6 “ CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT HILLEL
17.RABBI AVI FRIEDMAN
'84
Rabbi at the Summit JCC in New Jersey.
Committed to helping guide the Conservative
Movement forward by creating an
atmosphere of scholarship and spirituality
with education for all ages. Teaches
religious school, b' nai mitzvah students and
Florence Melton Adult Mini-School classes.
Board member of Jewish Family Services.
Passionate about family and his son Jonah's
special needs organizations. Has two nieces
that currently attend and three nephews who
have graduated from Hillel.
MICHAL BERRIS
CLASS OF 1990
Ceaseless Scholar
Seventeen years after graduating from Hillel Day School, Michal (Michelle) Berris is still
furthering her education. At the Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, she is currently
working on both an MD degree and a PhD in mechanical engineering, a combined seven
year program. She also received her BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering
from M.I.T. Putting her brains to good use, Michal's research involves designing a mode of
locomotion for a micro-robot that will allow doctors to operate on fetuses with congenital
deformities. When not working, Michal likes to have fun mountain and road biking.
MARA REINSTEIN
18. GARY WEISSERMAN
University of Michigan — Flint professor who
teaches Instructional Project Design that
"melds technology with social activism."
Writing was the only subject in which Mara Reinstein claims that she excelled at during
her years at Hillel. "The English program was great and my teachers were always
supportive and encouraging," Mara remembers. Now a senior writer at US Weekly
magazine, Mara spends her days interviewing and writing about movie and TV celebrities.
She travels to movie sets, film festivals, and has visited five different Survivor locations
around the world. One of
Mara's most memorable
interviews was with Selma
Blair, a Hillel classmate and
fellow Hillel bus rider. "We
spent the whole interview
talking about Hillel rather
than the movie she was
shooting in Vancouver."
19.JOSH OPPERER '85
Partner at Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohen LLP. Founding chair of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Class of
a Million, member of the Federation's Israel
and Overseas committee and past president
of the Young Adult Division.
20. TREVOR HART '86
Clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor
of Psychology at Ryerson University,
Toronto. Researches and examines risk
factors for HIV/AIDS transmission among
high-risk populations. Received a 2006
New Investigator Award from the Canadian
Institute of Health Research for research
in HIV/AIDS, and a 2004 fellowship
from the National Institutes of Health to
study randomized clinical trials involving
behavioral interventions.
21.MICHAEL HARPAZ '87
22. CHARLES ORNSTEIN
23. JENNIFER BLEYER
'88
'89
Reporter for the City section of The New York
Times, founder of Heeb magazine in 2001.
Engaged to Amir Bar-Lev, a documentary
filmmaker.
24. ERICA GUYER
RACHEL RUSKIN CLASS OF 1990
JULIE RUSKIN CLASS OF 1993
Sisters' Homecoming
Rachel Ruskin was living in New York, while her
sister, Julie, resided in Israel, when they both
decided to move back to Detroit. Their grandfather
had become very ill and they wanted to spend time with him and
to be closer to their family.
Both sisters took positions in the Jewish community. Rachel is the
Assistant Director of Camp Tamarack, and Julie is a social worker with Jewish Family Service,
working at the Frankel Jewish Academy. "You don't realize how much Hillel affects you, but it
really did have a strong impact on our lives," said Julie. "Our grandfather is smiling
down knowing that we're both home and working in the Jewish community. We know
that he is pleased."
JORDAN FIELD
Fulbright Scholar who researched Canadian
Aboriginal law at McGill University. Graduated
from Brown University, with honors, with
a BA in Anthropology; received an MA in
Anthropology from Arizona State University;
and a JD from the University of Chicago Law
School. Now works as an attorney specializing
in wealth planning and tax-exempt
organizations in New York City.
Jordan Field only missed one day of classes during his years at Wayne State Law
School; he was busy taking his dad to see the last game played at Tiger Stadium.
As a young student at Hillel, Jordan always dreamt of becoming a Detroit Tiger;
although he didn't make the team, he is now the Director of Public Affairs for the
Detroit Tigers Foundation. Jordan spends his days overseeing and running the
foundation, executing its mission to use the game of baseball to enhance the quality
of life in our community with a focus on youth, education and recreation.
"The best part of Hillel is the sense of confidence and comfort it gave me about who
I am and about being Jewish. I still have the same two best friends that I met there
in kindergarten." Jordan lives in Berkley with his wife, Marjie
(Friedman) and a one-year-old son, Logan.
25. MICHAL BERRIS '90
'90
27. DR. BARRY ROSENBERG
'90
Holds an MD/ MBA degree from the
University of Michigan after leading the
creation of this dual degree program. Trained
as a resident in general surgery, and works
as a health care and management consultant
at The Boston Consulting Group.
28. RACHEL RUSKIN '90
29. JULIE RUSKIN '93
CLASS OF 1991
Enhancing Lives through Baseball
'89
26. MARA REINSTEIN
CLASS OF 1990
Celebrity journalist
'84
RABBI JENNIFER TISDALE
Rabbi with Mazel
CLASS OF 1991
Rabbi Jennifer Tisdale feels very lucky. Not only is she able to live in the community that she loves, but
she also works at Temple Israel, the congregation at which she grew up. "People thought that it might
be an obstacle, but it has definitely been an asset," says Jennifer. "I know generations of families here
and have a close connection to the community."
At Hillel, Jennifer loved Hebrew and studying Torah. By the age of 12 or 13, she knew that she
wanted to be a rabbi. "The education at Hillel was top-notch," she said. "Teachers there helped
show me how to keep a sense of humor."
Jennifer is engaged to be married in November. "As for sending my kids to Hillel, I have full
confidence that they would get an excellent education. I would love to see them at my old
stomping ground."
Hillel embarks on an $11 million
capital campaign for the renovation
and creation of a middle school wing.
The Shiffman Media Center, the
Rudolph Shulman Chapel, and
the Fisher-Sherman Science
Wing are named.
1993
The Bradley Bluestone
1994
(z1) playing
field is
dedicated.
Hillel dedicates the new
Middle School wing on
the newly named
Schostak
Family Campus.
1996
Garden of Wonder, elementary
playground, donated in honor of
Miriam and Fred Ferber by their
children. Also that year,
The Jane Rudy Schostak
Outdoor Classroom
was dedicated.
1997