SAN DIEGO — Sooner or later, many schools will learn of an alumna who made it big. For example, Patrick Henry High School in San Diego boasts as one of its graduates the actress Annette Bening. Westmount High School in Westmount, Quebec, claims U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as a 1981 graduate. And Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School now can brag about Tova Winick, Class of 2013.
Okay, Tova isn’t a household name yet, but there has been quite a buzz about her ever since she was pictured in late October in the uniform of an officer of the Israel Defense Forces giving a briefing on the workings of the Iron Dome missile defense system to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper accompanied by Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
It was Gantz who posted a photo of the meeting on his Facebook account, along with the comment, “Three years ago Tova Winick left her home in San Diego with a one-way ticket: IDF. She found a home in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in the Gaza Envelope, and today I was proud when she stood by me, as commander of the Iron Dome, to present to the American Secretary of Defense the capabilities and importance of the system … Tova, I’m proud of you. You are a great example of Zionism.”
High praise indeed.
But then this Facebook message came from her father, Daniel Winick: “As Tova Winick’s father, I can say that I too am incredibly proud! Israel is so lucky to have such an amazing young woman working for her security. Tova has inspired me to make Aliyah and I look forward to joining her very soon!”
You might say that is even higher praise.
Daniel Winick’s message prompted Gantz, who in a power sharing agreement is supposed to succeed Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister, to write to Tova’s father: “Daniel, you are rightly proud, you have a truly wonderful daughter. I look forward to meeting you here in Israel too.”
Tova has been an accomplished speaker and briefer since her days at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School. She was selected at the Orthodox Jewish school’s celebration of its 50th anniversary to say a few words about her experience as a student there.
Tova not only can receive praise; she knows how to give it. San Diego Jewish World reported the following on that occasion:
“Tova Winick, a second generation Hebrew Day school student, whose mother Claire also was a graduate, represented the Class of 2013 which next week will travel to Israel on the school’s traditional trip for graduating 8th graders.
She said unlike Korach, the rebel who unsuccessfully challenged Moses’ authority, students at Hebrew Day School learn “that we can create our own paths within the context of the tradition of those who came before us.”
Having attended three other schools, Winick said she felt she “belonged” at Hebrew Day School on the very first day she attended. “Every student here is treated on an individual basis,” she said. “Hebrew Day is surrounded in such a warm and welcoming environment, it’s impossible to walk into the building without receiving a ‘good morning’ or ‘how are you?’ If you’re having a bad day, you don’t have to go through the entire day feeling miserable because there’s always someone there you can talk to.”
Addressing the faculty and administration of the school, she added, “I don’t know how you do it but I do know that this is an extremely special school and I one hundred percent guarantee that you won’t find another one like it.”
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
Congratulations to to a and her dad Daniel winick
We all should be very proud of Tova, and the many, many others who have grown up in San Diego and now live big Jewish lives, each on their own chosen path. Our community makes a huge investment in Jewish education each year – parents paying tuition, donors making contributions – recognizing that only through meaningful and inspiring study of Torah will the next generation feel connected to world Jewry and inspired to carry forward distinctive Jewish living. It is important to take stock of our successes, and to celebrate them. Thank you Don Harrison for doing so.