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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 28 April 2026

Created: 28 April 2026

Last Updated: 30 April 2026

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One of the most unique aspects of Scarsdale is that the village is led by volunteers and in some cases, volunteers who spend almost as much time on their community assignments as they do on their full-time jobs. Running the schools, the village, land use boards, schools committees, recreation and more involve long hours of meetings and consensus building. The decisions they make are far-reaching including funding major capital projects like the expansion of Scarsdale Schools, the replacement of the Scarsdale Pool Complex and the reimagined Scarsdale Public Library.

These efforts don’t go unnoticed or unrewarded. Each year the Scarsdale Foundation hosts their annual Scarsdale Bowl Dinner to honor extraordinary community volunteers and thank them for their work on behalf of the Village. Selecting the honorees and hosting the dinner is a time-honored tradition, and this year, as in years past, Bowl committee members – who are also volunteers – put on a joyous and expertly produced event to recognize Bowl winner Terri Simon and Spotlight Award Winner, the Scarsdale Historical Society, at Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club in Mamaroneck on Thursday night April 23, 2026.

The evening began with photos and cocktails on an outdoor deck overlooking Long Island Sound. Guests sipped signature Greenacres Refresher mocktails [a nod to Simon, a former Greenacres PTA President] and Scarsdale Old Fashioneds in recognition of the Scarsdale Historical Society. Amongst the guests were former Bowl winners, members of the Scarsdale Foundation and Scarsdale leaders with representatives from the Village Board, School Board, Village Manager’s office, state legislators, business leaders, family members, friends from far and wide and even our Congressman.

Once seated for dinner, the room was greeted by 2026 Bowl Chair – and former Scarsdale School President – Pam Fuehrer who reminded the room that funds raised by the Foundation are awarded to Scarsdale college and postgraduate students to help them underwrite their education and realize their dreams.

Then the room was treated to a few songs from The Scarsdale High School a capella group For Good Measure and had the room moving and grooving to their rendition of Billy Joel’s, “For the Longest Time.”

After giving a shout out to the dinners’ sponsors, including Champion Sponsor, The Eye Gallery, she turned the mic over to Seema Jaggi, the Foundation’s President.

Jaggi said, “What really stands out about Scarsdale is the people. There’s a real sense of community here—a willingness to show up for one another—and the Foundation is one of the ways we do that. For more than 100 years, the Scarsdale Foundation has quietly supported local families and students facing financial challenges. Each year, we meet students with big goals and real needs, and we take the time to understand each situation so we can respond thoughtfully and meaningfully. Last year alone, we were able to help 48 students with nearly $230,000 in scholarships. We may not be able to do everything, but we know that what we do can truly change the trajectory of a student’s life and open doors that might otherwise have been closed.”

Presenting the Spotlight Award, Fuehrer said, “The Bowl Committee is happy to present the Scarsdale Foundation’s 2026 Spotlight Award to a dedicated, all-volunteer organization that has redefined historic preservation, creating cohesion and a "sense of place" through a multi-faceted and innovative journey, the Scarsdale Historical Society….Thank you to the Scarsdale Historical Society, for changing the way people think about the past by making history accessible, relevant, and meaningfully woven into everyday life.”

President of the Scarsdale Historical Society Randy Guggenheimer accepted the award, explaining that the sale of the former Scarsdale Historical Society Museum on Post Road allowed the group to follow a new vision. He said, “We pivoted into the information age,” producing documentary films about Scarsdale history with Lesley Topping, digitizing more than 75 years of the Scarsdale Inquirer, hosting lectures about Scarsdale history and most recently producing a Podcast series called Scartales. He gave a shout out to Associate Village Historian Leslie Chang for hosting their social media and said the group also gives grants to other Scarsdale organizations. Lori Rothman then came up front to auction off a walking tour of Scarsdale with Village Historian Jordan Copeland which proved to be much in demand.

Announcing the 2026 Scarsdale Bowl recipient, Fuehrer said, “The Scarsdale Bowl is awarded annually to a resident whose unselfish volunteer service and leadership have profoundly enriched the civic welfare of our village. Throughout three decades of volunteerism, Terri’s impact spans foundational pillars of Scarsdale life: Educational Excellence, Library Modernization, Compassionate Advocacy, and Strategic Leadership. As many of us here know, her compassion and warmth, willingness to listen, professionalism, and a tireless work ethic have helped steer multiple boards and committees through significant challenges. Her guidance by example makes her an inspiring mentor to many.”

Simon looked thrilled to accept the silver bowl from Fuehrer saying “I am so, so honored to be included in the roster of extraordinary volunteers who have received this recognition – a group I have always admired – and I am most grateful.”

Congratulating the Scarsdale Historical Society she noted, “One fun fact I learned from your digitized Scarsdale Inquirers: the first owner of our house, Manvel Whittemore, a 1930s Mayor, was himself awarded the Scarsdale Bowl in 1948. Who knew? Maybe there’s something in the water!”

She continued, “Among the best aspects of volunteering in Scarsdale is the pervasive spirit of “unselfishness” that the Foundation collectively honors by the Bowl award. In the business world, as we all know, ambition or self-aggrandizement are common motivating forces. That is not the norm in the Scarsdale volunteer world.”

“Rather, we see, our local institutions thrive best when our shared and dominant goal is to sustain a wonderful community, doing important institutional work, yes, but more fundamentally weaving a fabric of warm, mutually-respectful relationships between all kinds of neighbors. Tackle the challenges, do the work – but remember to be a mensch. THAT’s what promotes the civic welfare of the community and nurtures us all.”

She traced her volunteer trajectory to Kathy Steves who recruited her to be Greenacres PTA President saying, “Here I am this evening – after decades of other volunteer roles that might not have come my way without that first phone call.”

She gave a callout to continue the volunteer trajectory saying “You just never know who will turn out to become a wonderful volunteer – unless you ask. So keep identifying younger residents, newcomers, and others who have not YET been involved – and think creatively about ways to mobilize their talents and enthusiasm, including bite-sized projects that can accommodate the many demands on their time. When asked, many of those folks will happily engage, with predictable ripple effects for us all.”

And to those in the room, she encouraged wider participation. “I hope you will each find some time to volunteer in the larger community beyond the bubble that is Scarsdale. If you bring your talents along with your compassion, warm respect for all kinds of other people, and a healthy dose of humility, you can help the world become a better place and you will appreciate, even further, our own great good fortune.”

A relatively new tradition at the Bowl dinner are video tributes to the honorees. Rather than long speeches from colleagues, friends and family members, the Bowl Committee produced videos about Simon and the Scarsdale Historical Society that were both amusing and enlightening. They served to offer credit to the awardees for all they have done – but also provide some comic relief.

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The annual Scarsdale Bowl dinner, held on April 23 at Mamaroneck Beach Club, was a tremendous success.

On behalf of the 2026 Scarsdale Bowl Committee, I want to thank everyone who supported and attended the Bowl Dinner this year. The energy in the room was high as we celebrated 2026 Bowl Award winner Terri Simon and the Scarsdale Historical Society, the 2026 Spotlight Award recipient.

I especially want to thank our thirteen corporate sponsors, including our Champion Sponsor, the Eye Gallery of Scarsdale, along with House of Flowers, Landsberg Jewelers, Wilson & Son Jewelers, The Laura Miller Team at Houlihan Lawrence, Scarsdale Improvement Corporation, Cum Laude Group, The Scarsdale Office of Houlihan Lawrence, The Angela Retelny Team at Compass, Andi Schreiber Photography, Yvonne's Team at Arwen Nicolas Inc., The Randi Culang Team at Compass, and Mark Nadler at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices NYP. Your generosity allowed us to present the evening’s program.

The Scarsdale Bowl and Spotlight Awards honor the spirit of volunteerism that makes Scarsdale so special. The Bowl Dinner brings together volunteers and reminds us of how fortunate we are to be living and working together in our village. The evening is always open to all Scarsdale residents and we hope those of you who could not be there this year will join us next year. It's a special event.

All photos by Andi Schreiber: Order yours here. Photo gallery password: Bowl2026.

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 22 April 2026

Created: 22 April 2026

Last Updated: 22 April 2026

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Jeffery Huang, Sean Ma, Dylan Pai, Kaito Tsukamoto, Jack Reis, Charlie Robertson, Emmett Klingsberg, Nathan Appleman, Chris Strovink and Mark Ma.
As the weather took an unexpected turn from summer back to winter, we attended a home match of the Scarsdale Varsity Boy’s Tennis team on Monday April 21, 2026. The cold temps and strong winds did not seem to faze the players.

Coach Jennifer Roane explained that the team was in a tough league with rivals like Horace Greeley and John Jay, but doing well. On Monday Scarsdale hosted longtime rivals from Mamaroneck who have traditionally boasted a strong squad. This year was no different, and absent two of their lead players, Scarsdale who was 6-0 for the season, lost their first match narrowly, 4 to 3 to the Tigers.

Senior Jack ReisHowever, there was great tennis on display on the courts.

Playing first singles was senior Jack Reis. With powerful deep balls to the base line he didn’t miss a shot and finished the match 6-0, 6-0 in no time. Rated #60 nationally and second in the NYS High School Tennis rankings he trains at John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Lake Isle, where he added, he will be doing his senior options as well. He is undefeated this season and said that he truly enjoys playing. He is headed to Amherst in the fall, where he was recruited to play tennis.

Another wonder to watch was freshman Ethan Goh, playing second singles. He usually plays doubles with Kaito Tsukamoto, but with two players out that day the line-up shifted and Goh and Tsukamoto were playing second and third singles. Though only in his first year on the team at SHS, Goh had lots of confidence. Using his slice forehand, he defeated his opponent in two sets, 6-0, 6-3.

Kaito Tsukamoto, a sophomore fought hard in third singles, winning the first set 6-2, losing the second 5-7 and narrowly losing the tie breaker 10-7.

Playing first doubles, Junior Charlie Robertson and Mark Ha dominated their match. Robertson had the advantage of height and used his wingspan to cut many shots off at the net. They also scored a two set win, 6-4, 6-1.

Tenth graders Emmet Klingsberg and Nathan Appleman fought hard in second doubles. They played a long match, trailing in the first set, but narrowing the loss to 6-4. Mamaroneck also won the second set 6-4. It was the Scarsdale duo’s first loss this season.

Freshman Ethan GohFreshman Sean Ma and Jeffry Huang teamed up in third doubles. They split sets and sadly lost a third set tiebreaker 10-8.

Next match is away at Horace Greeley on Thursday April 23, 2026.

Sophomore Nathan Appleman

 Charlie Robertson and Mark Ha

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 18 April 2026

Created: 18 April 2026

Last Updated: 18 April 2026

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Rabbis Blake and Buchdahl in ConversationCantor, Rabbi and now NY Times best-selling author Angela Buchdahl was greeted by over 500 followers for a discussion with Rabbi Jonathan Blake about her new book – and her life – on Wednesday April 15, 2026 at Westchester Reform Temple.

Though her book is titled “Heart of a Stranger,” she is no stranger to WRT in Scarsdale where she started working as a sophomore in college as a song leader, eventually rising to the role of the synagogue’s first female Senior Rabbi before moving on to become a cantor at Central Synagogue for eight years and to her current role as their first female – and Korean-American -- Senior Rabbi for the past twelve years.

Concluding a two-month sabbatical and 45 stop book tour, Buchdahl appeared to be as happy to return to Scarsdale as her many fans were to see her in person.

The full title of the book is “Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity and Belonging,” and Buchdahl described her journey to the congregation saying, “I was born in South Korea – and I was bi-racial. Even little kids would say “you don’t look like most Koreans.”” And it was no better in Tacoma Washington where the family moved when she was six years old. “The Americans thought I was Korean – and the Korean’s thought I was American.” Tacoma had a tiny Jewish community with only three Jews in her high school, the second being her sister.

The offspring of a Korean mother and a Jewish father, even when she went to study in Israel she was not accepted. She said she was so crushed when her roommate in Israel told her she was not really Jewish, that she decided to “lean in and become a Rabbi.”

When she eventually moved to Scarsdale, she says it was “like Jewish nirvana – I couldn’t believe that all the supermarkets had kosher for Passover food. And public school was off on Yom Kippur.”

In addition to serving at one of the world’s most prominent synagogues, Buchdahl raised three children during her tenure. How did she manage it all?

She found the answer in her faith. She said, “Shabbat saved my Jewish life. We started celebrating Shabbat every Saturday afternoon with a group of like-minded families who we met at our children’s Jewish day school. None of us had any other plans. There was nothing we could do until the sun went down. The kids played games and we sat and talked. That was the saving grace of our Jewish family.” She also stressed the importance of friendships, adding, “I have a crew of female friends that are my brain trust.”

Moving from the past to the present, Blake asked Buchdahl to share her views about Judaism and politics: He said, “How should we respond when people tell us they don’t want their rabbis talking politics?”

Buchdahl was clear with her response. She said, “We provide comfort and we also provide words to create a better world. My expertise is Judaism – not politics – but with integrity we want to present Jewish ways of seeing something and how they might impact the way we make decisions. Judaism has never had one titular head like the Pope. There have always been factions of Jews. There are always a few ways of being Jewish. We are blessedly idealogically diverse. It makes me reconsider opinions over and over again. I present both sides – the minority opinion as well.”

Quoting the title of a recent article in The New Yorker, Blake asked Buchdahl, “Are synagogues coming apart at the seams about Israel?”

Again Buchdahl had a calming, rationale and reassuring response. She said, “You’re seeing extreme emotions over this. It has never been harder to talk about Israel and I did not want to lose people in my community over Israel. But I don’t think our community is falling apart at the seams….We are a spiritual community and we are still taking care of each other. We see each other as good human beings. We have to be decent to each other. We are serving something higher – bigger than ourselves. When we pray together and sing, when we lift our voices, when we help someone who is ill, the kindness transcends Israel – and disagreement. We can keep our caring community at the core.”

Describing the role of the clergy she said, “We are in the business of spiritual transcendence – the awe business. …. If I want people to feel something – the quickest way is to sing to them.”

And that’s how she ended her visit. Buchdahl awed the room with a beautiful solo rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” accompanied by her guitar – and was then joined by Rabbi Blake and Rabbi Kleinman for a harmonious performance.

Rabbi Buchdahl with the WRT clergy, Rabbi Blake, Rabbi Platcow, Cantor Kleinman and Cantor Sonett-Assor

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Written by: Joanne Wallenstein

Published: 06 April 2026

Created: 06 April 2026

Last Updated: 06 April 2026

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The following was submitted by Pam Fuehrer, Chair of the 2026 Scarsdale Bowl Committee

The Scarsdale Foundation’s 2026 Bowl Committee invites the community to attend the Scarsdale Foundation Bowl Dinner on the evening of Thursday, April 23 at Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club. The dinner will honor Terri Simon for her years of extraordinary volunteerism. In addition, the Scarsdale Historical Society will be recognized for its ongoing and innovative work in bringing together Village residents to celebrate our rich history.

The Bowl Dinner is more than a celebration; it is a vital moment for our community to come together to support the Scarsdale Foundation's mission. By honoring the extraordinary impact of volunteers like Terri Simon and the trustees of the Scarsdale Historical Society, you can show your support for the Foundation’s provision of need-based scholarships for Scarsdale students in their sophomore, junior and senior years of college.

In addition to the scholarships, the Scarsdale Foundation provides grants to select community organizations in order to help bolster and support the community’s overall well-being and pays for Village day camp tuition for children who wouldn't otherwise be able to attend due to their families’ financial hardship.

The Bowl Dinner brings together volunteers from across Scarsdale organizations and communities. Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour with musical entertainment, three open bars, a full dinner including a buffet and table desserts. Valet parking (with pre-paid tips) allows for ease of arrival and departure. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on an array of raffle items from our many generous sponsors. Most significantly, we will share tributes and join together with a toast to Terri and the Scarsdale Historical Society!

Since 1943, the Scarsdale Bowl Award has served as the village’s highest honor, representing a storied legacy of civic devotion and community spirit. We look forward to celebrating with you again this year.

For more information, to purchase tickets, or to become an event sponsor, click here.

Warmly,
Pam Fuehrer - 2026 Bowl Committee Chair