Community Magazine May 2019

28 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE The hall was filled to capacity by throngs of guests from across the community, including YDE parents, faculty, alumni, and friends. Their aim was to come together as one family to celebrate the remarkable growth and achievements of the school and the community, and to honor some of the wonderful people who have worked so hard to ensure YDE’s success. Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Meyer Yedid shared, “I wholeheartedly recognize that the beautiful Yeshiva we have built, with all of its growth, is only possible because of, and can be directly attributed to, the great dedication and unwavering devotion of each member of the YDE family.” Starting out as “One Dream,” YDE has grown from a few hundred pioneer students to almost 1,400 enrolled students and over 250 alumni, ranging across four divisions (soon to be a fifth, with the opening of the Girls High School). Rabbi Meyer Yedid and Mr. Michael Jemal, along with other community leaders and devoted parents, set out to establish an environment in which children would be inspired to achieve high academic standards, gain a strong sense of self and morality, and further the growth of their religious identity. Today, that “One Dream” unites thousands of members of the YDE Family. Filled with gratitude to the Almighty for the great success of this dream, the YDE administration felt obliged to express its profound appreciation in a public gesture of unity and hakarat hatob (gratitude) – YDE’s first Gala Dinner. A Family Simha The event was sold out within days of its announcement. The outpouring of support and enthusiasm was reminiscent of the days of YDE’s inception and the phenomenal success that followed. The pages of the YDE Dinner Journal were quickly filled with notes of gratitude and encouragement. The evening was proudly sponsored by Israel Discount Bank, a strong supporter of YDE. It was evident right from the start that the excitement was contagious, and that so many well-wishers wanted to participate in this special event. And nobody was disappointed. Everyone in attendance sensed the palpable love, warmth and enthusiasm in the air. It felt like a family simha, where the décor was elegant, the guests were dressed beautifully, and there was a shared sense of pride and belonging. For the Guest of Honor, the Dinner Committee reached out to someone whom they felt embodies the ideal of ahdut – unity among Jews – and unwavering commitment to the entire Jewish nation: the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, world renowned speaker and author, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau. A survivor of the Holocaust who, against all odds, rose to a position of leadership and distinction, personifies the “dream” and goal of transmitting the Torah from generation to generation. Those who arrived early took On Mosae Shabbat, March 9th, Yeshivat Darche Eres (YDE) held an unforgettable Gala Dinner at Gotham Hall in New York City to celebrate the theme of “One Dream. One Family.”