“Robed in Dignity and Strength”: The Allison Heyden Scholarship Fund

In Eishet Chayil, King Solomon’s lyrical poem, he extols the virtues of his beloved wife. Among his praises are numerous references to clothing – both his wife’s wardrobe and that which she provides for her family, who are dressed “in fine clothing” made of “fine linen and luxurious cloth.” But perhaps her greatest adornment is that “she is robed in strength and dignity, and she smiles at the future.”

Alli Heyden ‘05 was the embodiment of King Solomon’s praise. A talented and athletic High School student, Alli was known for her sparkling smile, her effervescent personality and most of all, her passion for fashion design. An up-and-coming designer, Alli’s dessert-themed senior collection put her school, Savannah College of Art and Design, on the map when it was showcased in Neimann Marcus’ Atlanta store window, featured in Cosmopolitan magazine and in the New York Times fashion magazine. Alli’s accomplishments landed her a spot in Sally Congdon-Martin’s book, Emerging Fashion Designers.

Alli’s life was tragically cut short in 2011 due to complications following a surgery. To perpetuate her memory, her parents, David and Renee Heyden, have established the Allison Heyden Scholarship Fund, a permanent fund in Beth Tfiloh’s endowment that will provide scholarship grants to BT students.

“We felt that something Jewish was needed to keep Alli’s memory alive at someplace she loved, where she loved being with her friends every day, where she made a commitment to travel to every day from Harrisburg, PA, where she loved the teachers as she did,” says David. “The perfect place to create the scholarship was at BT, to get her friends involved. Now that it’s the 10th anniversary of their graduation, it’s the right time to do something to keep her memory alive.”

Her close friend from High School, Jessica Kowitz ‘05, shares that one of Alli’s favorite experiences at BT was their senior year art class, “where we could design something of our own,” and, of course, the Weiner Basketball Tournaments. But one of Alli’s most meaningful experiences at BT was her senior trip to Poland and Israel. Although she’d previously visited Israel, “going with her friends gave it a whole different perspective,” says Renee. It was also her first visit to Auschwitz, where both of her paternal grandparents had been imprisoned.

The Heydens note that several BT graduates have followed in Alli’s footsteps, attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, and that Alli’s artistic legacy helped spark the growth of BT’s arts curriculum. “She made an impact on BT in her life, with what she accomplished. It’s important to keep that memory alive,” says Renee.

But Alli left her mark on BT, friends and family as well, even beyond her artistic contributions. She was an accomplished athlete, playing for four years on the BT Girls Soccer team, as well as winning numerous medals as a member of the Harrisburg, PA Maccabi swim team at national Maccabi competitions – she even got to meet heridol, Olympic champion Mark Spitz. Her experiences even influenced the career path of her sister, Stephanie ‘09, who chose to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Temple University after observing the interactions between Alli and her therapist.

Alli’s own career trajectory was set in motion in part by her High School history and English teacher who “gave her the backbone to find a fashion school where she’d really be happy,” says David. Her teachers describe her as a “delightful person, well-respected by faculty and students, who went on to pursue her passion in life. When her fashion design showed up in the New York Times magazine one Sunday, we felt so proud to have taught her.”

That admiration for Alli extended throughout the school. “Allison was an upbeat, beautiful, positive person who made others smile because she always smiled,” remembers Mrs. Zipora Schorr, BT’s Director of Education, with whom Alli was very close. “She lit up the room with her smile, but the external was a representation of how beautiful she was inside.”

Now, Alli’s inner beauty and outer glow will illuminate other BT students’ educational journeys. “The Allison Heyden Scholarship Fund gives other students a chance to live her legacy,” observes Jessica. “It will give them a chance to pursue and fulfill their own dreams, like Alli did.”

To make a gift to the Allison Heyden Scholarship fund please visit  www.bethtfiloh.com/donate.

To make a legacy gift, contact Mandi Miller, Director of Development, at 410-413-2399 or mmiller@btfiloh.org.