Corey Hirsch
(Co-Chair)

Corey’s involvement with the PBI dates back to when Paul wanted an “intern” (read: personal servant) who would follow him around, laugh at his jokes, and be the subject of blame from old board members forgetting to straighten goal posts or bring the bleachers closer to the field. Corey stepped onto the
football field in 2013 as a newly minted (...JTS...) Columbia man. That day was one for the books as Henry “speedster” Baron got a total of three yards (what a champ) and Robbie “Shore” won some sort of award for running the same route every play. At that moment, Corey knew they had to be on the
future Board of Directors. Then came 2014, where Corey actually did something on the defensive line and won the “Hogs” award (I think this is some sort of Redskins reference). There he watched “Bryan” Shorr blow some critical calls as he was watching the Macy’s Day Parade on the sideline and knew that he had another member for the Board. 2015 and 2016 blew by and Corey started realizing he was winning too many awards as a D-lineman and O-lineman not to help the PBI in some way. After finding his fourth and final board member Jeremy Schooler in 2017 (look, I owed Aaron something for dealing with my constant kvetching over the years), Corey found his opportunity to revitalize the PBI after all the old board members realized that their bones were weak, they had families who actually cared about them, and that waking up at 9am was just too much for their busy work lives. Corey and the Board are here to piece together a fantastic, young, exciting, fully staffed PBI 2019.* So, hold onto your tzitzit and get ready for a roaring Thanksgiving Day.

HENRY BARON (Co-Chair)

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ROBBIE SHORR (Treasurer)

​Known for his sports goggles more than his football skills, Robbie’s involvement with the PBI dates back to his days as a referee. The treatment he received from the players was so poor that he decided he wanted to continue that tradition and participate as a player himself one day. Robbie has been able to achieve that goal, making sure to berate the poor high school volunteer referees in order to boost his fragile masculinity. Robbie’s involvement in the football aspects of the day have increased with each
year, as last year he even touched the ball! This is perhaps not surprising, as Robbie’s sole participation in JDS varsity athletics was as the student manager and statistician on the Lions’ Varsity Baseball team. Though, it is worth mentioning, Robbie was twice elected to the PVAC all-star game as statistician, mainly because all the other team statisticians had better things to do with their Sundays as seventeen-year-olds. Though he didn’t earn a D1 scholarship for his prowess, Robbie had a great time at Wash U in St. Louis, where he became the only person ever to pair a degree in chemistry with a degree in Jewish studies. Robbie loved JDS so much (read: was so desperate) that he came back to work there, teaching middle school math and coaching softball. Everyone asks him if it’s hard to call his former teachers by their first name, but we all know he’s been calling Paul by his first name since day one of 8th grade.

JEREMY SCHOOLER
​(Co-Chief of Recruiting)

Jeremy Schooler’s athletic career began in BCC Baseball coach pitch while attending MCPS elementary school, and continued with a new and far less athletic team comprised of multiple Jacobs and Joshes once he switched to JDS in 3rd grade. It continued with 10 years of competitive hockey, including three on the JDS varsity team (yes, JDS had a hockey team) and as a member of the JDS baseball team from 7th grade through high school. Although he attended the PBI for many years to watch his two older brothers play, Jeremy didn't truly understand the widespread, um, "affection" for Paul until he was fortunate enough to take Paul's Jewish Theology and Jewish Life Cycles classes in 9th and 10th grade with fellow future PBI board member Brian Shorr. Whether it was when Paul would pass out assignments that had the current semester scribbled over some date in the late '90s, or when he would remember exactly zero students names after three months of class, Jeremy finally understood why Paul J. Blank was such a legend. Even when Paul caught Jeremy, Brian and a few other friends ordering late night 3 a.m. pizza to their hotel room on the 10th grade Shabbaton at the Baltimore Harbor, causing them to get multiple Sunday morning detentions, or when he found out they had skipped his class to watch afternoon NCAA Tournament games, the love for JDS's most quirky teacher never faded. Once Jeremy graduated, and spent the greatest three months of his life on the JDS Israel trip, he decided to go right back to Israel for a gap year program. After returning from the Holy Land, he enrolled at Penn State University, where he is currently a junior studying broadcast journalism and business (while taking a few Jewish Studies Gen Ed courses, where his $250,000 JDS education is only able to earn an A-). For Jeremy, the PBI is special not just because it is the only competitive athletic event he plays each year, but it provides an opportunity to go back to a place each year where so many amazing childhood memories were created, and so many good times were had with best friends he remains close with to this day.

BRIAN SHORR (Co-Chief of Recruiting)

Though not nearly as good looking as his older brother Robbie, Brian has decided to not disregard and throw away his father’s $500,000 payment to JDS and is now doing something useful with his life as he is currently a Junior at New York University pursuing a degree in Economics and Business. However, many doubted Brian’s intellectual capacity and academic abilities which was why he remained in ‘Structured English’ until his graduation in 2016. Like his brother, Brian’s PBI involvement also began with reffing games as both a junior and senior in high school - this was done solely to garner some extra credit from Paul after Brian got caught reusing an As a Driven Leaf essay from  2007. However, unlike his brother, he actually played sports (was the captain of both the JV and Varsity boys basketball team) as opposed to living vicariously through others due to vision impairment. Upon graduating high school and beginning college, Brian took a gap year of religious study and learned in Yeshiva in Israel. As a result, according to many of his close peers and classmates, he is no longer the same Brian who got suspended for asking a teacher about her reproductive system. All in all, this is Brian’s 5th year with the PBI, two as a ref and three as a player. To Brian, the PBI represents more than a backyard football game. Instead, it's an opportunity to return to the very same field in which he would hang out with his 7th grade sweetheart after 2:18 dismissal on short fridays. ​