CESJDS Athletic Hall of Fame

Rachel led the Girls Varsity Cross Country and Track teams to multiple PVAC Championship Titles (XC: 1998, 1999, 2000). She broke the PVAC records for the 800, 1600, and 3200 meter races and was named PVAC Most Valuable Runner for four straight years. Rachel earned local recognition as the Montgomery Journal 2000 Runner of the Year, All-Gazette Team (1999, 2000), and All-Met Second Team (2000), and was named CESJDS Senior Student-Athlete of the Year (2000). After graduating, Rachel ran for Tufts Varsity Cross Country and Track teams, earning the Most Valuable Freshman award.

Gabe scored over 1,800 points in his basketball career with CESJDS. He led the Varsity Basketball team to win the Championship in 2000, was selected to the All Gazette team twice, and led the county in 3 pointers his senior year. Selected as Washington Post player of the week, he averaged 27 points a game and played at the Maccabi games twice. After graduating, he played basketball at Hargrave Military Academy, joining the #1 ranked Preparatory basketball team in the nation.

Orna remembers there being no athletic teams for girls until she was in eighth grade and she was extremely excited when a girl’s basketball team was formed. She played every year from thereon and in 9th grade, she was the first girl to play on the boy’s soccer and baseball teams. Girl's softball started her junior year.  Orna is so pleased to see how many sports there are for girls now and wishes she had those opportunities. Playing basketball was a lifeline and a refuge for her during a difficult time in her life. “I loved the games, but I think even more I loved playing pickup in the gym with the boys.  Their level of play was higher than mine, but not so much that I couldn't be in the game, contribute, and learn. They always welcomed me. The rewards were making a beautiful play, getting in the zone, and a particular joy that I think only basketball players experience.” Orna went on to play varsity basketball at Bryn Mawr College and then Wesleyan College. She currently resides in Seattle, has a daughter who is a college freshman, and is an attorney working at Amazon. 

Marshall played Boys Varsity Soccer, Baseball, and Basketball, being named PVAC All-Conference in each sport. He was named CESJDS Athlete of the Year in 1992-93, helping  lead the Varsity Basketball team to back-to-back PVAC championships. He participated in two Maccabi games in 1990 and 1992 and was a member of the Junior Varsity soccer team at Tufts University. Marshall describes Coach Phil Papier as a role model, channeling his sayings and ideologies as coach for his 3 children’s soccer and baseball teams.

Jess was named multiple times to the PVAC Girls Soccer and Basketball First All-Conference Teams.  She was CESJDS “Athlete of the Year” in 1992-1993 and received the “Fitness for Life” and “Spirit of CESJDS” awards in 1994. Jess played twice on the Greater Washington soccer teams that won gold medals in the Maccabi games. At Amherst College, she was a Division III Second Team All-American in women’s ice hockey.  After college, Jess played hockey semi-professionally in a women’s league in Switzerland.

Michael played soccer, basketball, and baseball throughout middle school and high school. He led his teams to nine tournament and/or league championships throughout middle school and high school including; middle school soccer (1999, 2000), middle school basketball (2000, 2001), JV basketball (2002), varsity basketball (2003, 2004), and varsity baseball (2002). Michael was recognized as a PVAC all star for his contributions to the varsity basketball team and varsity baseball team.  His fondest memory is when his team won the PVAC basketball tournament championship in 2004, his junior year.  “The championship game that year was against Washington International School (WIS), and it was a close game until late in the 4th quarter. With just under a minute left it became clear that we would emerge victorious, and I just remember being so happy to celebrate our achievement with my teammates.” Michael currently serves as the Assistant Head of the Middle School at St. Paul's School in Baltimore, MD and feels fortunate in his role to be able to coach basketball and baseball at the middle and high school levels .

Aviva played soccer and basketball from 7th – 12th grade (and a few years of Varsity Basketball), earning Honorable Mention All-Met for soccer in 1998, PVAC All-League Team in 1995 & 1996, and was selected for the Maryland Olympic Development Team. After graduating, she played Varsity Soccer at the University of Michigan and served as the Captain of the first-ever Women's Soccer Team at the Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2005. Her favorite CESJDS memory was beating St. Andrew's to win the PVAC tournament.

Jon played Boys Varsity Basketball and Varsity Tennis (9th grade). While playing basketball, he was named First Team All-Conference, a Washington Post Performer of the Week, and an All-County Honorable Mention. In his senior year (1990-1991), Jon led the Boys Varsity Basketball team to its first regular-season title and first tournament championship.

Founding President of the PVAC, Coach Papa earned over 200 wins as Varsity Boys Basketball Coach in his time at CESJDS. Never losing a game to Hebrew Academy, he was referred to as ‘Darth Vader’ when he walked into the building. His many accomplishments include being named PVAC Coach of the Year in Basketball, starting a sports camp at Camp Maccabi, and coaching Track Star Jay Diamond and Basketball Player Gilad Simhoni. Since leaving CESJDS, Mike has served as either a Head of Upper School or Head of School at five different institutions.

As Head Coach (’87-’01), Phil’s varsity teams won a total of 6 regular season and 2 tournament championships. As Athletic Director (’91-’01), CESJDS won 25 Varsity Championships under Phil’s guidance and leadership. Coach Papier was named PVAC Coach of the Year in Varsity Basketball twice and served as League President in the PVAC for 2 terms. As part of his tenure, Phil implemented a sports medicine program, “Fitness For Life”, and hired the first athletic trainer at CESJDS.

Johanna won numerous awards for her achievements in basketball, soccer and track and field at CESJDS - including over a dozen MVP awards and seven selections to the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference all-star teams for basketball and soccer. Johanna also joined the 1,000 point club in basketball during her junior year, and was the recipient of both the Aron Marom Sobel Award and Athlete of the Year Award during her senior year. Johanna currently works as Commissioner for Call of Duty Esports // Activision Blizzard

Sam, better known as ‘Slambo’, was a first team All-star in the newly formed PVAC in both basketball and soccer. In the 1982-83 seasons, he was awarded the MVP in Varsity Soccer and Varsity Basketball, being named Male Athlete of the Year in 1983. He was the first CESJDS athlete to slam dunk in a basketball game, scoring the winning basket for the 1982-83 Yeshiva University Championship. Now a Jewish summer camp director, Sam coached and taught physical education for 20 years, including three years with CESJDS at the start of his career. He is happily married to his CESJDS sweetheart, Sharon Rosenblum ’85.

Sarit received PVAC all-league and all tournament recognition for basketball, volleyball, and softball during her sophomore, junior, and senior years. As a successful three-sport athlete, Sarit was the JDS athlete of the year for two consecutive years (1984-85 and 1985-86). She helped lead her team to regular season championships as well as tournament championships in basketball (1985) and volleyball (1984). She was a team leader who received MVP honors in basketball, volleyball, and softball. Sarit has enjoyed watching the athletics program grow at CESJDS from the time the athletes wore reversible old gym shirts with taped-on numbers to a serious program where the coaches and athletes train for hours to win championships. 
Upon graduating from CESJDS, Sarit went on to serve in the Israeli army, and for the past 24 years has worked as a police officer with Montgomery County Police, with the last 14 years as a detective and currently assigned to the Robbery section. She has received awards for Officer of the Year through Wheaton Chamber of Commerce as well as Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. Sarit is married to Russell, and is mom to Elie (z”l), Shoshana '19 and Ethan (Grade 7).

Gabi played JDS basketball and baseball, and was a member of the cross-county team.  While playing both sports Gabi was selected to the 1st team all conference in baseball his sophomore and junior season as well as 1st team all conference for basketball in his junior and senior season. He helped lead JDS teams to 5 different championships including; middle school basketball (‘00, ‘01), JV basketball (‘02), varsity basketball (‘04), and varsity baseball (‘03). Gabi also participated as a member of the Greater Washington Maccabi basketball team from 2000-2003, winning a gold medal in the 2003 DC games. 

Very respected by his teammates and coaches, Gabi recalls a highlight, “We beat Hebrew Academy in the semi-finals and Washington International School (WIS) in the finals.  I remember winning the game with close friends, in front of a big crowd (at least for us),and then Coach Littman telling everybody to go hug their parents.” Gabi is married to fellow JDS alumna Abby Dugan ‘05 and together with their children, Isaac (Kindergarten) and Judah (age 3), they reside in Potomac, Maryland.

A 2003 graduate, Joel was a key member of the cross country, track and field, and baseball programs at JDS.

In cross country, Joel was named 1st team All PVAC from 1999-2003. In 8th grade, Joel ran to a 4th place finish at the PVAC Cross Country Championships. He proceeded to win the Championships the next four years being named the PVAC’s Most Valuable Runner and All-Met Honorable Mention. He earned the Lion’s Award in Cross Country from 2000-2003 and in Track and Field from 2000-2002. He also received the Phil Papier Award in 2003.

Outside of JDS, Joel participated in the Maccabiah games in Israel where he finished 4th place in the one mile run and received a silver medal in the team half-marathon.

After graduating from CESJDS, Joel continued his athletic career at Brandeis University where he became a Division III Academic All-American in Track and Field with PRs of 4:15 in the mile, 3:57 in the 1500m, and 1:56 in the 800m. In his senior year, Joel was awarded the Charles A. Napoli Student-Athlete award for being the top student athlete in his graduating class.

Today, Joel is an assistant professor of dermatology, pathology, and biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins. He is also a physical scientist, dermatologist, and associate program director of dermatology. He and his wife, Sarah, have three children, Noah, Jacob, and Gabrielle. Joel is the coach of his son’s baseball team.

Max Smith rewrote the record books as a member of the JDS wrestling team. He competed five years as a member of the varsity wrestling team. For four years, Max served as the team captain. Twice, Max was the Freestyle State Champion, state place winner, and Greco-Roman State Champion. He won the Damascus Holiday Tournament two times. He was a MD National team member for three years. He was also named as a National All-American wrestler.

He broke the PVAC record going 103-0 with the most wins in PVAC history.

Following JDS, he became a Division I wrestler at the United States Naval Academy and is currently in the United States Military.