Ezra Stories
Ezra Academy alumni, students, parents, and teachers are passionate about the education they received here, and the friendships they made for life. We asked several of them to talk about what Ezra Academy gave to them…
Rabbi Ethan Tucker
Class of 1989
President and Rosh Yeshiva at The Hadar Institute
“At Ezra, my learning was always the school's priority.”
I received attention from dedicated teachers, and enrichment opportunities abounded. Ezra crafted a custom math track for me, enabling me to compete at a national level. A small group of advanced Hebrew readers were exposed to the stories of S.Y. Agnon in the original. I got a head start on French, enabling me to enter high school as an advanced language student. My foundation in careful reading of Humash and Rashi began at Ezra, as did my interest in staying on top of and discussing contemporary events. Most of all, my teachers taught be to take myself seriously and to expect a lot of myself. I have been blessed to carry that sense of expectation forward with me and have tried to pass it along to my own students.
Michal Raucher
Class of 1996
Professor of Religious Studies, Rutgers University
“Ezra helped me become a person who embraces learning as a way of being.”
The teachers at Ezra Academy instilled in me a love of learning and the security to stumble along the way. In seventh grade, I received a grade that was much lower than I expected for the first time. I knew I didn’t do well on the assignment, and I was nervous about disappointing my teachers. When Ms. Murray returned the assignment, she handed it to me and said, “I guess we’ll just have to keep working on it.” With that short sentence, I learned that it was okay to not know something. And I discovered that a good teacher would keep working on it with me. Those are the teachers I have sought out, and that is the kind of teacher I strive to be. Ezra helped me become a person who embraces learning as a way of being.
Joshua Edelglass
Class of 1991
Co-Director
Camp Ramah New England
“So much of my Jewish identity was formed at Ezra: my connection to tefillah, to Jewish texts, to Israel—this was all nurtured and fostered for me at Ezra.”
From making turkeys out of mini milk cartons with Morah Nettie in kindergarten, to traveling to Israel with my eighth grade class, and so many moments in between, I had an incredible experience as a student at Ezra Academy. Ezra is a makom kadosh, a holy place. So much of my Jewish identity was formed at Ezra: my connection to tefillah, to Jewish texts, to Israel—this was all nurtured and fostered for me at Ezra. I feel like so much of who I am as a person, my interests and my hobbies and my personality, were all formed by my experiences at Ezra and the incredible people I met there. I was fortunate to study with so many amazing teachers, and, of course, I made incredible friends for life. I know that I am not alone in feeling this way.
“We are so grateful that Ezra Academy provides a foundation of Jewish cultural identity and values, shaping a legacy for our children and grandchildren.”
Stephanie Wain & Ruben Kier, Ezra grandparents
“We love Ezra for the warm, nurturing environment that the school gives to our granddaughters for learning, as well as the values of mitzvot and tikkun olam they will use throughout their lives.”
Linda Baum Charam and Jim Charam, Ezra grandparents
Avi Brisman
Class of 1988
Professor of Justice Studies., Eastern Kentucky University
“My years at Ezra Academy were among my best, and I am grateful for having had this opportunity.”
I enrolled at Ezra Academy in the fall of 1986 as a seventh grader, after having graduated from a Jewish day school in upstate New York. Switching schools is always a challenge—especially in early adolescence. But I was welcomed from the start by the faculty, the staff, and my fellow classmates. I appreciated the warmth of Susan Wall, who was our head of school, and the encouragement of Cathy Sutherland, our physical education teacher. (Indeed, I continue to practice some of the calisthenics that she introduced to us in her classes!) The late Myrna Kagan taught me how to think and conduct research like a historian, and I have fond memories of our animated discussions about U.S. foreign policy in Vietnam. In eighth grade, our class undertook a service-learning project at a local homeless organization—an experience that inspired me to continue to work with underserved populations in college and after law school. In sum, my years at Ezra Academy were among my best, and I am grateful for having had this opportunity.
Verred Hamenahem
Class of 1999
Ezra Kindergarten teacher
“Ezra taught me the important values of being a kind and good human and of being a helper, and prepared me to be a critical thinker.”
I attended Ezra from pre-K until eighth grade. For that reason, I like to say that I grew up at this school, surrounded by the support and love of a community that still feels like family. Ezra taught me the important values of being a kind and good human and of being a helper, and prepared me to be a critical thinker. My years here helped me to develop a sense of self and set me on a spiritual path of self-awareness and mindfulness. I think growing up in a small community of like-minded individuals created a baseline feeling of safety for me. Growing up and learning in a place where I felt accepted and nourished as well as encouraged shaped the person I am today.
Hannah Herbst
Class of 2019
“My years at Ezra let me not only explore my academic interests, but helped me expand my understanding of my own Jewish identity and my love for Israel.”
Attending Ezra was the best decision my parents could have made for me when we moved to Connecticut 11 years ago. Ezra provided my family and me with unconditional support and love from both faculty and peers that felt (and still feels) like family. My years at Ezra let me not only explore my academic interests, but helped me expand my understanding of my own Jewish identity and my love for Israel. Ezra gave me the foundation in both Judaic and secular studies that I needed to succeed in both high school, and now at the University of Michigan. Through daily Judaic classes starting in first grade, learning the history of Israel, learning how to chant Torah, Purim carnivals, the 8th-grade Israel trip, and everything in between, Ezra fostered a love for Judaism and Israel and all of us from such a young age. Ezra was a place I was genuinely comfortable, and a place that was fun to attend everyday.
“I graduated from Ezra in 2000. Ezra is a part of who I am. It has instilled in me the value of kindness and a love for learning and academic excellence. Ezra is a safe haven for Jewish children, and gives them a leg up for success. I am proud to send my kids to a school where I know they will receive individualized attention, an excellent education, and a strong sense of self.”
Shelley Kier, Class of 2000
“We love Ezra! It reminds us of some of the great schools our family was a part of in Los Angeles—Mirman, Harvard-Westlake, Valley Beth Shalom—in creating a community of joy and learning, warmth and love!”
Lisa and Michael Woodward, Grandparents of Ayelet, Class of 2027, and Tamar, Class of 2029
Marcelle Blessing
Class of 1993
Mother of Eleanor, Class of 2024
“What a gift to have such great teachers who helped build a strong foundation for my education.”
I attended Ezra academy for K-8 and am now a proud mother of two daughters who attend Ezra. Even though I can barely name any of my high school teachers, I still have vivid memories of so many of my Ezra teachers. From my science teacher, Mrs. Werba, who helped lay the groundwork for years of study that led me to become a physician, to my math teacher, Mrs. Adams, who tirelessly coached me on the math team. And of course I will never forget the great Lois Murray and the tragically lost Joan Davenny z”l. What a gift to have such great teachers who helped build a strong foundation for my education. Now that my daughters attend Ezra, I see that we will share this experience of meeting teachers inour youth whom we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
Nikki Golos
Class of 1998
“In short, my Ezra education has dramatically shaped the person that I keep striving to become.”
When I think about my years as a student at Ezra, I remember a warm, close-knit community that nourished each child, helped each of us to meet our academic potential, and ingrained a deep desire in us to make the world a better place. In short, my Ezra education has dramatically shaped the person that I keep striving to become. Decades later, I've found myself wanting to give my own young children the same foundation in their early years, and that's why they are enrolled in Ezra's exceptional preschool program!