STAMFORD – Several leaders of the Connecticut Jewish community will be honored for their commitment to Jewish education and their dedication to community service at the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy (BCHA) 2021 Celebration Dinner, it was announced recently by dinner co-chairs, Vered and Mark Links and Shira and Marc Nerenberg.

The annual dinner, which for the first time will take place virtually, will be held Sunday, February 28, 6:30 p.m.

The evening will pay tribute to Guests of Honor Stephanie and Josh Bilenker. Other honorees include Nicole and Jonathan Makovsky, who will receive the BCHA Young Leadership Award, and Doris Zelinsky, recipient of the Morton G. Scheraga President’s Award.

The 2021 Alumni Award will be presented to eight BCHA graduates who are all currently serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Along with the many other courageous BCHA alumni who have previously completed tours of duty in the IDF, these soldiers are being recognized for their selfless contribution and commitment to the safety and well-being of the Jewish state. The eight are Meital Wiederhorn of Westport, Judy Fogel of Stamford, Nathan Haron of Stamford, Nathan Links of Stamford, Mia Brenner of Stamford, Maya Wiener of Ridgefield, Ella Feuerstein of Weston and Michal Yaari, who resides in Zichron Yaakov, Israel. 

Jacqueline Herman, who is retiring as Bi-Cultural’s Head of School at the end of this academic year, will receive the Stamford school’s inaugural Walter Shuchatowitz Award for Excellence in Education, named for the school’s founder and first principal who died in November 2019.

“As with many Jewish institutions, this year is a particularly challenging one for BCHA,” says Rabbi Tzvi Bernstein, Dean of the school. “We are, therefore, extremely excited to have this group of honorees. In this regard, our theme this year of “Hishtadlut” is perfectly suited for these honorees. Hishtadlut conveys our obligation to use all of our resources in difficult times to accomplish the goals and expectations that Hashem has for each of us. Each and every one of our honorees has not allowed the pandemic to interfere with their service to the Jewish community and as such exemplify the dinner theme.”

In addition to the dinner co-chairs, the dinner journal co-chairs are Jodi Hadge, Liat Sharabi Karsch and Maria Reicin. 

For more information on the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy Celebration Dinner, contact Rachel Cohen at rcohen@bcha-ct.org or (203) 329-2186.

Main Photo: BCHA Guests of Honor Stephanie and Josh Bilenker