(Courtesy of YUHS) On January 12, the Yeshiva University High Schools celebrated the strength of its community at its Annual Dinner of Tribute, held at Marina del Rey. The event highlighted the strength and resilience of the YUHS community as well as the strong mesorah, top-tier education and powerful legacy that both Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA) and Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) are known for. The dinner paid tribute to YUHSB Guests of Honor Miriam (’96) and Rafi (’94) Warburg and YUHSG Guests of Honor Dina and Natan Hamerman; YUHSB Faculty Award recipient Tamar Sheffey and YUHSG Faculty Award recipient Lisa Rothstein; and YUHSB Alumni of the Year RIETS Musmachim 5782 and YUHSG Alumna of the Year Kelly Smolar (’03).
“We are privileged to pay tribute to such incredible honorees,” said MTA Head of School Rabbi Joshua Kahn. “Our Guests of Honor, Miriam and Rafi Warburg, are devoted, giving, thoughtful, passionate, enthusiastic and helpful parent ambassadors and partners. Their partnership and tireless efforts truly impact our yeshiva in such a positive way. Our Faculty Award recipient, Director of Guidance Mrs. Tamar Sheffey, is deeply invested in the social and emotional development of each member of the MTA community. Words cannot truly describe what Mrs. Sheffey has given to our yeshiva.”
Central Head of School Bracha Rutner shared: “Dina and Natan Hamerman, our Guests of Honor, exemplify the essence of a Central parent. Their consistent support and insights have helped Central develop as the premier girls’ high school in the tri-state area. Ms. Lisa Rothstein, our Faculty Award recipient and English Department Chair, is a vital member of the Central community who truly understands the value of the relationships between students and teachers. Lisa consistently strives to guide and challenge her students to produce their best work, in a humble and light-hearted manner.”
The honorees were recognized for the tremendous impact they have made on the YUHS community at the dinner, which raised more than $450,000 in support of the exceptional educational experience YUHS provides to its students. “Our Annual Dinner is the opportunity to celebrate all that makes Central special—our students, our faculty, our parents and our alumni. We are a community committed to Torah values, that promotes curiosity and inspires our students to find their passions and ways that they can give back to the community,” said Rutner.
“The dinner is a true celebration of the Yeshiva University High Schools. It brings together our impressive parent body, which is composed of educators, including elementary school principals, Jewish communal leaders and parents from different communities, along with YU roshei yeshiva and other distinguished guests,” said Rabbi Kahn. “Through our honorees, we pay tribute to the dedicated members of our community, as well as highlight our values of Talmud Torah, academic excellence, commitment to middos and holistic development, leadership, and cultivating the talents and interests of our talmidim.”
The program included a video series showcasing each honoree as well as the strong Torah, academic, and extra-curricular programs provided by the Yeshiva University High Schools. “Torah is the foundation upon which MTA was built,” said Rabbi Kahn. “This year, we are privileged to honor alumni who represent the value of limmud haTorah that plays a central role in the experience of every talmid at MTA. This impressive group of alumni, which we are proud to say was the largest group of Musmachim of any yeshiva high school, demonstrate a love of Torah learning, a thirst to learn more and an understanding that our mission is to ensure that daily Talmud Torah is a critical part who we are, what we have learned, and what we appreciate.”
Central is known for its strong STEM programming and warm and caring teachers, which were both clearly evident throughout the event program. “Kelly Smolar, our Alumna of the Year and a principal at KLE Consulting Corporation, is an integral part of our STEM programming through her work with ACE (architecture, construction and engineering) and her support of the Robotics club. In addition to volunteers like Kelly, our students learn from extraordinary teachers every day,” said Rutner. “That is because our faculty is devoted to teaching their students, and not just their subjects. Our students come to school each day ready for a new adventure, and have built relationships with our teachers that are essential to learning.”
The event concluded with a Student Activities Fair, where both YUHSB and YUHSG students showcased their talents in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including ACE, graphic design, science Olympiad, coding, civic spirit, robotics, college bowl, and chess. Guests enjoyed interacting with students and learning more about their intellectual pursuits.
