Randi Jacobson - 2024

A native of Massapequa, N.Y., Randi graduated from SUNY Binghamton with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and from Cornell University with a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Labor Relations. She began her professional career as an Employee Relations Supervisor for Alcoa in Lancaster in 1981. She met her husband, Bill, in 1983 and together, built a life that includes two children and a successful optometric practice. She and Bill are happily retired, having sold Jacobson Eyecare in 2022. She is the proud mother of Dan, a filmmaker, and Jessie, an event planner, as well as the dog-mom to Muffin, Jake and Charlie.
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Volunteerism has also been at the core of who she is. Randi is the past president of the local chapter of Women’s American ORT, Women of Shaarai Shomayim and Congregation Shaarai Shomayim. She is a member of Chavrai Zamir, Shaarai’s volunteer choir, and fills in for both Rabbi Paskoff and Cantorial Soloist Steve Dropkin when needed. She is often called on for any projects that involve cooking, including meals for Crispus Attucks, Interfaith dinners and meals for Mitzvah Day. Her two latest projects – supporting organizational change at Shaarai and co-leading the Church World Service Welcome team for a new Syrian family along with Risa Paskoff – have been equally challenging and rewarding. When not at Shaarai or taking one of her seven Syrian “children” to the dentist, she loves spending time with family and friends, reading, playing Mah Jongg and enjoying musical theatre. She and Bill are looking forward to traveling more now that they are retired.