Dr. Dana (pronounced DAH-na) and Ian (pronounced Yudi) Fishkin have made an indelible mark on our community since moving to New Rochelle in 2014.  This super-talented and accomplished couple are exemplars of applying their skills and dedicating their time on behalf of the tzibbur.

Dana and Yudi are real-life high school sweethearts, having met at Dana’s family’s Shabbos table in Chicago when Yudi was in eleventh grade at the Skokie Yeshiva and Dana was a sophomore at the Ida Crown Jewish Academy.  Following stints in Far Rockaway, the Upper West Side and then Riverdale, the Fishkins moved to their current home on Oxford Road.

Dana serves on the undergraduate and graduate faculties at Touro University, is an adjunct instructor at NYU, and is a faculty member for the Wexner Heritage Program, with a concentration in Medieval Jewish History.  Not only is Dana a frequent lecturer at academic conferences and an author of numerous scholarly articles, but her first book, Bridging Worlds: Poetry and Philosophy in the Works of Immanuel of Rome, is being released this June (and can be pre-ordered on Amazon!).

Dana has utilized this passion for Jewish education and her familiarity with the Jewish academic scene for the benefit of our community.  She has been involved with YINR’s highly successful Women’s Initiative for Jewish Studies (WIJS) since its inception, and presently serves as co-director of the program.  Dana also co-chairs our Adult Education Committee, working to identify and arrange for participants in our scholars-in-residence program.  Dana also has personally educated us, as a WIJS presenter and as a speaker at our Shavuot and Hoshana Rabba learning programs.  But Dana’s contributions to the shul do not stop there.  She has served on the Board of Trustees, as well as on a Nominating Committee and the Shiva Committee, and has co-chaired our annual Graduation Kiddush.  Dana also regularly volunteers through the Chessed Committee by preparing meals for community families, and has run our Post-Pesach food drive.

Yudi, a lawyer by training, is Counsel and Senior Vice President at HJ Development, an owner and developer of commercial real estate and luxury residential projects in New York.  Yudi also has an eye for art, and serves as an Executive Board Member of The Center for Figurative Painting, a museum/gallery in Manhattan featuring Post-War American Representational painting. 

Yudi’s familiarity with construction and building systems has proven invaluable to YINR. With Richard Wolff at the helm and Josh Rawson providing critical insight, Yudi successfully found his place amongst them and helped oversee the construction process for the shul’s Terrace Project.  For many years Yudi has been responsible for managing 1228 North Avenue, which houses the shul’s Sephardic minyan, the New Rochelle Mikvah and the Alef-Bet School, and until earlier this year was Assistant House Chair.  Most recently, Yudi has begun the process of taking on the role of House Chair, a role held by his mentors Richard and Josh, with responsibilities for the upkeep and maintenance of our beautiful shul building and the rest of YINR’s real estate portfolio.  Yudi has graciously made available to the shul his network of commercial building maintenance professionals, which often has resulted in savings to the shul--it is fairly common for a shul invoice relating to building matters to note the price followed by the ”Mr. Ian Fishkin discount.” Finally, Yudi heads a shul committee which has the challenging task of evaluating our current and future space needs and potential growth opportunities.

Dana and Yudi’s commitment to the broader community extends beyond YINR.  They are actively involved with Footsteps (which provides educational, vocational, and social support to individuals who want to expand their horizons beyond the Haredi or Hasidic community they have been raised in), Masbia Soup Kitchen, and the Hope Kosher Pantry of New Rochelle.  They have also assisted with programming at SAR—Dana (not surprisingly) as a volunteer parent-teacher, and Yudi as co-chair of the school’s very successful MetLife Stadium event several years ago.

Dana and Yudi grew up in homes led by parents who exemplified the importance of community, and who inspired Dana and Yudi to have the dedication to k’lal work.  (In fact, Yudi’s late father, Reuven Fishkin a”h, was a multiple-term shul president.)  This middah has fluidly passed to the next generation.

The Fishkin home in New Rochelle is synonymous with openness and Hachnassat Orchim.  Stop by the Fishkins on any Shabbat afternoon and you are bound to find a house and backyard filled with children of many ages, delicious food, an incredible bottle of red wine, and engaging conversation.

Dana and Yudi are blessed with five wonderful children—Reuven (19), an aspiring entrepreneur, Sydney (16), Coby (13), and twins Gabriel and Liam (9).  They also operate a zoo at their home which currently houses one dog, four birds and twenty-five goldfish (rescued from YINR Purim carnivals).

We are proud to count Dana and Yudi among our close friends and are looking forward, along with the entire YINR community, to recognizing them as this year’s Guests of Honor.  Mazal Tov!

Shira and Andrew Wurzburger