Being able to daven three times a day is a privilege. To be able to give gratitude to Hashem is a gift. Two weeks ago, Michael Goldsmith began a campaign to unite 12 yeshivot and 30 shuls to create a yom iyun on November 4. The learning and davening of the day would be dedicated to the refuah shleima of a young man in the community. On Thursday, November 4, Goldsmith addressed the Yavneh Academy middle school faculty and students, sharing what the gift of davening means.

Goldsmith is a local community member and Yavneh graduate. His wife, Elana, is a beloved faculty member. Their children Joey, fifth grade, and Sophie, second grade, are Yavneh students. Goldsmith took ill with Covid in March 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic. After three days of home isolation, Goldsmith had to return to the hospital where he was intubated and placed into a coma. The coma lasted for 22 days and he was hospitalized for a total of 32 days. The Yavneh school community, Bergen County community and truly the global community began davening for Goldsmith’s refuah. From the doctors in hospitals, to children in schools, to shuls across the world, tefillot and shiurim were dedicated to Goldsmith. Everyone was empowered by Elana’s emunah as well as her battle to receive the best medical attention for her husband.

Goldsmith shared the significance of Thursday’s yom iyun. The yom iyun was not about a single person’s tefillah, or a single person’s refuah, but rather to daven for the ill of Bnei Yisrael. Tefillah b’tzibur is the most important part. Our individual tefillot are important, but when we join as a community, we cry out as one to Hashem to ask for help.

Head of School Rabbi Jonathan Knapp concluded the program with Tehillim further uniting the Yavneh middle school. May everyone’s tefillot bring good health to Bnei Yisrael.