Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10
Leah Schwartz, BINA High School past president
BINA High School is thrilled to have the opportunity to honor the commitment, hard work, and dedication of Amy Brooke. From the first tenuous steps to create a Jewish girls high school where local daughters could continue their Jewish education in Tidewater without having to go away from home, it was Brooke’s passion and drive that propelled everyone forward. Five parents dared to dream the dream, but it was Brooke who put in the extra time and energy above and beyond the call of duty.
In the first four years, when her daughter, Chana, was among the first students, and BINA was in its infancy, Brooke went to the office every day as if it was her ‘real’ job. For Brooke, it was her real job. Some people define a job as the work for which they get paid. For Amy Brooke, a job is something to which you give your all, day in and day out, regardless of remuneration or appreciation. She did what she saw was needed to be done and stood her ground for what she believed in.
Approximately 20 years ago, Brooke was a face-to-face solicitor for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Although she is known to be a highly talented fundraiser, her work with BINA was about more than fundraising. BINA’s staff always knew that Brooke demanded a lot, but that she also would be there to support them in any way possible. No task was too small or unimportant for Brooke when it came to BINA.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that BINA would not exist today without all that Amy Brooke put into it. Today, she continues to serve on the school’s board.
Brooke’s commitment and successes will be celebrated on Friday, Dec. 9 at BINA’s Family Shabbos Dinner and on Saturday, Dec. 10 during an evening of dinner and cocktails.
For more information, email info@binahighschool. com, Amy Lefcoe at amyshuz@ aol.com, or Andie Pollock at 757-502-9129.