(Courtesy of Yavneh Academy) On Monday, July 15, Yavneh parents, supporters and community members gathered excitedly for Yavneh Academy’s 19th Annual Golf, Tennis and Fitness Outing at Alpine Country Club. Board member, parent and amateur golfer Shneur Gershuni, who co-chaired the event alongside Yalli Hakalir, Eric Moerdler and Jeremy Nussbaum, remarked, “It was gratifying to see a significant increase in both participation and fundraising this year, greatly supporting our school.”
The day began with a quick and easy check-in at the clubhouse, where everyone was warmly welcomed by a team of enthusiastic Yavneh staff and volunteers. After checking in and receiving a generous swag bag, everyone enjoyed a gourmet Israeli-hotel style breakfast, complete with a double omelet station and an iced coffee bar. The golfers then headed to the driving range to warm up, while the women started their relaxing fitness and pool day.
The shotgun tournament started at noon on Alpine’s championship golf course, complete with caddy service. Various cigars and top-shelf beverages made the rounds in special golf carts, while golfers had an endless supply of ice-cold drinks, assorted beers and food stations strategically placed around the course. Highlights included a full barbecue lunch after the ninth hole and a chicken finger bar between holes five and eight. Aliza Schulman, Yavneh’s annual campaign director and organizer of the Golf Outing, was happy to report that no one left the course hungry or thirsty.
Despite the heat, golfers braved the fairway and competed in many contests on the course, like a ball toss to start tournament, closest to the pin, straightest drive, longest drive and best score competitions. Congratulations to Jason Cyrulnik, Kevin Cyrulnik, Ben Schwartz and Ross Feldman for their impressive first-place victory with a score of 12 under par.
Back at the pool, the women enjoyed a delightful day of socializing, drinks, tennis, strength training with Coach Tiffany and water aerobics. The late afternoon surprise of Urban Pops added a refreshing touch. Erika Gershuni, a Yavneh board member, parent, and chair of the Women’s Committee, (consisting of Mindy Gindea, Aliza Hakalir, Rebecca Markoff and Yael Stone) shared her thoughts on the day, “This is one of my favorite Yavneh events every year. It’s a relaxing day where you can meet new people and support Yavneh in the process.”
Everyone cleaned up beautifully and enjoyed a gala dinner in the air-conditioned clubhouse dining room. Trophies were awarded, contest winners were announced, and Associate Head of School Rabbi Steven Penn delivered inspiring closing remarks. Many parents lingered long after the dinner, savoring each other’s company and relaxing in the beautiful, modern Alpine facilities.
The weather might have been hot, but the swag bag at this year’s event was even hotter! Golfers received a sleeve of premium golf balls, a Yavneh-branded ball-marker hat clip, an embroidered golf-club cover, a magnetic microfiber golf towel and a waterproof, magnetized golf-cart speaker. Golf participants received a Yavneh Golf crew-neck sweatshirt, while women’s event participants received a fleece-lined Aviator Nation-style hoodie. Both men and women received a stylish Yavneh Golf branded bucket hat, which was very useful in the 95 degree heat. One event participant remarked, “The swag really rocked this year, quite literally.”
Notably, this year’s event featured the exciting addition of a golf ball air cannon at the first hole. This addition undoubtedly put the “fun” in fundraising and allowed golfers to experience the thrill of launching a golf ball 400 yards into the air with an air-propelled handheld cannon. Don’t worry, plans are already in motion for next year’s surprise feature!
Yavneh’s Golf Outing Sweepstakes, chaired by Rivka Last and Rebecca Markoff, was an incredible way to raise additional funds for Yavneh. Participants had the chance to win amazing prize packages, including The Yavneh Jackpot, For The Kids, Take Your Iron, Treat Yourself, A Taste of the Town, Fun Night Out, For The Sports Fan and Get Ready For Your Close Up. All prizes were generously donated by local businesses, friends and parents of Yavneh.
Major sponsors of the event included The Gershuni Family, Cherrystone Stamp Center, Inc., Valley National Bank, One Cap, Andy & Evan®, Walker & Dunlop, Drs. Rabin Fremed Prince PC, Bergen Veterinary Hospital, The Schwartz Family, PressONE.net, The Bieber Family, State Street Smiles, BLS, The BeadSmith, Westrock Insurance Agency, Apploi, Total Office Interiors, Campmor and many others.
All funds raised through the golf outing will support Yavneh Academy’s annual campaign and the Scholarship Fund. The 2024 Yavneh Academy Golf, Tennis and Fitness Outing was an overwhelming success, generating tremendous buzz for next year. Keep an eye out for next year’s outing, planned for July 2025!
