The
On The
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
H I A big t
started sma ll
celebrates its
25th
anniversary.
II
Marc Kay (nursery class of 1970) with
daughter Jordyn (class of 1996).
ne former student re-
members the pond. For
another, it was a cigar
box. A third liked being
part of Noah's Ark.
In 1970, Adat Shalom
synagogue opened its
first nursery school
with a handful of stu-
dents, two volunteers
and three teachers who found the
whole project nothing less than
thrilling.
"It was a wonderful opportuni-
ty," recalls Dottie Levitsky, the
nursery school's first, and now cur-
rent, director. "It was creating
something new and special, al-
most like having a baby."
This year, Adat Shalom's nurs-
ery school celebrates its 25th an-
niversary. In conjunction with the
anniversary, a number of events
have been planned for staff and
former students alike. Adat
Shalom will host a reunion din-
ner with teachers and adminis-
trators from 25 years ago to the
present, will show a historical
slide presentation, • and has
arranged a display of books, art
projects and other memorabilia
from throughout the nursery
school's years.
Additionally, class pictures
from 1970 to the present will be
on display at the synagogue, and
children now enrolled in the syn-
agogue's nursery are planning an
art show. On June 4, the school
will host a family concert featur-
ing Rabbi Joe Black of the tele-
vision program The Magic Door.
The nursery school opened be-
cause of the efforts of Miriam and
Rudolph Leitman. The first class
list had eight names.
"My husband was president of
the synagogue that year, and he
saw all the little children and
thought they needed a nursery
school," Mrs. Leitman said. 'Then
he decided I should organize it.
"It was the most exciting thing
I've ever done, though I was
scared silly."
Her first, and best move, she
said, was to hire Dottie Levitsky.
"I liked her from the minute I
saw her," she said. "She was qui-
et and very confident, but not too
brash."
Mrs. Leitman also secured a
cot, "in case children got sick," and
a drinking fountain, both required
by state law. The school's first staff
included Mrs. Levitsky, Debbie
Berke and Doris Winfrey, with
Mrs. Leitman and Libbie Share
helping out as volunteers.
The class soon jumped from
eight to 35 children, then 60.
Back then, the congregation
was called Adas Shalom and the
school was held in the "house on
the hill," today Rabbi Efry Spec-
tre's home behind Adat Shalom.
Mrs. Levitsky remembered the
house as "cozy, with an art center
and a huge garage that served as
the gym. Children went from
room to room, from learning cen-
ter to learning center."
Mrs. Leitman recalled the un-
paved driveway leading to the
house. "When it rained," she said,
"we were up to our knees in the
mud."
After eight years at the school,
Mrs. Leitman "finally fired my-
self."
At times she runs into former
students, and their recollections
of her remain fresh. "I saw
Michael Menuck, and he remind-
ed me that we used to swing to-
gether on the gate. He told me, 'I
will never forget you."'
Michael's twin brothers, Craig
and Mark, also attended the
school, in 1970.
Both remember playing with
the weeble-wobble toys in the
house on the hill, and both fond-
ly recall a boy named Jason.
"He pushed Craig down the hill
and Craig had to get stitches,"
Mark volunteered. "Then we all
became friends."
Mark remembered wearing his
painting smock backwards, and
Craig loved the nature walk to the
pond. "It seemed like 100 miles,
HOUSE ON THE HILL page 14