Our Honorees
- Beth and Gary Orbach
- Melody Etessami ‘04 and Family
- Susan Lieberman
“We have always strived to raise our children surrounded by love, compassion and understanding. We truly believe that North Shore Hebrew Academy is an extension of what is taught in our home. The dedicated teachers and faculty not only provide our children with an excellent Jewish education but they reinforce the core values of derech eretz, midot and chesed which are the critical components of Judaism that help guide us throughout life.”
Beth and Gary Orbach have been devoted members of the NSHA family since they moved to Great Neck thirty years ago. There is hardly a NSHA leadership position they have not held. Beth was President of our High School PTA, Vice President of our Elementary School PTA, and chaired numerous committees. Gary has served on our Board of Directors for 14 years, chaired our Annual Dinner Celebrations and both Beth and Gary have held positions on our Academic Boards. As a Founding Family of NSHAHS, their leadership shaped both our academics and hashkafa. The extended Orbach and Silverman families endowed the HS Israel Studies Program and dedicated one of the original Shivtei Torahs used by our HS Minyanim. Their dedication to Torah and Yeshiva education has impacted each of our divisions from Toddler through Twelfth grade. Gary and Beth dedicate this honor in memory of their fathers Mark Orbach z”l and Harold Traunfeld z”l, and in honor of their dear mothers, Helen Orbach and Evelyn Traunfeld, and their children, Josh and Rachel ‘09 Bouaziz, Dr. Naomi ‘11 and Michael Bouaziz, Jake ‘14, Gabriella ‘17, Kayla ‘19, Benji (11th grade) and David (9th grade). It is a great privilege for us to honor Beth and Gary in Hakarat HaTov for their steadfast commitment to NSHA.
“NSHA has always been our home and our community. It shaped me and Rafael and now our children Adam and Lia. Knowing that our children are raised in an environment that instills Torah, mitzvot, chesed and midot was always our primary goal and the teachers at NSHA commit to this each and every day.”
Melody ‘04 and Rafael ‘96 Etessami z”l personify the core values of NSHA - a commitment to a life of Torah, midot and chesed. They have instilled these values in their children Adam (7th Grade) and Lia (3rd Grade), and their community. Rafael was beloved by all who knew him and was a talented artist and pioneer in technology. Rafael and Melody always believed in Jewish education. Throughout his health struggles, Rafael attended every school event, even with a chemo pump. His daily hugs and kisses and excitement to hear about Adam and Lia’s day made them feel very special. Right up until the end of this life, Rafael continued to teach his strength of character, his love of arts, and passion for technology and sports to Adam and Lia. Rafael’s battle with cancer was heroic and he was determined to use this experience to help others. He created the Rafa Foundation, which inspired the Mashadi Bikur Cholim and Rafael’s Angels. Melody has been the rock of the family as she supported Rafael, their children and the community. She has always been active in the NSHA PTA and currently serves as its VP of Finance. We are honored to bestow the Dor L’Dor Award on Melody Etessami and her family in memory of Rafael’s extraordinary life and legacy.
“Rashi in Parshat Bemidbar says that the children of Aharon HaCohen are considered the children of Moshe Rabbeinu because he taught them Torah. I honestly feel that the hundreds of children I taught here are my children. And the icing on the cake is teaching so many children of former students. My goal has always been to give over the joy of learning Torah, the beauty of living a life of Torah values and the pride in being a Torah Jew. I will always be grateful to NSHA for allowing me to have such a worthwhile and meaningful life.”
For the past fifty years, Morah Susan Lieberman has inspired generations of students through her passionate dedication to Yeshiva education. She has been involved in nearly every aspect of our Middle School program including serving as a teacher and a mentor in our Tanach department, leading Jewish history courses and girls’ mishmar, coordinating our participation in the Salute to Israel Parade and NSHA’s efforts for Soviet Jewry, founding Kaitana, the predecessor of Camp N’SHAma, and producing the MS graduation program, including writing the cantata since 1994. She is a recognized leader in Jewish Education and has received numerous awards for her excellence. Along with her husband Irwin, they are most proud of their children Tzippy ‘97 and Yoni Calm, Esther and Avi Lieberman, Miriam ‘02 and Naor Boxer, and Elly, and all their wonderful grandchildren. Morah Lieberman thanks her colleagues and administrators, including Rabbis Greenfeld and Kobrin, and views Rabbis Horowitz and Sternberg, z”l as professional and personal exemplars. NSHA has been tremendously fortunate to have received the gift of Susan Lieberman’s leadership at our Yeshiva for fifty years and it is an honor to bestow this award, given with a profound sense of gratitude for her dedication to NSHA.
