For more than 30 years Ronnie Sebold has been involved with the Tucson Hebrew Academy. She volunteered for 22 years, held two staff positions and her three children attended THA for a total of 19 years straight. Next month THA will honor Sebold at its annual Guardian Appreciation Brunch.
“I’ve always considered THA my fourth child with all the time, effort and money spent,” Sebold told the AJP. The Sebold family funded the school’s library and half of the middle school science lab. Sebold retired on Dec. 31 after eight and a half years as director of admissions at THA, but she will continue to work as a consultant until June.
The upcoming brunch, celebrating donors who have contributed $1,000 or more, will take place on Sunday, May 4 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at THA. “Ronnie has done everything from soup to nuts at the school,” says Steve Kippur, current board chair. “She’s been on the board, chaired the education committee for 15 years and five search committees. She served as interim director of the school twice. When she retired this year, it was a no-brainer” to name her as the bunch honoree.
“Ronnie was like everybody’s bubbe,” says Nanci Levy, a THA parent and member of the event steering committee. “She was always giving all the kids a hug. We were so lucky to have her. For anybody first visiting the school they would get a very favorable impression. She was so warm, giving and loving to everyone.”
For Sebold, leaving THA is “like seeing my youngest child go off on her own. I’m very proud of THA and always will be. It’s time for me to step back and enjoy my retirement. But it’s bittersweet.”
RSVP to jdawson@thaaz.org.
