Yeshiva University hosted an event this past Sunday night and invited the MTA family to attend as well. It was an evening of Unity, Solidarity and Song, and featured the Goldberg-Polins and released hostage Luis Har, among other speakers.

The program was open to students in YU and Stern, faculty, parents and friends of the yeshiva. Those who attended from MTA felt the significance of the night, and found it truly moving.

The Goldberg-Polins both spoke about the hakaras hatov they have to the YU family for their unwavering support, tefillos, advocacy, chesed missions to Israel and the everyday Torah learning that takes place at the yeshiva. One would expect that the people in attendance would be the ones to bring them chizuk, but it was so much more than that. Rachel and Jon, despite the unimaginable pain and suffering they are experiencing, are pillars of strength, and ended up giving tremendous chizuk to all who were there.

It was also extremely inspiring to hear Har’s story from the moment he was taken captive, to the moment he was freed on day 137. Shortly after his release, Rabbi Shay Schachter helped him bench gomel remotely to a packed Glueck Beis Medrash, and last night Luis went to the beis medrash and danced with the talmidim and rebbeim.

It is such a privilege for MTA to be able to benefit from the meaningful programming that Yeshiva University arranges, and is one of the benefits that make YUHSB so unique.