BLOOMFIELD – Eileen and Bernie Weinberg of West Hartford and Elana and Ofer Doron of Simsbury will be honored at the Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy Kindness Gala Fundraising Dinner, to be held Tuesday, April 24, 5:30 p.m., at Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford. The dinner, which will include a silent auction, will focus on the theme of chesed – acts of loving kindness that students at the Modern Orthodox school are encouraged to perform.

Eileen and Bernie Weinberg will receive the Hebrew Academy Star Award. Longtime active members of the Young Israel of West Hartford, the couple has been actively involved in the West Hartford Jewish community for four decades. Bernie, an aerospace engineer, is a past board member of the Hebrew Academy and assumed leadership roles in NCSY, the Modern Orthodox youth movement. Eileen served for many years as a Hebrew Academy teacher in the lower grades and worked hard to cultivate new families to the school from across the entire spectrum of Jewish observance. With an eye towards the future growth of West Hartford’s Jewish community, she was later involved in the founding of the Hebrew High School of New England and served on its board for many years.

The Weinbergs are the parents of three grown children, Noam, P’nina, and Dena, who are all Hebrew Academy alum and are Jewish education professionals.

Elana and Ofer Doron will receive the Academy’s Young Leadership Award. The Dorons have been part of the Hebrew Academy family since 1998, when their oldest son, Eli’el, entered the school’s early childhood program. Elana, a business consultant with Optum, a division of UnitedHealthcare, has served a total of 16 years on the school’s Executive Board, including a two-year stint as the school’s first female president (2012–2014). Avid bakers, the couple have used their skill in the kitchen to raise funds for the school. Most recently, they helped their daughter Elianna with her bat mitzvah project by baking countless cookies and granola bars that were then sold. The $2,300 raised was used to enhance the library at the Hebrew Academy.

In addition to Elianna, who will graduate from the Academy in June, Elana and Ofer, who is a partner with Dental Associates in Farmington, are the parents of Hebrew Academy alum Eli’el and Matan.

The gala award dinner will include cocktails, a buffet dinner and a silent auction.

For more information visit sigelacademy.org/2018dinner/.

CAP: Eileen and Bernie Weinberg; Elana and Ofer Doron