Washington Heights–The family of Leonard Grunstein, a respected figure in the New York City real estate community, dedicated a Sefer Torah to Yeshiva University in memory of his father, Morris Grunstein. Grunstein has played a key role in many prominent New York City real estate deals, including the sale of Stuyvesant Town and the development of Battery Park City. The gift was celebrated in an all-day ceremony on December 7, featuring a traditional march through the streets with family, university administration, and students of the school. The Torah will be used for services at the university.

After a class presented by Rav Yaakov Neuburger, Rosh Yeshiva of the RIETS School, Yeshiva University students and family had the chance to fill in the final letters of the Torah, a tradition that goes back centuries. The Torah was then carried under a chupa through the streets surrounding Yeshiva University’s Wilf campus in Washington Heights, accompanied by singing and dancing.

Leonard Grunstein and his wife Chanie, as well as their three children, are all alumni of Yeshiva University. A long-time supporter of the school, Grunstein was named a member of the Board of Overseers of the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies in early 2013. He has been involved with an array of other Jewish causes such as the Hebron Fund and the YIVO Institute.