May 02, 2021 Hebrew College Virtual Spring Event: What Makes a Community?

About our Honorees

Beverly Bavly is a champion of collaboration and partnership, bringing fresh thinking, energy, and creativity to her leadership at Hebrew College. She believes that Jewish education is core to the continuity and vitality of the Jewish people, and she works tirelessly to strengthen Jewish learning and leadership—at Hebrew College and beyond. A consummate connector, Beverly serves as an ambassador in the community for Hebrew College and other organizations where she serves on leadership boards, including Boston Jewish Film, the Touro Synagogue Foundation in Newport, R.I., and AMIT Children. A proud parent and grandparent, Beverly worked in fine jewelry sales at Joseph Gann Jewelers in Boston, founded by her father, before retiring to volunteer. She remains inspired by her parents’ legacy of tzedakah.  

Nancy Kaplan Belsky has been passionate about and devoted to Jewish communal service for the past 40 years. She served as chair of CJP’s task force that increased services and programs for people with disabilities, including those living with mental illness. She also worked closely with JF&CS to develop the CHAI residential and Employment Services programs. When her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, her focus broadened to advancing programs for seniors, especially those living with memory illness. She has also been a fervent supporter of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Boston’s “Friend 2 Friend” and LGBTQ+ programs. Nancy got involved in Hebrew College through “Torah Babes,” an adult learning study group that now learns with Hebrew College President Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld. Through this group, Nancy learned about Hebrew College’s compelling mission and transformative adult learning experiences and was inspired to invest in Hebrew College’s innovative vision. Her family foundation is committed to an exciting collaboration between Hebrew College and 2Life Communities, which grants internships for Hebrew College rabbinical students to do pastoral work at the 2Life Community campuses. Nancy serves as Vice President of the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation. She is past Board Chair of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston (JCCGB) and has served on the boards of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, The Institute of Jewish Spirituality, and The Rashi School. Nancy, her husband, Mark R. Belsky, MD, and their two standard poodles, spend most of their time in Lenox, MA. Besides Jewish communal service, their numerous hobbies include biking and hiking. They have three children and three grandchildren. 

>> Read more about Nancy

Susan Schechter has been engaged in Jewish studies at Hebrew College since 1998 with a group of women, fondly known as the “Torah Babes,” an adult learning group at Hebrew College. She is also a recent alum of The Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s Kivvun program. Susan retired in 2000, following a successful career in marketing, sales, and financial communications, and has since been involved in educational, health and cultural organizations. She serves on the Foundation Board of Boston Arts Academy and is an overseer at MSPCA Angell. Previously, she served as a Trustee at Mass College of Art and chaired the Mass College of Art Foundation Board. She has been a long-term supporter and co-chaired annual fund philanthropic events for The Grow Clinic at Boston Medical Center, the Mass Art Auction, and the MSPCA Angell gala. Susan and her husband, Bob, have been members of Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, Mass. for over 20 years. They have two grown sons, both living in Brooklyn, and enjoy traveling, hanging out with friends, and counting their blessings. 

>> Read more about Susan

Myra Snyder is passionate about building Jewish community, supporting Jewish education, and championing the mission and vision of Hebrew College. She is a 1997 graduate of Me’ah Classic, Hebrew College’s two-year, 100-hour community education program. She went on to earn a Masters of Judaic Studies from Hebrew College in 2001, the same year that Hebrew College moved from Brookline to Newton Center. After graduating, Myra went from student to volunteer extraordinaire, serving on the Hebrew College Advisory Council and later on the Board of Trustees. Myra and her husband, Robert, are founding members of B’nai Torah in Sudbury, Mass.; Temple Shir Tikva in Wayland, Mass.; and MetroWest Jewish Day School in Framingham, Mass., where she has also served as president of the boards. She has been active in the Boston Jewish Film Festival, BOLLI: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Brandeis University, and the northeast branch of University of Haifa and CJP (Lion of Judah). Myra graduated from the Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists at Tufts University and worked as a Registered Dental Hygienist, mostly in pediatrics with special needs children. She received her B.S. degree at Northeastern University. 

Diane Troderman has spent the last 30 years devoted to the renaissance and renewal of Jewish life. She is passionate about Jewish education, culture, and values, and is committed to Hebrew College’s future as a center for Jewish learning and leadership that emphasizes culture and collaboration. Diane was the founding chair of the Hadassah Brandeis Institute, where she continues to serve on the board, helping to inspire fresh ways of thinking about Jews and gender worldwide. She also serves on the boards of Israel Sci-Tech; Hebrew Publics: A Hebrew Charter School Network; the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary; the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; and Shalom Learning. Together with her husband, Harold Grinspoon, Diane has been instrumental in the growth of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. She serves as a trustee and focuses on PJ Library, which sends children free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture. In addition to education, Diane is also dedicated to women’s issues and to the renaissance and renewal of Jewish life in the former Soviet Union.  Between them, Diane and Harold have six children and eleven grandchildren. 

Questions & More Information

If you have questions or require special assistance, please contact Mia Tavan in the Hebrew College Development Office at advancement@hebrewcollege.edu.

Event Committee

Rabbi Suzanne Offit, Chair
Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld
Joan Arbetter Rosenberg
Deborah Feinstein
Ronni Sachs Kotler
Rabbi Or Rose
Emma Snyder Samuels
Aron Wander
Yael Werber

Host Committee

Geraldine Acuña Sunshine and Gabriel Sunshine
Marsha and Tom Alperin
Susan and Aron Ain
Aaron Albert
Julie Altman and Alex Sagan
Rabbi Sharon and Shimon Cohen Anisfeld
Susan Ansin
Miho Sato and Mark Atkins
Brenda Bancel
Lori Barnet and Jeffrey Savit
Joan and Steven Belkin
Mark Belsky
Diane and Chester Black
Michelle and Darren Black
Sara and Stephen Brown
Dorothea and Sheldon Buckler
Carol and Carl Chudnofsky
Louise Goldberg Citron
Anita Diamant and Jim Ball
Jody Dushay and Paul Gompers
Joanne H. and Paul Egerman
Ann and Myron Falchuk
Deborah and Ronald Feinstein
Renée and Steven Finn
Amy and Jonathan Fleming
Myrna H. Freedman
Marjorie R. and Leonard Freiman
Linda and Michael Frieze
Dena and Jason Glasgow
Hilary and Richard Glovsky
Bob Goldman
Harold Grinspoon
Winnie and Steven Grinspoon
Barbara and Steve Grossman
Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation
Rochelle Kaplan
Judith and William Kates
Rabbi Jamie Kotler and Harold Kotler
Judith and Douglas Krupp
Lizbeth and George Krupp
Wendy and Jonathan Linden
Susan and Vinny Lloyd
Rabbi Rim and Anne Meirowitz
Daniel Miller
Susan Miron
Gila and Alex Modell
The Modell Family
Tara Mohr and Eric Ries
Beth and Michael Moskowitz
Myra Musicant and Howard Cohen
Donald Nelson and Neal Balkowitsch
Rabbi Suzanne Offit and Andy Offit
RINET Company, LLC
Fran and Charles Rodgers
June and David Rokoff
Terry Rosenberg and Elliot Schildkrout
Lisa Rosenfeld and Alan Lobovits
Ronni Sachs Kotler and Wayne Diamond
Rabbi Sonia and Ned Saltzman
Carol Schaffer
Bob Schechter
Joanne Schindler and Rabbi Allan Lehmann
Ellen and Steven Segal
Rosalie and Jim Shane
Susan Shevitz and Lawrence Bailis
Jennifer Silver
Karen Sisselman
Polly and Arnold Slavet
Diana Smith
Carol and Irving Smokler
Susan and James Snider
Robert Snyder
Susan and Alan Solomont
Susie Tanchel and Jen Kaplan
Carol and Steven Targum
Suzanne and Rabbi Herbert Tobin
Lisa and Neil Wallack
Harriet and Mel Warshaw
Jackie and Alan Weinstein
Ruth and William Weinstein
Arnee and Walt Winshall
Barry Wish
Rose Zoltek-Jick
Barbara and Rabbi Henry Zoob

Thank you to Our Corporate Sponsors

About Hebrew College

Hebrew College is an innovative national institute for Jewish learning and leadership based in Newton, Massachusetts. We are dedicated to Jewish literacy, creativity, and community, and a world of dignity and compassion for all. Our students are future rabbis, cantors, and educators, and people at every stage of life who love to learn. Together, we are infusing Jewish life with substance, spirit, beauty, imagination, and a sense of purpose. 

Thank You to Our Producer

Video production by Laudable Productions