(Courtesy of Yeshiva University High School for Boys) The Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA) held its annual dinner of tribute last week at Marina Del Rey in New York and it was a tremendously successful event. With a packed room and a meaningful program, the entire MTA community felt proud of their yeshiva.
In these troubling times, it can be difficult to balance the celebratory mood of a dinner with the current situation in Eretz Yisrael. In order to maintain proper balance, MTA paid special tribute to their alumni who are currently serving in the IDF. Several of the soldiers’ parents were in attendance, and appreciated the yeshiva’s efforts in davening for and highlighting their children at the event.
The yeshiva’s honorees were respected community pillars at MTA hailing from four prominent communities. Dr. Rebecca (‘99) and Dr. Elly (‘95) Gamss are pillars of the Bergen County community. They are devoted MTA parents who in their humble way lead by example and instill the values they learned in the Yeshiva University high schools to their children. Alison and Dr. Ari Gross, pillars of the West Hempstead community, started sending their sons to MTA when very few others in their community did. Today, West Hempstead has a full bus of talmidim attending the yeshiva daily.
Also, Bracha and Ami (‘98) Avraham, pillars of the Edison/Highland Park community, are MTA parents who exemplify what it means to be doers. The Avrahams are always among the first to sponsor events and offer to help. No job is too small nor too demanding for the Avrahams. Dr. Leah and Rabbi Shalom Rosenfeld are model dorm parents and pillars of the Silver Spring community. The Rosenfeld’s typify and have instilled in their children all of the ideals that the yeshiva stands for. Each family contributes so much to MTA by embodying the values of the yeshiva and transmitting them to both their children and their communities.
In addition, MTA also recognized Rabbi Avraham Shulman (‘90) with the faculty award. As a treasured member of the MTA faculty for over 18 years, Rabbi Shulman’s impact is far-reaching. In addition to being a beloved 12th-grade rebbe, he also serves as the grade dean/mashgiach for the seniors and director of Israel guidance. Rabbi Shulman carefully helps each talmid find a post-high school plan that works best for him. Rabbi Shulman is known for keeping in touch with his talmidim for many years after they graduate and can often be spotted at their weddings.
With everyone’s minds and hearts in Israel, it is more challenging than ever to fundraise for local institutions. Undaunted, MTA’s fundraising team embraced the challenge and with the help of their incredible honorees, increased the number of unique donors by 33%. These funds will greatly help MTA continue to forge a path of excellence in limudei kodesh as well as a first-rate general studies program coupled with a wide array of extracurricular options.
To join the esteemed list of dinner donors, donations can be made through yu.edu/yuhsbdinner2024 or by reaching out to Sari Kahn, Yeshiva University high schools’ director of institutional advancement, at [email protected]u or (646) 592-6152.
