Movers & Shakers in 2004 When reviewing our stack of Jewish Ledger from the year 2004, certain names kept popping out at us - people in our community who are "movers and shakers." Below are profiles of these people who, during the past year, have made a difference in the Jewish community here and abroad. --Compiled by Stacey Dresner and Judie Jacobson Dr. Betty J. Sternberg Last year, after 23 years in the Connecticut State Department of Education, Dr. Betty J. Sternberg was named Connecticut Education Commissioner. Sternberg, who replaced Theodore Sergi, is the first woman to be named education commissioner in the state. A former math teacher, she joined the state's Department of Education in 1980 where she worked in the areas of curriculum, staff development, then as associate commissioner of teaching and learning. In her new position, Sternberg has had to deal with the implementation of the "No Child Left Behind" act and its wide-ranging education reforms and proficiency testing. Her article "When Less is More: How Fewer n But Better n Tests could Give ‘Accountability' Real Meaning," published in June in EducationWeek calls for assessing schools in a way that "more thoroughly reflect[s] student achievement." David Chevan David Chevan and his band, the Afro-Semitic Experience, have left no corner of Connecticut untouched by their eclectic music n traditional Jewish songs mixed with jazz and African rhythms. In 2004, Chevan, an associate professor at Southern Connecticut State University, and his crew shared their sounds with Jewish congregations across the state, and in June, Chevan and his musical partner, pianist Warren Byrd, released their third CD, entitled, "This is the Afro-Semitic Experience." Dr. David Rabinowitz Dr. David Rabinowitz and his team of scientists were looking into space through QUEST, one of the largest electronic cameras ever developed, when -- lo and behold n an object appeared in the distance. That object was Sedna, a new planetoid, and Rabinowitz, a Yale University research scientist, and his team of researchers from around the nation are credited with making its discovery. Rabinowitz called Sedna, which is 90 times farther from the Sun than earth and half the size of Pluto, "the best preserved relic ever observed." This isn't Rabinowitz's first discovery. He also discovered an asteroid n named Rabinowitz. Ben Cooper Ben Cooper of West Hartford recalls his experiences as a medic in France and Germany during World War II as if they happened yesterday. He shares these strong memories -- and his experiences as one of the liberators of the Dachau concentration camp -- with high school students and civic groups in hopes of educating them about war and the Holocaust. This year, Cooper, a member of the Jewish War Veterans Laurel Post 45, was named an honorary grand marshal of the Connecticut State Veterans Day Parade in honor of his work in the community. "Ben is so deserving of this honor," said Elliot Donn, a fellow JWV member. "When he goes to schools, the kids are mesmerized. He is keeping the memory alive and the story alive so our kids won't forget." Jo-Ann Price The former principal of the religious schools at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zekek in Chester and at Temple Beth Tikvah in Madison, Jo-Ann Price has spent years as a Jewish educator. Now a community educator and the director of Kesher L'Mishpacha at the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, she was honored by Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek for her work in Jewish education in February. She and her husband Michael Price were also honored this year by State of Israel Bonds. Rabbi Stephen Fuchs Rabbi Stephen Fuchs of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford was given the Charter Oak Cultural Center's Jewish Heritage Award this year for his devotion to Jewish education and other Jewish ideals. This year Fuchs, past chair of the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Committee on inter-religious affairs, participated in a debate with Dr. Norton Mezvinsky, a Central Connecticut State University professor, on the topic, "Resolved: That Zionism is a Positive Expression of Jewish Nationalism," with Fuchs taking the pro-Israel side. Fuchs said the debate, spurred by increased attention on the Israeli-Arab conflict in the Middle East, was an "opportunity to share with an audience who does not often get to hear a defense of Zionism and the land of Israel to get a chance to appreciate the importance and the positive accomplishments that both the movement and the country have made possible." Marji Lipshez-Shapiro As director of education for the Connecticut Regional office of the Anti-Defamation League, Marji Lipshez-Shapiro spends her days promoting diversity through ADL projects like the "A World of Difference" Institute, and "Names Can Really Hurt Us," and "Becoming an Ally," a program dealing with bullying. This year, she piloted a program, "That's So Jewish," which educates youngsters about the impact of anti-Semitism on the community. In honor of her dedication, Lipshez-Shapiro was named Connecticut's Multicultural Educator of the Year Award and the National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME) conference in October. Cynthia Bercowetz Consumer advocate and freelance writer Cynthia Bercowetz of Bloomfield has written a consumer column in a variety of newspapers since 1963. She has been honored by the Greater Hartford Business and Professional Women's Club and the Better Business Bureau for her consumer advocacy efforts. This year she published her first book, "Don't Get Ripped Off!" a consumer survival guide. "We like to think that consumer issues won't affect us personally, but to the contrary, no one is immune," she says. "We need more consumer advocates." Gavin Fingelson South Africa native Gavin Fingelson, who moved to Australia at the age of 11, has always loved playing baseball. In fact, he was twice honored as the Maccabi Australia Sportsman of the year. Earlier this year, the strapping switch-hitter became second baseman for the New Haven County Cutters, where he hit .299 and was the inspirational leader.. The Cutters accommodated a time- consuming extracurricular activity n playing on the Australian Olympic baseball team in the summer Olympics in Athens. Gavin and the Australians ended up taking home the silver medal. Despite his Olympic success, the 27-year-old Fingelson is reportedly retiring from baseball to run the training and fitness center he opened in Sydney. Laurie Gross In 2004, Laurie and Dr. Jeffrey Gross were named Congregation Beth El's Couple of the Year for their dedication to their synagogue. But Laurie Gross' longtime dedication to the entire Fairfield Jewish community merits a spot on the list of Movers and Shakers. Since 1992, she has worked tirelessly for the Jewish Center for Community Services of Eastern Fairfield County as director of community relations, working on the Community Relations Commission, the Community Closet, and Young Leadership. Her work with the CRC and her devotion to interfaith dialogue has led to her involvement with the interfaith Conference of Women's Organizations, and the Council of Churches, in which she represents the Jewish community. Her outreach extends also to the Muslim community n she has even received a community award from the Al-Aziz Islamic Center in 1999. Cathrine Fischer Schwartz In June, Cathy Schwartz was named permanent executive director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. This year, under her leadership, the Federation opened a satellite office in Avon, called Chai: The Center for Jewish Life. She also went on missions to Cuba and St. Petersburg, Russia. Richard Rubenstein Now in his second year as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, Richard Rubenstein is carrying on a tradition of lifelong devotion to the Jewish community passed down by his parents, Charles and Florence. Rubenstein has also served as president of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, and on the boards of the Hebrew Home and the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford. With close to a dozen trips to Israel under his belt, as well as missions to countries like Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Argentina and Cuba, Rubenstein notes, "There are places where many Jews live in substandard conditions. Fortunately, we are prepared to help them." There are also many critical issues for Federation to address here at home, he adds. "The Jewish people are one big family. And the only people who will take care of us are ourselves." Ann and Jeremy Pava "Ann and Jeremy Pava are the reason the Hebrew High School of New England (HHNE) exists today," says Audrey Lichter, the school's co-president. Indeed, the Pavas, who live in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, were key players in establishing a Jewish high school to serve the three communities of Springfield, New Haven and West Hartford. Today, eight years and 200 students later, the West Hartford school remains their passion. This past spring, in recognition of their efforts, the Pavas were honorees at HHNE's First Annual Scholarship Dinner. While Jeremy Pava lends behind-the-scenes support, Ann plays a more visible role, having served as the school's first president. Currently, she serves as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Springfield, as a vice president of Heritage Academy in Longmeadow, and on the boards of the Association of Modern Orthodox Day Schools at Yeshiva University and the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. Says HHNE Principal Rabbi Zvi Kahn, "The Pavas continue to inspire us to articulate our mission and stay true to our values." Steve Friedlander When Steve Friedlander took over as executive director of UJA/Federation of Westport-Weston-Wilton-Norwalk last June, he was back on familiar turf. Friedlander first arrived in Fairfield County in the 1970s to become executive director of Jewish Family Service in Bridgeport and, later, executive director of the Stamford Jewish Community Center. He left the JCC in 1989 to become head of the Tourette Syndrome Association in New York, and then became vice president and consultant to The Interfaith Center of New York. "Our major challenge is building a more unified identity amongst the Jewish community," says Friedlander. "To be able to create cohesiveness and unity in a community that represents so much opportunity is irresistible. Community building is a great joy for me." Audrey Lichter Audrey Lichter wears so many communal hats, both as lay leader and agency professional, it's often hard to tell which one she has on at any given moment. But not on June 2. On that day last spring, Lichter, who lives in West Hartford and serves as co-president of the Hebrew High School of New England (HHNE), was honored as a lay leader, when she was presented with a 2004 Harold Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education at the annual Educators' Banquet in Springfield, Mass. A relentless proponent of Jewish day school education, earlier this year Lichter founded the New England Regional Day School Consortium, a collaboration of the area's day schools intended to place them at the forefront of local Jewish agendas. A long-time day school parent, she has served on the board of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford and the executive board of the Bess & Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy. Professionally, Lichter is director of Yachad, the community after school Hebrew high school. Rabbi Aharon Kaufman New York Jewish educator Rabbi Aharon Kaufman was seeking to establish an out-of-town yeshiva community when he got a call from Torah Umesorah, an organization promoting Orthodox Jewish education. Would he be interested in doing just that in a town called Waterbury? He said no. But he did agree to visit the area. Today, Kaufman is dean of the Yeshiva Gedolah of Waterbury, as well as head of the model Orthodox Jewish community that was founded in 2000 with nine families and 35 students, and has since grown to more than 70 families and 215 students. This past fall the community started a new high school, and took over a new facility on the old UConn campus. Determined to reach out to the broader Jewish community, members of the Waterbury community are actively involved in Federation, and its yeshiva students travel to outlying Jewish communities to help out when needed. Says Kaufman: "The community has a need, we have the ability to meet it, and it's our pleasure to do so." Sydney Perry Talk about multi-tasking. Sydney A. Perry has been the director of the Department of Jewish Education at the Jewish Federation of New Haven for 17 years. Her job at the DJE includes running MAKOM Hebrew High School, the Principals Council of religious school administrators and "Meyuchad," an educational program for special needs children, and "A Taste of Honey," the annual community-wide program that features more than 40 Jewish educational workshops. As if she didn't have enough to do, Perry was also named executive director of the Jewish Federation in July -- a position she had been holding for a year on an interim basis while the Federation sought a replacement for former director, Neil Berro. Apparently, the Jewish community finally realized they had a gem right in their own backyard. "Sydney's leadership, creativity and commitment have been an inspiration to the entire community," said Federation President Dr. Alvin Greenberg. "We are fortunate that a person who is so… well-versed in the issues and concerns of our community…has accepted the mantle for this important leadership position." Rabbi Shaul Praver He may be a rabbi, but he has the voice of a cantor. And a opera singer. Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel in Newtown has sung cantorial music for years and this year released his first CD, "When the Ark Rested," a collection of songs entirely sung in Hebrew. Praver studied with Cantor Naftali Herstik of Jerusalem's Great Synagogue and the School of Cantorial Arts in Tel Aviv before realizing, "I was better at being a singing rabbi." Now he is also a TV rabbi after getting his own talk show, "Rabbi Rock" on CommuniTyVision21, a cable access station in Newtown. With the show, he hopes to counteract all of the negative news on television. ""There is a plethora of positive events taking place throughout the world that are rarely reported," he said. "If people were inundated with such positive stories, I believe more positive things would happen in the world." Gayle Slossberg Since arriving in Milford in 1995, Gayle Slossberg has made a name for herself as a community advocate. She has worked to improve the local public library, to implement full-day kindergarten in Milford, to clean up the "Sooty Six" power plants, and fought a proposed power line upgrade in her region. Due to that project, she was appointed by the State Speaker of the House to serve on the Connecticut Energy Advisory Board. Since 2001, she served as Democratic Minority Leader on the Milford Board of Aldermen. But her political career heated up in 2004, when she beat out incumbent Republican Win Smith to become State Senator in Connecticut's 14th district of Milford. Now Senator-elect, Slossberg is preparing to take office and to work on local projects including a proposed multi-million-dollar railroad station project. Cantor Joseph Ness Known as the "Mozart of Cantors," Joseph Ness was honored earlier this year for his 13 years as cantor at Beth El Temple in West Hartford. A composer, conductor and singer, Ness' music n which includes more than 1,000 pieces of music -- has been performed throughout the United States, Europe, South America and Israel. His work, which brought Beth El the National Solomon Schechter Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts last year, includes cantorial solos and choral pieces, as well as his most ambitious project yet n a three-part musical interpretation of selected biblical stories. The first two, "Jacob's Ladder" and "The Akedah," premiered this year. BOX: Book Festival Coordinators The annual Jewish Book Festivals at our Jewish Community Centers in the state are events we eagerly await each year. This year, hats off to Pat Kazakoff and Lin Hirsch, for the Greater Hartford JCC Book Festival; Sue Cazary of the Bridgeport JCC; Shelley Gans and Linda Farr of the JCC of Greater New Haven; and Jonathan Fass of the Stamford JCC for lining up terrific authors and speakers and for producing successful book fairs.