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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT HILLEL »
'75
Retired aircraft carrier pilot and United States
Navy Commander of an F-18 Squadron.
Now a pilot for Fed Ex who flies an MD -11
internationally.
8. JOEL LEVIN
ROBERT SCHOSTAK
Continued Commitment
CLASS OF
1971
When Bob Schostak started at Hillel in the third grade, there
were only nine other children in his class. Forty-two years
later, with an enrollment of over 600 students, Bob became
Hillel's 14th president. Hillel has always held an important
place in the Schostak family lore. Bob, along with brothers
David, Tzvi, and Mark, and sisters, Lindsey and Stephanie,
are all Hillel graduates. Bob and wife Nancy's three children,
as well as eight of their nieces and nephews, have also either
graduated or currently attend Hillel.
Bob is dedicated to Hillel and Jewish education through his service as president
of Hillel's Goldman-Hermelin Education Foundation. He also sits on Federation's
Israel and Overseas committee, and acts as its Forum Chair. With the creation of the
Schostak Family Foundation Endowed Fund at Oakland University, he has helped to
establish a Judaic Studies minor in the university's College of Arts and Sciences.
'78
Jewish community lay leader and
philanthropist for organizations including
IDF, Friendship Circle and ARMDI. Past Hillel
Day School Board member. Mother of five
children whom attend or have graduated
from Hillel.
10. SHARI FERBER KAUFMAN, J.D.
The Schostak brothers have all supported Detroit's Jewish community with their time,
resources and expertise: David currently serves as president of Congregation Adat
Shalom; Tzvi was instrumental in developing the curriculum for Detroit's Florence
Melton Adult Mini-School, and Mark sits on both the Hillel Finance Committee and on
the Executive Committee of the Jewish Community Center.
TAMI BROWN
Beloved Teacher
CLASS OF
'80
Graduate of Brandeis University and the
Jewish Theological Seminary. Passionate
about children and education, she serves
as a middle school Judaic Studies teacher
and as the sixth grade dean at the Solomon
Schechter School of Westchester, New York.
11.RABBI GRETA BERNARD BROWN
1980
Tami Brown has been teaching 3rd or 4th grades at Hillel for the past twelve
years. "It was so nice to go back and work with the teachers that I had, and
had admired," said Tami.
12. TAMI BROWN '80
Tami is married and has four children who either currently attend, or who
have graduated from Hillel.
Her mother, Leah Beurer, is
also a teacher at Hillel, and Tami's two sisters,
Nita and Orit, are graduates as well.
CLASS OF
1987
Michael was born and raised in Detroit and grew up taking the Oak Park bus to
Hillel Day School. "I guess my professional career started right here at Hillel.
You see, I was the Abba in my model Seder."
Not long after graduating from Hillel's last 9th grade, Michael had a quick rise
to Israeli music fame; within a year after he moved to Israel in 1997, he joined
the hit band Hi Five, which received three gold records. Michael returned
to Detroit in 1999 and participated as one of the 5o Jewish music stars on
the 2006 CD "Voices of Israel" in support of Israel. He also sang at the 2004
Yahrzeit observance of the 9/11 tragedy at the World Trade Center site.
Since then, Michael has produced and
written with some of the world's top selling artists and has performed for dignitaries and
Heads of States. Currently, Michael is acting in the hit TV series in Israel
— HaBorer — "The Mediator."
CHARLES ORNSTEIN
Pulitzer Prize Winner
CLASS OF
'83
Rabbi at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple
in Los Angeles, California. Supervises
over 6o teachers as head of the temple's
religious school. Previously worked for
the Jewish Center Camping Association,
where she worked to enhance their Jewish
education program.
1988
In 2006, Charlie chronicled lapses in the nation's organ transplant system, which triggered a
congressional investigation and changes in federal regulations. The coverage also garnered
several journalism awards.
Charlie gives credit to Hillel which "not only provided me a rigorous Jewish and secular education, but also encouraged me to
be creative and think big. When I went to high school and college, I felt that I was a step ahead because of my background at
Hillel. My teachers at Hillel expected a lot of us but they also cared a lot for us." Charlie lives in Burbank with his wife, infant
son and two beagles.
1989
Dr. Mark Smiley begins
his 13-year tenure as
Headmaster.
1990
'83
Director of Mission Outreach and
Development at the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit. Works with groups
when they return from missions to Israel to
ensure that they stay connected. Coordinates
volunteer management programs and staffs
fundraising and leadership development
programs for Federation. Member of the Board
of Trustees at Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
Has two children currently attending Hillel.
14. MARIANNE M. BLOOMBERG
15. RABBI LAURIE PHILLIPS
Charles Ornstein is an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times. In 2004, he
co-authored an investigative series on Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center,
a troubled hospital in south Los Angeles. In awarding the newspaper the Pulitzer
Prize for Public Service, the Pulitzer board praised the team "for its courageous,
exhaustively researched series exposing deadly medical problems and racial
injustice at a major public hospital."
The Goldman-Hermelin Education
Foundation is formed for the purpose of
scholarship assistance. The new Sadie
and Irwin Cohn, Joyce and Avern
Cohn and Rita and John Haddow
Playground is dedicated.
'81
Directs reality television shows, music
videos and short format films. Founder of
the Vodka Latka, "one of the hippest [and
largest Hanukah] parties for Jews in the
entertainment industry." Board member
and LA Co-Chair of Reboot, a nonprofit
organization that works to help young Jews
explore issues of identity, community and
meaning. Lives in Los Angeles with her
husband and three sons. Has six nieces
and nephews that attend or have graduated
from Hillel.
13. JULIE HERMELIN
For Tami, teaching at Hillel has been a great place to work. "I came away with
a great education and Jewish background. Now, I'm teaching the children of
friends with whom I attended Hillel."
MICHAEL HARPAZ
Singer/Songwriter/Actor
'76
Director of Leukemia Biology at the
University of Chicago. Scholar, Leukemia
and Lymphoma Society. Chairman of the
Medical Advisory Board of the Leukemia
Research Foundation. Has three children
that are attending or have graduated from
the Solomon Schechter Day School of
Metropolitan Chicago.
9. MICHAEL THIRMAN, MD
The Mala and Henry
Dorfman Elementary
School is named.
1991
16. CHERYL COOK '84
Jewish community professional who
specializes in new types of outreach to
Jewish adults. Works as the Chief Operating
Officer of Hazon in New York City, an
innovative organization whose mission is to
raise consciousness around environmental
issues and create a Jewish community
around these concerns.
Due to increased enrollment,
which reaches 636 students,
six classes are housed in
portable units.
1992
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