“When I talk about the future ofour community, I know that I standon firm ground because of thestrength of the day schools in ourarea. More than any otherinstitution, it is our day schoolsthat ensure a vibrant future.”

These words, eloquently spoken by a leader of theUnited Jewish Council, and quoted in a PEJE

(Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education) reportin May 2007, speak volumes. In a secular world, where

Jews comprise less than 0.2 percent of the Earth’spopulation, what is the significance of the Jewish day

school in our lives? Why do Jews, even those that areotherwise unaffiliated, and perhaps non-observant in

their private lives, make the decision to send theirchildren to a Jewish school?

According to the spokesperson for PEJE, the answers toquestions like these can be found in several arenas. For one,

educational excellence, with a challenging dual curriculum,is typical of the classes in a day school. Additionally,presentation of another language, Hebrew, stimulates thelanguage centers in young brains, making them morereceptive to language and knowledge in general. Thereceptivity of the developing brain to new language has beenlong-documented by a plethora of neuro-scientific research.

Values represent another area that calls to Jews when they makethe choice of the day school. ...continued on back coverWriter/Editor polly goltche

Editor BarBara etraDirector caNtor BeNNy rogosNItzkyDesign and Printing reuVeN elsoN, atelIer INdustrIes

e Jewish Day Schoole Springboard for a Brilliant Future

PathwaysRABBI ARTHUR SCHNEIERPARK EAST DAY SCHOOL

SPRING 2014 | VOLUME 6 | 5774

Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School 164 East 68th StreetNew York , NY 10065212.737.7330

Rabbi Arthur SchneierPark East Day SchoolParent Association Board 2014Jennifer Krug Aliza Licht Sharon Makhlinco-pr e sIdeNt s

Anna Claire Salama-CaroFrances Zelazny-GanzErin HaasEstee LiebermanVIce pr e sIdeNt s

Erin Rudensky Mary Shelat r e a sur er s

Debra Alvor ecor dINg secr etary

Diana Mannche sed coMMI t t eechaIr

Ilana YunisErin Haascl a ss MoM lIaI soN s

Debbie Lewittes EigengraNdpareNt lIaIsoN

Somehow when children come into their lives, young adults who would perhaps notchoose religious connection for themselves, suddenly have an epiphany of sorts, andthe significance of their heritage takes on far grander importance. What these youngJews-by-birth may have taken for granted in their youth often takes on new meaningand worth when it comes to raising their family.

Alternately, it is the need “to belong,” to find other families within a large metropolis, oreven a smaller suburban community, that calls to parents who wish to find a sense offamily apart from those to whom they are actually related. Individuals often live far fromfamilies of origin and extended relations, and look to be part of a group with whom theyshare the joy and warmth of a shared tradition. Joining a day school is quite often, as PEJEspokesperson points out, “…much more than just classrooms and homework…supportfrom school staff and the friends we’ve made among other parents have made our day school the warmest Jewish community we’ve beena part of.” There is a sense of K’lal Yisrael, or Jewish unity, among all denominations of Jews, where a common ideology and unitedaffiliation meet, despite possible differences in observance of individual members of a school.

As Jews make the choice for their children to become students in a Jewish day school, there is also often a wish for even more thantradition and connection. There is a desire for the wealth of knowledge contained within the foundation of our people- our Torah. It is tothe Jewish day school that we turn to be a pillar for our families.

Affiliation in a Jewish day school is perhaps the cornerstone upon which we should build both our lives and those of our children. Hereat Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School, this is an abiding belief. In a city with an abundance of fine secular educational institutionsfrom which to choose, the fact that parents make the choice of the Jewish day school is truly the strength upon which our future is built.Like family, a day school nurtures. Like family, a day school is a home. Like family, a day school raises a child day-to-day, and year-to-year,offering a warm, caring place where learning and growing flourish. The benefits of a Jewish education, the claim to one’s birthright andlegacy, are nothing less than the springboard for vast and brilliant future possibilities. �

Brilliant Future Continued from cover

Another Year of Shining Math Stars!This year Park East Day School performed with distinction in The New York Mathematics League Competitions. At the 6th grade level,we were ranked #2, with 83 schools entered in New York State, and ranking #2 as well in the New York City Region. At the 8th grade level,we were ranked #12 with 67 schools participating, ranking #3 in the New York City Region.

Individual students who participated and achieved so beautifully were:

Meir schulsinger, ranking #2 in New york state, and #1 in the New york city region,

Julian alvo, and Meyer levinson-Blount, both ranking #12 in New york state,

Jaclyn Josephson, ranking # 25 in New york state, and sara serfaty, ranking #21 in New york state.

In the American Mathematics Competitions, Meir Schulsinger participated with distinction, scoring in the top 5%, and Sara Serfaty, LibbyBergier-Pesin and Shira Dickman all scoring in the top 25%. We are so proud of the fine achievements of these outstanding students.Kudos to Mrs. Galina Spektor, Math Department Chair. �

w w w . p a r k e a s t d a y s c h o o l . o r g

MEIR SCHULSINGER#2 in New York State

#1 in the New York City Region

JULIAN ALVO#12 in New York State

MEYER LEVINSON-BLOUNT#12 in New York State

JACLYN JOSEPHSON#25 in New York State

SARA SERFATY#21 in New York State

w w w . p a r k e a s t d a y s c h o o l . o r g 32

When our Judaic Studies teacher, Nurit Rosenblatt,joined the staff of Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park EastDay School nine years ago, she presented as aseasoned professional with many years ofexperience. That first impression would not onlyprove to be spot-on, but it did not take long to learnthat the deeper value in knowing and having ateacher like Nurit in one’s life was in her essence asa person of unequaled ability, passion, and integrity.

Born of Hungarian heritage in Germany, Nurit’s family settled inIsrael by the time she was two years old. The eldest of threesisters, their earliest home was in Jaffa, where they were one ofonly a few Jewish families in her neighborhood. Nurit’s earliesteducation began at an orthodox Jewish school. A self-described“true nature-lover,” Nurit’s passions were nature and the arts.

As she entered her teen years, Nurit became increasinglyinterested in the education of children, particularly those in pre-school. Although encouraged by the principal in her high schoolseminary to pursue being a teacher of higher education, Nurit’sheart remained in the nurturing and education of young children.Her formal degree in Early Childhood education was completedat Bar Ilan College. In keeping with her interests, Nurit went onto complete her Sherut L’Eumi as a Special Education teacher. Herexperience helped Nurit hone her skills as a teacher and preparedher for what would be a lifelong career in the United States.

When her family decided to immigrate to America in September1968, she rapidly found a job as a teacher in the New York area. Itwas during those early years as a new American that Nurit metand married her husband, Mordechai, whom she met at her first

teaching job. Together they started a family, which would grow toinclude two sons and a daughter. Eventually, Nurit and Mordechaiwould become grandparents to ten beautiful grandchildren wholive in both the United States and Israel.

Nurit’s teaching jobs here in New York included a position at TheHebrew Academy of Long Beach, and of course, Park East, whereshe has been a guiding force on our staff. In addition to teaching,Nurit has always participated in continuing education in her field,specifically in the area of Special Education and Hebrew Literacy.It was at Stern College that Nurit eventually completed all collegecoursework; in addition, she attained a Master’s Degree inCulinary and Hospitality Arts at The New School for SocialResearch. A continuing student of Torah, Nurit has also writtenHebrew curriculum for primary and secondary schools, as well asstories and plays for children and original Hebrew songs andmusic to facilitate the learning of coursework.

In reflecting on Nurit’s contribution here at Park East, theconsensus among all who know and love her is that she isunequaled in her ability to teach and touch the lives of children.Her students remain her children throughout their tenure in ourday school and beyond. Our children will never forget Nurit’scooking and baking. They love making Shabbat meals with herand special foods for all occasions.

It is a bittersweet time for us at Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park EastDay School to bid farewell to Nurit upon the occasion of herretirement and return to Israel. As we watch our colleague andfriend begin the next chapter of her illustrious life, we wish Nuritevery joy and hatzlacha. We know she will continue to inspirethose around her for many years to come.�

Honoring a Lifetime EducatorNurit Rosenblatt Rejoicing as our

Kindergarten Class Graduates!This May, parents, grandparents, family members and faculty alike, schepped nachat as ourkindergarteners performed in a magnificent musical presentation on the occasion of theirpromotion to first grade. With each child memorizing and reciting his or her own special lines, all 25 Park East students celebrated the joy of all that they learnedin the past year. Holidays were the theme, and children demonstrated one of many amazing math skills they have mastered through theSingapore Math Program this year, as they counted to 100 by fives in unison. Concluding their colorful performance by donning whitesocks on their hands and creating a visually spectacular musical number under black lights, children received their diplomas one by one.A delicious celebratory cake was served as a montage commemorating Kindergarten’s past school year was played, and children were elatedwatching their special memories, their friends, and themselves. Guests at this joyous gathering were enchanted by the ability and passionof our young pupils. None of this would have been possible without the amazing dedication and expertise of our wonderful teachers,Sashi Siegel, Shira Zeif, Julia Shrier, and Zipi Wolman. Thanks to all for a fabulous year of learning and growth!

Come September, Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School will delight as these students, along with several more, will fill not one, buttwo first-grade classrooms in our school! Watching our institution grow fills us all with a deep sense of accomplishment and joy. We wishour new graduates heartfelt congratulations, and look forward to welcoming their new classmates this coming autumn. �

Congratulations to Our Graduates!Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School salutes its graduates. We are so proud of their accomplishments!Our wonderful 8th graders will be off to high school soon. Students were accepted to impressive and excellentleading New York high schools. We applaud their choices:

Lucia Campo - Birch WathenShira Dickman - Heschel, Saphir Elbaz - HeschelSara Goldstein - S.A.R., Derek Korff-Korn - Ramaz

Mirah Kozodoy - BrearleyLauren Makhlin - Hewitt, Talia Mischel - Heschel

Shani Mizrahi - North Shore Hebrew AcademyIsabel Nakash - Birch Wathen

Libby Pesin- S.A.R.Aaron Samekhov - Bard High School Early

College-Queens, Sara Serfaty - Townsend Harrisand Annabell Shindler - Heschel

Congratulations to all of our amazing students! May the next chapter ofyour lives be filled with a wonderful mazel, and all that you wish for yourselves. �

An Unforgettable Park East DaySchool Memory: e Inter-School Musical Chorale Featuring Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School