Our Co-Chairs

It is a true joy to serve as Spotlight co-chairs with Angelica and Joe Carliner to celebrate our honorees Ruthie and David Carliner. We have had the privilege of knowing Ruthie and David since our children were students together at Beth Tfiloh and know how extraordinary they are as people, parents, grandparents, fellow congregants and as community members.

Our journey with Beth Tfiloh began when our twins, Sara and Josh entered kindergarten and our youngest son Eric was in BT’s preschool. When we enrolled our children at Beth Tfiloh, we had no idea how much our love and appreciation for BT would grow each year. The Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School has a special gift of seamlessly blending academic excellence and rigor, sports and the arts with core Jewish values and a love of Judaism. The values our kids were learning, such as derech eretz (respect, kindness and consideration for others) and shalom bayit (peace in the home) were the same important values we prioritized in our own home. 

As a family, the school soon became an important center of our life and active involvement in the synagogue soon followed. While our children were developing their strong Jewish identities, we also found a place to nurture ours. Jill has served on various BT school and synagogue committees. Gary has served in various synagogue roles, including Chairman of Beth Tfiloh’s Board of Directors, and President of the shul.

We thank you for your help and support. With your assistance, we will be able to provide more students with the opportunity to experience and thrive at the remarkable Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School. Our future is bright under the leadership of Bracha Rutner, our new Head of School.

Todah Rabah,

Jill and Gary

Angelica ’07 & Joe ’05 Carliner

It is a true privilege for us to serve as Spotlight co-chairs and to honor Joe’s parents, Ruthie and David Carliner, whose lifelong commitment to Beth Tfiloh and to the broader Jewish community has shaped our own family in profound ways. 

Beth Tfiloh has been central to our lives for as long as we can remember. Joe is a “lifer,” having attended BT from preschool through graduation. Angelica joined BT in sixth grade and also graduated from Beth Tfiloh. Angelica’s parents chose BT after being assured by Rabbi Wohlberg that their children would be nurtured and safe here, and that promise proved true. Beth Tfiloh quickly became more than a place of learning; it became home. 

When we met (by chance, not at BT!), there was never any question where our own children would attend school. Today, Stanley, Sarina, and Louis are continuing the Carliner family’s BT journey, and we are deeply grateful for the joy of Judaism, love of Israel, and commitment to derech eretz that Beth Tfiloh instills in its students. The values our children learn each day are the very values we strive to cultivate in our own home. 

It is our great pleasure to lead Spotlight, Beth Tfiloh’s annual scholarship fundraiser, alongside Jill and Gary, and the amazing committee. We are especially mindful that more than half of BT families rely on the financial assistance made possible through this event. Supporting that mission is both a responsibility and an honor. 

Ruthie and David have long been leaders in our community, giving generously, humbly, and consistently. Their example has inspired us to follow in their footsteps and to invest in the future of Jewish life and education. 

We thank you for your partnership and generosity. Together, we ensure that Beth Tfiloh remains a place where families feel safe, inspired, and proud, and where the next generation can thrive. 

With gratitude,  

Angelica ‘07 & Joe ‘05