Cohen (2023): Connecticut Valley Region BBYO Regional Shaliach (Vice President of Judaic programming) and recipient of the Bruce Newman Memorial Award recognizing his warmth, kindness, and devotion to CVR
• Sam Weiss (2025): Recipient of BBYO Regional First Year All-Around Alef Award for distinguishing himself through hard work, dedication, and participation in his chapter! 

Kol Hakavodto the class of Schechter 2022!

We can't wait to follow your journeys as you leave high school!

What do these people have in common? 

Steve Leshem
Yeshiva Cohen
Ari Santiago
Adam Gamzon
Sarah (Gerrol) Laskowski
Alli (Bacall) Bliss
Rachel (Goldberg) Gelb
Maya Shoham
Shayna Burke
Lara (Solinsky) Shaw

They are all Schechter alumni whose children currently attend (or will be in the fall)! Come visit today’s Schechter: it’s all the things you loved, plus so much more! We can’t wait to show you all the ways a Schechter education is even stronger than you remember! 

Click HERE to share your alumni news with us!!

What's New at Schechter?

“Fur Real” Science: What Monsters Teach about Genetics

Middle schoolers learned genetics by designing and creating their own puppets! After exploring dominant and recessive traits and mapping them with Punnett squares, students planned puppet “generations” and brought their Muppet grandchildren to life in the Makerspace. They proudly showcased their creations—and the science behind them—at the Muppets Science Extravaganza. Read more about it!
 

Building on a Foundation: Students Connect with Schechter’s Early History in Contemporary Ways

Through the Hava Dunn z”l Legacy Project, our students connected personally with stories about Schechter’s beginnings. Our founders believed deeply in the power of Jewish education to shape lives and sustain our people; they worked tirelessly to establish a place of learning, community, and connection. They secured a building, created a curriculum, and wove together the threads of education, religion, and love of Israel to create a strong foundation for all who would follow.

Nevatim students (gr. 5 & 6) explored this history, interviewing the school’s founders and exploring the world in which Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford was born. Beginning with a text study on peoplehood and place, they grounded their research in what it takes to start a new community, then explored the Jewish archives in West Hartford and learned interview skills to facilitate conversations with our school’s founders and early students. Groups collaborated to produce podcasts or Instagram reels, gaining insight into the process of creating something meaningful and lasting. Through the lenses of education, pop culture, religion, and Israel, they discovered the impact that interviewees had on Schechter and how the founders’ vision continues to shape their daily lives today. Huge todah rabah to current Schechter parent Jesse Krinsky for his tremendous guidance about filming, sound, editing, and more throughout the process! 

Click HERE to see the podcasts

Hands-On Learning, Lasting Impact: Passover Story Comes to Life in Early Childhood

Our Early Childhood students brought Passover learning to life through hands-on exploration and creativity! Nitzanim students (EC2) explored the Passover step “Kadesh” by creating different “wine” and grape juice blends using red and white grape juice, inspired by the four seasonal juices they made for Tu Bishvat. Children followed recipe cards, experimented with mixing colors and flavors, and also learned about Egypt by building pyramids with magnetic blocks using real pyramid photos for inspiration.

Shorashim students (EC3–4) created their own “mortar” using glue, sand, and paint, then they built with blocks just as the ancient Israelites did in Egypt, making a meaningful connection to the charoset on the Seder plate. Students also took on an exciting engineering challenge inspired by baby Moses’ journey, designing and testing their own baskets, boats, and rafts. Students brainstormed, experimented, and refined their ideas as they discovered which creations would float. This joyful blend of Judaic learning, exploration, and science is what makes a Schechter education so special!

See photos of Passover learning in Shorashim! 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this issue of the Schechter Shoutouts Alumni Newsletter!

ICYMI, click HERE to see past issues!

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