Here is the class news update that will appear in the alumni newsletter:

The Class of 1997 had a reunion last year, over the weekend of Thanksgiving 2002. About 30 members of the class came out and everyone was doing well. We have at least a couple of almost lawyers, including Josh Block, at least two almost doctors, including Mati Friehling and Adam Friedlander, at least one almost dentist, including Jessica Exelbert, and one full fledged Rabbi, in Rabbi Gedaliah (Justin) Walls. Two other already professionals are Josh Young, who is a nurse in Washington, D.C., and Roni Enten, who is working as a naturopathic nutritionist / dietician in Miami. Adam Kavalier, Zak Stutman, and Matt Pickar are all pursuing PhDs (in Biology, Psychology and Theater, respectively), and both Mike Goldstein and Rachel Becker are heading up programs of Jewish Education. Jennifer Shaloff is currently a U.S. diplomat in Macedonia, which is probably the coolest job ever – take that class of 1993! Dan Saks was in a great band called Little-t and One Track Mike at last report, and Ronen Landa is currently getting famous in NYC, or at least trying to…give him at least another month. Ronit Ridberg is living in Massachusetts, working for an educational film company, and, according to Friendster, now goes by Roro, which is a name that I believe she stole from my great aunt…Roro.

As to class of 1997ers who have sold themselves into marriage, we have (or no longer have) Vida Yahzdi, Gedalia Walls, Karen Pressman, and Jessica Epstein, at least! (Those are the only ones we know about for sure, so we’ll leave out the unconfirmed reports this time around). We also have a few class members who are engaged, but, again, I will leave those out until they e-mail me to confirm – I don’t want to jinx anyone!

Also, mazal tov to Gedaliah Walls on the birth of Yocheved Nechama – his second daughter! His older daughter is Golda Ilana. Keep 'em coming!

That’s all the confirmed news we have for now, but keep an eye on the class website (http://www.jdsalumni.org/JDS-1997/) for more as soon as people send it in! I have a feeling about what some other people are doing now, but didn’t want to mangle descriptions this time around – next time, if I haven’t heard from you yet, I will just make stuff up based on what I heard at the reunion…for example – I think Mark Epstien is hunting endangered species in the Congo, and Dina Epstein is running for Prime Minister of Israel (there – we got all the Epsteieieinses)…

If you have updates, pictures, or anything interesting at all, let me know at adamf@alumni.princeton.edu, or e-mail Jessica Exelbert at jexel001@umaryland.edu (we’re in this together!) We hope everyone is doing well!

-Adam