In her remarks, Shira stated, “On my board of review, I was asked, starting scouting so late, do you feel you missed a lot of experiences? The answer is yes, but I am beyond grateful for the memories and experiences that I know last a lifetime. Rebecca presented Grimaldi her mentor pin and Shira presented Evan Gilder with hers. It’s been a pleasure watching you not just the hard work, but watching the joy that you infuse into every situation, being with your friends or family and it’s a joy to be your mom.”īoth girls were awarded Eagle badges and their parents received Eagle pins. She added,”You put your heart and soul into this, learned to be part of a team, lead a team, plan projects and organize. She added that Shira’s Eagle Scout project had a late start, after she graduated high school, in her gap year in Israel, navigating a very different cultural mentality about her project, “6000 miles and seven time zones away from her mentors.” Camping trips were only as far as the Grimaldi’s backyard.”ĭina called BSA’s four-month COVID extension to complete Eagle their silver lining. Weekly meetings became remote and easier to attend. This was 2020 and COVID happened no meetings, no camping trips it really seemed impossible. #Shiira project full#It also wasn’t easy to find other girls in Orthodox communities interested in hiking, camping and animals.”ĭina continued, “You already had long, busy, full days and compressed time to get it done and all those trips to Westchester. Mazel tov.”ĭina Kornblau began, “An Eagle Scout negotiates a winding path, but you had several additional complicating factors. Your feisty and resilient attitude provides inspiration and will take you far in life. Paula added, “With guidance, you figured out the necessary steps to fulfill your dream. Given your advanced age, when females were permitted to join, BSA regulations only afforded 24 months to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Achieving the rank of Eagle Scout presents complexities for all scouts, but you had a hurdle to conquer which was not applicable to the boys. Rebecca and Shira, you are pioneers, trailblazers and role models becoming the first female Eagle Scouts in the greater Hudson Valley. However, I didn’t fully realize its significance until I attended this Court of Honor. I thought it’s a more remarkable accomplishment than when your brother Daniel became an Eagle Scout. Rebecca’s mother, Paula Gilder, remarked, “I’m extremely proud and honored to be here today. On Monday, Rebecca’s name was displayed honoring her on the Westchester County Center’s outdoor message. Rebecca and Shira were presented with citations and awards from Northeast Region Jewish Committee on Scouting Chairman Phil Sternberg, Art Adelman, mid-Westchester Elks Lodge #535, Eric Lousi and Mike Smith of the Greater Hudson Valley Council Scouts BSA and the Office of George Latimer, Westchester County Executive. Shira, who attended Central, joined their crew in 2019, when females were allowed to form BSA troops. “Rebecca wanted everything that she saw boys doing in Boy Scouts.” She joined the Adventure Scouts, BSA’s co-ed option, without the merit badges. She did everything she could: archery, horseback riding, camping, hiking, shooting and building fires. Rebecca, who attended Ma’ayanot High School, started as a Girl Scout because that’s all that was available at that time. Grimaldi detailed the usual six-year process, from middle school until turning 18, an exceptional achievement for anyone, but these young women had a much narrower timeframe. Grimaldi then described the “Eagle Trail,” the steps to advance in rank, ultimately earning the rank of Eagle. He highlighted common foundations of Scouts’ Law and traditions in Jewish law. Rabbi Barry Kornblau (Young Israel of Hollis Hills-Windsor Park) gave the invocation as a proud father of one of two outstanding and accomplished Troop 5613 members. Miriam Grimaldi, hosted the event at New Rochelle’s Congregation Anshe Shalom. Westchester’s scouting community recently participated in an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony for Rebecca Gilder and Shira Kornblau, Westchester’s first female Eagle Scouts.
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