Dr. Bennett I. Solomon Community Leadership Award

 

Dr. Bennett I. Solomon (z”l) was the beloved principal of Cohen Hillel Academy (now Epstein Hillel School) for nine years, beginning in 1979. Bennett tragically died of cancer in 1987 at the young age of 36. During his short life, he made a profound impact on the entire community — family, friends, teachers, students, and parents — with his warmth, wit, vision, and love of learning and Jewish education.

Born in Philadelphia, Bennett was a 1973 graduate of Brandeis University with degrees in Judaic studies and political science. He earned master's and doctorate degrees in philosophy of education from Harvard University. Bennett and his wife, Sue Solomon Stibel, worked side by side in numerous endeavors and proudly sent their two children, Jordan and Noah, to Cohen Hillel Academy and to Cohen Hillel Hebrew High School.

During his tenure at Cohen Hillel Academy, Bennett always recognized the importance of the school’s relationship to the entire community. His vision was to create the intellectual and Jewish-based social context within which all learning should take place. Bennett used his exemplary leadership skills and charismatic personality to make significant contributions to accomplish this goal. Under Bennett’s leadership, Cohen Hillel Academy became a model among Jewish community day schools.

One of Bennett’s dreams was for the school to have its own building, and in 1986, that dream was realized when Cohen Hillel Academy moved from the basement of Temple Israel into its brand-new home on Community Road. With that move, Cohen Hillel Academy solidified its place as a leader for Jewish education on the North Shore.

In an interview shortly before his death, Bennett commented on his tenure at Cohen Hillel Academy: “What I love the most here is that my professional life and my personal life are so mingled. I watch, I teach, I lead, I play. I deal with parents, I direct teachers to exciting new adventures, I raise money, I have my family beside me. I am immersed in this school. I am blessed by being here.”

Dr. Bennett I. Solomon (z”l) was a true gift to Cohen Hillel Academy and to the entire community of the North Shore. Even today, his legacy, vision, and passion for excellence are seen by all who walk through the school’s corridors and look in the faces of our students. Bennett’s spirit and memory will live on for generations to come.