(Courtesy of SAR) On Wednesday, March 23, SAR hosted its 53rd anniversary dinner, celebrating “The Wonder of it All” at Nickelodeon Universe in the American Dream Mall. In the hours leading up to the school’s first in-person celebration in two years, SAR students enjoyed field trips of their own, joyfully experiencing the fun of being together in the amusement park amidst the rides and games.
This year’s honorees were Guests of Honor Adeena and David (AC ‘90) Rosen, Michael Schreck Memorial Community Service Awardee Dr. Joshua Milner, and recipients of the Audrey Schurgin Memorial Faculty Award, Dr. Chaya Fine, SAR Academy’s Director of Science Curriculum and STEM, and Merav Zuriel, Chair of SAR High School’s Ivrit Department.
This year SAR raised over $5 million to help fund SAR’s tuition assistance program which experienced increased demand over the last two years. The gathering of nearly 1,000 guests included parents, grandparents, alumni and community members as well as community leaders NY State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Councilwoman Corazon Pineda-Isaac and Councilman Eric Dinowitz.
“Like many schools, our anniversary dinner was virtual last year,” said Jack C. Bendheim, president, SAR Academy and SAR High School. “To come back strong, in-person and on such a celebratory, fun and joyous night was a great reminder of what makes the SAR community so wonderful. It’s the power of our community’s volunteerism and generosity as well as the strength and tireless dedication of our faculty.”
The amusement park was transformed with exhibits created in tribute to each honoree. These “honoree lounges’’ offered fun, interactive moments bringing the educational values of SAR to life, all while celebrating the honorees’ contributions to the school. Guests visited Cafe Zuriel featuring a digital Wordle game in Ivrit and students interacting in live Hebrew conversation, a post-it gratitude wall offering an opportunity to express individual messages of thanks to Dr. Milner, a life-sized coloring wall in honor of Adeena and David Rosen, and a robotics station and STEAM bar in honor of Dr. Fine. A carnival pop-a-shot basketball game raised funds for SAR’s Cooper Fund.
Guests were greeted upon arrival by the SAR Academy choir and SAR High School jazz band before enjoying a spectacular dinner buffet and amusement rides, each named after an honoree. Talented high school students—stilt walkers and yo-yo artists—entertained the crowd. The program included remarks from our principals, lay leaders, honorees, video tributes, and live and recording musical performances by the school choirs.
The dinner also marked the launch of Kela Ilan, SAR’s exclusive private label of wine, developed in memory of Ilan Tokayer, z”l and in honor of his interest in oenology, his commitment to Israel and his acts of goodness. Dinner guests had the opportunity to taste and pre-purchase the new wines in time for Pesach with all proceeds going toward developing educational hands-on gardens, modeled after SAR’s Gan Ilan, in Israel.
