Impact Today Spring : simplebooklet.com

Report to the CommunityRabbi Shmuel Ochs MenahelRabbi Binyomin Mermelstein Executive DirectorMr. Sam Tarlin General Studies Principal, Boys’ DivisionMrs. Devorah Moskovitz Director of Preschool and Kodesh Educational Coordinator, Girls’ DivisionMrs. Dina Feldman General Studies Principal and Director of Student Support Services, Girls’ DivisionMrs. Chana Wallach Director of Student Support Services, Boys’ DivisionMrs. Ruth Gluckin Assistant Director of PreschoolAs a young camper in Camp Munk, it’s hard to forget the learning group led by the late Rabbi Dovid Trenk z”l in which I was privileged to participate. My sharpest memory of those summers of learning were not the texts we studied; rather they were of Rabbi Trenk’s boundless energy and enthusiasm for the study of Torah. His lessons were always punctuated with the refrain, “It’s delicious, it’s delicious!” The joy and simcha that accompanied every lesson remain with me to this day.Our key goal for Hakhel on May 14th was to recapture the joy of the communal study of Torah, and to bring its sweetness and joy to our children and grandchildren. Over 600 people attended! Men completed Maseches Brachos together under one roof, culminating with a gala siyum and celebration. Women participated in an uplifting Torah class delivered by the wife of the late Rabbi Dovid Trenk, Rebbetzin Leah Trenk. Boys and girls enjoyed separate performances and activities. The day of study and celebration for men, women, and children culminated in a moving program followed by a siyum and dancing with Eli Marcus! It was a fitting way to celebrate what our community and school represent: a vibrant Jewish future.In this edition of Impact Today, you will see how TA continues its work to build out programming in the boys’ middle school and the girls’ division, how the school is improving the mental well-being of its students, and how TA recognizes donors who include the school in their legacy.Many thanks for being part of a most special and vibrant community dedicated to learning and to passing on to our children the sweetness of pursuing the learning and study of Torah.Warmly,Rabbi Binyomin Mermelstein, Executive DirectorFeedback from Hakhel participants: “I didn’t know our community was capable of coming together like this!” “Even if I had lived 200 years, I never thought I would have experienced Torah like this.” “My chavrusa and I stopped learning for a moment so that we could absorb this one-of-a-kind sound of Torah.”2

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Enduring LegacyTorah Academy honors its donors who have made plans to support Jewish education in the future. Rendering of TA’s new legacy donor wall. Installation expected this fall.Support for Torah Academy takes many forms, yet shares one common goal: to ensure a solid foundation for our next generation. Torah Academy is honored to recognize those donors who strive to leave this world a better place by making an enduring legacy gift to the school. The generosity for three such donors, Mr. Lenny White a”h, and Rabbi Aharon and Mrs. Sheva Weider a”h, will be honored through a new commemorative display, currently under fabrication. Their lives were remarkable and their legacy continues on.Lenny took an informed approach to plan for the future, ensuring that his family and the community which was so dear to him were taken care of. By naming Torah Academy as a beneficiary of his IRA, he optimized his tax benefits, maximizing the impact of his charitable contributions while also reducing the tax burden on his estate. To those who knew him, this act of generosity and financial acumen came as no surprise.Lenny’s dear friend, Ms. Kathy Arnstein recalls Lenny’s love for life and desire to help others receive a good education - just as he had received. “When he started doing something, he went full force,” she recounts. Whether it was in business, in life, or in his connection to Judaism, Mr. Lenny White gave it his all and cared deeply for those around him. His legacy lives on in the hearts of those he touched, and the lives he improved through his generosity.Rabbi Aharon & Mrs. Sheva Weider, a”h Rabbi Aharon Weider and Mrs. Sheva Weider were educators at heart. They spent decades teaching Jewish studies in the classroom. Yet, they spent even more time outside of the classroom teaching by example. Both survivors of the Holocaust, they were fiercely committed to rebuilding Jewish life through educating generations of Jewish children and young adults in Greater Boston.During his lifetime, Rabbi Weider mastered a vast number of Jewish texts. He was skilled at imparting his knowledge to his students. In his position as teacher of Bible and Rabbinic Literature at Hebrew (Teachers) College, he was able to relate his knowledge and experiences to students from a wide spectrum of Jewish life. He also served the community as a mohel and revered rabbinic figure.Mrs. Sheva Weider was a regal woman with a positive outlook on life, despite losing her entire family in the Holocaust. She was a beloved elementary school Mr. Leonard (Lenny) M. White, a”hMr. Leonard White, “Lenny” as he was known, made an impression wherever he went. Personable and brilliant, he never forgot a face and was sought after by many for advice. Born and raised in Dorchester, Lenny lived most of his adult life in Brookline. He was a proud local son, and gave back to his community through his philanthropy - prioritizing local community needs first.Lenny’s first career was as a pharmacist. During that time, he noticed that customers came into his pharmacy for prescriptions, but they often purchased more. So after ten years behind the counter, Lenny took a leap and started his own business selling “impulse buy” items to local pharmacies. Lenny’s knack for building relationships and anticipating consumer trends, combined with his sharp investing skills, resulted in a successful venture.Lenny was eager to use his expertise to help others. Friends sought him out for pharmacological advice, and he even taught a few classes on investing. His inquisitive mind and thirst for knowledge led him to Torah classes at the Bostoner Rebbe’s shul and in the home of Rabbi Ahron Weider. Both Rabbi Weider and Lenny cared deeply for the Jewish community and shared philanthropic goals. When Rabbi Weider could no longer teach the class, he passed the position to Rabbi Shloimy Halpern, who became Lenny’s close friend. Rabbi Halpern remembers Lenny as a “very bright man who loved to learn.” Lenny was also a person who looked for ways to give quietly. “When he saw a need, he filled it,” remembers Rabbi Halpern. For example, Lenny commissioned two Torah scrolls, which he donated to Khal Tiferes Yosef. Privately, he paid for the care of several elderly Jews in nursing homes. (continued on the next page >)3

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teacher at Maimonides School for 39 years. Dr. David Soll, the father of a former student (and a former student himself), remembers Mrs. Weider fondly as an exceptionally kind and caring educator.Together, Rabbi and Mrs. Weider built a home in which all were welcome. Mr. David Rosengard, a long-time neighbor to the Weiders, remembers them as “unassuming role models to everyone in the community.”In their lifetimes, they supported individuals and organizations in quiet and unassuming ways. As they grew older, they were pragmatic in planning for their future, ensuring that they would be cared for during each stage of life. At the same time, their shared goal was to leave a legacy consistent with their most cherished hope; a vibrant Jewish future.To continue their legacy, the Weiders’ included Torah Academy in their will. Their gift provides funds for a thriving Jewish school where students receive the best and most updated curriculum, at-risk students are supported, and no child is denied a Jewish education due to affordability challenges. The legacy of Rabbi and Mrs. Weider lives on in the hearts of their former students, and through their support of Torah Academy, they continue to educate the students of our community. ■Batya’s daughter needed help. Her bright and imaginative nine-year-old was emotionally withdrawn and struggling academically. Batya began making phone calls to Boston area psychologists, but her optimism quickly faded as call after call revealed the reality of children’s mental health care: long waiting lists and few providers willing to take insurance. This is why Batya and other TA parents are thrilled with the school’s new partnership with The Brookline Center, a top-tier mental health practice. Starting this year, eligible TA students receive psychological therapy onsite provided by experienced and highly sought-after Brookline Center clinicians. A thankful parent expressed herself this way, “As parents, we feel comfortable that our child is getting services in a warm and wonderful Torah environment. We are so grateful that TA was able to get our child the support she needed right away.” Through a combination of state funding, private philanthropy, and insurance payments from families, several students from each campus meet weekly with their sites’ dedicated clinician for a confidential 45-minute session. During the session, the clinician builds rapport while also providing coping tools and strategies to help the child navigate their life. It came as no surprise that all available sessions filled quickly.“It’s been highly impactful,” says Mrs. Dina Feldman, the Director of Student Support. “We’ve eliminated some of the highest barriers preventing students from accessing mental health care: availability and cost.” TA Breaks Down Barriers to Students’ Mental Health CareNew partnership with The Brookline Center provides students with onsite help.The highest barriers preventing students from accessing mental health care are availability and cost.(continued on the back page >)Rabbi Aharon & Mrs. Sheva Weider, a”h (continued from previous page)We know how important it is to speak to real people when making important financial decisions. If you need more information about leaving a legacy gift for Torah Academy, you can contact me directly. Rabbi Mermelstein, Executive Director (917) 826-9637 rabbimermelstein@ torahacademy.us4

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“Quick, we need cardboard, a screwdriver, and measuring tape! We’re about to learn about how parachutes work on spacecraft!” Just a year ago, this request from a 6th grade girl would have been met with a quizzical shrug. Today, it’s met with a smile and an exciting visit to the new Torah Academy STEM Makerspace.When all you have is a hammer, every challenge looks like a nail. But when you have a hammer, drill, power saw, circuit design kits, 3D printers, glue, screws, dowels, lumber, and more, every challenge becomes an opportunity to explore, discover, test, revise, and hone understanding and skills.With significant support from the Miriam Fund, a CJP philanthropic community of women seeking to advance programs to support girls and women, girls at Torah Academy now have a robust lab equipped with the resources to promote exploration and inquiry across STEM subjects. The Miriam Fund grant was recently awarded to TA for a third year. Additionally, an innovative mobile cart system makes it easier for teachers to integrate STEM learning into their classrooms. With abundant creative materials and tools so close at hand, teachers are quick to incorporate hands-on activities and demonstrations into their STEM lessons.Students in grades 4-8 use the lab and carts to build their engineering-based science fair projects. They also use them as a regular part of their science classes, with future plans to incorporate 3D printing, robotics, coding, and engineering.Faculty of younger grades will participate in professional development sessions. The lessons will equip teachers with new skills to expand their curricula to incorporate more open-ended STEM activities, and harness the full range of possibilities afforded by the makerspace.Middle-school aged children are highly cognizant of their perceived strengths and challenges. Feelings of both confidence and insecurity shape a child’s sense of self. “This is why it’s so important to build students up by introducing them to new skills and activities at which they may excel,” explains the Girls’ Division General Studies Principal, Mrs. Dina Feldman. “When a student realizes they have a talent, it shapes how they see themselves, and builds confidence.” To that end, TA continues to offer an impressive line-up of middle-school electives in both divisions. This year, thanks to a grant from Afterschool and Out-of-School Time (ASOST) Grant Programs, new after school activities became available including guitar, survival skills, arts and crafts, aerobics, and fondant sculpting. The stand out program, however, was robotics.Led by robotics software engineer and TA parent, Dr. Sacha Zyto, and MIT Postdoc, Dr. Chana Honick, the newly formed boys’ and girls’ robotics teams competed in the VEX Robotics Challenge hosted by the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE). Both teams achieved impressive results, with the girls’ team (Boston Bots) bringing home the trophy for their second-place win! Congratulations to our winners, who were not only the Boston Bots, but also the 102 students enriched by TA’s afterschool programs. ■STEM MakerspaceAn innovative new system integrates STEM learning in classrooms.Afterschool Triumph!TA Girls’ win second place at the VEX Robotics Competition (continued on the back page >)5

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(617) 731-3196 • info@torahacademy.us • www.torahacademy.us Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostageBP Print GroupPAID11 Williston RoadBrookline, MA 02445Address service requested Mrs. Chana Wallach, Student Support Director at the boys’ site, sees numerous additional benefits. Clinicians and patients are able to work on issues as they arise and at the site where they often occur. A student struggling in class can come to therapy and talk “while it’s fresh in their mind.” Furthermore, with parental consent the therapist can work directly with the student’s teachers who can deploy the same therapeutic tools in the classroom. This way, the teacher is able to reinforce the child’s progress throughout the day. This in turn creates a positive ripple effect throughout the entire class. TA is proud to stand alongside other area-Jewish day schools adopting this groundbreaking mental health initiative. This is yet another example of TA’s approach to “whole-child” education where each student is recognized as a unique and multifaceted learner with cognitive, physical, behavioral, social and emotional needs which must be addressed in order for a student to succeed. For students who are now able to access regular mental health support, success is now one huge step closer! ■Torah Academy believes building 21st century skills and STEM fluency starts with instilling a sense of curiosity, problem solving skills, and fostering excitement and passion for STEM. Torah Academy students will emerge with a foundational mindset of “I can figure this out.” Thanks to the Miriam Fund and TA’s dedicated educators, students are well on their way to shaping their 21st century goals. ■TA Breaks Down Barriers to Students’ Mental Health Care (continued from page 4)STEM Makerspace (continued from page 5)Miriam Fund members visit TA

Impact Today Spring

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