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Abby Pezzner and Gabrielle “Gaby” Schneider have served TVT for decades, and today they also know the school as grandparents. We honor their years of care for our students and families, while celebrating the grandparents across our community who help carry a love of Jewish learning from one generation to the next.
How did your TVT story begin?
Abby: I moved to Irvine from Pennsylvania in the summer of 1997 without knowing anyone—or even knowing there was a school named Tarbut V’Torah. My neighbor, Julie Rubin, had children enrolled at TVT and encouraged me to apply because the school was growing quickly. I interviewed and taught a demonstration lesson in the spring of 1998, and that fall, I began what would become nearly three decades at TVT.
Gaby: Twenty-five years ago, I was working at the JCC when one of my colleagues referred me to the principal at the time for a position as the Assistant to the Principal. Little did I know that this opportunity would mark the beginning of a 25-year journey at TVT—one that I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful to have experienced.
What is one TVT moment that has stayed with you?
Abby: When my twin nephew and niece moved here from New Jersey in 2021, Maya, my niece, played on the TVT volleyball team that won a CIF Southern Section Championship. TVT really showed up as we sent a bus full of students to the out-of-town game and at least a hundred families travelled to cheer on the Lady Lions. The game went to the full 5 sets and we won at the very last point. Our TVT fans flew out of the stands and onto the gym floor to jump around and congratulate all the girls. My nephew, Jake, was on the winning basketball and volleyball teams where the gym was packed and TVT showed up to cheer the teams on to celebrate their volleyball league championships and their basketball CIF Southern Section semi-final championship game. You feel such a sense of pride and camaraderie with the TVT community sitting together and cheering on the TVT team.
Gaby: Papa Gelman was kind, thoughtful, and a true gentleman. I loved making him a cup of coffee and sharing a few moments of conversation. He made time for people and had a wonderful way of making everyone feel valued and cared for. I especially remember how much he loved giving Hershey's Kisses to the little ones. It was a simple gesture that reflected the kindness and generosity that came so naturally to him.
Why do you believe it is important to invest in TVT's future?
Abby: Investing in TVT means investing in our students and in the kind of community we want them to grow up in. As a teacher, I have seen firsthand how much a strong, supportive school community can shape a student's confidence, character, and sense of belonging. I want TVT to continue to be a place where students and their families feel known, supported, challenged, and encouraged to become the best versions of themselves. Investing in TVT's future allows us to build on what makes this community so special while creating even more opportunities for our students and the generations who will come after them. My granddaughter, Laelle, is a second grader here at TVT, and her 3-year-old sister, Simone, will join her in a couple of years, continuing the new generation of TVT Lions.
Gaby: It is important to invest in TVT's future to ensure that we continue to provide the very best education for our children while carrying forward the values and vision that Papa Gelman held so deeply. In doing so, we keep his light shining - not only through the school he dreamed of creating, but through every child whose life is touched by the love, learning, and community he helped make possible.
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