Allison and Alan met at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel, where they bonded over their mutual love of calculus (yes, really). After a “short” seven-year courtship, they married in 2000, living first in Manhattan and then moving to New Rochelle and joining Beth El shortly before their daughter, Naomi, was born in 2007. Joshua arrived four years later, completing the Kellman crew.

 

Allison grew up in New Rochelle.  Her family belonged to Temple Israel of New Rochelle, where she attended religious school and became a Bat Mitzvah. She attended New Rochelle High School and spent summers at music camp. After graduating from Penn with a major in Biology and a minor in Math (of course), she attended the Yale University School of Medicine, graduating in 2001.  Allison did her residency in pediatrics at the NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital/Columbia, and then worked in pediatric practices in Westchester until Joshua arrived.

 

Alan grew up on Long Island and attended the Shelter Rock Jewish Center.  He attended North Shore Hebrew Academy through eighth grade and the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC) for high school. Alan graduated from Penn’s School of Engineering with a degree in Systems Engineering in 1996.  After earning a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1999, Alan combined his passions for law and technology and joined the patent litigation group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. In 2010, Alan became a founding partner of the patent trial firm, Desmarais LLP.

 

Naomi and Joshua are proud graduates of Beth El’s Nursery School and Day Camp, and now attend The Leffell School (formerly Schechter Westchester), where Allison is a Co-President of the Parent-Teacher Organization.

 

Allison served on the Nursery School Board for several years and participated in the Day Camp Task Force and Camp Board, as well as the Youth Services Committee. More recently, Allison participated in the Vision Action Team, has co-chaired several iterations of the Beth El Kallah retreat (mark your calendars - the Kallah is back June 17-19 at Ramah Berkshires), and is currently involved in the Membership Committee. Alan has served as Haftarah coordinator, a member of the Ritual and Clergy-Search committees, a member of the Gabbai working group, chair of the Sanctuary Committee, lead of the High Holiday Task Force, and a member of the livestreaming team.  But Alan’s true passion is encouraging active congregant participation in services through Beth El’s Torah Reading Initiative, which offers everyone – from experienced to first-time readers – the opportunity to read from the Torah.

 

Volunteering at Beth El is a true family affair, as Naomi has taken an active role coordinating teen services and reading Torah, and Joshua has joined the tech team, helping work the cameras for Beth El’s ever-growing Shoresh HaLev musical events.

 

Allison and Alan are honored to receive the President’s Ne’emanim Service Award, and are thrilled to be recognized alongside their good friend, Mark Silver. Beth El is a second home to the Kellman family, and every staff member, clergy member, and congregant is part of our mishpacha. The entire family is grateful to be a part of this amazing community.