Schechter Alumni Spotlight: Hannah Taussig ’12 & Jacob Bokor ’12
When Schechter alumni Hannah Taussig ’12 and Jacob Bokor ’12 recently announced their engagement, it was exciting news for a community that has watched them grow. While their careers have unfolded in different directions, they both credit their Schechter experience with shaping their confidence, sense of community, and Jewish identity.
Hannah says she knew she wanted to be a pediatric nurse for as long as she can remember. After graduating from Chicagoland Jewish High School, now Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, she attended Michigan State University and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in Tampa. She worked as a pediatric oncology bedside nurse for several years before discovering a job posting for a school nurse at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School.
“I knew it would be such a special experience to return to a Jewish school and re-immerse myself in the day school community that I have always valued,” she says.
Looking back, Hannah notes that Schechter helped prepare her for high school and beyond. “I felt like I had a solid foundation of knowledge and experiences that helped me balance the highs and lows of high school. I love the community that I was a part of at Schechter and I felt like that only grew when I went to high school.”
After Schechter, Jacob attended Deerfield High School before going on to the University of Colorado Boulder, where he earned a degree in International Relations. He began his career in sales at a tech startup, gaining experience in the software world before moving into his current role as an Account Manager at Grubhub. In this role, he works with businesses that use the platform for team meals and catering.
“I love getting to work with great people on my team and helping make people’s days a little easier,” he says.
For Jacob, one of the lasting lessons from Schechter has been the importance of community. “Schechter provided me with an understanding of the importance of Jewish community. As I went through high school and college I began to connect to Judaism in new ways but I also began to see why people value the community aspect so much.”
He adds, “Over the years I have come to appreciate how the Schechter community brings a sense of familiarity that makes the world feel a little smaller. Every time I see a former classmate or teacher, I feel an immediate connection and the ability to pick back up where we left off, regardless of how close we were or when we last saw each other.”
Although they both attended Schechter, Hannah and Jacob were never especially close during their school years. They shared many of the same friends but did not spend much time together. That changed three years ago when they reconnected on Hinge. On their first date, they quickly found themselves swapping Schechter stories, laughing about shared memories, and comparing notes on the classmates and teachers still part of their lives.
Now living in Lincoln Park, Hannah and Jacob are busy planning their wedding and enjoying this stage of life together. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys spending time with their dog Moose, cooking new recipes, exploring new coffee shops, and being with family, while Jacob enjoys playing golf, going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends. It is a full and happy time as they look ahead to what comes next.
