On Sunday, Sept. 15, over 200 members of the Highland Park/Edison/East Brunswick community came together to celebrate both the legacy of a beloved science teacher and STEM pioneer, Sari Shalmon, z”l and to mark a major milestone in the Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva (RPRY) Dream It Capital and Innovation Campaign. Formally launched in December 2023, the Dream It Capital and Innovation Campaign is designed to renovate RPRY’s facility, upgrade security and support expansion of RPRY’s educational excellence.
Shalmon taught the sixth, seventh and eighth grades at RPRY and was a part of their faculty for over 25 years. She was known as a STEM trailblazer who helped establish STEM instruction at RPRY in collaboration with CIJE (Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education), while also helping to teach the discipline to other educators throughout the tristate area and beyond.
At the Sari Shalmon STEM Studio ribbon cutting event, Rabbi Ribalt, RPRY head of school, and Chana Luchins, RPRY principal of learning, highlighted Shalmon’s many talents and attributes, both in and outside of the classroom. Shalmon’s husband, Doron, also spoke lovingly about the tremendously talented and devoted woman his wife was, to RPRY, to their family and to the broader community.
In addition, Dream It Co-Chairs Andrew Getraer and Leslie Ostrin gave a summary and update on the $11 million Dream It project, noting $2.7 million in pledges have been made toward the first phase goal of $5 million.
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County Editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes reader feedback. He is grateful to Leslie Ostrin for all her assistance with this story.
