On May 20, Russell Edelbaum, age 9, of East Hills, traveled to Philadelphia, PA to take his Black Belt Test under the watchful eye of the renowned Karate Master, Teruyaki Okazaki, a 9th degree black belt and chief instructor for the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) for the East Coast region of the US and a member of the Japan Karate Association (JKA). He achieved this through hard work, dedication and training, along with a deep respect for his mentor, Sensei Howard Frydman, the owner of North Shore Shotokan Karate in Great Neck.

Russell began his karate training while in nursery school at the Sid Jacobson JCC and developed a strong passion for it. He continued this in their wonderful Ace Sports Program, which is given after school. All karate classes in the Ace Program are taught by North Shore Shotokan's Sensei Howard Frydman. In addition, Russell also trained at Sensei Frydman's studio.

At the present time, he continues to take karate at the JCC and, also, at the North Shore Shotokan Karate Studio. Russell is the son of Wendy and Glenn Edelbaum, grandson of Bernice and Herbert Edelbaum and Linda and Billy Nathanson, all of East Hills.