NFTY-Chicago
Presents…
The Kolbo
Gesh and
Senior Wills
What a year it has been….
Riddles
Q. I travel all over the world
but I stay in my corner. What
am I?
Q. What kind of coat is always
wet when you put it on?
Q. What has thirteen hearts but
no organs?
Q. What do you call a bear
without an ear?
Riddles answers
A. A stamp
A. A coat of paint
A. A deck of cards
A. A “B”
Congratulations to the newly
elected Regional Board!
President – Jake Lewis
Programming VP– Daniel Dodinval
Social Action VP – Sophie Richardson
Religious and Cultural VP – Jake Hershenhouse
Membership VP – Marni Israel
Treasurer – Spencer Lavin
Communications VP – Lily Simon
And now, the
Wills of the
Class of 2016
I, Sari Lindner, will...
Cameron Bernstein, Kyle O’Day and Ben Kessler: The best brotatoes I could ask
for. You guys are everything to me.
Lily Simon: Ice cream dates that never
ended up happening even though they should have. Sam Powers: Nashir and
the endless amount of music you give me. And letting me crash your New Year’s
party that one time.
Zach Powers: Ripe. That is all. (And letting me crash your New Year’s party that
one time.) Sophie Berne: To working with you this summer, I’m so excited! And
Shorashim ‘14, I’ll never forget it.
Ben Gertz: For being my carpool buddy to
different events, and allowing me to talk about NFTY at school, making all of our
friends super annoyed with us.
Charles Golub: Sitting on your lap and being my one token friend.
Sophia Okin:
For always being there for me, and your endless love and support.
Olivia
Richardson: OSTOCK that one year. <3
Marissa Bachrach: Spending all
summer with Jerard and mail runs. You’re the best.
Avodah Bet 2015: The most
amazing summer of my life with the most amazing people I know. LCTY: The
inching up game. Please continue this next year.
Zach Lindner: Hold down the
fort when I’m gone, okay? And text me every once in awhile. Make next year
count, it’ll go by way too fast.
I, Charlee Vrtjak, will the following to:
To ASHLEY JONES, otherwise known as Aunt Lorene, I will you xpression jewelry, fun car rides for the rest of your
life, and all the weird, dopey, gross, & fun fun facts about my life that I will continue telling you FOREVER.
To MARISSA BUTTCRACK, I will you all the wonderful poops a person could ever have and a wonderful marriage to
Aziz and your own comedy tv series on Netflix
To SOPH GLICK, I will you all the cute coffee shops we every find whether we're together or apart and all the "ugly"
sweaters in the world
To LIV, I will you Gumbo Limbo and all the cute turtles and mom advice
To SARAH SCHWARTZ, I will you the our preschool memories
To JAY FAY, I will you your nickname (because technically I own it since I came up with it), the song my humps, a
bedroom in any house/apartment I ever own, a spot in my dorm when you hate your roommate, the spot of best friend in
my life forever
To BEARA, I will you a spot in my shower, a spot in my wedding party, someone to talk to at all hours of the day, and all
the love I could give forever and ever until the day I die
To the rest of BTITW, I will you my whole heart and my love forever because you're all so important to me and it'll be
lots of fun visiting all of you in different states. I also will you everything you could ever want and someone to talk to no
matter what
To BRIAN BAREN, I will you your own talk show because you're one of the kindest, funniest, most real people I know.
I also will you all the happiness in the world because you always put others first and I never want you to forget about
yourself
To JACOB and JOSEPH, I will you china town, wow bao, and human dogs. I also will you both a ticket to all of my
endeavors around the world because exploring with you two is definitely one of my favorite things to do
To CROTTY, I will you an entire orchard of red apples, a fancy kitchen, and a new grand piano
To CHARLES, I will you a lifetime supply of sriracha
To STRAUS, I will you all my fun colored tights because I feel like you'd get more use out of them than I do. I also will
you New Year's Eve and Noah Snyder
To MEESHERS, I will you all the ridiculously priced cool clothes you could ever dream of having, a Manwolves groupie
forever, a best friend no matter what, merkts cheddar, boogers to pick, a golden toilet, all the happiness you could ever
want, all my love, and a number one fan in anything you ever do. Also beavis and butthead undies
To JAKE LEFFEL, I will you all the new and improved lax gear the day it comes out, the caricature I had the guy make
for when I asked you to prom and we didn't go, and an ice cream sundae
To SARI, I will you hundreds and hundreds of daisies
To GERTZ, I will you me finally leaving you alone about being my boyfriend and all the babies you could ever dream of
To ETHAN, CARSON, and JORDAN, I will you the title of the three musketeers, the opportunity to all be my
boyfriend, my love forever, and a place to stay whenever you miss me (I know you will because I know I’ll really miss
you guys)
To BETTY SENIORS, I will you all the thanks in the world because if you hadn’t become my family I never would have
continued on with my Judaism and I honestly owe you so much more. Thanks for being my best friends
To BRAD, I will you my admiration and love forever because I hope I can be half the person you are. I also will you new
and improved inappropriate jokes
To STACEY, I will you so much thanks that I often don’t give you, but you absolutely deserve. Also my love forever
because without all the hard work you put into betty I couldn’t have made some of my favorite memories. Also, duty
To SAM, HANNAH, and BYRON, I will you my love for nfty, but especially my love for betty because if I want anyone
to have it and lead the future of reformed Judaism I want it to be you three
To PAILI BACHRACH I will u my love for cute old men (this is better than being my senior special)
To LOGAN, I will you my thanks because you have helped make many extremely special dreams of mine become a
reality. I also will you the knowledge of knowing that I look up to you so much because you do so many amazing things
for others
To SENIORS, I will you all the ability to achieve all your dreams and aspirations because whether we have talked once
or everyday you have made me feel loved and comfortable at every event and I could not be more grateful
To the REST OF NFTY, I will you the ability to find passion, love for yourself, and best friends because if you're ever
going to find a place that gives you all three it'll be here
Thank you NFTY for an unbelievable four years. I couldn’t imagine my life without ya.
Yours truly,
Charlee Vrtjak
I,SarahMcCormick,doherebywill…
ToJaylynFahey:myguitarandallofthephotoswehavetakeninphotoboothsovertheyears
ToCharleeVrtjak:thankyouforbeingmyfriendevenwhenIwasmeaninelementaryschool
ToJaylynandCharlee:ourlaughs,tears,laughsthatturnedintotears,greatmemories,and
everythinginbetween.Thankyouforbeingmyrocks
ToDannyHirsch:therighttofalloffyourchairasoftenasyourheartdesires
ToJaylynandKyleO’Day:allofthefuntimesplayingguitarandsongleadingtogether
ToBrianCrotty:sososomuchlove,eventhoughyoumakefunofmymiddlename
ToMitchCohen:thankyouforallofourlatenightphonecalls,greattalks,andyourkiller
dancemoves
ToIlyssaKossoffandSidneyRosenblum:keeptakingadvantageofallleadershippossibilities,
youcandogreatthings.
ToEliCohen:mynicknameofsarbearcutie02,andthebestback-crackerinNFTY
ToEliStraus:allofthegreatmemories,andtheblueplasticbowlyoustolefromcampand
gavetome
ToCarsonYanaga,JordanLevy,EthanVanderbleek:becomingtheofficialnewtrioofBeTTY
(butnoonewillreplaceme,jay,andcharles)
ToBTITWWW:ahugethankyouforbeingthemostsupportiveandamazinggroupchatever,
andalwaysknowingIcouldopenmyphoneandexpecttonsofmessagesfromyouladies
ToBeTTY:Thankyouforallowingmetobecomealeaderandmakesomanyamazingfriendsin
theprocess.Takechances,becomealeader,andenjoyeveryminute,itgoeswaytoofast.
ToBradEgel:Thankyouforalloftheadvice,selflessness,andgreatwordsofwisdomyouhave
giventomeovertheyears.Youareaninspirationtoallandinspireusall.
ToBradEgel’skids:Thanksforlettingmebabysityouguys,youalwaysputasmileonmyface!
ToStaceyHadesman:Thankyouforeverything.Allofthelaughswehavehadatboard
meetingsarememoriesIwillalwaysremember.Thesepast3yearsonboardwouldn'thave
beenasamazingifitweren'tforyouandalltheworkyoudo.
Heyguys.It’sbeenaride.AndIcan’tthankallofyou,orwillallmymemoriesawaytoeveryonewhohas
affectedmeinmyNFTYcareer,butI’lltrytomakeastart.AndsinceIneverreallyunderstoodwhata“senior
will”was,I’mjustgoingtomakeasuperlongthankyoulist.
Ofcourse,ifyou’renotinthislist,don’thesitatetocallmeandyellatme.We’llgoouttocoffeeandrehashall
thememorieswe’vehad.Andforpeoplewhothinktheydeservelongerentriesonthislist:Youdo.I’msorry.
However,Ihavealotofpeopletothankandnotalotofspace.
ToAshleyJones:Thankyouforeverything.You’vebeenmybestfriendoverthepastyear,andIneverthought
thatthepersonthatbeatmeinanAprilelectionwouldbespendinglatenightstalkingaboutlife,orearly
morningsonthetractordreamingafterasunriseservice.Iloveyou.
ToSarahSchwartzandLivRichardson:I’mputtingyoutwotogethertosavespace.Eventhoughyou
sometimesannoyedthecrapoutofme,you’retwoofthemostgenuinepeopleIknow,andarebothnever
scaredtotellmewhatI’mdoingwrong.Iloveyouboth.
ToJuliaDennen:Thankyouforbeingmymiddleschoollover,mygingerbreadvillagebuildingpartner,andfor
empathizingwithmeonlongcommutestothenorthshore.EventhoughWarrenwillneverbehalftheschool
Grayslakeis,Istillloveyou.
ToSamPowers:Thankyouforyourcoolmomandbrother,andyourcreepilysofthands.Ourmemorieswitha
certainsomeoneatKutzwon’teverbeforgotten.Iloveyou.
ToJonathanMishory,SophiaOkin,andAriGershon:wehavedifferentstoriestotellaboutourrelationships,
butpleaseknowthatyou’llneverbeforgotten.Ihopetoseeyousoon,Iloveyouall.
ToMabelFrank,myfirstloveinNFTY:you’reanunrealperson,andIwisheverymomentofmyNFTYcareer
thatyoucouldbebackhangingoutwithmeatevents.Iloveyousomuch.
ToRebeccaLubar,NoahRobiner,KyraRubin,EidenSpilker,MaxLewin,EmilyBirz,AndreaSeiler,Sydney
Spanier,RachelGreenwald,andAbbyShiff:thankyouforbeingpartoftwofantasticCANOeboardsoverthe
pasttwoyears.ObviouslySummerandWinterwouldn’tbethesamewithoutyouboth,andIloveeachofyou
inyourownways.
ToAriElfenbeinandSydneyRichman:thankyouforlovingmeforhalfayearanddespisingmetheother.I
trulydomissyoubothandhopethatwewon’tholdgrudgesformuchlonger.Stillloveyouboth.
ToSarahMcCormick,JaylynFahey,andCharleeVrtjak:thankyoufordatingme,andgivingmethegreatest
datingadvice,respectively.Mysophomoreyearespecially,andtherestofmyhighschoolyears,wouldn’tbe
thesamewithoutyou.Iloveyouall.
ToallmyfriendsinMinnesota,whonumbertoomanyforthispage:thankyoufortakingmeinasoneofyour
ownattimes,andsharingwithmemyhateforthePackers.Iloveyouall.
ToSpencerLavin,thankyouforsharingtheslightpainsofregionalboardwithmethisyear.I’veneverbeen
happierofasuccessor,andIknowyou’lldoamazingthingsthisyear.Iloveyou.
ToKevinandAlisa:ThankyouforbeingthegreatestJewCrewadvisorsIcouldhopefor.IhopePiperand
BaileegrowuplovingNFTYasmuchasIdo.GoRams.Iloveyouboth.
ToMaxGoldberg:thankyouforbeingmybestfriendandlivingthroughJewCrewwithme.Iloveyou.
Tomysister,Clio:thankyoufortrustingmeenoughtocomebacktoNFTY.Ihopeyouunderstandjusthow
specialthisgroupistome,andrespectitenoughtokeepgivingitachance.You’reagreatleader,andyou’re
thefuture.Iloveyou.
ToJoeWinner:thankyousomuchforconvincingmethatI’magreatleader,evenwhenI’msuretheopposite
istrue.Yourreassuringwordshelpmorethanyouknow.Iloveyou.
ToLoganZinman:wordscan’tdescribehowroyallyscrewedwewouldhavebeenwithoutyouguidingus
thesepasttwoyears.Throughalltheturbulencethatcomeswithregionalboard,you’retheoneconstant,and
Iloveyouforthatandmore.
Sincerely,EliStraus
NFTY-CAR I, Ashley Nicole Jones of sound mind and body, will the
following:
The past: OG Canhoes- the group chat, the nights before events, and
making my Junior year so special Canoe Bort- My first Sumka, a lit
group chat, and constant roasts CAR Bort- Lifelong friendships and
convention Asefah Hannah Moser- BJBE, HUC, and Champy/BJBEsty
Retreat Sara Splansky/Lily Booker/Anna Cohen- Family Kallah and
Crafty Cow Mabel Frank- rides to board functions, JYG16, and a super
rad predecessor
Freshman
Year
To the present: Julia Dennen- My best friendship, hoodie allen, L’taken, Prague,
Israel, when they’re just matches, and AmeriCONE Dream Sophie Glickman- All
the sleepovers, hanging out with your school friends more than my own, sgdrummergirl, Trump
Protest, and endless love and support Marissa Bachrach- Somehow meeting and becoming really
good friends, nights out in chicago, facetime, insomnia, and chicago’s pizza Charlee Vrtjak- Aunt
Lisa, not your flannel, elephants, big hero 6, and probably saving the world Sarah Schwartz- my first
friend, the substitute teacher, two years of madness, and kutz <3 (home) Liv RichardsonAesthetically pleasing flyers, IC2015, and crashing spring invite Sophia Okin- Panda videos during
asefah, rooming @ convention, and an amazing Camp CAR leader Elise Titiner- hating you for
missing events b/c ur too good at sports, and so much love for the past couple years Jaylyn FaheyBreaking in the middle of an intersection and falling on that table Sarah McCormack- Just avo-doing
it and the honor of rosh yakisoba Mitch Cohen- Devil’s lake, all the fun nights, and prayers for
poozie’s health Eli Straus- Kendrick, new years, the steps of the MCA & Lake shore drive, being my
best friend, and my JYG16 boyfriend Brian Crotty- Sumka14, long walks on lac la belle, and Lilith
Brian Baren- The funniest person I know, hotline bling, and some amazing nights Eli Cohen- Bernie
Sanders, To Pimp a Butterfly, and Cross Rhodes Ben Gertz- The OSRUI Kitchen, noodley buds, and
never fully loving me Andrew Grossman- John Mulaney, and the Trump Protest Sam Powers- your
mandolin, Canada, and D’var @ council meetings Zach Powers- Phhhoto fame and your mom’s
really good brownies Logan Zoot- Noodles and Company, Biennial, and your eyebrows Sari
Linder/Lauren Learner/Allison Smith- Micah’s favorites Cameron Bernstein- Social Action
Committee 2014/15 Blair Weinberg- Walks to etgar and Astronomical physics Charles GolubSriracha Daniel Jenks- Unpaid Intern and L’taken Jenna Farkas- Continuing to be amazing Hillary
Simon/Zoe Zirlin- Best co-prezes ever
To the Future: Jake Lewis- My legacy, Hebrew School, and Mosh Spencer Lavin- Peter and Zoey
Jake Leffel- The south west suburbs and soon being a real senior Jake Hershenhouse- Picking you
up from school and NFTY Buzzwords Sophie Richardson- Your puppy and the eco-system
Marnina Hornstein/Hannah Coffey- Social Action reports Shayne Gelfond- BJBESTY and Mosh
Canoeing Marni Israel- The OSRUI office Daniel Dodinval- Mosh memories Paili Bachrach- the
future of ESTY
To the people who have made me a better leader: All of the TYG advisorsYour endless support and care for any NFTYite Eddie Simon- Nachos, lounge
nights, and fostering a dynasty Rona Goldstein- the internet and support my first
year on board Albert/Laurel- Winter Kallah, JYG, and adaptability
Beth Rodin- BJBE Dynasty, Brightstar, and our veida pow-wow
Senior
Logan Zinman- Preschool, BJBE, Kolin, making me run for board,
coffee dates, gifs, pushing me to be great, Mom, and being the best
Year
advisor I could ever ask for
ToSpencer:IwillthemostclassicofLiebermansandnotbeingNoahSegal
ToAshley:IwillthecrazynightsofAvodah,meetingupforchinesefood,and
youmissingoutontheHoodieAllenconcert
ToJakeLewis:IwillsittingnexttomeatAsefahandwatchingpowerrangerswhilewaitingfor
theresultstocomeback
ToGertzy:IwillbeinganAlphaMale.Youfinallymadeitbuddy.
ToBrielleImana:IwillrebuildingCECSYG
ToJakeHershenhouse:IwillafantasticsessionofModelUNandthatoneshul-inforeverago.
TomyFunkyBunch:IwilltheknowledgethatIamMarkyMarkandallthegreattimeswehad
doingthingswedefinitelyweren’tsupposetoinplaceswedefinitelyshouldn’thavebeen
ToMarissa:Iwillyoufallinginlovewithme(youknowit’strue)
ToSam:IwillGracyBBYGURLandasickdaywatchingtheworldcup
TothePowerBrothers:Iwillafundayattheartinstitute,Dammittommy,midnightsnacks,
andacrazynightwithNathan
ToApril:IwillurbanLumberjacksandindoctrinatingyouintoNFTY
ToJoshBorin:IwillJYGandnotgettingtoknowyousooner
AndtoJulia:Iwill6hourlatenightskypesthat“wereonlygoingtobehalfanhour”,you
singinganddancingalongtoclassT-Swift,thatAMAZINGHoodieAllenConcertthatyou
definitelymissedouton,allthedumbtextsIsentthatwereterribleideas,andalltheothers
thatIshould’vebutcouldn’tbringmyselftosend
Sincerely,
BrianCrotty
NftyCAR,
I'dliketostartbysayingthankyou.Therearenowordstodescribeallyouhavedoneforme
asanaspiringleader,ayoungJewishadult,andahumanbeingingeneral,soI'llleaveitat
that.
Nowthen,ontothegoodstuff:
ToChAmPYIwillleaveyouwithtwothings.Thefirst,apieceofadvice.Nevergiveupon
anything.Ever.Thesecond,aboard(you'rewelcome).
ToLoganZoot,Ileaveallofmypower(*clap*)andafreshbowlofsuddenlysalad!(Therest
I'lljusttellyou,Livwouldn'tletmesubmitthisifIputithere)
ToSarahSchwartz,IleaveLoganZoot.Weallknowwhy.
ToLivRichardson,Ileave,thoughyouwillseethislongbeforeeveryoneelse,IleaveApachi
adventuresandmymathteacher.
ToAshleyJonesandJuliaDennen,IleaveBernie.
ToEliStraus,Ileavesomerunningshoes,anunlimitedsupplyofCANOEsweatshirts,and
anyfundraisingideasyoumayneed.
ToSamPowers,Ileaveamandolinandridiculouslysofthands.
TotheCoffeyquads(excepttheonesIdon'tknow)(sotoHannahandAl)Ileaveapuppy
shapedlikethemostscaleneoftrianglesknittinganotherpuppy,mainlybecauseyour
reactionswouldbefarbeyondpriceless.
ToSpencerLavin,IleaveallofmyideasI'veeverhadregardingthetreasurerpositionand
mydashinggoodlooks,becauseweallknowheneedsthemmorethanIdo(noitisn'tsoIcan
takehis,whywouldyoueventhinkthat).
ToMarniIsrael,IleavetheresponsibilityoffiguringoutwhereYOBEwent,andlettingme
know.
ToJakeHershenhouse,Ileaveaneverlastingsenseofadmirationforyourhair.
ToJakeLewis,Ileaveevenmorepeoplewhothinkyou'reaninnocentpersonwhoalways
keepsitclean.
ToMollieColeandStephanieBlumenthal,thoughy'allmayneverseethis,Ileavey'alllol
thesouth.
ToeveryonewhoIhaven'tmentioned,Ileavemygratitudeandmyunendinglistofterrible
jokes(andeventhegoodones).
Sincerely,
JoshBorin
NFTY,
SomanyofyouhavehadsomuchofanimpactonmethatIcouldn’tpossiblythinkofwhatto
saytowhom.Sobecauseofthat,myseniorwilliswrittenfortheentireregion,andthepeople
whomakeitthecommunitythatitis.
NFTY-CAR,Iwillyoumanymoreyearsofbringingasmiletothefacesofthoseinvolvedinyour
community.IwillyouthelearningexperiencesIhadinmyfouryears,andthatmanymorewill
havethemtoo.Iwillyouthefeelingwhenyoufirstseeyourfriendsagainaftermonthsapart.I
willyouallthehomeworkIplannedtodoonthetrainduringcouncilmeetingsbutreallynever
did.Iwillyouthewell-organizedtableofnametagsonthefirstdayoftheevent.Iwillyouthe
latenightconversationswithyourfriendsabouteverythingfrompoliticstoTorah.Iwillyou
thebowlofbananasinthechadarochelthatIhavetakensomuchfrom.Iwillyouthelong
andsatisfyingnapthatismorethannecessaryaftereveryevent.Iwillyouthenewgeneration
ofleaderstokeepyoustrongnowandforever.Iwillyouthewhitelunchbagstoeathalfofon
thebusonthewayhome,includingtheterrifyinggluten-freeveganlow-fatchocolatechip
cookiesinside.Iwillyouthefreeandopenspaceyougavemetosharemythoughtsand
opinions.Iwillyouthecountdownsonmyphoneleadingtoeachandeveryevent.Iwillyouall
thehugsofa“hello”andthetearsofa“goodbye.”NFTY,IwillyouNFTY.
TothoseveryspecialfewofyouwhoIwouldconsidermyclosestfriends,andyouknowwho
youare:Thankyou.Thankyouforabsolutelyeverything.Idon’tknowwhereI’dbewithout
you.
AndtoAustin:ThankyouforNFTY.
B’shalomv’ahava,
LoganGabrielZoot
ToBlaireWeinberg,ElishaSerotta,LaurenLerner,andAllisonSmith-thankyouforalways
beingthereforme.You’vehelpedmethroughsomereallytoughtimes,butwerealsothere
forsomeincrediblejoys.You’reamazingfriends,andIloveyouallsomuch.
ToRegBo-Congratsonallyouachievedonboard.YoumadeNFTYCARabetterplacetobe.
Youarefantasticleaders,greatfriends,andablessingtoknow.Iamconfidentthatyouwilldo
evenmoreamazingthingsinthefuture.Thanksforallyoudidforourcommunity.
ToBradleyUniversitystudents-I’msuperexcitedtobeattendingcollegewithyou.GoBraves!
ToLoganZinman-thankyouforeverything.Iloveyou,andI’llmissyousomuch.
Totheadvisors-youareallsosupportive,loving,kind,funny,andgreatrolemodels.Thank
youforbeingyouandformakingmyNFTYexperienceextrawonderful.
ToChAmPY-thanksfortheallthelaughsandlove.I’llmissyoulots.
ToBrettAlbert,HannaCohen,StefieBallesta-thankyouforhelpingmefallinlovewithNFTY.
Tomyfellowclassof2016-thankyouforgrowingupwithmethesepastyears.Whether
you’regoingtocollege,agapyear,thearmy,etc,ifyou’reeverlonelyorjustwanttotalk,I’m
hereforyouwheneveryouneed.
ToHeatherKornick-ThankyouforgettingmeintoNFTYandOSRUIandteachingmeabout
life.Withoutyou,Iwouldn’tbewhoIam.Imissyouandloveyou.
Toeveryone-current,past,andfutureNFTYites-Iwantallofyoutobelieveinyourself,tolove
yourselfandtocherishyourlives.Youareworthalloftheblessingsyouhaveinlife,andyou
arebeautiful,youareloved,youarestrong.Wheneveryouneedsomeone,whetherornot
we’vetalked,messageme,andIpromiseIwillbethereforyou.
Love,
Jenna
JAYLYN’SSENIORWILLS
Juniors:Illysa:Ileaveyouwithmybubblinessandsmilesbecauseyoualwayswalkintotemple
withahugesmileonyourface.YoualwaysmakemesmileandI’mreallygoingtomissyou.
Loveyousomuch.Carson,Jordan,andEthan:Ileaveyouwithmyweirdness.Youthreeareso
goofy,butIloveit.Beingfriendswithyouthreethesepasthowevermanyyearshasbeen
suchanamazingrideandI’mgoingtomissyouallsomuch.Spencer:Igiveyoumythinmint
cookiesthatIdon’thave..<3Ialsowilltoyoumyfreetimeandnumber2pencilssothatyou
candoyourhomework.Youdabest:)Jake:Ileaveyouanemptyseat.Sosadwehavenomore
busridestogether,butnowyoumustfindanewbusbuddy.
Seniors:Sophie:Ileaveyouwithmylovetotravel,loveforphotography,andloveformusic.
Sarah:Wow,Ileaveyouourunbreakablefriendship.Ialsoleaveyouwithmysarcasm.Charlee
Vrtjak:Ileaveyou(orImaynotleaveyoucausecollege)withmystyle,loveforvolunteering
andhelpingpeople,andlovefortravel.Mitch:Ileaveyouwithmydancemoves,lovefor
camp,music,andgasmoney.Brian:Ileaveyouwithmyconfidence,jokes,andmemoriesfrom
camp.EliCohen:Iwilltoyoumygoofiness,guitarskills,andbandaids.Danny:Ileaveyouwith
myguitarsothatyoucanplayandsingatthesametimebecauseIwon’tbethereanymoreto
playwithyousadly.Ialsoleaveyouwithallofourmemoriesfromtemple.EliStraus:HeyEli.I
leaveyouwithpancakes,merch,acrutch,runningshoes,dollarbills,myMinnesotamemories,
awkwardjokes,Chalutzimmemories,runningshorts;),chapstick,andsmiles.Thisisjusta
weird,randomlistofthingsthatmaybeusefultoyouthatIdon’tfeellikeexplaining.Marissa:
IwilltoyoumybadMirandavoiceandfacials,shortness,andjokes.Ashley:Iwilltoyoumy
leadershipskillsandcurlyhairandshortnessJulia:Ileaveyouwithmysmileandloveforsocial
action/justice
Adults:Stacey:Ohgosh,Ileaveyouwithmysilliness,lovefortheyouthgroup,leadership
skills,andfriendship.Brad:Braaaad.Iwilltoyoumybeautifulguitar,loveforvolunteering,
bubbliness,weirdness,andlove/caretowardsothers.
I, Sarah Schwartz, hereby will the following:
Liv- Hey twinny. We did it. Thanks for being my rock, number one fan, and best friend. I will to you another 4 years
of rivalry and many more crazy memories together. Ashley- You will forever be the Aunt Tina to my Aunt May. I
will to you Key & Peele, first & only friends, camp jenny in program format, the OG can(h)oes, and the most perfect
pres/pvp pair. Julia- I will to you to love, support and friendship that will last forever. Logan- Thank you for being
the best guy friend I could ever ask for. I will to you endless amounts of Star Wars movies, endless amounts of car
rides, and endless amounts of texts about my never ending problems (I know that’s just what you want :-)) Eli- I will
to you the best hugs, parties at the end of the table, and home!! Elise- I will to you more adventures with me and my
twin, obsessions with J.C., and endless love and support. BTITWWW- Thank you for being my girls. NFTY
wouldn’t have been the same without any of you. I will to you Stick to the Status Quo, “explain nfty in 6 words or
less”, and all my love. Josh- I will to you the freedom to take as many embarrassing snapchats of Logan and me as
you’d like. You’re welcome. Class of 2016- We were the best class that NFTY-CAR has ever seen. I will to you my
NFTY journey. This journey wouldn’t be what it was without you. Keep in touch and kill it next year! Illysa- Hi bb.
Thank you for absolutely everything. I will to you many more starbucks dates, endless inspiration and support, and
the most incredible senior year in NFTY. Arden & Blair- You two were the best children I could ever ask for. I will
to you family pictures, bringing you starbucks, and yelling at Blair for never registering. You’ll forever be my
babies. Abby Mishory- I will to you the bridge between NFTY and BBYO. You’re the change we need to see.
Marni- I will to you NFTY-CAR and Kutz. You’re gonna move mountains, kiddo. Carry on the legacy and have the
time of your life. Jake Lewis- I will to you lots and lots and lots of sunscreen. You’ll never stop being pale, so you
might as well stock up now! I’ll join ya! Daniel- I will to you the ability to write/lead/guide the most incredible
programs that this region has ever seen. Marnina- I will to you many more adorable Camp CAR campers, and
hilarious ukulele social action songs. Al & Hannah Coffey- I will to you guys all the dogs in the world. None are as
cute as Rambler, so I also will to you guys an endless supply of Rambler pictures. Sophie Richardson- I will to you
an endless supply of annoying big sisters, and all the passion for social action in the world. You are the future my
dear. Jake Hershenhouse- I will to you 1 very uncomfortable conversation at Ben & Jerry’s. CAR Bort- Aw CAR
Bort I miss you all. I will to you cookies with bread, the program supplies room and remix to ignition (with Mishory
rollin that body). CANOe Bort- Aw CANOe Bort I miss you all too. I will to you noodle jones, twitter fights about
cows, and the program supplies room (you’re the real reason its gone :-)) Regional Bread- Hey fam (Hi Sam). I will
to you jello with a straw, toast sandwiches, posed pictures for mom, and the ability to love and support each other no
matter what. Oconomowoc Rowing Team- We rowed our ways straight to success. I will to you miniature tanks,
wallah3015 (literally all of it, it was an experience) and a groupme that could turn anyone's day around. NFTY NOI will to you my everlasting love for cheeseheads and Minnesotans. You made CANOe a home for me and I love you
all very dearly. Becca Schwartz- Hey Bec. Thank you. I will to you the closest bond two sisters could ever share.
Can’t wait to share more experiences with you. Logibear- Oh Logi what would I do without you. I will to you being
mom, bachelor group chats, teaching me how to take the train, and 6 long years of Schwartz children. Seriously,
what would I do without you. Joe Winner- Thank you for being you. You were exactly what our board needed. I
will to you being the weird uncle and motivational math speeches. NFTY-CAR- I will to you my life. You changed
my life NFTY-CAR and I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Take care of my favorite region for me while I’m
gone (@every non senior) <3 <3 <3 I, Marissa Violet Bachrach, hereby will…
To my sister, Paili Bachrach: All the amazing experiences and memories I've had in NFTY. I hope you will
continue to carry on the love I have for NFTY despite the fact that I will no longer be a member myself. I will
you a text at every event until you graduate, demanding you to tell me all about it and how much fun you had.
To Jake Leffel: Although many of your best friends are leaving NFTY today, I know you will continue to make
memories with new and other friends. Promise me that you will live your last year in NFTY to its fullest, it will
go by so much faster than you'd believe. I’ll miss you, kid. Visit me at IU.
To Ashley Jones: Summers at camp, nights spent sleeping over, pictures of our faces photoshopped onto
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's bodies, evenings spent at standup comedy shows and unfunny sketch comedy
shows, and references to The League. I will you love, laughs, and lifelong friendship.
To Julia Dennen: A lifetime supply of dad jokes, nights spent watching the Justin Bieber movie, fresh clean
leggings, every episode of The Office, screams for Trumpet Boy, tears cried over Taylor Swift, and a promise
to never again call you Miss Gurnee. I will you love, laughs, and a lifetime of friendship.
To Charlee Vrtjak: The opportunity to text me every time you go poop, every Lana Del Rey song ever, a
purple Sharpie to color Peanut's fur with, ridiculous guided meditation apps, G. Ville, and the chance to make
me any jewelry you'd ever want to make me. I will you love, laugh, and a lifetime of friendship.
To Sophie Glickman: Every song by Chance the Rapper, diapers?, Brian Baren's porch, a tub of chocolate
chip cookie dough ice cream, the cutest Polaroid pictures we could take, memories since Chalutzim, and the
roomies groupchat. I will you love, laughs, and a lifetime of friendship.
To Eli Cohen: ridiculous memories of meeting you in 7th grade, burps blown in my face, the memories of the
times you've pinned me down and farted on me, a shared love for left and liberal view points, summers spent
at camp, neon green tights I'll allow you to wear over your shorts, not under, and a promise to go to all of your
concerts that I can until the day I die. I will you love, laughs, and a lifetime of friendship.
To Eli Straus: a lifelong love for your butt, memories from when we were strangers to each other in Chalutzim,
and Colin B. I will you love, laughs, and a lifetime of friendship.
To Brian Baren: a brand new Ken doll for you to rip the head off of. Thank you for being my longest friend in
NFTY. You will never know how much you inspire me to be funnier, happier, and an all-around better person.
To ESTY: for those of you left in NFTY, I want you to promise me that you will treasure each moment you
spend here. Your time in NFTY will end before you know it, so make it last. To our advisor Sam: thank you for
putting up with me and trusting me to be the best MVP we've ever had (and will ever have.) I know you will
continue to work as hard as you do to make sure ESTY grows, despite our small size.
To BTITWWW: Wow. I don't even know where to start but I guess I can will you a promise. I promise that no
matter where we are in our lives in 1 month, 1 year, or 1 decade, I will be there for you. I am only a phone call
away, even if we are going to college as little as 215 miles away from each other (Liv) or as much as
somewhere between 1,086 and 2,262 miles away from each other (Sophie). I will always be there for you
because each and every single one of you has been there for me so many times in so many ways. Even
though I only see some of you guys a mere 4 times per year, you all are my best friends. Each and every one
of you is beautiful, talented in many different ways, kind, funny, smart, and spirited. I will forever appreciate that
although we all are so different, we are able to combine to create one strong group of girls. I will miss you all
the most when we are in college, but I know that it won't change our friendship, it will just make us hug each
other a little tighter when we all reunite over breaks. I love you girls with every fiber of my being. Happy one
year.
Thank you to everyone who has shaped my time in NFTY. And to all the underclassmen: make your time in
NFTY last. It will end before you know it.
NFTYCAR,IJuliaDennen,beingofsoundbodyandmindwillthefollowing:
Tothepast:thepersonIamtoday,endlessinspiration,andincrediblerolemodels.PeterLuck:beingmy
brother’sbunkmate,mygreatgreatgrandfatherandthecoolestpersonTaylorGleeson:constantfacebook
messages,motivationandinspiration,“winning”,NAFRJY,busrides,hypnotistsandeyeshadow.
TothePresent:SarahSchwartz:thesophomoreyearbjbesty/champyretreat.Yourpuppy.God’sreal
address.Somanysecrets.Hightopwhiteconverse,patagoniasandm&mpancakesandnotbeingopposed.Eli
Straus:Ourmiddleschoolloveaffair,minecraft,wafflemakers,leavingkeysinthecarandthevolvostation
wagon.SamPowers:8pmsundaynights,musicalD’vars,likingmydadmorethanme,Canadaandnowifi.
LivRichardson:ourcomforter,trainriderants,libertyville,speechesandConflictresolution.LoganZoot:shoe
laces,pestogirl,stickynotesandJoeBiden.AshleyJones:morememoriesthanIcancount.Ourpens,DC,
knowingeverythingabouteachother,Malibulia,Israel,MariaPrague,thepersonIamtoday,myNFTYcareer,wallah16
asefah,Americanflagwindbreakers,HoodieAllen,beingmybestfriendintheworld,alifetimeoffriendship
You’remyBESTfriend.You’remyinspiration.ThankyouforthelifeIlive.BrianCrotty:endlesshoursofskype
calls,thanksyou,theempire,beingirresponsible,handsoap,beetlepeople,westwing,poetryandmyfirstkiss
withademocrat.SophieGlickman:feminism,beingshort,YomKippur,homecomingandallmyheart.Charlee
Vrtjak:themostinspiringpersonIknow,poop,talksourbunksatKallah,yournannyingjob,almostburning
downourhosthomeallmylove.SophiaOkin:THEOhioStateUniversity,stillhavingtogototheUrbanOutlet
store,andfourmoreyearstogether.SarahMcCormick:thebathroomofmirrors,sumka15sunriseservice,
yourkindnessanduniquecompliments.JaylenFahey:beingliterallythecoolestpersonIknow,grouptextson
grouptextsongroupstextsandyourhair.MarissaBachrach:Chicago,SNL,polaroids,locathepugwhocan’t
run,facetimeforhours,lovingmydadsomuch,Lithuania,mailingyourpants,yourupstairscouch,andbeing
oneofmybestfriendsintheworld.EliseTitner:hatingeachother’suniversitiesbutlovingeachother,your
smile,makingourgroupchatnamerelevant,Esteban,andthenextfouryearsofrivalryandFriendship.Eli
Cohen:BernieSanders,passion,Evanston,myloveofManwolvesandinturnotherrap,walkingaround
Evanston,latenightrants,flamingJeremy,andyourweirdbuttonups.MitchCohen:SuburbanSuperhero,your
newhair,thattimeIrodeyourbikeatplanningweekend,fillingupmytiresatShell.JoshBorin:Yourloveof
hats,trainrides,councilmeetingsandwishingwehadbecomefriendssooner.AprilJohnson:NFTYbringing
ustogether,beingResidentJewsinAPLit,Israeliexpeditions,grassstains,beingthebestsecretkeeper,train
rides,NancyRoteringandwishingyouhadcomesooner.BrianBaren:TheatreFest,blowingmymind,being
themostamazingpersonever,longtalksatISU,mutualadmirationandslampoetry.SariLindner:Belinda,
yoursmile,Nashir,andsomuchhappiness.DavidLoeb:invadingourregion,Granola,nftyconorthwest,and
patagonia.EmilyBirz:BirkatHamazon,giraffes,naturepeeing,theatre,Giordanos,somanyfacetimecalls,
pacsunandallmyheart.ZachPowers:themelodica,manwolves,raviniacoffeestation.DannyFriedman:Ann
Arbor,chromecast,Flint,Inception,themug,youramazingfamily,harvard,DavidBowieandNCAA14.Ben
Gertz:mealwaysthinkingyouhate,youbeingtall.
TotheFuture:JakeLewis:theBJBEdynasty,allofEddie’sCarystories,“presence”,Israel,andahellofalot
ofSunscreen.HannahCoffey:thecolorblue,mooearsleave,crimpas,colorfulgloves,HeythereDelilahand
missingyourexesdogAlCoffey:knitting,journalsandallthepuppiesintheworld.MattyPowell:Theatrefest,
TheAshGirl,andabright,brightfuture.JakeHershenhouse:theBJBEdynasty,theloveofeveryone,“lovemy
fans”,amazingculturereportsandminionstickers.MarninaHorenstein:allthestickersonyourwaterbottle,
theukulele,beingarockstar,crimpasandsomuchprideMarniIsrael:speeches,dedication,councilmeetings
andalltheloveSophieRichardson:longtalksonmybed,puns,morepridethanIcanexpress,theatre,the
BDC,beingmyreallittlesister,passion,aworldofhappiness,mywholeheart.EmmaRosenberg-Rappin:
PLARN,theBJBEdynasty,threemoreyearsofEddie’sshenanigans,L’takenBenjaminBluman:Costco.
Enoughsaid.AndreaSeiler:crying,Elephants,latenightprogramming,beingmyhalf,sandaltans,facetime,andthebest
hugsintheworld.SpencerLavin:Thebachelor.
TotheAdvisors:EddieSimon:AlifetimeofCarystories,nachos,L’taken,Malibulia,theBJBEdynasty,pushingmeinto
thisandgivingmesomuchconfidence.JoeWinner:goals.Goals.GOALS.Ineverysenseoftheword.#joesmorefun,buzz,
andmoregoals.LoganZinman:everything.Myconfidence.ThebeliefthatIcanfollowmydreamsandmakeadifference,
I, Sophie Glickman, hereby will the following:
To Jaylyn Fahey: every memory made in Chalutzim, every late night FaceTime call, every
conversation about boys, laughing until we cry, talking with Scotty B at camp, dancing with Matty in
Seattle, singing “Baby” with Simone and all of the girls, every text typo, hanging with Joe and Jake,
hide and seek at Woodfield, photoshoots, and so much more. Thank you for being my best friend.
To Ashley Jones: Average Kathy (may she rest in peace), Aquaman, every time we hung out with
Phil, Scotty’s basement, ugly snapchats, your hut, my couch, every vent sesh, and Maximum Tattoo. I
don’t know how I’m going to survive next year without you.
To Charlee Vrtjak: that week at 5th ave, Beans & Leaves, the cupcake you got for me but then ate,
visiting each other at work, Manwolves concerts, and practices.
To Mitch Cohen: the same taste in music, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, your Crocs, Gesher (it still
means bridge!), and fighting at camp.
To Marissa Bachrach: every insignificant fight, brunches, coffee dates, Parks & Rec vs. The Office
(The Office is better bye), long sappy messages, Meghan Hughes, fighting over music, and Chance
the Rapper.
To Josh Super: our two month relationship, Chalutzim tower, late night Skype calls, never getting
your license, and Starbucks/Chipotle.
To Julia Dennen: your brother’s bed, making waffles, and asking Eli to prom.
To Eli Cohen: every bathroom FaceTime call, obsessing over Game of Thrones, being goofy, Bernie
Sanders, and that weekend in Minnesota.
To Sophia Okin: ditching middle schoolers for Chipotle, Josh and Jake, NFTY Convention, prom pics,
and tumblr.
To Eli Straus: breakfast dates, PROM, iHop (or was it Denny’s?), amazing hugs, and ugly selfies.
To Brian Baren: Tzofim, Gesher, Stephen Geller, hanging with Phil on your porch, my couch, and
koala hugs.
To BTITWWW: Happy one year anniversary! Thank you girls for being home to me, I love you all so
much.
To Logan Zinman: Playing with your hair, babysitting, and Lawrence Glickman nametags.
Thank you NFTY for the past four years. The memories I have made here will last a lifetime.
When it comes to high school, I’m pretty average. I don’t really fit in to one
specific clique. Freshman year, I was part of a punk rock magazine club. Sophomore
year, I found myself playing softball. Junior year, I took acting and had a very
spiritual connection to the art and the rituals that go along with it. I get good grades
because my parents expect me to – but I’m not a math geek or a book -worm. I’m
almost trilingual. I’m not part of the LGBTQ community. I thought of starting a movie
club, but never acted upon it. I even went to one or two GSI (Green School Initiative)
meetings. But I’ve never really belonged to a singular group in school – I’ve never
really found my niche there, I guess. Somewhere that I have found a community is in
NFTY. In NFTY, t doesn’t matter who you are at school, as long as you’re being
yourself, you will fit in. Some of my best friends are band geeks and jocks, tree
huggers and civic leaders, even hipsters and gamers. Some of us fit in at school and
some of us don’t, or if you’re like me you kind of just float around. NFTY allows for
all these different types of people to come together. NFTY allows for friendships to
grow alongside the individuals. NFTY allows you to be exactly who you are and
cherish this rare community.
So…
To the community that has experienced these wonderful years with me, I will to you
countless memories and unending thanks.
To the community that remains after I leave, I will to you the ability to be your
complete self and I ask you to take care of this place that I will always call home.
Sophia Okin
I, Liv Richardson, hereby will the following:
To the past: Lauren Ship – I will to you being my NFTY giant even though we were never actually in NFTY together. Thanks
for always being there and for always pushing me to be a better person. Thank you for reminding me to choose my happiness.
Lo, I love ya. Becca Schwartz – I will to you being a part of your family. Thank you for being a big sister to me. I will always
believe that you and I are related, not you and Sarah. Love ya. Max Goldberg and Danielle Wright – Hey weird family
members. I will to you being my first friends in NFTY besides my camp friends. Thank you for everything. Ari Goldstein – I
will to you Becca, Marisa, and Lauren making fun of us for crying even though we live 20 minutes away from each other.
Thank you for being an incredible friend that I know will stay in my life forever. I love you, Ari! To the present: Sarah
Michelle Schwartz – Hey buddy. So I don’t really know how to summarize all of this but I will to you my NFTY career. I have
you to thank for absolutely everything that has happened since December of sophomore year. Thank you for being here for
every step of the way and for constantly pushing me. I don’t know where the next four years are going to take us, but I could
not be more thankful to have had you as such a large part of this chapter in my life. Thank you for letting me be a huge part of
your family. To the Schwartz Family, thank you for loving me like a third daughter and always looking out for me. I love you
guys. SQUID – I will to you every stupid text and every oovoo call and that one time brudder made his nose bleed from getting
something in his nose. Thanks for being my best friends. Logan Zoot – I will to you that time at Veida when we convinced my
friend that we were dating. Thanks for being in a fake relationship with me and for being my brother. This year has been insane
with you by my side, and I can’t picture the year without you in it. BTITWWW – My ladies. Happy one year to the group chat.
You mean absolutely everything to me. I will to you that one time recently when we described NFTY in six words or less and
we got way off track and somehow we described NFTY is close to three hundred different ways. You guys have changed my
entire life and I am so thankful to have had you in my life. Our group chat will never end because I don’t think we will be able
to function next year without each other. I love you all. Jenna Farkas – You are so incredibly strong and inspiring. Thank you
for always motivating me.I will to you constant, undying love. GirlBo – This year has been incredible. Thank you for always
sticking together because I would not have made it through the year without you. I will to you our GirlBo night at Logan’s
which has been by far my favorite memory this year. Eli Straus- I will to you forcing me into coming to my first event. All I
have to say is thank you. Regional Bread – This year has been absolutely incredible. I could not have asked for a better six
people to work with. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity to work with you guys and I cannot wait to see where you all
go in the future. I leave you with that one time that we managed to get all of our work done, allowing us to go see movies before
everyone got to camp for Winter Kallah. To the future: Sophie Clare Richardson – To my little sister, I leave you with your
incredible leadership skills. You are such a bright, strong person and I cannot wait to see where you go in this region. Don’t
miss me too much next year, I’ll always be a text away. You’re gonna move mountains, kid. I love ya. Marni Israel – I leave
you with that election day. I cannot picture my life without you in it, and I’m very glad that we became so close from being
each others competition and I would not have wanted this year to be any other way. You are going to go so far with this region
and I love you with all my heart. Arden Floom and Blair Haberman – To my Jew Crew babies, I will to you every random
drive, every Starbucks run, program planning for retreat, every laugh and joke and every comment we make to each other.
Thank you for letting me bribe you into coming to events and for sticking with me. You two are crazy and I cannot wait to hear
the stories you randomly text me and Sarah next year. Jake Lewis, Marnina Hornstein, Hannah Coffey, Al Coffey, and Lily
Simon – You five constantly brighten my day. Your passions are inspiring and your dedication is incredible. It has been an
honor growing with you and leading with you over the last two and a half years. I will to you every single council meeting
memory and every train ride. Thanks for always making me smile. Illysa Kossoff – I will to you every heart to heart. Thank you
for always having an open ear and a shoulder to cry on. Your compassion for others is beautiful and I know that you will greatly
impact so many people in your lifetime. Paili Bachrach, Fiona Miller, and Abby Lapins – You three are hysterical and I love
you guys so much. I will to you my sister’s sweet sixteen full of laughter, love, and surprises. Allison Wexler – I will to you
your beautiful talent that makes me cry. Please never ever stop singing or playing guitar. Your talent cannot go to waste. I’ll be
sure to visit you in Los Angeles one day. Thank you to the adults: Jennifer Rosenblum – You don’t know that you’re in my
will and I don’t think you actually ever did NFTY, but you deserve to be included. Thank you for truly being one of my biggest
inspirations in my youth group career. Constantly having someone to talk to about it at school motivated me to succeed in
school and in my Judaism, and I could not be more grateful to have stumbled upon you as my Earth Science student teacher
sophomore year. Thank you thank you thank you. Allisa and Kevin Horwitz – Mom and Dad, you are two people I really need
to thank for my success in NFTY. Thank you for helping me out with everything and for always being there to vent to. I could
not have done this all without you. I promise I’ll come home to visit you guys next year and I’ll try to remember to text you
when I get home safe. Logibear (Mom) Zinman – Honestly I’ve thanked you so many times this year but that still doesn’t
describe how much I appreciate your help this year. Thank you for dealing with me late at night when I’m crabby and dealing
with the app…and early in the morning when I’m still dealing with the app. Without you, NFTY-Chicago would be nothing, so
I guess I have you to thank for changing my life. My parents – Thank you for supporting me on this crazy journey and for
paying for everything and for driving me to and from camp multiple times this year. I love you!