Board of Directors

 

I am honored and humbled to be the President of the Board of Directors of Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. My wife Debbie and I are blessed that our daughters had the opportunity to attend RZJHS with students from across the Chicagoland area. Our oldest daughter graduated with the class of 2020, our middle daughter graduated with the class of 2021, and our third daughter graduated with the class of 2023. I developed my foundation and passion for Jewish learning and leadership as a student at Solomon Schechter Day School. When I went to high school, RZJHS wasn't an option. Thankfully this community created our school and a vision for the future. We continue to build and expand on it every year. 

 

The RZJHS education provides more than a typical high school as it embodies Jewish values within the curriculum. The relationships students forge with their teachers ground them and inspire them to build relationships with peers and mentors throughout their lives. RZJHS’s emphasis on becoming productive and positive citizens guides them to support and serve their communities. These students graduate with critical thinking skills from the dual curriculum, allowing them to grasp concepts from multiple perspectives. These skills benefit them through college and beyond.

 

My parents taught me the importance of being involved and giving back. Like them, I am now fortunate to do the same for my community. I am grateful to the founders of the school, past board members, and others who created and maintained this incredible community asset over twenty years ago. Special thanks to Karen Peaceman, who tirelessly led our school over the past three years. I would also like to thank Lynn Schrayer, another past president, who is stepping down from the Board. Her devotion and contributions will be impactful for years. Lastly, I want to thank Alan Frankel for the knowledge and leadership he continually provides to the Board as a past president. The best way for me to thank those who contributed to RZJHS is to serve the school and continue their legacy.

 

I am proud of how RZJHS handled our challenges over the past few years. The community and education our students find here are needed now more than ever to help them navigate our complex reality. As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said, “To defend a country, you need an army, but to defend a civilization, you need schools. You need education as the conversation between the generations.”

 

Adam Winick