Hallie Morris, graduate
“Whether is was college calculus or a senior thesis, my preparation at SSDS left me ready to face any educational challenge. Education is a series of building blocs and I couldn’t have had a better foundation.”
Hallie was salutatorian at The Bolles School, graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, and beginning medical school at Washington University in St. Louis this fall. She was also president of the subregion in USY and executive vice president of the Center for Jewish Life at Princeton.
Morry Safer, graduate
“The MJGDS provided an academic bedrock for my adult life. My secular education introduced me to the computer concepts which would become the focus of my career and prepared me to succeed at the highest levels of coursework in pursuit of my professional degrees. My work/life balance bolstered by a strong Hebrew and Judaic foundation which allows me to participate as an active member of the Brookline Jewish community.”
Zach Morris, graduate
“After eleven plus years at the Day School, I graduated from Bolles in 2005 and then the University of Pittsburgh Honors College in 2009 with a degree in Urban Studies and Politics and Philosophy. I recently completed a year as a CORO Fellow in Public Affairs in Pittsburgh, where I learned organizational leadership and strategy while working in non-profit, for profit, and government offices. Next year, I will begin a Masters program at the University of Oxford in Comparative Social Policy as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. My interest has always been in public policy, and specifically, how governments can more effectively serve those in need. In the future, I hope to have a career in public policy. Many of my greatest childhood memories and experiences happened at the Day School. Looking back, I feel that the education, both secular and religious, provided me an excellent foundation for professional advancement and personal growth.”
Dana Kresel, graduate
“As a young professional in the New York Jewish world, I am always drawing upon the knowledge and skills I acquired as a student at Solomon Schechter Day School. The school, and the top-notch teachers in it, provided me with the best educational environment -safe, supportive and encouraging. The dual curriculum taught me key study habits, as well as how to balance the Jewish and secular parts of my life. The education and life skills I acquired at SSDS no doubt prepared me for success in the International Baccalaureate Program at Stanton College Preparatory, and then the Joint Program between the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University, where I dual majored in Modern Jewish Studies and American History.
I recall the Friday mornings in middle school spent doing Mitzvah Projects in the larger Jacksonville community; to this day I have a strong commitment to serving and giving back to my community. To that end, I currently work as a Development Associate for The Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism in Israel, promoting pluralism and Masorti Judaism in Israel, and will soon begin serving as a gabbai for the independent minyan Kehilat Hadar. My experiences in the nurturing classrooms of SSDS, the values and knowledge instilled by teachers, and the menschkeit illustrated by the parents and staff all serve as the sturdy foundation upon which I am continually building. It really is a worthwhile life investment!”
Caren and Larry Appel, MJGDS Middle School parents
“We chose to send our children to MJGDS because we believed it would provide them a warm and positive environment, outstanding academic opportunities, a strong foundation in our Jewish heritage and the building blocks to become outstanding young people. In each area, MJGDS has met and exceeded our expectations. MJGDS has given our children a first-rate education that prepared them for success in their academic careers and instilled in them a passion for Judaism and Jewish values which prepares them for success in life.”
Sara Plotkin, class of 2007 graduate
“As a student at Mandarin High School, I, like many others, have made the transition from a small private school, to a large public high school. Not only was it scary at first, it was also nerve racking to know that I would be going from a class of 18 to a class of over 500!! Now that I am in my 11th grade year, I feel as though Martin J. Gottleib Day School prepared me very well for this transition. I received an amazing education, learned valuable lessons that I will never forget, but most importantly, I gained a family that I will have for a lifetime. The Martin J Gottlieb Day School was one of the most amazing experiences that I will ever have, and I am extremely grateful for that.”
Dr. Hugh Marlowe and Mrs. Lynn Elizabeth Marlowe, MJGDS parents
“Since we are an intermarried couple, we were a little hesitant about what kinds of experiences we would have at MJGDS. I remember asking lots of pointed questions before we enrolled our daughter, like would it come up in school, would she feel different or left out, would my non-Jewish husband feel strange at the school, etc. We have never experienced any of those negatives in 2.5 years. My husband has felt very welcomed at school events, and my daughter has never once said that the issue came up at school. We are very happy with the Hebrew program, as it is not only a chance to instill Jewish values and culture, but it is also great stimulation for our daughter’s mind. The academics are great, and most of all, the children are nice kids who are enthusiastic about learning.”
Laura Witten Gittleson, class of 1989 graduate
B.A.E University of Florida 1994-1998
MEd University of Florida 1999
“I felt the small class setting allowed for more individualized attention and a real chance to develop my personality in a sheltered environment, but most importantly the programming and staff created and nurtured an unwavering Jewish identity.”
Karen Morse, MJGDS parent
“First let me say that as a parent, all that we want for our children from the school that they attend is a great education. This is MJGDS. As Jewish parents, we want more. We already expect the great education, but we also want our children to grow as people, to learn the beauty that is their heritage as Jews, to form a deep connection to G-d, and this too is MJGDS. As middle school parents we need our children to be in a safe environment where they leave with their self esteem intact, confident in their ability to go out into the world of public school and be successful. This, too, is a direct result of the time that our child spent at MJGDS.
Our daughter walked away with pride in who she is as a student, a person, and a Jew. She is currently doing exceptionally well in the AICE (Advanced International Certificate of Excellence) program at Mandarin High School.”
Arielle Bernhardt, graduate class of 2006
“My years at the Day School were the most fun I’ve ever had. With 25 people in a grade you really have no choice but to all become good friends. Celebrating Shabbat in school was something to look forward to. My teacher’s weekly readings of Wayside Stories from Sideways School helped me gain a love for reading. I look forward to college where I plan to take Hebrew because I miss it so much since graduating from the Day School.”
Debbie and David Nabert, MJGDS parents
“We are so impressed with the computer skills our boys have gained from their weekly computer labs and use of laptops in the classroom. The multimedia projects in the computer lab not only increases their comfort on the computer, but also encourages creativity. In addition to the wonderful technology skills they are gaining from the Day School, they have such enthusiasm towards their Judaic education. We are thrilled with both boys’ Hebrew literacy and prayer knowledge. We couldn’t be happier with the choice we made when we decided to send our children to the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School!”
Tal Lee, class of 2006 graduate
“MJGDS academically prepared me for the rigors of high school. When I entered Paxon School for Advanced Studies, I was ready to take on the enormous amount of work that was expected of me, (in an advanced magnet program). Due to the fast pace of middle school, I acquired strong management skills and found myself excelling during my freshman year of high school.
The caring teachers at the Day School provided me, not only with the knowledge that I needed to enter high school, but they instilled a sense of confidence and security within me. I could go to my teachers for extra help, anytime I felt I needed it during middle school. When I entered high school, I felt like my Day School teachers had prepared me to utilize all my resources and confidently solve problems on my own.
The duel Hebrew/English curriculum helped me stay Jewishly connected throughout my middle school years and encouraged me to continue my Jewish education after graduating from MJGDS. The Day School is not a large middle school. The small class sizes created an intimate environment in which I received lots of individual attention.”
Casie Zimmerman, graduate
J.D. 2008
Shepard Broad School of Law
Nova Southeastern University
“The Day School provided me with the educational building blocks necessary to achieve scholastic success. Throughout the years at MJGDS, I was always challenged and pushed to accomplish more than imaginable, learn how to study effectively, and benefit from the hands-on and innovative classroom structure.”
Sylvia Jaffa, Kindergarten parent
“Sending our daughter to the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School was an easy decision. Even so, we have been impressed with the warm, loving, and nurturing learning environment. Each day, she leaves our house excited and ready to learn. That enthusiasm carries throughout the day even when she returns home and attempts to teach her little brothers what she has learned! We are very appreciative for the thoughtful and caring teachers, staff, and administrators who all contribute to our daughter’s kindergarten experience.”
