The Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies recently held its Annual Graduation at the Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley in Woodcliff Lake. This year’s 35 graduates are Risa Anczelowicz, Tamir Bejar, Blake Bichler, Cole Caplan, Jeremy Fine, Ilana Fishman, Emily Forer, Allon Goldberg, Sophie Goldberg, Melissa Gotlib, Liel Green, Noam Green, David Janowsky, Edan Kamara, Daniel Kramer, Joshua Lesser, Jonathan Levin, Benjamin Novick, Joshua Pasternak, Ariel Sabo, Alyssa Seigel-Laddy, Jesse Sifre, Michael Silverman, Rachel Silverman, Jake Slomowitz, Alex Sobel, Sydney Sokol, Joshua Speck, Samantha Tanchel, Gabrielle Taubenfeld, Tova Tencer, Samuel Vladimirsky, Jerry Vogel, Cayla Whittaker and Jeffrey Zachem.

Closing exercises for all other students were held on the last day of school, Sunday, May 22.

Mrs. Elayne Kalina, president of the school’s Board of Directors and the students’ respective congregational rabbis presented the diplomas to the graduates.

Rabbi Shelley Kniaz, Education Director at Temple Emanuel gave a d’var Torah.

Mr. Fred Nagler, the principal of the program, extolled the virtues of the faculty, especially underscoring their commitment. He exhorted the graduates to not “separate themselves from the community.”

The Senior Academic Award for five years of excellence in studies was given to Liel Green, Noam Green and Alyssa Seigel-Laddy.

Outstanding Student Awards for academic excellence during the 2015-2016 school year were presented to seniors Emily Forer, Melissa Gotlib, Noam Green, Alyssa Seigel-Laddy, Rachel Silverman, Sydney Sokol and Jerry Vogel.

Students in Grades 8 through 11 who also received Outstanding Student Awards were Camryn Bolkin, Simon Castiel, Leah Dorman, Sabrina Fried, Carmi Ohring, Walter Stack, Brianna Leopold, Abby Stern, Ilana Whittaker, Harry Winick and Maggie Winick.