STAMFORD – Rabbi Shimmy Trencher has been appointed principal of the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy-Upper School, it was announced recently by the school’s President David Pikoff and Head of School Jacqueline Herman. 

A native of West Hartford, Trencher previously served as principal of the Rabbi Moshe H. Levinson Upper School Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland. 

“Rabbi Trencher’s administrative and teaching experience coupled with his extensive student engagement programming make him an outstanding choice for the Upper School Principal at BCHA,” said Herman. “Rabbi Trencher is passionate and dedicated to bringing out the best in each student. I look forward to welcoming him to our dynamic faculty and staff.”

Although he will officially come on board at BCHA this summer, according to Herman, Trencher will spend time in the Stamford Jewish community this spring to become acquainted with students, parents, faculty and prospective families. 

As BCHA Upper School principal, Trencher replaces Rabbi Elisha Paul, who recently announced that he will leave the Stamford high school this summer to become head of school of a Jewish day school located in the south. 

“We are truly grateful to Rabbi Paul for his dedicated leadership of our high school, for his warmth and kindness and for all he has done and meant to our students and families these past four years,” wrote Pitkoff and Herman in a letter to the BCHA school community.

A graduate of the Bess and Paul Hebrew Academy in Bloomfield, he received a bachelors degree in computer science from Yeshiva University and a masters in social work from the University of Connecticut. 

Rabbi Trencher’s extensive experience in Jewish education and Jewish teen engagement includes serving as assistant regional director of the New England region NCSY, the youth group of the Modern Orthodox movement, and as dean of students at the Hebrew High School of New England in West Hartford. 

“Rabbi Trencher combines an energy and enthusiasm with strong pedagogic and leadership skills,” wrote Pitkoff and Herman in their letter. “Throughout the search process he stood out as the candidate who immediately connected with our students and parents. We look forward to welcoming Rabbi Trencher and his family to our school and community this summer.”

Rabbi Trencher and his wife Stacey are the parents of two college-age daughters and a son who will be an 11th grader at Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy-Upper School this fall.

CAP: Rabbi Shimmy Trencher