Class Notes
December 2025
Mazal tov to Rabbi Etan Moshe '02YC, '05R and Yonina '00S Berman on their son's engagement
We regret the passing of Dr. Amir Sedaghat '94YC, father of YU student, Doron Sedaghat.
November 2025
Mazal tov to Rakhel '25S and Matan '22YC, '25R Friedman on the birth of a baby boy!
Mazal tov to Rabbi Aharon and Rachel 00S Ciment on their daughter's marriage.
Mazal tov to Rabbi Eli Baruch and Esther 85S Shulman on their daughter's marriage.
Mazal tov to Rabbi Mordechai 68YC, 71R and Faygie 72S on their grandson's bar mitzvah, the son of Shira 08S, 13A, and Rabbi David Claman.
Mazal tov to Akiva Teichman 27SB on his engagement to Leora Koenig.
Mazal tov to Shalom Brauser 24YC on his marriage to Miri Granik 24SB.
Mazal tov to Meira Wagner 23GPATS on her marriage to Yisroel Mayefsky 18YC.
Mazal tov to David Haber 25SB on his marriage to Avivit Nsiri 24S, 25K.
Lina Haber 77S has just published a book on the Russian Refusenik movement, (Peter E. Randall, Publisher). Haber attended Stern College for Women, then went on to become a physician at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
October 2025
Mazal tov to William Mehrvarz 20YC and Ilana Lehmann on the birth of a son, Charles, born on Rosh Hashana 5786, a baby brother for Elizabeth.
Mazal tov to Morris Dweck 25SB on his recent marriage and stepping into a family business.
Mazal tov to Keith 13YC and Sally Hoffman on the birth of a baby girl, Luna Rachel Hoffman, born Sept. 13, 2025.
Mazal tov to Simcha Bendel 24YC on his engagement and upcoming marriage to Esther Gross.
Mazal tov to Sandy 70S and Moshe Speter on the marriage of their grandson, Yitzy Glazer, to Tamar Lasson.
Mazal tov to Herschel Chomsky 82YC, on being honored by the Jewish Renaissance Foundation on Nov. 12, 2025.
Mazal tov to Rabbi Moishe '73YC and Sura Leider on the birth of grandson, Yisrael Aryeh Leib, to Rabbi Chony and Chanchi Milecki of Brooklyn, New York.
September 2025
We mourn the passing of Rabbi Jordan Penkower z"l ('64YC, '69RB), brother of Professor Monty Penkower '59YUHS, '63YC, Dr. Andrea Penkower Rosen, and Dr. Sharon Penkower Kaplan.
We mourn the recent passing, bsayva tova, of Mike (Myer) Senders ZL, (46YC), of Cleveland and Boca Raton, father of Dr. Shelly Senders (78YC, 79BR, 83E), Barbara Ast (82S), Tina Lamm (83S) and Linda Joshowitz (85S).
Rabbi Mark Wildes '85YUHS, '89YC, '93C, '94R recently published with the Maggid imprint of Koren Publishers. The book is a fresh and accessible guide to Judaisms core beliefs and practices from God and Torah to Shabbat, kindness and tikkun olam. Drawing on decades of teaching at the Manhattan Jewish Experience, Rabbi Wildes brings timeless foundations to life for a new generation. With its engaging style and practical takeaways, The Jewish Experience is already being called a modern classic and a valuable resource for both educators and seekers alike.
August 2025
Congratulations to Norman B. Gildin '74YC on publishing his second book, Fundraising Insights for Nonprofits. The book is based on anecdotal experiences, empirical observations and ongoing research. More information about the book can be found on his website.
Mazal tov to Michael '85YC and Leah Poppers and to Miriam '98S and R' Gedalyah '94YC, '98R Berger on the upcoming marriage of Akiva '17YUHS, '22SB to Shoshana '23S Berger of Teaneck, New Jersey; and to grandparents Esther Pascher '68S, Pearl '60YUHS, '62S and Rabbi Dr. David '64YC, '68R Berger, and Sonya Davis.
Congratulations to Sheon Karol '79YC on joining West Lane Partners as Senior Advisor. West Lane Partners is a private equity firm focused on special situations in the middle market. A renowned investment banker and restructuring advisor, Mr. Karol has held senior leadership roles as an investment banker and restructuring advisor. In 2018, he was honored with the Boutique Investment Banker of the Year Atlas Award.
Congratulations to Drew Kopf '68YC on being awarded United States Patent Number 11529533 on December 22, 2022, for his anti-COVID invention, the Gard-Rite Personal Space Protective Curtain-wall Enclosure. It was named in honor of his father's Gard-Rite Window Guard. He is looking for a manufacturer or organization to make it available to defend people against any airborne virus. May his an his mother's memories be for blessings.
Mazel tov to Dovid Mehl '17YC of Brooklyn, New York on his upcoming marriage (August 21) to Rachel Bier '25C of Brooklyn. Dovid is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Rachel graduated this semester from Cardozo Law School. Best wishes to Dovid's parents, Sidney '73YC and Lorraine Mehl of Flatbush. Sidney is a Professor of Finance at the Sy Syms School of Business.
Rabbi Aaron Ross '01A, '06R started a new position as Judaic Studies faculty at The Ramaz Upper School
Mazal tov to Rachel Eisenstein '24S on her engagement to Hezkia Arochas '25YC
Mazal tov to Alli Cohen '17YUHS, '21S on her engagement to Eitan Drapkin, and to Eitan's parents, Shlomo and Tami '96S Drapkin
Mazal tov to Adina Mencer '21SB on her engagement to Yoni Midlarsky
Mazal tov to Zachary Rothenberg '22SB and Daniella Rubin '23SB on the birth of a son, and to the grandparents Marc '89YUHS,'93Y, '97C and Elana Rothenberg
Mazal tov to Moshe '20YC, '24C and Rebecca Gelberman on the birth of a son, and to the grandparents, Mark and Vivian '09W Gelberman
Mazal tov to Rabbi Yitzchak '60YC, '62R, '63BR and Judy '58YUHS, '62S (Grossman ) Rosenbaum on the marriages of their grandson, Mordecai Rosenbaum, to Eliana Roseman in Gush Etzion and granddaughter Chaya Goldberg to Yaakov Victor in Jerusalem.
The Young Israel of Sharon is proud to honor Ruby '05YC and Shayna '05S Yarmush, pillars of our community whose lifelong devotion spans more than 70 years of combined impact, heart, and leadership.
Mazal tov to Sari Kopitnikoff '11S '12A on the release of Color by Aleph, Aleph to Tav! and The Aleph Bet Bunch, three innovative Aleph Bet books designed to bring Hebrew to life for children.
Adam S. Ferziger '90YC, R, BR published (New York University Press, 2025).
Beginning his 52nd year as a practicing Ophthalmologist in Chicago, David Spindel '58YUHS, '62YC is looking forward to the upcoming marriage of his granddaughter, Tova Rena Nusbacher, daughter of Lisa Spindel Nusbacher '91S and Rav Yosef Nusbacher '91YC, '93R.
Condolences to Dr. Michelle Levine on the passing of her mother, Reb. Gloria Leff 56YUHS, 60TI.
July 2025
Mazal tov to Gabe 88YC, 84E and Aliza Sosne and Jay and Debbi Lakritz on the engagement of their children, Betzalel Sosne 17SB and Miryam Lakritz.
Mazal tov to Michael 85YC and Leah Poppers on the marriage of their daughter, Shalva, to Eli Sadiky of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and to the grandmother, Esther Pascher 68S.
Stanley Mirvis 05YC, 08R took up the mantle of director for Arizona State Universitys (ASU) Jewish Studies department.
June 2025
Diagnos, Inc. welcomes veteran optometrist Dr. Barry A. Ginsberg 74YUHS, 78YC to its scientific advisory board for the United States.
Denholtz has added to its leadership team with the hiring of Jonathan Callahan 09C, tapping the former Related Management Co. executive as its general counsel.
May 2025
Mazal tov to Yisroel Tannenbaum 23SB and Ayelet Richter 21S on their marriage! Mazal tov to Yisroel's parents, YU alumni Dr. Mark Tannenbaum '79YUHSB, '83YC, '83BZ, '87E and Mrs. Judy (Pianko) Tannenbaum '89S, and to Yisroel's siblings, Sarah Sklar, Yechiel Tannenbaum and YU alum and current Sy Syms employee SJ Tannenbaum '22SB, '24K. Mazal tov to Ayelet's parents, YU alumni Mr. Joel Richter 83YUHSB 87YC and Elissa (Baum) Richter 89S and brothers Eitan and Ari.
October 2024
The Stone family is sad to announce the untimely passing of 酴圖弝け alumnus Dr. Zvi (Herman) Stone z"l (54YUHSB, 58YC) on October 15, 2024, 13 of Tishrei. Husband of Tasya (60S), father of Dr. Nachum (82YC, 84BR), Shalom (84YC), Dani, Avi, and Miriam. Brother of Edna Kwalwasser (64YUHSG, 68S), Helen Weglein (59YUHSG, 63S). The funeral took place in Israel on Erev Sukkot. Notes of condolences can be sent to Tasya at tasyazvi@gmail.com.
August 2024
Malka Zeiger Simkovich 04S was appointed Editor-in-Chief and Director of the Jewish Publication Society, the pre-eminent nonprofit Jewish publishing house in the English-speaking world. Simkovich previously served as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and is the author of three books about Jewish history, most recently Letters From Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity (Eisenbrauns 2024). She encourages all YU graduates who care about Jewish ideas to contact her at msimkovich@jps.org about how they can partner with JPS to bring the best of these ideas into the public sphere.
August 2023
From Peter Lowitt 81E: It is with great sadness that I report Lucille Gerard passed away on August 9, 2023, after a long illness.
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