There are people who go about town and then there are the people who are all about the town. In Great Neck, few people embody that old-school sense of community and hometown pride quite like John “Motch” Motchkatvitz — teacher, mentor, volunteer — born and bred in Great Neck.
Cows, chickens & ducks, Oh my!
Ask Motch about his ties to Great Neck and he brings up, err, farm animals. Back in the day, Motch’s grandfather worked as a union carpenter on the conversion of the Walter P. Chrysler Estate into the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1942. (USMMA was officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Sept. 30, 1943).
“But he also raised several cows, chickens and ducks on his farm off Steamboat Road. If he needed extra space for storage, neighbors would let him use their barns, and he’d pay them back with eggs or chickens.”
That version of rural Great Neck — less polished, more personal — still lives vividly in Motch’s memory. A town where neighbors knew one another, where diners functioned as unofficial town halls, and where a sense of community was part of the fabric of life.
Motch appreciated such spaces. For decades, one of his favorite spots was Willie’s Luncheonette (closed in 2021), where generations of his family got ice cream beginning in the 1930s, and later, where Motchkatvitz brought his own kids.
“It was one of those places where people got to know each other no matter what you did for a living,” he said. “They even had a sandwich named after me — the ‘Motcho-Man.’”
I mean, c’mon! That one story alone tells you almost everything you need to know about John Motchkavitz.
At a time when many communities, including our own- let’s face it- feel increasingly fragmented and tribal, Motchkatvitz represents a fading but deeply needed archetype: the “community guy.”
The person who shows up, who joins things. He knows the history, remembers the people, and still believes local connections matter.
Motch as teacher and mentor
For nearly four decades in education, much of John’s work happened inside the halls of Great Neck South High School.
Ironically, he initially hesitated to teach in his hometown.
“At first I wasn’t sure about teaching in the place where I lived,” he admitted. “But after I committed to Great Neck, I thought, ‘What was I thinking? I should’ve come back years earlier.’”
Since 2006, as the department head of the business and technology department, John has been responsible for the daily operations of the high school’s business and technology programs, offering over 20 courses to approximately 1,000 students each year. John has also acted as a facilitator of Great Neck South’s participation in local and national DECA competitions, with great success.
Students gravitated toward him because he treated them like people first and pupils second. His classroom philosophy was simple: connection matters more than perfection. “If you’re a good teacher and you care about students, that’s what matters,” he says. “The small thank-you moments can be the most powerful — especially when you didn’t even realize you made an impact.”
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto
Sometimes those moments came in robotics competitions, where emotions ran high enough that he openly cried alongside students.
“I have no problem with students seeing that I’m human,” he said.
As the district-wide coordinator, Motch’s authenticity helped Great Neck South’s robotics team gain national respect and become a community engine — one that now includes engineering classes, CAD instruction, college credit programs, and more than 100 students enrolled annually. In 19 eligible seasons, Great Neck’s team has reached the Robotics World Championship 14 times.
But ask Motch what he’s most proud of, and trophies barely enter the conversation. Instead, he talks about returning alumni with their spouses and children in tow, outreach programs for younger students and bringing robotics demonstrations to the Helen Keller National Center, where visually impaired participants operate robots using Braille controllers. To him, robotics creates an even playing field. “It doesn’t care about your background, age, or experience. Everyone works toward a common goal.”
Our people make this town great
That idea — common purpose despite differences — is also how he views Great Neck itself. For generations, the peninsula’s demographics have been in constant flux.
But Motchkatvitz believes the community’s core strength remains the same—namely, the diversity of our human capital. He speaks with the wizened perspective of someone who has experienced our town from nearly every angle: as a student, teacher, coach, firefighter, historian, parent, mentor, Rotarian and lifelong resident.
Motch’s family joined the Great Neck Alert Fire Company in 1946. While still in high school, he entered the ranks himself and became a firefighter.
He served as its president (2004-07) and vice-president (2003-04). Today, he is a Life Member of the organization.
“You realize your neighbors need help and you respond,” he says simply. “That builds community.” To that end, John is also active in his church, St. Aloysius, serving as a religion teacher from 2004-2015 and as a member of Church Finance Committee since 2014.
Know thy neighbor
John acknowledges that the spirit of hometown pride is fading and the town has changed enormously over the last century.
“Gathering together used to be such an important part of life. Now a lot of us don’t even know our neighbors,” said.
Yet despite those concerns, Motchkatvitz remains optimistic that community organizations still have the power to bring people together if their leaders articulate a clear vision for the town’s future and that students are capable of bridging cultural divides.
Most of all, he believes in showing up, which may be Motch’s greatest legacy. Not the decades in the classroom. Not the championships. But showing by example that communities cannot survive on autopilot. They survive, then thrive, because of people like Motch, who bind others like super glue — one student, one club, one parade, one luncheonette conversation at a time.
We are fortunate to have such civic-minded people, like John Motchakvitz, in our midst. They deserve our praise. On June 1 at 6 p.m., there will be a retirement fundraising dinner for Motch, sponsored by the Gold Coast Rotary, at The Mariner Estate. The event is open to the public. Contact
Janet Nina Esagoff founded Esagoff Law Group PC at 100 Middle Neck Road (2017). Prior to practicing law, she designed fashions for girls and teens at Party Girl, 3A Bond Street (1997–2005). In 2021, she launched Destination: Great Neck Ltd., a 501(c)(3) dedicated to unifying and celebrating the Great Neck community. Follow @greatneckbiz on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms.
Janet Nina Esagoff Janet Nina Esagoff