Brandeis Magazine

Jason Ensler is executive producer of “The Passage,” a drama series that airs on Fox. He also directed its pilot. He previously executive-produced and directed “The Exorcist” for Fox TV. He’s directed episodes of “The Newsroom,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Sirens,” as well as several pilots for NBC, Fox and The CW. He lives in Telluride, Colorado. Matt Garelik, who is married to Karen (Straus), writes, “Networking with other Brandeisians all the way out here in sunny Southern California for both business and social occasions has always been useful and fun. Having visited the campus recently, the amazing continued growth and evolution of our bold institution is heartening. Thanks to all who participate in its vitality.” Jodi Lazar Hall and her husband, Doug, made a longtime dream come true in 2017 when they opened a bicycle shop, Bike Therapy, in Morgan Hill, a small town in central California, where they live with their two children, ages 8 and 10. The Halls organize rides and events for the community. Jennifer Kahn lives with her three children in North Andover, Massachusetts. She recently earned a master’s in education and teaches biology at Lawrence High School. Steven Rabitz has joined law firm Dechert as a distinguished partner in its employee benefits and executive compensation group. Working in the New York office, Steven focuses his practice on the fiduciary responsibility, prohibited transaction and funding rules of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and related tax-code provisions. Janine (Berko­witz) Schipper is a professor of sociology at Northern Arizona University, where she focuses on environmental sociology and contemplative studies. She is the co-author of “Teaching With Compassion: An Educator’s Oath to Teach From the Heart” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018) and the author of “Disappearing Desert: The Growth of Phoenix and the Culture of Sprawl” (University of Oklahoma Press, 2008). Janine is a guest teacher at the Flagstaff Insight Meditation Community, facilitating workshops on compassion and mindfulness practices. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, with her husband and three “wild, beautiful” children. Elena (Lenna) Scott, P’22, is finishing a master’s in counseling psychology and addictions, and is excited to be the parent of a first-year Brandeis student. Susie Tanchel, PhD’06, in 2018 was one of three recipients of the Covenant Award, which honors those who have made a significant impact on Jewish life through innovative educational practices and models. Susie is the head of the Jewish Community Day School in Watertown, Massachusetts. Scott Tobin is a general partner at Battery Ventures, where he leads investments in Israel, the U.S. and Europe. Upon making aliyah, he spearheaded the firm’s expansion into the Jewish State, the Middle East and Europe. Scott also serves on the board of Maoz, an organization aiming to accelerate the impact of Israel’s top public-sector leaders. He has been ranked as one of the world’s top venture capitalists on the Forbes Midas List and received the Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Award in 2016 for entrepreneurship and technology.

SYNCHRONICITY: Robin Goldstein Hammer ’92, Stacey Bleaman Hammer ’94 and husband Alexander Hammer ’95, and Samara Robbins Bober ’95 by chance were on the same tour of Israel this summer. Stacey and Alex’s son, Oliver, and Samara’s son, Ethan, both became b’nai mitzvah at Masada.