FEATURED JOBS
There were so many great students, teachers, faculty and staff who came out of Yeshivat Rambam’s high school. These days when we learn of the high school’s closing, names need to be mentioned.
I’d like to take space on this blog here to personally thank Clarence Brunt for keeping an eye on the school, helping it run and making it safe and warm for the children.
Michelle Schwartz was the backbone of Yeshivat Rambam. She made it run like clockwork. I honestly don’t think the school could have operated a minute without her spirit, integrity and passion.
Peshi Katz was an unsung heroine at the school. Her work was the work of a quiet professional, getting her work done and done well.
Avi Staiman and Avi Goldberg, my two favorite Avi’s at the school, invented America Eats For Israel. They were two students who represented the very best of Rambam.
Roz Goldberg, Avi’s mom. Roz was Yeshivat Rambam and its high school. She inhaled it like oxygen. When she was with the school, it was a place of excellence.
Morah Hannah Rothschild, absolutely the best Ivrit teacher the high school ever had. Totally “got” the mission and the vision.
Ms. Gail Zlotowitz, the best English teacher in anyone’s school.
Mrs. Laurie Austen, the woman who encouraged my children to excel even when they questioned themselves, she kept them believing and excelling.
Rabbi Howard Bald. He came in at a time when the school was on the upswing. He was missed.
Rabbi Jonathan Bailey, there was no one else like him. An amazing, amazing teacher, gave the kids confidence in learning everything from Talmud to Shakespeare. He even directed dramatic productions.
Mrs. Anileen Gray, Mrs. Diane Hawk, Mrs. Janet Forsythe, the fourth grade teacher who any Rambam high school student will point to as one of their favorite teachers.
To Reuben, Yocheved, Talia, Tamar, DeDe, Leora, Jonathan, Avi, A.J., Atara, Asher and Hinda, the fist graduates of the high school.
Caryn Lerman, who helped get so many children into colleges.
Meirav and Rabbi Yossi Orenstein from the Torah Mitzion Kollel.
Morah Nili Coral, Rabbi Pesach Sommer and Coach Terry Truax, teachers who loved their students and whose students loved them back.
When my daughter Emily was born on November 20, 1989, the family in the delivery room next to my wife’s was named Levitas. Their daughter Tali was born almost at the same time as Emily. We would move to Detroit just a few months after Emily was born. When we were moving back to Baltimore, both of our daughters, DeDe and Emily spent two days at the school thanks to Dr. Rita Shloush, the former head of the school. Tali went home and told her mom Joyce that a new girl was touring the school, a girl from Detroit. And guess what?, Tali told her parents that the new girl has the same birthday. Emily and Tali “reunited” at Rambam.
It was part of the magic the school had. And seeing both of our children graduate from the high school was also magical.
Certainly, there are names missed from this writing. Feel free to add names you feel are missing.
When the high school was great, it was really, really great.
We will miss those times, those memories. But we are blessed just the same to have had them.
Because it wasn’t about the desks, chairs, blackboards, computers or anything else that made the high school what it was.
Yeshivat Rambam had some special people. Thank you, all of you.
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