Sephardic Music Concert Coming to the Main Line

The following is my story in the February 20, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about the Bala Cynwyd Library’s Concert Series, which is set to feature a Philadelphia-based ensemble that will present an exciting concert of Sephardic music from Turkey, Greece, and North Africa:

Sephardic Music Concert Coming to the Main Line

David's Harp

One of the best kept secrets on the Main Line is a magical musical performance that takes place twice a year. While the Bala Cynwyd Library Concert Series has delighted local audiences with high quality artistic programming for an incredible 49 consecutive years, the Greater Philadelphia area is in for a real treat when the curtain rises for its next show in March.

On Sunday afternoon, March 8th, “David’s Harp” will perform at the Sylvia Glickman Memorial Concert. The talented Philadelphia-based ensemble will present an exciting concert of Sephardic music from Turkey, Greece, and North Africa. With a program of rollicking Ladino folk tunes and soulful ballads on themes of Jewish ritual, love, and domestic life, the performers will demonstrate the fluidity and blending of diverse musical ideas between Jewish and non-Jewish worlds. Their repertoire is drawn from Ottoman court music, Sephardic pizmonim, Ladino folk songs, Turkish fasil music, and Greek rebetika among many other genres. Since its inception ten years ago, David’s Harp has given standing room only concerts at the Center for Jewish History, Drexel University, Yale University, the Penn Museum, Georgetown University, the Graduate Center CUNY, and many other venues in New York, Philadelphia, and New England.

The concert will take place at 2:00 p.m. at the Levering Mill Tribute House, which is located at 382 Bala Avenue in Bala Cynwyd.

Merion Station resident Dr. Gilya Hodos, who is a member of the Bala Cynwyd Library Board of Trustees, has been running the concert for the past 12 years. Hodos, whose background is in performance and education, has held an adjunct faculty position at Penn State’s Abington campus for the past 14 years.

Hodos’ musical pedigree is quite notable. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York in Piano Performance, a Master of Music degree in Collaborative Arts from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Piano Performance. In addition, Hodos, who runs a number of other concert series in the area, is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through the Music Teachers National Association who enjoys working with a wide variety of ages and abilities, from students as young as four years old, through adults returning to music or starting for the first time. She also has concertized extensively both as a soloist and collaborative artist in Israel, Germany, Australia, and throughout the United States.

“I’m really a collaborative artist,” said Hodos. “Music is my passion.”

“The series was founded back in 1971 by Sylvia Glickman – she was really a powerhouse,” Hodos added while praising the composer and musician who founded a publishing firm for female performers called Hildegard Press. “Bringing these world-class musicians and phenomenal concerts to the community is truly a labor of love. This concert brings world-class musicians right into our lap – it’s a real gem.”

Dr. Gilya Hodos

Hodos noted that David’s Harp has strong connections to the Philadelphia community. For example, the group’s founder Joseph Alpar, who is David Harp’s sole singer and a santouri and darbuka player, is from Bala Cynwyd. The group also includes Brenda Alpar, who was the music, art, and drama teacher at Perelman Jewish Day School for 31 years before retiring in 2015. June Bender is a noted local violinist in the Philadelphia area who teaches from her home studio in Ardmore, Cynthia Folio, a noted composer and flutist, is Professor of Theory and Composition and Chair of the Music Studies Department at Temple University, and Nick Millevoi is a noted Philadelphia-based guitarist and composer.

“This will be a family-friendly concert that will have a strong Jewish connection,” said Hodos. “All of the music they’re performing has a tremendous amount of improvisation in it. It’s the ultimate in how cultures meld together.”

The concert will feature a program celebrating women composers, songwriters and singers of Sephardic origins. There will be music by the Bosnian Jewish singer/songwriter Flory Jagoda, music by a famous Greek Sephardic rebetika singer, music by a female Ottoman-Turkish composer, and vocal improvisations based on music by a female Greek-Jewish singer. In order to perform this music, the performers will bring a variety of ethnic instruments, including a santouri, which is a Greek Hammered Dulcimer, and a darbuka, which is a goblet shaped hand drum from the Middle East, in addition to guitar, piano, flute, violin, and voice.

“David’s Harp is really an amazing group,” Hodos said. “They perform all over and we are so lucky that they are performing for us.”

Hodos noted that while the library’s concert series is partially funded by the Hildegard Institute with the mandate that it spotlights women composers, which was Sylvia Glickman’s passion, they truly rely on community support to sustain the series, which has been presented for the past half-century. She also pointed out the library’s connection to the Levering Mill Tribute House, which is the venue that hosts the concerts, noting that the original library in Bala Cynwyd was housed at that very site.

Politics and Advocacy Take Center Stage at Barrack Hebrew Academy

The following is my story in the February 20, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy’s quadrennial political conference on modern American democracy and a special keynote address by Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice David Wecht:

Politics and Advocacy Take Center Stage at Barrack Hebrew Academy

PA Supreme Court Justice David Wecht

As the students at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr began filling the cavernous cafeteria on Thursday morning, February 13th, the excitement was palpable. There was a buzz in the air as POLITICON 2020 was set to get underway.

A quadrennial political conference on modern American democracy, Barrack’s POLITICON is intended to educate the student body on a wide variety of issues within the fields of politics, law, media, and government.

After welcoming remarks from Barrack seniors Sarah Bartos and Sophia Shapiro who are Co-Presidents of the school’s Political Action Club, Head of School Sharon Levin spoke briefly to the students about the importance of voting. “What is going on in the news and in our government is so very important,” she said. “Voting is so important.”

David Senoff, a Philadelphia attorney and Akiba Hebrew Academy graduate who was involved in the first POLITICON 36 years ago, introduced the keynote speaker, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice David N. Wecht, whose remarks primarily focused on the history and resurgence of anti-Semitism and the judicial perspective.

After opening his remarks by noting how glad he was to be at Barrack and making a joke that drew laughs from the crowd – “I know that Mr. Barrack bought the naming rights from Rabbi Akiba” – Justice Wecht spoke about the importance of voting and getting involved in civic affairs. “Our government is responsive to the actions of citizens, and it is imperative that your voice be heard,” he said.

As he talked about the experience of his father’s family in the Holocaust, Justice Wecht commented that, “it’s always good to know where a person is coming from.”

He also spoke about the shul where he and his wife got married, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, where a gunman walked in on a Shabbat morning in October 2018 and murdered 11 Jews. He specifically mentioned Cecil and David Rosenthal, two brothers with special needs who were killed that day during the deadly rampage. “They were the sweetest guys you could ever meet,” he said. “Hashem yikom damam – May God avenge their blood.”

“It is very imperative that whatever you do in your lives, you seek justice,” he said, imparting another important lesson to the students. “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof – Justice, justice you shall pursue. That’s not just for lawyers – that’s for all people.”

“There have been many golden ages of the galut, of the diaspora,” said Justice Wecht. “We live in a golden age in this country… Do you think this golden age is ending? In part, it may be up to you… You should be involved in the government of this country and you should be involved in shaping the future of this country, not just as Americans, but as American Jews – as proud Jews.”

PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro

The judge referenced the growing anti-Semitism that exists in the United States, including the desecration of Jewish cemeteries, and told the students that anti-Semitism can be beaten back through their vigorous actions “to ensure this golden age of the galut does not end.”

“As students, you should all speak up, take a leadership role and never hide,” he said. “You should be leaders, not followers.”

Justice Wecht spoke about the history of anti-Semitism in Europe and the Holocaust. “Now, all these years afterwards, memories are fading, and part of your job is to remind people and never let them forget the history that our people have undergone.”

He also delved into the issue of anti-Semitism on college campuses throughout the United States, which he said has “grown like a virus.”

“I hope you will be pro-Israel activists; I hope you will be proud Jews and be involved in Jewish life on campus in some way,” he said. “This kind of abominable anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, anti-Israel activity goes on and too many Jewish students and faculty just cower, just disappear, and do nothing about it. I hope that when you go to college, you’ll be there telling the truth.”

Justice Wecht talked to the students about some of the lessons he learned from Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Elie Wiesel, who was one of his professors during his time at Yale University. “It is our duty to strengthen Am Yisrael, not weaken it,” said the judge.

The PA Supreme Court Justice also discussed the nature of the law in the United States and the importance of those laws in the lives of American Jews.

“In this country, our law embodies important constitutional values… Our constitution in this country stands, among other things, for the principle of minority protection. This is unique in the history of the galut, of the Jewish diaspora… Your right to practice your Judaism freely does not depend on a majority vote of the American people at any given time.”

Justice Wecht also touched upon the misconception that it’s only ultra-Orthodox Jews being attacked in Brooklyn, Poway or Jersey City. “Those are your brothers and your sisters, and don’t ever forget that,” he told the students.

“I hope you will not be a Jew who shirks away from your Jewish identity... You should always remember in your life, Kol Yisrael arevim zeh la zeh, all of the people of Israel are responsible one for the other, and the principle of Ahavat Yisrael, love of all Jews, Jewish solidarity.”

“Get involved in the community,” said Justice Wecht as he concluded his remarks. “Always be proud of where you come from.”

Shira Goodman, Regional Director of ADL Philadelphia

Following the keynote address, students went to various workshop sessions hosted by leaders in advocacy, governmental law, and foreign and national policy and politics. The sessions included one by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, an Akiba Hebrew Academy graduate, who spoke about the workings of the AG’s office, “Contours of Gun Policy in PA and the Nation: Understanding the Second Amendment,” which featured Max Milkman from CeaseFire PA and Jonathan Goldstein representing the NRA, and a discussion by Shira Goodman, Regional Director, Philadelphia Region of the Anti-Defamation League, about anti-Semitism today.

“Having engaged students is the key to changing our world,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro told the Philadelphia Jewish Link. “You see students leading on climate, you see students leading on criminal justice reform, you see students leading on dealing with gun violence in ways that adults just aren’t. That engagement is central to who we are as a Jewish people and it is something that is taught here at Barrack and is clearly something that is emphasized at this beautiful conference. Having this moment where students are able to focus their attention on advocating for things that they care deeply about is so important. To be clear, I don’t think it matters if you are Republican, Democrat, left-leaning or right-leaning – the key is to be engaged in your community.”

After the breakout sessions concluded, students took part in a mock primary election and had the opportunity to cast their vote for one of the Democratic presidential candidates. Pete Buttigieg (who was played by junior Micah Israel), emerged victorious, with Bernie Sanders (who was played by senior Luke Finklestein), coming in second.

The Publisher’s Perspective – 2/20/20

The following is my piece in the February 20, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

His story riveted a nation and unified Jews around the globe. His horrific ordeal impacted us in a profound manner, and we felt the acute pain that his family experienced over a prolonged period of time.

On June 25, 2006, Gilad Shalit was taken captive by Hamas terrorists during an unprovoked cross-border raid. The terrorists used an underground tunnel from Gaza to infiltrate Israel and attack Israeli soldiers who were on patrol. During the attack, in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and several others were wounded, then-Corporal Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and taken to Gaza.

Although the IDF launched a military operation in an attempt to rescue Gilad Shalit, they were unsuccessful. It was believed that Shalit’s captors were denying him his basic humanitarian rights and it was widely understood that he was suffering at their blood-soaked hands.

Aviva and Noam Shalit, Gilad’s parents, went for years without knowing their son’s fate. There eventually were incremental developments in the ongoing saga. In June 2007, an audio recording of Shalit was released in which he said that his medical condition was worsening. Shalit’s parents received a letter from Gilad in June 2008. A video of Shalit holding a daily newspaper and making an appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surfaced in October 2009, which verified that he was still alive. Throughout it all, Jews throughout the world prayed for Shalit’s safe return.

On October 11, 2011, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced to the world that a deal had been reached for Gilad Shalit’s release. Israel was going to release 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in order to bring Shalit home. In an iconic moment, Gilad Shalit was finally freed after 1,940 days in captivity. A grateful nation thanked God for Shalit’s liberation and Jews everywhere breathed a huge sigh of relief knowing that he was safe and united with his family at last.

Fast forward to February 14, 2020. Gilad Shalit, 8 years and 4 months removed from his emotional return home, got engaged to his girlfriend Nitzan Shabbat. It is an incredibly joyous occasion for Gilad Shalit, now 33, who undoubtedly endured unspeakable physical and mental suffering during his more than 5 years in captivity.

For me, and I’m sure for many of my fellow Jews, this is a remarkable moment and an incredible development that might have seemed unthinkable a number of years ago when Gilad Shalit’s whereabouts were unknown and his health and well-being were far from certain.

Hamas may have dauntlessly tried to break Shalit’s spirit, but with God’s help, they failed. The fact that he survived his hellish nightmare, was ultimately reunited with his family, and got back on his feet after his reintegration into Israeli society, is a clear demonstration of the Yad Hashem.

As Gilad Shalit, now a chatan, begins this exciting new chapter in his life, we wish him nothing but happiness, health, and continued success. Mazal Tov to one of Israel’s favorite sons!

Remembering Kobe Bryant

The following is my story in the February 6, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about Kobe Bryant, in which I present a unique perspective of Kobe offered by a high school classmate and friend:

Remembering Kobe Bryant

From L - R: Singer and actress Brandy Norwood, Kobe Bryant and Audrey Gornish during their senior year in high school.

The shockwaves from the recent death of Kobe Bryant, a native Philadelphian, reverberated throughout the United States and around the world, but there is no doubt that the tragic helicopter crash that killed Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others, rattled the Lower Merion community.

Kobe, who grew up on Remington Road in Wynnewood, was a superstar at Lower Merion High School. As a senior in 1996, Kobe led the Lower Merion Aces to a state championship title. Along the way, he shattered the Southeastern Pennsylvania high school scoring record that had been held by none other than NBA Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain. When Kobe made the jump from Lower Merion High School directly to the NBA, it further cemented his status as a local luminary.

For Audrey Gornish, a fourth generation member of Philadelphia’s Jewish community who has children at Kohelet Yeshiva High School, Kohelet Yeshiva Middle School and Perelman Jewish Day School, Kobe Bryant was much more than a basketball icon.

Gornish first met Kobe when they were both students at Bala Cynwyd Middle School. Kobe was only there for a short period of time because his father, former NBA player Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, moved his family to Italy so he could play basketball overseas.

When the Bryant family returned to Lower Merion, Kobe, who Gornish recalls had become fluent in Italian, spent four years at Lower Merion High School and their friendship continued.

According to Gornish, Kobe played basketball in Lower Merion after returning from Italy, but as a high school freshman he had not yet blossomed into the star player he ultimately would become. What stood out to Gornish about Kobe was his incredible work ethic and determination, and the fact that he always worked really hard to keep improving. She remembers fondly how Kobe would play basketball outside his house and keep repositioning the garbage cans and pretend that they were defensive players. “He was always playing ball and watching videos about playing ball,” she said.

Gornish, who was in Math and English classes with Kobe throughout their four years of high school, also remarked how he stood out in the classroom and in the school in general. “Kobe was a very bright light – always happy and always smiling – and he looked like he never had a bad day,” Gornish said. “He was respectful and worked hard, and he was a model student who exuded derech eretz. He was a real mensch who got along well with anyone – he was everyone’s friend.”

credit: Lisa Stein

Kobe had strong connections to the local Philadelphia Jewish community. Gornish noted that Kobe, who had many Jewish friends, spent a tremendous amount of time playing basketball at the Kaiserman Jewish Community Center in Wynnewood, where his father worked in the fitness center. Kobe’s father also served as the girls basketball coach at Akiba Hebrew Academy in the early 1990s. Gornish commented that when he was playing ball at the JCC, Kobe would happily play with anyone who wanted to play with him. She also noted that Kobe did not get his driver’s license until his senior year of high school, and he therefore had to walk to the JCC on most days.

Because Gornish’s family did not live too far from the Bryant family, her mother would often give Kobe a ride home from basketball practice. After Kobe bought a shiny black Land Rover following an endorsement deal during his senior year, Gornish joked with him and told him “you really owe me a lot of rides.”

credit: Lisa Stein

credit: Lisa Stein

Gornish remembered fondly how Kobe used to inspire her and encourage her to keep playing basketball at Lower Merion High School. Kobe affectionately gave Gornish, who was “short and speedy” as a high school basketball player, a nickname. “He called me ‘Diesel,’” she said as she spoke about the motivation that Kobe provided to her. “He was a powerhouse of positivity and one of the best people I got to grow up with.”

Kobe’s gregarious personality mirrored that of his parents, Joe and Pam. “Kobe had that megawatt smile and he was very kind and very sincere,” Gornish said. “The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.” She noted that Kobe’s two older sisters were also so nice and polite, and that they too were great ball players.

credit Lisa Stein

credit: Lisa Stein

“I want to remember Kobe as the 18-year-old who was walking down the hall with a smile for everyone,” said Gornish. “He didn’t suddenly become different. He already knew he was going to the NBA, but he still showed up to class and took finals, just like the rest of us. He didn’t steal the show and he didn’t make anyone else feel less than him. He had such humility.”

“He was a superstar and he had an amazing attitude towards winning and trying,” she added. “The guy didn’t have a mean bone in his body and he was always looking to do something good for someone else. Even when he wasn’t playing his best, he never had a temper.”

“Kobe was just one of those people that was so wonderful, you always wished them the very best. I was very proud to know him. He was a star person and an absolute mensch.”

Zagafen to Launch New Lunch Option

The following is my story in the February 6, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about Zagafen, a Merion Station, PA restaurant:

Zagafen to Launch New Lunch Option

Since it first opened in August 2019, Zagafen, a Merion Station eatery that offers delicious dairy cuisine, has focused on solely offering a dinner option for its patrons throughout the community. That is about to change.

On February 24, Zagafen will expand its hours to include a lunch option as well. The restaurant will be open from 11:00am – 2:00pm for lunch from Monday–Thursday, and it will be open from 4:00pm – 10:00pm for dinner from Sunday–Thursday.

According to General Manager Thomas DiStefano, Zagafen’s new lunch menu is conducive to both people who are looking to have a leisurely lunch, and the business crowd, who may want a faster lunch option in the middle of the workday.                                             

The new lunch menu, which is available at www.zagafen.com, will consist of soups, various types of salads, including Caesar Salad, Kale Salad, Roasted Beet Salad and Chickpea Salad, different varieties of pizza, the Calza “Calzone,” Salmon “B.L.T., ” Tomato Mozzarella Grilled Cheese, and a Fungi & Mozzarella Melt.

DiStefano noted that Zagafen’s dinner menu will also be undergoing changes, including adding some sandwich options to further contribute to the family-friendly feel of the restaurant. Both the new lunch menu and the modifications to the dinner menu are being overseen by new Executive Chef Richard DiStefano, who is also the Executive Chef at Citron and Rose Tavern, Zagafen’s sister restaurant in Bala Cynwyd that features delectable meat fare.

In addition, to the menu changes, Zagafen’s wine, liquor and beer list is being reworked as well.

“We’re delighted to present the community with a great place to go for lunch,” said DiStefano, Zagafen’s General Manager. “The community was looking for a family-friendly place, and with opening for lunch and with the new menu, we are making it more family-friendly, but not taking away the adult atmosphere.”

“I’m excited about Zagafen being open for lunch,” said David Magerman, the restaurant’s owner. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good option for meeting people for lunch, and I think Zagafen will be a great atmosphere for lunch for families and for business meetings. I hope the community responds to the offering and supports it, so it can remain available for a long time to come.”

DiStefano commented that in addition to rave reviews on the food offerings, the management and staff at Zagafen has also received positive feedback on the atmosphere and overall feel of the restaurant.

“It’s beautiful in here – the vibe is energetic and lively,” he said. “It’s a terrific place to spend some time with your friends and family.”

Caskey Torah Academy to Honor the Bleiers and Elana Stiel Obstfeld at Annual Dinner

The following is my story in the February 6, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about Caskey Torah Academy’s 56th Annual Scholarship Banquet:

Caskey Torah Academy to Honor the Bleiers and Elana Stiel Obstfeld at Annual Dinner

On Sunday evening, February 23, Caskey Torah Academy (CTA) will hold its 56th Annual Scholarship Banquet and pay tribute to Guests of Honor Sara and Josh Bleier and to Mrs. Elana Stiel Obstfeld, the Rabbi Israel M. Axelrod Excellence in Education Awardee.

The event, which will be held at the Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia, will feature a buffet dinner at 5:30pm, followed by presentations and a special video at 7:15pm. There will be complimentary parking.

“We are so excited to have such a special pair of honorees,” said CTA Head of School Rabbi Isaac Entin. “Sara Bleier has been a pivotal force in the planning, design and construction of our renovation and expansion. We are so proud to be honoring her devotion to CTA. Elana Obstfeld was the driving force behind our music, drama, and our school-wide enrichment programs. They are both leaders in every sense of the word.”

Both Sara Bleier, who worked in real estate finance and construction/development and who now runs a hand-engraving studio business and works part-time for AMIT Children, and Dr. Josh Bleier, a Professor of Surgery and Vice-Chair Department of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and Section Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital, have consistently dedicated their time and efforts to CTA over the years. Sara, who oversees the House Committee for the Board of Directors at CTA, played an integral role in bringing the school’s recent construction project to fruition. Two of the Bleiers’ children currently attend CTA, while their other two children are proud CTA graduates.

“It has been our privilege and pleasure to be parents and volunteers at this exceptional school,” said Sara and Josh Bleier. “We hope we can continue to be of service whenever we are needed or wanted! We can’t imagine our family without CTA.”

Elana Stiel Obstfeld spent seven years at CTA before joining the staff of the national music education program Music and the Brain in 2019. During her time as a beloved teacher at CTA, Obstfeld used her unique brand of creativity to enhance the arts and enrichment programs. Whether it was working with students on music instruction and literacy, serving as Enrichment Program Coordinator and introducing enrichment cluster for elementary and middle school students, or offering numerous opportunities for artistic performances, Obstfeld assumed several leadership roles during her time at CTA. Elana and her husband Amrom are the proud parents of three CTA students.

“It has been an absolute privilege to work with the talented students and faculty at Caskey Torah Academy,” Obstfeld said. “I feel fortunate that I was able to bring the Music and the Brain program, quality music education for all students, musical theater, and the Schoolwide Enrichment Model to CTA. I am so grateful for the incredible support the CTA administration showed me throughout my time at the school.”

“I look forward to continuing to partner with CTA through my role as Mid-Atlantic Program Manager for Music and the Brain and as a parent volunteer,” she added. “I am so proud of the work we’ve done to develop the arts and enrichment at CTA. It is heartening to know that the programs initiated during my time on the faculty have impacted the students and the school community and will continue to be central to the educational experience at CTA.”

For more information about the dinner, visit www.taphila.org/ctadinner.

Kohelet’s Fab Lab is Bringing Art to Life

The following is my story in the February 6, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about the new state-of-the-art fabrication laboratory at Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Merion Station, PA:

Kohelet’s Fab Lab is Bringing Art to Life

“Art Class” has taken on a whole new meaning at Kohelet Yeshiva High School (KYHS). With its new innovative Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab), Kohelet now has a dedicated space for its STEM and arts programs, which is used for multi-disciplinary, project-based activities.

The Fab Lab is used for an array of projects, including woodworking and ceramics, and is equipped with a variety of equipment, such as a pottery wheel, an oversized printer, a state-of-the-art 3D printer, and a laser cutter which has the ability to cut and engrave using a number of different materials, including wood, thin metal and acrylic.

“It looks like a workspace – it is a workspace,” said Dr. Jeremy Sullivan, Director of General Studies at KYHS. “It’s not going to look polished and clean and shiny all the time. It’s going to be a place where students are going to be working.”

Sullivan noted that ninth and tenth graders at Kohelet are required to take art, and eleventh and twelfth graders can take electives and continue their studies in art. “There’s also an elective called Fab Lab Club, which enables students who are more focused on the tech-aided programs and devices to take an additional class,” he added. “There is a real range of what students can create and build.”

In addition, ninth and tenth graders also have computer coding classes, and that helps give them the confidence to try some of the more advanced software in the Fab Lab.

The Fab Lab is run under the auspices of KYHS art teacher Daniel Ostrov. “Mr. O,” as he is affectionately known to his students, has a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and History from Tulane University and a Master of Fine Arts in Glass from Tyler School of Art, and has extensive experience working with glass, wood, metal, and ceramics.

“Mr. O is an amazing resource for us in his own right,” Sullivan said. “It helps to have somebody who is enthusiastic about encouraging students in the room, where the students who come into the room frequently say, ‘Mr. O, I want to do this, how do I do it?’”

Sullivan highlighted the collaborative aspect of the Fab Lab, in that when a student comes in and says, “I want to do this myself,” and Ostrov is not quite sure how to do it himself, they work together to figure it out. “When the students demonstrate that willingness to say I want to try and figure this out, then we have the facility for them to take it as far as they want to go,” Sullivan said.

“I have liked building for as long as I can remember but have not had access to the right skills and materials to express myself in this way,” said KYHS senior Boaz Crammer. “However, this changed when I came to the Fab Lab at Kohelet. Here, I was taught by Mr. O, the talented art teacher, to use devices such as the band saw and drill press. This has now given me the chance to build to my heart’s content.”

Sullivan and Ostrov noted that the Fab Lab can be used in many ways, including creating posters, making 3D items that can be used throughout the school building, and desktop publishing. Ostrov added that he is thinking about working on projects in the Fab Lab that use two-dimensional cut-out forms to create three-dimensional shapes. In addition, Ostrov said that Kohelet is hoping to be able to offer some continuing education for the community in the Fab Lab.

Dr. Sullivan stressed the vital role that student input has in the operational aspects of the Fab Lab. “Some of the things we’ve done have arisen by necessity in student needs,” he said. Sullivan cited the robotics team that Kohelet had last year. They needed a particular piece for the robot they were constructing and one of the students stood up and said that he could make the necessary piece using the 3D printer. The student manufactured pieces that the robotics team then used for their robot.

“As an educator, I like the idea of a laboratory,” said Sullivan. “It’s a laboratory of manufacturing, a laboratory of art, a laboratory of tech. What goes on in there comes from the people who bring their interest and bring their ingenuity into the room. We have the tools and the equipment at the ready, and I imagine that three or four years from now, the students themselves will turn this into a different facility based on their interests.”

“After taking a summer course on 3D printing in the summer of my sophomore year, I returned to Kohelet with a yearning to continue my learning and share my passion with my peers,” said KYHS senior Jared Matlis. “Thankfully, my teachers were excited to help me achieve my goal.  After talking with the IT staff, I worked with them to establish the “3D Printing and Modeling Club,” where I taught my peers, while fixing the old 3D Printer we had. Although the printer broke near the end of the year, the school quickly bought a replacement for me to use. During my senior year, Kohelet gave me an official position within our new Fab Lab, where I had complete freedom regarding the 3D printers and time to teach students. Without the constant support of the school, I would not have been able to improve as much as I have and achieve what I have.”

Sullivan and Ostrov are working to explore additional ways to bring a cross-curricular component into the Fab Lab, where the STEM activities can be further integrated into general and Judaic studies classes, whereby students will be able to engage in project-based, experiential learning, such as building an Aron Kodesh or a sukkah.

“Our school day is long, and our academics are intense, and so this is a great way for students to exercise a part of their brain that’s not being exercised the rest of the day,” Sullivan said. “This creative outlet is such a great way for kids to mentally flex a part of their brain muscle that isn’t always being exercised.”

The Publisher’s Perspective - 2/6/20

The following is my piece in the February 6, 2020 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

With his strong ties to Philadelphia and his status as a global basketball icon, Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash was shocking for many of us. While I never met him, I felt like I knew him. For many of us, our first introduction to Kobe was when he made the bold decision in 1996 to go straight from high school to the NBA, à la Kevin Garnett, who in 1995 became the first player to be drafted right from school to the NBA in two decades.

Kobe’s exploits as a player were legendary and his status as one of the best to ever play the game is forever etched into our minds. There was the epic 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, in which Kobe seemingly scored at will and appeared to be virtually unstoppable. There was the time he scored 62 points against the Dallas Mavericks in 2005, in a game in which he played only three quarters. There was the game in 2009 in which Kobe walked into Madison Square Garden and wowed the New York crowd by putting up 61 points. There was the head-to-head matchup with Michael Jordan, then of the Washington Wizards, in 2003, when Kobe scored 55. And, of course, there was that magical night in April 2016 when Kobe played the final NBA game of his celebrated 20-year career and put on an unforgettable show in front of the Lakers’ home crowd en route to a 60-point performance against the Utah Jazz.

That being said, Kobe Bryant was not perfect, and in 2003 he found himself as the defendant in a sexual assault case that was ultimately dropped, and he was also a defendant in a related civil case, which was settled out of court. However, Kobe managed to rebound from his legal troubles, and his reputation as a loving father and spouse helped him put that disturbing incident in the rear-view mirror, although it was never truly forgotten.

The tragedy that claimed nine lives, including Kobe Bryant and his young daughter Gianna, was absolutely heart-wrenching, and we will never know why all of these people had their lives tragically cut short. As a general rule, when something life-altering happens, it is an opportune time to reflect and try to learn a lesson from what transpired.

As I think about Kobe Bryant, one thing that everyone noted about him was his extraordinary desire to keep improving and the fact that he constantly gave it his all. “I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success,” Kobe once said. “Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”

Most of us will not become NBA players, and it would be foolish for us to emulate Kobe Bryant simply because of his basketball prowess. Instead, we should look to the meticulous approach that Kobe employed in his quest to improve himself, whether it was as a basketball player, a husband, a father, a businessman, or as a human being. Settling for mediocrity in life is by no means the ultimate goal; rather, striving for excellence and seeking constant growth should be the engine that propels us forward.

The other and perhaps more obvious lesson that we should learn in light of this tragedy is that we must never take life for granted and that we should always cherish and make the most of our time on this Earth. Time is one of our most precious commodities, and squandering time is deleterious to our personal and spiritual well-being. We should live each day and love each day, because we have no idea what tomorrow may have in store.