October 30, 1998 Southeastern Virginia Jewish News 9
I;R()NI TEI{I{I SARFAN
PI{ESIi)ENT ()F TIlE B()ARi) ()F I)iRI,('T()RS
Ascent of
Let me begin by expressing
my appreciation to Robert
Josephberg, my immediate pre-
decessor, who accomplished
much in two short years. Bob
was instrumental in overseeing
the initial phase of expansion of
Hebrew Academy's facilities.
This included the much-needed
Middle School wing and our new
bright blue roof. In addition, he
has single handedly made HAT's
annual golf tournament a model
to emulate. Bob is always upbeat
and positive a genuine plea-
sure to work with.
It's a wonderful opportunity,
although somewhat daunting to
become president of the school
. at such a successful time in its
history. Our enrollment is the
highest it has ever been; we are
expanding and modernizing our
facilities; we are wired for tech-
nology into the next millennium.
Our Judaic and General Studies
programs are stellar thanks to a
dedicated and highly-qualified
staff. We now have a band, a
choir, and our adorable little
Suzuki violinists who may yet
play Carnegie Hall.
Hebrew Academy is moving
in a very positive direction, and I
have three main goals for my
tenure:
• I would like to nurture a
greater appreciation for Hebrew
Academy as a vital asset, an
expansion of school spirit
encompassing the entire commu-
nity so that every Jew in Tidewa-
ter takes pride in its existence.
We want to host more programs
and events inviting the general
participation of our community's
members.
• I anticipate assisting in the
continued physical growth of the
school. There are a number of
the Eagle
community:wide aspects to this..
and I look forward to working
closely with the UJFT, the Tide-
water Jewish Foundation, and
our sister agencies in planning
for the entire community.
• 1 want to continue building a
true commumty day school. 1
want the entire Jewish popula-
tion of Hampton Roads to under-
stand that Hebrew Academy is
neither Conservative or Ortho-
dox nor is it Reform. We are a
Jewish Day School for the entire
community. The Torah brings us
together as Jews. Educating our
children while teaching them to
love their Judaism is our mis-
sion.
In closing, I would like to
offer a modest analogy: visualize
with me for a moment ...
When I first became actively
involved in the school, we had
added the Gordon wing. In the
last year, we attached the.Middle
School wing.
Our new roof serves as the
feathers which protect our body.
Our technology acts as our
nervous system.
Our teachers are our heart
sustaining life.
Our administrators and board
members are the eyes which pro-
vide a vision for the future.
And our children link our
souls, which bond the genera-
tions.
By now I hope you can see
my bird an eagle that car-
ries the Jewish people on its
wings back to the heritage of our
forefathers. Our HAT eagle is
ready to soar into the 21 st centu-
ry. In my capacity as President
of Hebrew Academy of Tidewa-
ter, I look forward to serving the
Jewish community over the next
two years.
Prime
Assets
By Richard S. Marten
When Rabbi Dr. Aaron and
Hannah Baer arrived in Norfolk
in the 1950s. Hebrew Academy
was a fledgling and struggling
school. The Baers gave the Acad-
emy its educational and Jewish
identity... They have made an
enormous Jewish contribution to
the entire Tidewater Community
(which) assures that the communi-
ty can be Jewishly viable and can
meet the challenges of the 21st
century. Their personal commit-
ment has been an inspiration to all
of us.
So wrote Rabbi Israel Born-
stein in honor of the Baers this
past June on the occasion of B'nai
Israel Congregation's 52nd
Anniversary Gala Celebration.
Hebrew Academy is extremely
proud of its long association with
Rabbi and Rebbetzin Baer, which
continues to this day. They
embody a wonderful combination
of personal kindness, humility,
scholarly brilliance, sensitivity,
compassion, and dedication to yid-
dishkeit.
Their genuine humanity is
expressed in Rabbi Baer's
response to the question of man's
purpose: "I believe G-d put us on
earth to spread the knowledge of
G-dliness and to develop our own
G-dliness. Every human being is
end6wed with a divine spark
which we call the soul. Our duty
is to acalize the soul; that is, to
imitate G-d, to walk in His ways
of mercy and kindness -- to help
one another."
Rabbi Baer was born on the
Lower East Side of New York.
Attending Rabbi Jacob Joseph
School, one of the first yeshivas ifl
the United States, and Rabbi Isaac
Elchanon Theological Seminary
Rabbi Aaron and Hannah Beer
(more popularly known as Yeshi-
va UniversityL he was among the
first students of Rabbi Joseph B.
Soloveichik. a world-renowned
Talmudic scholar and theologian.
Rabbi Baer studied under Rabbi
Yitzchak Hulner and Rabbi
Moshe Poleyoff. In 1945, he was
ordained at Yeshiva University,
after which Rabbi Baer did gradu-
ate studies at Columbia University
under the world-famous Jewish
historian. Salo Baron.
Most of his career has been
spent in Jewish Education as a
teacher and head of school.
Rabbi Baer was one of the first
principals of Hebrew Academy of
Tidewater. After a hiatus of sever-
al years, Rabbi Baer came back to
serve a second tenure as pnncipal.
He is the author of numerous arti-
cles in various Jewish periodicals.
Among Rabbi Baer's private stu-
dents are Betsabec Rothschild,
patron of the arts in Israel, and
Saiman Schocken, publisher of
Schocken Books.
Rabbi Baer's hobbies are clas-
sical music and sports, and
graphoanalysis, having received a
Fellowship from the International
Society of Graphoanalysis.
Rebbetzin Hannah Baer was
born and grew up in the Bronx,
New York. She attended Hunter
College and received a second
baccalaureate in Hebrew Litera-
ture from the College of Jewish
Studies, Among the honors which
she treasures most, Rehbetzin
Baer was named Jewish Educator
of the Year in Tidewater in 1982,
the second individual to receive
this award.
The Baers met in 1950. Both
were teaching at the Westchester
Day School in Mamaroneck, NY
They married in 1952. Interesting-
ly, Hannah Baer mentions that
mutual friends had told Rabbi
Baer about her years before they
actually became acquainted.
"But I guess the descriptions
didn't do me justice," she jokingly
remarks. The Beers are the proud
parents of five children, including
two Talmudic scholars. Their
grandchildren range in age from
four months to 20 years.
Rabbi Dr. Aaron and Hannah
Beer are indissolubly bound up
with the history of Hebrew Acade-
my; they are part of the bedrock
from which it derives its existence
and inspiration. As an institution,
we wish to express our gratitude
to them for all that they have con-
tributed over the decades to both
the school anc[ to the Tidewater
Jewish community.
As Rabbi Bornstein also wrote:
"They have received the Torah
from their great teachers and
transmitted it by words and deeds
to the next generauon, linking our
past to the future." May they
continue to do so tbr many years
to come.
"---HAT Candids ...
