Cooperman Scholarships
by Heidi Aldes
In late spring our high school seniors are finishing their secondary school journeys and starting to look to their September college futures, and our college students are finishing up and looking forward to summer break. This spring Bet Shalom got to take part in the action by launching an exciting new initiative providing scholarships to our students enrolled/enrolling in post-secondary schools. This marks a significant milestone for the synagogue, reflecting our ongoing commitment to supporting the educational and personal development of our members.
Where did the scholarship money come from? The complete story was told in an article in last December’s Tapestry. Adam Cohen and Tom Meyers summarize it here: Clyde Cooperman's journey with Bet Shalom began nearly 40 years ago when he and his non-Jewish wife Kay found a welcoming spiritual home in our congregation. Despite his initial hesitation, Clyde, a successful businessman with a gift for engaging others, reconnected with his Jewish roots and became a devoted member. The couple, childless but deeply connected to Bet Shalom, attended services regularly and found comfort in the community, especially as Kay's health declined. Clyde's gratitude for this acceptance led to a wonderful decision: to leave a lasting legacy for the synagogue that had become like family. After Kay's passing, Clyde worked closely with Rabbi Cohen and Etz Chaim Endowment Campaign chair Tom Meyers to establish a significant gift to the Bet Shalom Endowment. Following Clyde’s death, Tom worked with the Davis family, relatives of Clyde and the executors of the Cooperman estate. They decided to allocate 25% of the gift to the Clyde & Kay Cooperman Scholarship Fund. It is designed to support educational opportunities for deserving congregants, fulfilling the family’s wish to help others pursue advanced education. The Coopermans' generous contribution ensures their memory will live on through both the Endowment’s annual operating support to Bet Shalom and scholarships which will help deserving congregants for years to come. Their testamentary gift embodies the principle of "forever giving" that Clyde so valued.
A scholarship review committee was established to ensure a fair and impartial selection evaluation process. The committee was comprised of congregants who had no direct personal connection to any applicants. The scholarships were to be awarded to our members with demonstrated need and those who embody congregational values such as commitment to their Jewish learning, connecting with people and community and/or repairing the world. The availability of the scholarships was advertised weekly in HaEtone for several months.
The review committee took great care in developing a structured and transparent process for our inaugural award cycle. Applicants were asked to submit two short essays:
1) Describing their short-term and long-term academic and career goals, and providing examples of their skills, strengths and personal qualities needed to achieve their desired goals.
2) Describing any financial and/or personal barriers impacting their educational funding or their ability to prioritize their education.
To maintain objectivity, the review committee used a scoring rubric to evaluate each anonymous applicant. The rubric assigned points based on several key factors: demonstrated need and barriers to persistence, academic and career goals, leadership/involvement, and the personal essays.
In this inaugural year of the scholarship program, every applicant was able to receive an award. This decision was rooted in the desire to support all our members who applied, recognizing their personal effort and commitment to their academic success and future goals. Each applicant received the same scholarship amount. This approach was taken to avoid creating any disparities between applicants and to ensure that all applicants were equally supported.
The scholarship review committee members look forward to year number two and will begin accepting applications in early spring. If you are interested in serving as a scholarship reviewer, please contact scholarship@betshalom.org. No prior experience or career connection is needed. The best team of reviewers has people with the most diverse experiences.