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Elysa (Jacobs) Blumenthal grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, only a few towns away from her husband, Rafi, who she met a few decades later! She went to Dartmouth College and then moved to New York to pursue a career in children’s publishing. She worked at Scholastic and then McGraw-Hill before deciding it was time to go back to her true original calling: teaching children to read. Elysa received a Master’s degree from Bank Street in 2008 and then married Rafi a few months later.

Elysa taught first grade at several schools, including 8 years at the Ramaz Lower School in Manhattan. She is currently working at her dream job at the Gateway School as a learning specialist, supporting students with language-based learning disabilities. Helping neurodiverse children, especially those with dyslexia and ADHD, has become Elysa’s personal and professional passion. Elysa and Rafi have two amazing children, twelve-year-old Jacob and ten-year-old Max.

Elysa and Rafi first learned about ACI’s presence online and started attending Tot Shabbat services regularly with Jacob and Max. Elysa noted that ACI seemed like a perfect place for her boys to socialize with other Jewish children in Astoria and learn about Judaism in fun and engaging ways. As time went on, Elysa began volunteering to help with some of the family programming offered at the Center, including volunteering at and eventually chairing the annual Hannukah and Purim Parties. Elysa leveraged her background in secular and Jewish education to create dynamic, entertaining, and educational events for families in the community. Elysa is grateful to her parents, Ralph and Marsha, who generously sponsored many of these events. Rafi, Jacob, and Max always supported Elysa’s efforts at the Center, helping at events by running the concession table, organizing games, and distributing prizes.

After a few years, Eric Black encouraged Elysa to join the Board of Trustees. She served as a Board member for 7 years and held a variety of roles, including Recording Secretary, Kol Nidre Chair, Fundraising Committee Member, and eventually co-Board Chair for 2020 and Board Chair 2021. During that time, Elysa also transitioned into a leadership role for the Annual Anniversary Journal, a keystone fundraising event for the Center. She feels very fortunate to have worked with Sydelle Diner z’’l and Susan Cohn on several Journals prior to the pandemic. Throughout her tenure on the Board and as Chair of various events, Elysa worked closely with Judy and Steve Markowitz, who generously shared their time and expertise about all things ACI.

As Board Chair during the COVID lockdown, Elysa worked closely with the Center’s leadership to ensure that services and programming continued in new ways, while adhering to important health and safety guidelines. Later, Elysa collaborated with the Lindenblatt family to arrange a grand retirement celebration for Cantor George that reflected his many years of service to the Center. Elysa also chaired last year’s Anniversary Journal, honoring Robin O’Hanlon and Sam Stabler. Elysa shared that she has never felt more optimistic about the Center’s future than she does now as she sees the outpouring of volunteerism and attention to social justice concerns that has exploded at the Center in the past year.