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November 23, 2024
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Are You Ready? Yeshivat Noam Celebrates at the Annual Dinner

Yeshivat Noam invites the community to attend the annual dinner on Wednesday evening, March 18. The evening is a celebration of the school’s accomplishments, an opportunity to recognize deserving honorees and a fundraiser for essential funds. The money raised will be directed to support scholarship students and fund educational excellence. The annual campaign co-chairs are Josh Chaitovsky, Batsheva Glick and Shua Winkler. The dinner co-chairs are Yael Herman, Lisa Mandelbaum, Sharona Schulder and Elissa Seltzer.

One of the goals of the evening is to pay tribute to amazing honorees who give of themselves to ensure the future of Yeshivat Noam and the success of each student. The Guest of Honor is Cindy Forgash, the Community Service Awardees are Carmen and Etzion Neuer, and the Faculty Recognition Awardees are Morah Atalya Nevo and Roberta Stoll, RN. Yeshivat Noam is truly honored to highlight the many outstanding contributions of these distinguished honorees.

Guest of Honor Cindy Forgash is a veteran, dedicated parent volunteer whose behind-the-scenes efforts continue to make a meaningful impact on the day-to-day operations of Yeshivat Noam. Cindy began her volunteer career at Yeshivat Noam on the Chesed Committee, part of the Parent School Partnership. She organized mishloach manot for CareOne, collected box tops and then served as the co-chair of the chesed sub-committee. After her extended time on the Parent School Partnership, Cindy was recruited to the YNPA and began by heading the class moms project. She went on to co-chair the YNPA for three years, overseeing all of its student life enriching projects, programs and fundraisers. During that time she also co-chaired the eight grade fundraising committee. Her mishmar cholent became much beloved by many middle schoolers! Currently, Cindy serves on the board of trustees, on the YNPA board and handles Yeshivat Noam calendar activities. Cindy is often seen in school helping with the book fair, distributing calendars, organizing gifts for teachers, coordinating special programs and just stepping in wherever is needed most. Cindy and her husband Elliott are passionate about the State of Israel and generously sponsor Yeshivat Noam’s participation in the parade each year. The Forgash family are members of Congregation Rinat Yisrael, where Cindy also has devoted her time and efforts. They are the parents of two Yeshivat Noam graduates, Isaac ‘(15) and Shifra (‘19), and two current students, Shia in seventh and Rivki in third.

The Community Service Awardees are Carmen and Etzion Neuer. Carmen and Etzion Neuer have generously contributed their time and talents to Yeshivat Noam since becoming school parents, when their oldest child entered kindergarten in 2005. Carmen began her volunteerism by joining and then chairing multiple subcommittees of the Parent School Partnership, formerly called the Education Committee, of which she eventually served as co-chair. Carmen has also worked on several other initiatives for Yeshivat Noam. She served as treasurer of the YNPA for seven years, and helped to ensure that new families were smoothly integrated into Yeshivat Noam by coordinating both the buddy family program and welcome gifts. Known for her leadership and can-do attitude, Carmen enthusiastically joined the eighth grade fundraising team this year, serving as treasurer and co-leading the discount card campaign and the Shavuot bake sale. In Carmen’s professional life, she is a corporate vice president and actuary at the New York Life Insurance Company.

Etzion has made valuable contributions to Yeshivat Noam and the New Jersey community as well. He served as co-chair of the Multiculturalism Subcommittee, introduced the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “No Place for Hate” program to Yeshivat Noam, and currently serves as a CSS security volunteer for Congregation Rinat Yisrael. Professionally, Etzion has dedicated his entire career to Jewish communal service. As director of regional operations for ADL, he is devoted to combating anti-Semitism and all forms of hate on behalf of the Jewish community and broader society. Together, Carmen and Etzion are avid Noam Knights sports fans, positive ambassadors and role models for our community. The Neuers are the proud parents of Alta ‘14, Yaacov ‘16, Aharon ‘18 and Galil ‘20, who will be graduating this June.

The Faculty Recognition Awardees will be Atalya Nevo and Roberta Stoll. Since 2007, Morah Atalya has been a beloved teacher in Yeshivat Noam and great contributor to the success of the middle school Ivrit program. She is known for her love of Israel, excitement in teaching Ivrit, creativity and her ability to connect with her students. Morah Atalya is often found celebrating learning accomplishments with ice cream sundaes and other treats. Morah Atalya’s students excel in Ivrit in high school, and whenever her former students come to visit, they always look for Morah Atalya because she exudes warmth, dedication and kindness. Morah Atalya is a graduate of Technion in Israel and served in the intelligence unit of the IDF. She resides with her husband, Ron, in Fair Lawn and they are the proud parents of three children, Dana, Eyal and Amir, and a son-in-law, John, and two grandchildren, Ryan Jacob and Liam. Morah Atalya’s favorite pastime is being an involved savta, teaching Torah to her grandchildren and playing soccer together.

Roberta Stoll, or Nurse Roberta, as she is lovingly referred to, has been a devoted school nurse at Yeshivat Noam for 16 years. Roberta’s career began in hospital units caring for children and babies and working in summer camps as the camp nurse. On a daily basis, Roberta oversees the emotional, mental and physical health of the Yeshivat Noam students and faculty, while ensuring a safe and healthy school environment. Her responsibilities include health screenings, managing medications, administering emergency first-aid, maintaining immunization records and caring for the many students and faculty who enter her office. Additionally, she participates on the Yeshivat Noam Health Committee in an advisory position and works closely with the medical team to implement safety policies and procedures. Despite these endless tasks, Roberta is always found smiling and shows warmth and concern for each child.

Roberta and her husband Moshe live in Teaneck and are members of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun. Roberta’s two sons Zecharia and Noam, and Zecharia’s wife Ayelet and their two children, live in Jerusalem. Moshe’s daughter Shoshana lives in Michigan, and his daughter Miriam and husband Marc live in Massachusetts. Roberta and Moshe are Bobbie and Saba Mo to their grandchildren, Sophie and Ilan. Roberta is looking forward to running “Gan Bobbie,” a new camp of sorts, for Sophie and Ilan this summer. In her spare time, she enjoys playing mahjong, listening to jazz music, hiking, attending sporting events, relaxing on the beach and supporting lone soldier organizations.

To make a reservation or donation in support of Jewish education and to provide scholarship funds, please contact Amy Vogel, director of development and communications, at [email protected] or call 201-261-1919 x126. Every dollar makes an impact on the yeshiva’s ability to deliver academic excellence and financial scholarships.

By Amy Vogel

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