Support for Varda Shalev

Dear Friends, Family and Community,

We are reaching out to you today to support Varda Shalev, an incredible member of our Bialik Hebrew Day School family who suddenly lost her dear husband this past week. Varda has been an integral part of our community. Varda is retiring shortly and we know the Bialik community will miss her enormously.

As the Executive Assistant to the Head of School and Executive Director, she has been at the centre of everything Bialik for nearly 26 years and is well-known, loved and respected by our entire community. She has spent many dedicated years keeping Bialik organized. With her lengthy and deep institutional memory, her fluency in Hebrew and Romanian, she made everything function more smoothly.

From producing our weekly staff newsletter, Bialiktone, to proofreading our magazine, Kol Bialik, Varda was on top of it all. She was the person who ensured that all the students' names — English and Hebrew — were letter-perfect in the Graduation program. She was the keeper of the school calendar and the person who let us know about sad and happy lifecycle events in our community.

As Varda goes into her retirement, she has been struck by the tragic loss of her dear husband, Shlomo. He faced a lengthy illness and this has taken its toll on the family and on Varda particularly. At this time, after her quarter century of service to Bialik, where she is known and loved by so many in our community, we want to express our appreciation and support for all that she has done for our school. By getting together in this Go Fund Me, we also want to help ease the financial burdens she is facing after her husband's illness and untimely passing away. All contributions will show her the impact she has made on the Bialik community and will make a meaningful difference in her life.

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and generosity.

Lisa Klein & Ronit Ossip

Past PA Chairs of Bialik Viewmount