Danielle and Steven SpitzerKallat v’Hatan Torah (bride and bridegroom of the Torah)
Danielle and Steven Spitzer have been members of Temple Israel for over 10 years. Steven grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and Danielle grew up in Lynbrook, both crediting their parents for providing them with a Jewish upbringing and encouraging strong Jewish identities. Danielle and Steven are now instilling that in their daughter, Haley, who attends the Temple Israel Religious School.
Kallat v’Hatan Beresheet (bride and bridegroom of Genesis)
Shiphra and Bobby Bakhchi have been members of Temple Israel of Great Neck for the past 16 years. Bobby is a member of the Board of Trustees and the chair of the Israel Affairs Committee, overseeing robust programming and educational programs about Israel. Bobby grew up in Cold Spring Harbor. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Hofstra University, then earned a J.D. from Hofstra Law School. He is currently the president of Hybrid Capital, Inc., a real estate finance and development firm. Shiphra grew up in Great Neck. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s degree from New York University. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. She is currently practicing as a clinical psychologist in New York City. Shiphra and Bobby have three children. Their eldest son, Isaac, is a sophomore at Great Neck North High School. Their daughter, Celine, and their son, Jacob, fraternal twins, are in sixth grade. The are both looking forward to leading services on the bima for their b’nai mitzvah in September 2027. Shiphra and Bobby, along with their families, are looking forward to continuing to be a part of the leadership endeavors at Temple Israel.
Susan and Dr. Dennis BrusteinKallah v’Hatan Maftir (chant the Haftarah from the Book of Joshua)
Susan and Dennis Brustein have been members of Temple Israel—a place they call their spiritual home “and so much more”—for forty-one years. Even before they moved to Great Neck in November 1984, they had already become members, enrolling their son, Evan, in Beth HaGan, and their daughter, Andrea, in the Aleph class of the religious school. Parental study groups led by Rabbi Marim Charry helped them forge friendships and sparked their ongoing search for Jewish enrichment. Friendships were formed and deepened from their connection to the synagogue as have their connections with Rabbi Stecker, Rabbi Schweber and Hazzan Shamash. Susan and Dennis speak about how participation in Shabbat and Yom Tov celebrations continues to add meaning to their lives. Over the years, they have remained engaged both intellectually and socially, taking advantage of the many opportunities Temple Israel has offered, including two twoyear programs—Total Torah and Meah—and two courses presented at Temple Israel by Rabbi Neil Gillman. After celebrating two b’nai mitzvot, a wedding (Andrea and Michael), an auf ruf (Evan and Rachel) and being blessed with five amazing grandchildren (Renata, Alex, Gideon, Samantha and Joshua), they refer to Temple Israel as their true home. Susan, who is currently a VP on the Executive Committee has served on the Board of Trustees or Executive Committee under several Temple Israel presidents, originally serving in the early 1990s. Dennis has been actively involved in the Men’s Club over the years and continues to participate in many synagogue activities. A professional educator, Susan started her career as a Chemistry teacher before becoming an Assistant Principal supervising Math, Science and Technology at Townsend Harris High School, a role she held for 26 years before retiring. Dennis is a retired dermatologist who currently mentors new dermatology residents as a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU Langone Medical Center.
