In September 1976, Rabbi Yisrael Silverman walked into the Moriah School of Englewood to begin what would become a journey of almost five decades in the world of Jewish education as a teacher/rebbe/administrator. Within a year, he became the assistant principal at Moriah, where he served for another 30 years. For anyone who was associated with Moriah during his tenure, he was, by all accounts, a major force who shaped the growing school and impacted the lives of so many Bergen County families. After leaving Moriah in 2007, he moved on to Yeshiva Har Torah in Little Neck, Queens, where he planned to focus his efforts on teaching. But, after just one year, his administrative talents were harnessed and he, once again, became an assistant principal.

As Rabbi Silverman prepares to retire, Yeshiva Har Torah plans to honor him at their 30th Annual Scholarship Dinner by presenting him with their Faculty Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership.This honor is not only for his incredible efforts during his 12 years there, but also for his lifetime of dedication to Jewish education. Rabbi Silverman’s reputation as a caring, loving teacher and a thoughtful and skilled administrator is part of the legacy he has left to thousands of students and hundreds of colleagues, all of whom are invited to participate in this momentous tribute, which will take place on March 9. Reservations for the dinner and/or ad opportunities are available at www.hartorah.org/dinner/  or by email at [email protected].

By Ed Fox

Ed Fox is the executive director of Yeshiva Har Torah.