Chaya Greenberg

Growing a tree of life

South Peninsula Hebrew Day School will soon have a chessed (lovingkindness) garden called Tree of Life thanks to the ingenuity of two eighth-graders, Ilana Borison and Chaya Greenberg. The students won first prize — and $1,000 — in Project Shine 2016, a national contest sponsored by Israel-based Yair Leolam that aims to motivate Jewish middle-school students to create innovative charity projects in their communities. Borison and Greenberg designed a program that will help children with special needs grow academically, socially and emotionally through interactive educational and gardening workshops. The prize money will provide the funding for the garden, which aims to empower participants and provide a sense of belonging and accomplishment.

Ilana Borison

Borison and Greenberg say they chose the name Tree of Life for two reasons: a phrase in Deuteronomy 20:19, “For the human being is a tree of the field,” that was meaningful to them; and their names, which in Hebrew mean tree (Ilana) and life (Chaya). Yair Leolam was established to inspire and encourage youth to provide a helping hand. Jewish schools throughout North America participated in the national chessed contest.

Honoring two decades of leadership

Doug Goldman

For 20 years Doug Goldman has served as chairman of the board of the Stern Grove Festival, which was founded by his great-grandmother 79 years ago. On June 19, at the Stern Grove Festival Association’s “Big Picnic” gala fundraiser to kick off the free summer festival, the San Francisco resident will be honored for his commitment. “As the fourth generation of my family to oversee the festival, I am committed to continuing the many traditions inaugurated by my great-grandmother, Rosalie Meyer Stern, as well as my grandmother, Elise Stern Haas, and my mother, Rhoda Haas Goldman, each of whom led the festival before me,” Goldman said. “After 20 years, a lot has changed, including the tremendous variation of music presented and the Rhoda Goldman Concert Meadow itself thanks to the spectacular renovation designed by Larry Halprin, of blessed memory, and completed nine years ago. However, what remains the same is our commitment to making world-class performances accessible to everyone.” Another thing that remains the same is the Goldman family’s dedication. Doug’s children, Jason, Jennifer and Matthew Goldman, have joined him on the festival board. For the lineup of musicians, see www.sterngrove.org.

Dancing with the Biebs

David Shreibman

Proud dad Rabbi Henry Shreibman of Novato reports that his son David Shreibman, aka Kid David, is a featured dancer on Justin Bieber’s “Purpose Tour,” which recently played in Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento. The now-professional dancer, 27, got his start b-boyin’ (breakdancing) after being inspired by a movie and then taking dance lessons at a studio where his mother, Barbara Miller Shreibman, taught ballet. “With a ballet and jazz dancer as a Mom and once professional pantomime as a Dad, it was hard for David to deny this passion,” according to the bio on his website kiddavid.com. The younger Shreibman’s lengthy list of gigs includes the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, TV’s “Dancing with the Stars” and the 2011 movie “Footloose.” He’ll be on the road for the next two years with the Bieber tour.

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