Dovid Tzvi and Shani Jacobs are relative newcomers to the Five Towns and Chabad communities, but they and their children have been welcomed with open arms and hearts by the Wolowiks and the Chabad family. The warmth of the Gan Chamesh preschool has made their children feel right at home, and they are proud to be honored as Parents of the Year.
Dovid Tzvi was born and raised in Queens, attended Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway, then spent two years in Israel at Yeshiva Bais Yisroel. He graduated from Yeshiva University as a pre-med student. He received his M.D. from the New York University School of Medicine, and is currently a pediatrics resident at the Cohen Children's Medical Center at Long Island Jewish Hospital. In July, he will start a fellowship in Interventional Radiology, an image-guided surgical subspecialty, at Downstate Hospital in Brooklyn.
Shani grew up in Highland Park, NJ. She graduated from Bruriah High School, and spent two years learning in Yerushalayim. Upon her return from Israel, she attended Touro College, and taught elementary school students at Yeshiva Sharei Tzion in Edison, NJ. She is now a stay-at-home mom, raising their three wonderful children. Dalia (age 5), is a proud Gan Chamesh graduate and presently attends Bnot Shulamith. Atara (age 3) is a current Gan Chamesh "Yellow Room" student. Their new baby brother Eli is looking forward to starting Bagel Babies, and his upcoming graduation from Gan Chamesh in 2015.
Before moving to Woodmere, Dovid Tzvi and Shani lived in midtown Manhattan, and were actively involved in the small, close-knit Orthodox community in Murray Hill. There were many opportunities for kiruv, and the Jacobs home was always open to guests looking for a shabbos meal. Both Shani and Dovid Tzvi grew up seeing parents who were actively involved in their communities, especially with the local educational institutions. They hope to emulate their parents and instill in their own children the importance of community involvement and service.