Schechter Shoutouts: November 2025 :: Solomon Schechter Day School

/ Nov 21, 2025 /

November 24, 2025

Dear Schechter Alumni,

I’m so excited to share the fifth issue of the Schechter Shoutouts with you! This time, we have an interview with Mike Cunningham, who served in several student-facing roles during his 10 years at Schechter, mostly connected to athletics and student activities. We also get to share some wonderful Alumni News updates, and a few short pieces about robotics at Schechter, Hebrew in the Early Childhood program, and how we marked the return home of Israel’s living hostages back in early October. I hope you enjoy the chance to reconnect with the school, and with former classmates!

If you haven’t been to Schechter in a while, please reach out (jberger@ssds-hartford.org) and let me know when you might be around. I’d love to welcome you back for a visit.

Thanks, as always, go to Audrey Sobel, Director of Communications, whose dedication and hard work makes this newsletter possible.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving,

Rabbi Jonathan Berger
Head of School

Faculty Spotlight: Mr. C (a.k.a. Mike Cunningham)

How long were you at Schechter?
I was at Schechter for 10 years, from 2005 - 2016

What role(s) did you have?
I wore many hats ( kippahs) while at Schechter! I began as the PE and Health teacher, running a variety of programs for the pre-school, and then evolving into a number of coaching positions! I coached Boys and Girls Basketball, Soccer, and Track and Field. I then started Schechter’s own Summer Camp, called Camp Create-A-Summer (name cred: Sydney Weiser!) All of these roles continued my passion for education, culminating with my role as the Dean of Students during my last few years at Schechter.

What is a favorite Schechter memory of yours?
I truly have so many memories of Schechter that I recall often. The passion in our students for each field day, the lack of sleep at our sukkah overnights, and the community vibe with our Hero Show are frequently spoken in the Cunningham home to this day!

My favorite memory is actually losing a student vs. faculty basketball game. The 8th graders had closed session practices almost daily, plotting the demise of Rabbi, Mr. G, and Mr. C!

What are you doing now?
I am currently the Chief Operating Officer for Vale Sports Club out of Middletown, CT. We have over 1500 soccer players, 300 basketball players, and 3 facilities in the area. I oversee the day to day operations and support staff. In addition, I manage our Foundation, the pathway to allowing those less fortunate to play the beautiful game of soccer.

I live in Haddam, CT with my blessed family: wife Suzie, daughter Charley (10), and son Rhett (7). We are very busy with life and sports, and it is all going way too fast!

What do you miss the most about being a teacher?
I miss the conversations. I took pride in getting to know each and every one of my students, whether at Schechter, Old Saybrook, or Haddam-Killingworth. I felt that the personal connection with my students was equally as important as the content we were teaching.

What lesson/message/idea do you most hope your students took away from learning with you?
Being a good human, doing what is right, and living life to the fullest. The students throughout my tenure at Schechter were so unbelievably successful leaving our doors, and if any of us inside the building helped their growth and development, then we did our job.

Who is a colleague you learned a lot from? What did you learn?
Rabbi Chatinover. His dedication to the community and students as a whole helped me carve out my educational leadership role once I moved on from Schechter. I knew nothing about Judaism, typically being the only person in the building that wasn’t Jewish! The passion and teaching Rabbi used to connect with the students was second to none. I was very thankful to be his colleague for so long and I wish him well!

Alumni News

Kol hakavod to Jonathan Harris (a founding Schechter student!), who recently received the President’s Award from the NAACP Greater Hartf ord Branch. Jonathan is Director of Regulatory Affairs at Eversource Energy. The award, presented at the NAACP’s Freedom Dinner, is a reminder to him that service and justice are daily commitments. (see photo)

A hearty mazal tov to Schechter graduate Matt Kochen (2003) and his wife, Amanda, on the birth of their daughter. Abigail Georgie Kochen.

Rebecca Lenkiewicz (2004) recently started a new position as Director, Community and Donor Engagement at JCC Chicago.

Mazal tov to Brian Solinksy (2005), who married Becca Pornoff on September 21, 2025! Brian is an Ophthalmologist practicing in greater Hartford. (see photo)

A hearty mazal tov to Daniel Chozick (2006) and his wife Lindsay on the birth of their son, Arthur Stern Chozick on November 15, 2025.

Mazal tov to Max Shakun (2006), who married Gianna Colson on November 8, 2025; their ceremony was officiated by his dear Schechter friend, Daniel Chozick (2006)! Max is a UX Designer living in Providence, Rhode Island. ( see photo)

Jacob Kornman (2007)is a proud Schechter grad and is now a corporate lawyer living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his wife, Lizzy, who he met at Penn undergrad.

Mazal tov to Zoë Zachs, who got married to Perry Silverman on Saturday, November 15, 2025!

Micah Fiedler (2008) is in his final year of a Master's in Urban planning at Tufts University, focusing on placemaking and transportation infrastructure. Micah lives in Boston and is writing his Master’s thesis on the disappearance of intercity bus terminals across the US. In addition, he works as a STEM educator and a consultant with Partners for Sacred Places, an organization that helps religious organizations re-invent their spaces. ( see photo)

Asher Kinyon (2008) lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Alex, whom he married in October 2023. Asher and Alex met while undergrads at NYU; other than a stint in NJ during covid and two years in Boston during grad school, they’ve called NYC home ever since! Asher works at a company called Datadog, where his focus is on M&A and venture investing; and Alex is a hotel developer focusing on design & construction. ( see photo)

Mazal tov to Haley Gershman (2010) and Lev Freedman, who were married on Sunday, August 31, 2025. They are now living in California. (see photo)

Jake Leshem graduated from Northwestern University in 2018. He has spent time as a consultant, most recently working in Deloitte’s Transformation Practice. In 2024, Jake married his wife, Abbie, in a ceremony at Beth El Synagogue in West Hartford. They now live in Manhattan, where Jake is attending Columbia Business School. (see photo)

Kol hakavod to Talia Zimmerman, who recently graduated from The George Washington University School of Medicine and began her surgical residency at MGB Brigham & Women's Hospital. ( see photo)

Mazal tov to Allie Abels, who married Yoni Israel on October 19, 2025!

Kol hakavod to Gabi Silver (2013), who was featured in Washington Jewish Week! He hosts 45 guests for dinner and plans Jewish communal events in the Washington, DC area! Read the details. (see photo by Fidel Azazi)

Ahna Bielick (2015) works as a tour guide at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, DC . (see photo)

Eitan Ehrlich (2016) made a huge splash recently with our middle schoolers! They watched his d ocumentary Live.Ride.Cure and had endless questions about his training, the filming process, and the triathlon he completed to raise awareness and funds to fight Parkinson's Disease. They asked about his current work with The Hartford Film Company. Eitan then led them on their own visual mini-storytelling journeys. We love that Schechter alumni go on to do great things, and that they can inspire the next generation of students to dream big and make the world better. (see photo)

Jonah Gershon (2016) is Events Manager and head of field and event marketing at David. He oversees all of their field marketing initiatives, including in-person interactions like influencer events, community events, expos, retail sampling roll outs, large stunt activations, and more. ( see photo)

Kol hakavod to Victoria Boustani (2017), who presented her research project at the Honors Showcase at the University of Rhode Island last spring. Her project explored expressed empathy in music lyrics by male and female artists through an evolutionary and neuroscientific lens, blending her passion for psychology, neuroscience, and the emotional power of music. She graduated with Honors and a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology, and is continuing her academic journey by pursuing a Master of Social Work at the University of Connecticut. ( see photo)

Jack Resnick (2018) visited Schechter and spoke to middle schoolers about his decision to make aliyah after he finished his studies at the Atzmona mechina (מכינה).

Alyssa Temkin (2019) is a junior at Trinity College majoring in psychology on the pre-med track. At Trinity she manages the women’s basketball team, attending all daily practices and games helping with clock management and other daily tasks. ( see photo)

In the spring,Milo Cohen (2023) was elected Godol (President) of the Nadav AZA chapter, which is part of BBYO, for the 2025-2026 year. We are proud that Milo is an active leader in the Jewish community! ( see photo)

Welcome to the newly minted

Schechter alumni from the class of 2025!

We were thrilled to welcome back many Schechter alumni at this spring’s 2025 graduation! Some came to support the graduates who were friends or siblings. Some just came because they love a Schechter graduation ceremony! (Who doesn’t?!) We were also joined by alumni who are current Board Members (Max Beede) and teachers (Yeshiva Cohen)! (see photo)

Share your Alumni News!

Robotics Initiative Puts Schechter’s Core Values into Action

In today’s rapidly changing world, robotics is more than just building machines—it’s about developing critical skills that prepare students for the future while reflecting our core values. Robotics at Schechter brings our core values to life. It nurtures Chochmah (Wisdom) as students dive into big questions, think critically, and experiment with creative solutions. Collaboration sparks Lev Tov (Good Heart) by encouraging teamwork, kindness, and respect. Cross-grade partnerships strengthen Kehillah (Community) as students learn from one another and form meaningful connections. Exploring the ethics of technology links directly to Mitzvot (Jewish Practice) , inspiring students to consider how they can use innovation for good. And by engaging with ideas and technology inspired by Israel, students connect to K’lal Yisrael (Unity), seeing how tradition and cutting-edge learning come together.

The excitement is already building as the Alim class (grades 3-4)pilots a robotics unit in science. Students will learn about and apply the engineering design process as they build and program a functional robot. The students started the unit by learning about different types of robots; they then worked in small groups, following directions to build their robot, fittingly named Pilot. The students are now learning to write programs that bring Pilot to life.

The robotics unit is a dynamic part of our schoolwide Makerspace initiative. While Alim is launching robotics in Science classes, Nevatim (grades 5-6) brought engineering and blueprint work into their Judaic Studies exploration on what makes a sukkah kosher. We are excited that all of our students will learn through integrated units in Makerspace throughout the year!

More Hebrew, More Fun! Early Childhood Students Deepen Their Connection to the Language

Schechter Early Childhood students are enjoying even more Hebrew in their day! Twice each week, our Hebrew teachers join the Shorashim classes (EC 3–4) for lively, 30-minute sessions full of movement, music, and meaningful exploration. By introducing children to basic Hebrew before they even begin to write, our teachers help build natural familiarity and confidence that will blossom even further in Kindergarten.

The lessons focus on topics that feel exciting and relevant to young learners—Hebrew names, seasons, colors, animals, foods, family members, and parts of the body. “Engaging students with subjects that connect to their lives makes the language more meaningful,” explains Anat Climor, Director of Hebrew Language and Israel Studies. “When learning is fun, interactive, and sensory-rich, it strengthens the entire learning process.”

Israeli culture also comes alive in the classroom! While learning about the fall season, stav (סתיו), students also discover the Hebrew word for “snails” (שבלול / חילזון). Why? Snails emerge during the autumn in Israel! Students are asked, “ma yesh ba-stav?” (מה יש בסתיו / what is unique to the fall season?) and might describe, for example, the autumn changes in trees through songs, stories, and new vocabulary. EC parents also receive the list of new Hebrew vocabulary -- along with transliteration -- so that they can practice at home with their children!

With each joyful lesson, our youngest learners are building a warm, lasting connection to Hebrew—and having a wonderful time along the way!

From Darkness to Light: Schechter Marks Hostage Release with Community Ceremony

With the extraordinary news of the release of all living hostages and the start of a real cease-fire, Schechter eighth graders led a community ceremony that reflected both mourning and hope—modeled after the tekes ma’avar that transitions from Yom HaZikaron to Yom HaAtz'maut in Israel. Bringing to life Schechter’s Core Value of Klal Yisrael , the ceremony began with solemn remembrance of the lives lost, then moved to a celebration of the hostages’ return and our collective hope for a lasting peace. Amirim, the Schechter eighth graders, the next generation of Jewish leaders, beautifully navigated the transition from sorrow to hope.

We were honored to be joined by many leaders from throughout the Greater Hartford Jewish community. Todah rabah to Rabbi Small of The Emanuel Synagogue, Dr. Eliyahu Krigel of Beth El Temple, Rabbi Pincus of Congregation Beth Israel, and our area’s shlicha, Shira Nagar for participating in the service.

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From the yearbook stash.... Our Nevatim 5th graders loved their recent trip to Teva at the Isabella Freedman Center! The photos shared on social media were a big hit, so we decided to share a few Teva photos from the archives! Click HERE to see some oldies but goodies!