Tzerel and Daniel Goldschmiedt represent the textbook definition of a model YCQ family; growing up as YCQ students, living a life of Torah and madah, enrolling their three children at YCQ and devoting much of their lives in service of our beloved Yeshiva and the Queens Jewish community. Daniel and Tzerel both attended YCQ when the Yeshiva was located in Jamaica, Queens. They recall with much appreciation the wonderful times they had in their classes with their outstanding teachers and administration who imparted an advanced course of study in limudei kodesh, ivrit, ahavat Medinat Yisrael, Halacha, midot tovot, and a well-rounded curriculum of general studies. They fondly remember the extra curricular after school activities that further enhanced their school experience. After graduating from YCQ and its high school, Yeshiva High School of Queens, Tzerel went on to receive undergraduate and graduate Degrees from Hunter College, YU Teachers Institute, Queens College, and the Hebrew Arts School of Music and Dance. Professionally, Tzerel also performed with the Hebraica Dancers, and at Carnegie Hall and Felt Forum at the annual Israel Folk Dance Festival. Tzerel began her 28 year career at YCQ as the dance instructor in 1988, following in the footsteps of her mentor, Mrs. Joyce Mollov a”h, who handpicked her to continue the YCQ tradition of graduation performances by the students. Tzerel taught simcha and folk dancing to the Junior High School girls and choreographed and directed the dance performances of the eighth grade graduation, Yom Hashoah presentation, Israel Day parade, the annual seventh grade inter-school dance festival and the sixth grade Bat Mitzvah workshop. Tzerel always made it a point to use all her performances to imbue in the girls themes of Jewish history and hashkafa, which hopefully had a long-lasting effect on their lives. Having retired from YCQ at the end of the 2016 school year, she continues to teach the Health and First Aid curriculum at Shevach High School, where she began teaching in 1971. After graduating from Yeshiva of Central Queens in 1962, Daniel attended MTA- Yeshiva University High School for Boys and went on to City College of New York to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture. Currently, Daniel works as a professional consultant for Fortis Property Group LLC, a developer based in Brooklyn. Daniel served as a volunteer consultant for numerous projects in the Queens Jewish community, including the planning and preparation of drawings for the Kew Gardens Hills Eruv (the first eruv in Queens), Congregation Ahavas Yisroel, the Kew Gardens Hills Mikveh, and the Young Israel of Queens Valley. Daniel was also involved with the construction of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim, Mesivta Yesodei Yeshurun, Rabbinical Seminary of America, and the planning and preparation of drawings for the eruvim in Forest Hills, Hillcrest, Briarwood, and Jamaica Estates. Daniel also coordinated the design and construction of YCQ’s state-of-the-art junior high school building. He continues to serve as an architectural consultant for all YCQ facilities. The Goldschmiedts are founding members of Congregation Ahavas Yisroel, where Daniel has served as the weekday gabbai since 1990. The Goldschmiedts are proud of their children, all of whom are YCQ graduates: Eli, married to Riva Gellman who live in Woodmere, NY, Aura married to Zevi Rosenzweig who live in Toronto, Canada, and Dena, married to Jeremy Wimpfheimer who live in Neve Michael, Israel. They are also extremely proud of their many grandchildren and love spending time with them. May they be zoche to lots of bracha and hatzlacha.
dr. abe and sima ancselovics Parents of the Year
While Sima and Abe Ancselovics are the Parents of the Year of YCQ, their wonderful disposition and broad range of communal activities have earned them the admiration of both the YCQ family and the Hillcrest Jewish community. Born in Bnei Brak, Israel, Sima attended mamlachti dati elementary and high school. She participated in Sheirut Leumi as a social worker in the poor neighborhoods of Tel Aviv. Sima received her B.A. in history from Tel Aviv University and a master’s degree in education from Michlelet Orot in Tel Aviv after which she served for eight years as a teacher of special education. In 1998, Sima arrived in the United States and married her husband Abe in March 1999, after which she taught special education at Westchester Day School. With the arrival of her first son Daniel, in 2000, Sima settled into a new profession, a full-time professional mom. Binyamin came in 2001 followed by Ari in 2003. Despite the responsibilities of motherhood, Sima has always found time to engage in Torah study, a love of which she developed from her father awwung. She has been a top scorer in the International Adult Chidon HaTanach. She studies the Daf from taped shiurim of prominent rabbanim. She herself gives shiurim on parshat hashavua and Pirkei Avot at the Young Israel of Hillcrest and at other venues. She also hosts the weekly Tehillim group at her home. Sima is active in the YCQ PTO in many capacities: class mother, PTO representative to the Board of Trustees, a key volunteer in the Chanukah Boutique, Book Fair, third grade Melava Malka, graduation, and Siddur and Chumash plays. None of Sima’s accomplishments would be possible without the warm and loyal support of her husband Abe who gives his attention to the boys and joins them at the Father-Son Sunday Morning Learning Program. In his unassuming way, he plays a vital role in this unique partnership. Abe grew up in Boro Park, Brooklyn. He studied at the Etz Chaim Yeshiva, graduated from Rambam elementary school followed by high school at BTA-Yeshiva University High School for Boys Brooklyn. He attended Yeshiva College and graduated from Touro College. Receiving his dental education at New York University, he pursued advanced training in endodontics. His specialty practice in endodontics is currently located in Brooklyn. Dr. Ancselovics has volunteered to treat underprivileged children in Israel at the Trudy Berger Clinic in Jerusalem, that helps many disadvantaged children from all backgrounds. Following Hurricane Katrina, he went to New Orleans on a volunteer mission to provide emergency dental care to destitute victims of the storm. Yeshiva of Central Queens is proud to present the Parents of the Year award to Dr. Abe and Sima Ancselovics whose remarkable devotion to their family, our Yeshiva, and the community, have made them exceptional role models for which they merit our warmest esteem and appreciation. May they continue to see much nachat from their sons.
mrs. janet koenigsberg educator award
It is not often that grown-ups attribute much of their advanced education and success in life to their preschool experience and those who made it happen. Morah Janet Koenigsberg stands out as one whose vivid and exciting impressions have remained with her students throughout their formative years and beyond. Growing up in Brooklyn, Janet attended Yeshiva of Flatbush and the Bialik School. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stern College of Yeshiva University and a Masters degree in early childhood education from Adelphi University. Janet took her professional education, inborn talent and creativity, her love for children and love for Hashem, and succeeded in imbuing in her children a passion for Torah Judaism and for general studies as well. Many children still treasure the arts and crafts projects and the yearbooks they made in Morah Janet’s class. Just like a mom watches her children grow up, Morah Janet has derived much pleasure and nachat watching the youngsters run and jump, read and write, and discover, each at their own pace. This is what has made Morah Janet a master educator for the past 34 years, the last 17 of which she has spent with us at YCQ. May she and her husband Marvin have much nachat from their daughter Aliza Cohen and her husband Shai, who live in Eilat, Israel with their three children, and their son, Eli, and his wife Raiza who live in Brooklyn. Mazal tov.