Community Magazine August 2019

30 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE “Electrifying” An elegant, festive MelavehMalka for the entire community was held Saturday night, hosted by Mrs. and Mrs. Sidney Saada. The beautifully catered buffet was accompanied by live music, with singer Nechemia Katz entertaining the hundreds of guests, who had the opportunity to receive blessings from Rabbi Ezrachi, Rav David, and other great rabbis. Capping the exciting weekend was the fundraiser for TU hosted on Sunday morning by Ezra and Shirley Zafrani, an elegant, scrumptious breakfast buffet set up in their backyard. The Zafranis welcomed the renowned Rav Dovid Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem, and Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky, Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbinical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, both of whom are leading figures on Torah Umesorah’s rabbinic board. They joined Rav Ezrachi and Rav David. Rabbi Raphael Netanel, Dean of Students at Yeshivat Darche Eres, who coordinated the weekend together with Rabbi Binyomin Holland, TU Director of Operations, later reflected, “To have three gedoleh Torah , all in their 90s – two from the U.S. and one from Israel – sitting at the same table, the atmosphere in the room was electrifying. People couldn’t believe it.” Over 300 Jersey Shore residents attended, received blessings from the rabbis, and pledged generously to this worthy cause. Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky noted how the Sephardic community is creating a tremendous kiddush Hashem (glorification of Gd’s Name) by producing true beneh Torah . Rav Feinstein emphasized that “the home is all about children,” urging us to focus on our children’s religious education. The master of ceremonies was Rabbi David Ozeri, who spoke passionately about how honored he felt to welcome these towering figures, and how embarrassed he felt that they had to schlep out to Deal to help raise some dollars for TU. “Despite all TU has done for us, as a community, we haven't given anything back to them financially,” Rabbi Ozeri lamented. Just last year, he related, a desperate father approached him to find a school for his son who had been expelled from his yeshiva. Within a week, TU placed the boy in a yeshiva that was able to accommodate his special needs, and where he is now thriving. Rabbi Ozeri thanked Rabbi Nojowitz, as well as Rabbi Zvi Bloom, TU’s Executive Director, and the entire staff, for everything they do for community schools. Rabbi Meyer Yedid compared TU’s behind-the-scenes efforts to the work done by a chef in a restaurant, adding that the organization contributes even in ways unrelated to schools and formal education. For example, thousands of young men participate in “Chavruta Night,” a unique initiative that was conceived at a meeting between Rabbi Yedid and an out-of-town community organizer whom he met at a TU conference. The Shabbat of Hinuch was an event like no other. After hosting some of our generation’s most illustrious Torah scholars, and spending the weekend with leading representatives of one of America’s most esteemed hinuch organizations, Jersey Shore residents left inspired and uplifted, and united in their resolve to devote even more time and energy to their children’s education, and to do their share in ensuring the successful transmission of our glorious tradition to the next generation. Rabbi David Ozeri speaking at the Sunday morning breakfast. Rabbi Meyer Yedid addressing the crowd. Rav David Feinstein giving words of inspiration.