When Karen Shamir met her soon to be husband, Ian Marks, she knew she wanted to have children and live in Randolph to be close to the Hebrew Academy of Morris County.

“There is such a familial, warm feeling to the school. I knew that was what I wanted for my kids,” said Karen Marks, whose daughter Madison participated in the Mommy and Me program last year and started in the 2s class in the fall.

Karen is more familiar with the HAMC environment than you might think. She attended HAMC from kindergarten through 8th grade, graduating in 1989.

“To me it was a no-brainer,” Karen explained. “Beyond a good education, I wanted to instill the good Jewish values and Jewish knowledge that were taught to me when I was here.

“I feel like the highest compliment I could ever give the Hebrew Academy of Morris County is to send my children here,” Karen said.

Karen and her sister, Elaine, grew up in Randolph with their parents, Ruth and the late Mordechai Shamir. After graduating from HAMC, Karen attended The Frisch School, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from American University’s Washington College of Law.

When she visited HAMC before enrolling Madison, she heard voices coming from the auditorium of children singing Hebrew songs. “It brought tears to my eyes. On one hand, it was like looking into the future to see what my children will become. On the other, it brought back some wonderful childhood memories and memories of my father, who passed away four years ago.”

Karen was struck by how many things are different at HAMC and also how many are the same.

“Now it is a lot bigger than it was then,” Karen said, pointing out that the sanctuary was added after her time. “We used to pray on the stage in the gym,” and that a wing of classrooms was added in the back. “Many things are still the same, though. Mrs. Rubin is still here, Mrs. Granik and Mrs. Brandt. It is still familiar.”

School has been in session for less than a month, but Karen is already shepping nachas.

“It was only Madison’s first week at school and she came home singing a song about an uga (cake). At first I thought it was just coincidence, but the weekly email from the school said they were singing a song about cake.

“The following week she came home singing ‘lashevet, lakum’ and standing and sitting at the right times. I love that she comes home using Hebrew words and singing Hebrew songs.”

On a recent morning, Karen watched her daughter taking in the other kids arriving for school while her 10-month-old son, Mason, tasted some of the trucks. It appeared that the whole family was enjoying HAMC!