Chani (Fromowitz) Kotkes was born in New York and grew up in Flatbush / Boro Park where she attended Beis Yaakov of Flatbush.  Her father, Rabbi Saul C. Fromowitz, had been Administrative Vice-President of Yeshivas Torah Vodaath until he moved the whole family to Eretz Yisrael to become an administrator for Rav Gustman of Yeshivas Netzach Yisrael when Chani was 13.  The family settled on Rehov Shaulzon, Har Nof, and lived there for many years until moving to Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Chani stayed in the Har Nof area even after marrying her husband, David Kotkes, originally from Lawrence, NY.  Dovid’s father, Zev William Kotkes was a Hong Kong diamond dealer and was instrumental in developing Har Nof, even becoming a real estate agent there for many years while living in Savyon.

David learned in Yeshivos Slabodka and Kol Torah and in kollel for an additional 12 years during which he received s’micha from HaRav Koolitz, zt”l, and HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu, shlita.  Since moving to Ramat Beit Shemesh to gain space and freedom for their growing family, Dovid has opened his own yeshiva for Israeli high school students in addition to supporting and assisting Chani with her real estate clients.  Chani and David have gained a reputation for their ability to identify with the needs of Charedi families and to help them find the right home in the right neighborhood and place their children in schools.  They were active in founding the Beis Yaakov HaRama school in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Dovid is expecting to open a junior high school in 2005.

Chani, never busy enough with their seven children, is a regular at the local women’s exercise club, manages a food gemach for the poor, enjoys gourmet cooking and will often invite clients for Shabbos to help them get settled and meet neighborhood families.  She also has worked as a preschool teacher and sheitl macher.