Friday, June 8, 2012 THE JEWISH PRESS  Page 45 Community Currents

Yeshiva University High Schools (YUHS) held its Annual Dinner of Tribute on May 16 at Congregation Ahavath in Englewood, N.J.

(L-R) Miriam Goldberg; honoree Tan- (L-R) YU President Richard Joel, YU High Schools Board chum Cohen, YU High School for Boys facul- (L-R) YUHSG senior Lara Pieri, YUHSG Head of Chair Miriam Goldberg, and honorees Harvey and Dee- ty member; and YUHSB Head of School and School Mrs. CB Neugroschl, honoree Rabbi Zvi Lew, na Wrubel. Rosh Rabbi Michael Taubes. and Miriam Goldberg.

On Wednesday, May 9, the 3rd grade of Bais Yaakov of Boro In April, the Jossi Berger Holocaust Study Cen- Park entertained 80 Holocaust survivors at a catered luncheon ter of , established in 1987 by of courtesy of the Project Care Volunteer Services of COJO of Flat- America, held its 19th Annual Yom Hashoah Com- bush and Ezer L’Cholim Project of the Bikur Cholim of Boro memoration at Ohab Zedek Synagogue. The evening Park for Holocaust Survivors. featured a showing of “Rainbow in the Night” which chronicles the fi ght for survival of millions of during the Shoah through the eyes of a survivor.

(L-R) Cecelia Margules, co-chair of the Jossi Berg- (L-R) Doris Hirsch, co-chair of the Jos- er Holocaust Center; Rachel Bernheim, chairman of si Berger Holocaust Center, and Jo- the Raoul Wallenberg Committee; and Fran Hirm- seph Mandel, winner of an Emunah es- es, Emunah national president. say contest.

The Pittsburgher Rebbe recently visited Ye- shiva Ohr Eliyahu in Hancock Park (a sub- urb of Los Angeles) as the students completed a program focusing on recognizing Hashem’s hand in their daily lives.

Councilman David G. Greenfi eld recently visited Boro Park’s Yeshiva Imeri Yosef Spinka for its annual science fair. Approxi- mately 80 students from 4rth through 7th grades participated in the fair. Yitzchok Trebitz and Motty Altman created the winning project, demonstrating that elas- ticity can prevent water from leaking through a plastic container with holes in it.

The Munkatcher Rebbe at the yahrzeit seudah for his grandfather, the Min- chas Elazar. (Photo credit: JDN) Page 46 THE JEWISH PRESS  Friday, June 8, 2012 Community Currents

In recent news… And last week, BJX held a program at the home azine of YU’s student body. of Mr. and Mrs. Shimon Lefkowitz. Mr. Lefkowitz Other valedictorians included Anosh Moshe Za- Hundreds Spend Shabbos Together spoke about the health care industry and then re- ghi, Elana Sand, Sultana Shoshani, Jennifer Laz- At the 26th Yachad Annual Family Shabbaton, galed students with personal stories of his family’s aros, Jesse Bernstein, Avi Libman, and Yehuda held recently at the Hudson Valley Resort & Spa in escape from the Nazi threat and their principled Safi er. Kerhonkson in ’s Catskill Mountains, close Torah life in America. Rabbi Fingerer spoke at this to 800 participants gathered for a weekend that com- event as well, discussing the Torah’s view on health Puah Institute Holds bined cutting edge information in a supportive set- and healthy living. Inaugural Conference ting with fun activities for all. Visit www.thinkandcare.org or call 646-785-6845 Yachad, the flagship program of the Ortho- for more information. Last month the Puah Institute held its inaugu- dox Union’s National Jewish Council for Disabili- ral “Clinical and Torah Perspectives on Intimacy and ties (NJCD), provides social, educational and recre- Valedictorians Recognized Fertility” conference in partnership with the Depart- ational programs for individuals with learning, de- For Academic Achievements ment of Services of the Orthodox Onion (OU). The velopmental and physical disabilities, with the goal event, which drew hundreds of advocates, research- of completely incorporating them in the life of the More than 750 students from Yeshiva Univer- ers, practitioners, and policy-makers from all levels Jewish community. sity’s undergraduate schools were presented with of medicine, the rabbinate and the greater commu- The weekend featured presentations by leading their degrees at YU’s 81st commencement exercis- nity, introduced new research and evidence-based national professionals in the fi eld of special needs, es, held at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. strategies to accelerate progress in meeting the needs and leading professionals from the . on May 24. Ten received the distinction of valedic- of growing numbers of individuals coping with the A Yachad mother said, “It was a real privilege to torian, an honor that refl ects their exceptional aca- painful inability to build happy families. be able to attend the Yachad Shabbaton. For me, it demic achievement. Side by side, experienced and world-re- was a very emotional weekend but an enjoyable one. “YU taught me to take advantage of any opportu- nowned clinicians participated in interactive round- It was nice to see all Jews regardless of their level of nity,” said Yeshiva College Valedictorian Yair Saper- table discussions, describing cutting-edge innova- observance all under one roof, and speaking to one stein, of Lawrence, NY. As a chemistry major, Saper- tions in reproductive medicine and therapeutic mo- another, with one goal to be there to better the life stein founded Project START! Science, an indepen- dalities and analyzing fertility topics through the of their family member with a disability.” dently-run initiative that sends 150 YU students to prism of contemporary ethics and halacha. public schools in nearby Washington Heights to teach Among the speakers were Dr. Natan Bar-Cha- Recents Events At The science. He will attend medical school next year. ma, Dr. Sara Barris, Dr. Scott Chudnoff, Dr. Harry Jewish Xperience For Gregory Kupsin of St. Petersburg, Russia, J. Leiman, and Dr. William D. Petock. YU was more than just a center of learning. “It’s my As a result of positive feed-back from both pre- These past few weeks have been very busy for second home,” he said. “I felt so much warmth and senters and participants, executive director Lea Da- the Brooklyn Jewish Xperience (BJX), a Brooklyn so welcome here that it really is diffi cult to leave.” vidson announced plans to follow up the inaugural kiruv organization. Chana Zuckier, valedictorian of Stern College for conference with similar programs and seminars on On Lag B’Omer, Moshe and Rivky Caller host- Women’s Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Stud- the West Coast and Florida, in collaboration with ed a program in their home for students, many of ies, will continue to pursue her passion as a masters the Department of Community Services of the Or- whom had never celebrated Lag B’Omer before.They candidate in both the Biblical and Talmudic Inter- thodox Union. “We invite our friends to ‘Like’ us on were treated to dinner, a challah-baking demo and pretation and Jewish Philosophy programs at YU’s Facebook and LinkedIn, help us build families, in- a lesson in hafrashas challah, followed by a shiur on Bernard Revel Graduate School for crease the count of births (beyond the previous 1,800 the depth and beauty of Lag B’Omer by Rabbi Yitz- before moving on to a career in academic law. As an babies) and of happy parents, and facilitate the dis- chok Fingerer. Later they participated in a bonfi re undergraduate, the Monsey, NY native was editor- semination of our goals and objectives on behalf of and music. in-chief of Kol Hamevasar, the Jewish thought mag- klal yisrael on the national level,” she said.

The Leo Baeck ‘Righteous Among The Nations’ Project The Story Of Harry Schiff By Yocheved Golani At a celebration in March marking the 135th anniversary of the Chevron Yeshiva Knesses Yael Rosen, director of ATZUM’s Righteous then (she was born in 1935), Esther grew up not Yisroel/Slobodka, Rav Yosef Chevroni recount- Among the Nations Project, speaks with pride knowing much about his life. Sixty years later, she ed a remarkable story of the American Jew who about the astonishing accomplishments of a joint read his letters to his wife, Esther’s mother. Now helped move the yeshiva from Europe to Yerush- project with the Leo Baeck Education Center in living in Kiryat Tivon, Esther agreed to ATZUM’s alayim but refused help when he needed it. Haifa. Students there launched a research proj- request that she write her life’s story. The year was 1924, a time when conditions in ect on specifi c remarkable acts during World War She delved into her family’s past, a formidable Eastern Europe had become increasingly diffi cult II, focusing on the heroism of the Van Hall and prospect she’d never thought to face before. After for Jews. The years after World War I saw a sig- Boissevain families from Amsterdam. 29 pages and many hours of phone calls and let- nifi cant rise in anti-Semitism and ravaging pov- “The research project, which began in 2009,” ters, Esther learned of other heroes, in addition erty, leading Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, zt”l, Rosen explains, “culminated in a heartfelt, some- to her own family, who had saved Jews and de- to travel to America to raise funds for the yeshiva. times tearful, opening ceremony for the exhibition served honor. While he was away, the Lithuanian Parliament held May 21 at the Leo Baeck Another key figure in passed a decree that yeshiva bachurim must be Education Center in Haifa.” this research project, Hester drafted into the army. When Rav Moshe Morde- Wonder and genuine soul- Baracs, comes from a family chai was alerted of these developments, he sent a searching detective work that saved 80 Jewish chil- telegram back to the hanhala of the yeshiva: “For brought about the May 21 dren. Her relatives placed many years I have dreamed of moving the yeshiva opening ceremony for a 10- them in foster homes. Three to Eretz Yisrael; this must be a sign from heaven day exhibition entitled “The of those survivors attended that now is the right time.” The costs of moving the Light in the Darkness” held the May 21 ceremony. One talmidim and the hanhala were prohibitive, forcing at the Leo Baeck Education of them has 14 children, 110 the to reach out to Torah supporters in Center in Haifa. It made grandchildren and 39 great- America. It was that year that an American Friends for an ironic setting, as the grandchildren – a testimo- of the Yeshiva in Jerusalem was founded. school was founded as a kin- ny to the victory over Hitler. Harry Schiff, a noted businessman and phi- dergarten for German chil- Tehillim 71:9 reads “Do lanthropist, immediately joined the new U.S. dren fl eeing Nazi Germany not cast me off in the time committee, writing a check for $25,000 (the in 1938. Today, it is a fl our- Esther Grinberg of old age; do not forsake equivalent of $2,000,000 today). ishing campus with over me when my strength fails.” When Rav Yecheskel Sarna came to the U.S. 2,000 students from varied backgrounds. The message is apropos to the endeavor: Wonder in 1931 on behalf of the yeshiva, he was startled Here’s some of what transpired between the and spirituality ruled as respect for aging heroes to discover that Schiff’s entire fortune had appar- debut of the project and opening night: of the Shoah increased among Leo Baeck students. ently been wiped out in the Great Depression of Participating students learned about the big- Attendees at the opening ceremony included 1929. Rav Sarna sent a telegram to his father-in- gest bank robbery in Holland – pulled off by Wal- the Dutch Honorary Consul in Haifa, the law, Rav Moshe Mordechai Epstein, to alert him raven Van Hall who surreptitiously replaced Second Secretary for Political and Cultural Af- about Schiff’s desperate situation. Rav Epstein mounds of cash with counterfeit bills to fund the fairs of the Dutch Embassy and representatives immediately swung into action, citing the tremen- Dutch Resistance. from Beit Lohamei Haghetaot, Organization of dous hakaras hatov that the yeshiva owed him. He The teens also learned about Mies Bossevain, Immigrants from Holland, International Youth even mortgaged the yeshiva’s building in Yerush- a woman who was a key fi gure in the resistance, Award, and ATZUM. alayim, enabling him to come up with $5,000. and an aunt of Esther Grinberg (formerly Hes- Leo Baeck educators and students stood proud- But when Rav Sarna presented the funds to ter Boissevain). Esther is a resident of who ly among them. There wasn’t a dry eye in the Schiff, Schiff broke down in tears. “Everything arrived in 1961 at age 26, converted to Judaism, house. Every heart beat as one. was taken from me,” he said, “leaving me with and married a Jew. Yocheved Golani is the author of “It’s MY Cri- one possession: the money I gave to the yeshi- Esther Boissevain-Grinberg’s father died in Bu- sis! And I’ll Cry If I Need To: EMPOWER Your- va – and now you wish to take this away from chenvald on the last day of the war. A mere child self to Cope with a Medical Challenge.” me as well.” He refused the help. Friday, June 8, 2012 THE JEWISH PRESS  Page 47 Community Currents Israel Day Parade

Assemblyman Rory Lancman (right) speaking with Dan- ny Danon, a member of Israel’s .

An NYPD bomb-sniffi ng dog near Central Park.

Two sanitation trucks barricaded each block, blocking on- coming traffi c.

(Photos courtesy of Joseph Aron)