Jack and Arlene Stahl have been leaders on the North Shore for more than six decades. They were both raised in Lynn, MA, where the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore was pivotal to their childhood experiences. In fact, it was at the JCC where they first met each other as teenagers and also met many of their lifelong friends.

Growing up, Jack was an exceptional athlete and was captain of the Lynn Classical High School basketball team. He eventually secured a four-year basketball scholarship to Suffolk University and was later inducted to the Suffolk University Hall of Fame. After earning his business degree and serving in the Navy, Jack and his childhood friend Arnie Kline co-founded Boston Traders, a successful clothing company based in Lynn. Jack stayed with the company until he sold the business in 1995.

Arlene moved to California after high school and worked for MCA and William Morris, two of the biggest talent agencies at that time. When she returned to Massachusetts, she volunteered with ORT America, and then had an exciting and varied career path. She worked in the Harcus Krakow art gallery in Boston in the late seventies; she had a candy/gift business called The Chocolate Strawberry in Swampscott in the eighties; and along with friends, she opened two restaurants in the nineties: On The Park in the South End, and Hooch and Holly’s in Ogunquit, ME. Arlene also assisted in designing the women’s line at Boston Traders.

Married since 1962, Jack and Arlene Stahl have committed themselves to numerous community organizations. The JCC continues to be like a second home to them and a place for many of their volunteer and philanthropic endeavors. Jack was President of the JCC from 2000-2002, was pivotal in several endowment campaigns, received the Man of Honor award in 2006, and was the 1999 recipient of the Samuel S. Stahl Community Service Award, an award named in memory of Jack’s beloved cousin Sam. Arlene championed all of these efforts and co-chaired several of the JCC’s Showhouse fundraisers. Jack and Arlene were benefactors of the Stahl/Kline Activities Wing and the Stahl/Kline Outdoor Pool, and in 2011, they were honored along with Arnold and Maria Kline at the JCC’s 100th anniversary celebration.

Jack and Arlene have been active members of Temple Emanu-El in Marblehead for almost 60 years. They also have been dedicated supporters of Epstein Hillel School, engaging in many EHS events over the years— particularly when their granddaughter Olivia Stahl Schuller ‘21 attended the school. They have volunteered as Grandfriends, an intergenerational mentorship program that pairs seniors with EHS first grade students.

“We are honored to be this year’s recipients for Epstein Hillel’s Dr. Bennett I. Solomon Community Leadership Award,” said the Stahls. “We have loved participating in Epstein Hillel School’s programs over the years and watching the school flourish under Amy’s leadership. It was joyful for us to see Olivia come home from school every day and share the creative projects and learning opportunities that she had at EHS. We are proud of the school’s continued impact on its students and the community.”

Born and raised on the North Shore, Susan Stahl has been an integral part of the Epstein Hillel Community since 2012, when her daughter Olivia began kindergarten. Throughout the years, Susan has contributed to many committees, including Gala, Governance, and Marketing, demonstrating her commitment to fostering a thriving and vibrant school community. She is excited to return to the EHS board after a two-year hiatus and is eager to continue supporting the school’s mission and growth.

Susan is a licensed psychologist practicing in Massachusetts and New York, with a doctorate in Clinical Health Psychology from Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Her diverse background includes a successful career in marketing and merchandising within the fashion industry before pivoting to her current profession, driven by a dedication to mental health and well-being.

Susan and her family are deeply rooted in the North Shore where her daughter, parents, sister, and brother enjoy lifelong strong community connections. Susan looks forward to leveraging her professional expertise and community engagement to support the ongoing excellence of Epstein Hillel.