outlook 2e - Yeshiva of Virginia

THE OUTLOOK
Bringing you news, information and thought-provoking opinions from
The Benjamin and Lillian Rochkind Yeshiva of Virginia and
Shaarei Torah of Richmond
Extreme Kitchen Makeover!
Teves 5774
December 2013
Inside this issue:
Yeshiva Renovations
1
Rabbi Moshe Possick
Of TU Visits
2
“TASC” Out in Force 2
Raffle/Sweepstakes
Takes Off
3
Challenging
Thoughts
4
Thank you for more
than $97K Donated
6
Students and Alumni 7
Feed and Lead
Nail-Biter in DC
7
Alumni News
8
Before
During
After
Yeshiva Renovations Nearly Complete
With the brand new roof completely installed, a brand new
kitchen, complete with cabinets and appliances, new paint
in the gym, hallways, basement
and bathrooms, the yeshiva’s
facelift is almost complete.
New ceiling tiles, light fixtures
where needed, a hot water
heater, several new doors,
locks, windows and window
treatments add to the upgrade,
while carpeting in the halls,
steps and some classrooms will
• Review our Financial Statements at
yeshivaofvirginia.org
• Check for schedule including minyanim
at yeshivaofvirginia.org
• See clips from our B-Ball Victory in DC
Tournament at yeshivaofvirginia.org
help give the area a brand
new feel. Several bathroom
fixtures are being replaced,
the water fountain, elevator
and fire suppression system
repaired and improved and
minor repairs throughout the
interior and exterior will
round out the project. All
work is expected to be complete by the beginning of
January. Many thanks to
those who helped plan and
oversee the renovations.
•Building Our Community Through Torah and Mesorah•
Page 2
The Outlook
Rabbi Moshe Possick of Torah Umesorah Visits Yeshiva & STOR
Rabbi A. Moshe Possick,
Torah Umesrorah’s
Chairman of School
Supervision and Bureau
of Personnel Resources,
visited the Yeshiva and
Shaarei Torah and was
most impressed with
what he saw. He met
with staff and students
Rabbi Possick joins Rabbi David’s shiur
and shared with them
inspiring messages of
responsibility with
words of Torah and
chizuk . He talked about
the extraordinary gift
they have to study and
live in a place like Richmond, and explained to
the Shaarei Torah
girls that as
uniquely educated
future leaders,
they have a special
obligation to the
Jewish people. He
shared with the
Yeshiva students
how the Nazis
y’mach sh’mam,
Rabbi Possick at Shaarei Torah
destroyed sifrei torah
and burned gemarahs because they knew that the essence of
the Jewish people’s past was rooted in Torah and their future
rested with the study of Torah and Talmud. Rabbi Possick
was the guest speaker at Shaarei Torah’s first graduation almost 16 years ago in June, 1998. Rabbi Possick was heartened to see one of those graduates, Sorah (Selznick) Plotnick
return to teach at RTA. Shaarei Torah is in its 20th year.
TASC — Out in Full FORCE!
Yeshiva boys helping a family in the community
take down their succah
Yeshiva boys helping a family
move into their new home
Shaarei Torah Girls assisting in Senior
Fashion Show at Beth Sholom Home
Shaarei Torah Girls making challah
for senior shabbos packages
Shaarei Torah Girls preparing yarn for
crocheting “Hats for Hospitals”
Shaarei Torah Girls cooking for chesed
Need the TASC Force? Call Us!
•Building Our Community Through Torah and Mesorah•
Page 3
The Outlook
The Outlook
Page 4
Challenging Thoughts...
Welcome to ’Challenging Thoughts’ where we share important articles of interest to
the community. The following is the first such article which appeared November 13,
2013 in the Jerusalem Post.
We welcome your feedback to [email protected]
Reprinted with permission from
Celebrating Failure at the GA
By MICHAEL FREUND
11/13/2013
“If the Jewish federations were serious about confronting the intermarriage crisis, they
should have taken the extraordinary step of reformatting the GA’s schedule in order to
focus on the existential emergency at hand.”
The General Assembly (GA) of the Jewish
Federations of North America was held in
Jerusalem this week with a predictable array
of pomp and ceremony. There were appearances by leading Israeli politicians, plenary
sessions and panel discussions with enticing
titles as well as the usual assortment of receptions and gala dinners. Billed as an event
that “inspires and engages current and
emerging Jewish leaders, tackles the most
critical issues of the day, and showcases the
best of the Federation movement,” the GA
sought to celebrate the vibrancy of Jewish
life while underlining the role played by Jewish federations in ensuring continuity. But in
light of the recent findings of the Pew Research Center regarding American Jewry’s
frightful descent into assimilation, the upbeat
tone of this GA was entirely out of place and
even inappropriate.
Indeed, even more than its predecessors,
this GA was reminiscent of the ill-fated
RMS Titanic as it steamed straight for an
iceberg in the northern Atlantic ocean in
April 1912, oblivious to the impending
doom. After all, it was more than a month
ago that Pew shocked the Jewish world
with some grim data when its October 1
survey revealed that intermarriage rates
among non-Orthodox American Jews have
soared to 71 percent and that nearly onethird of Jews under the age of 32 do not
identify themselves as Jewish by religion.
These are the statistics of shared suicide,
a glaring sign that large portions of American Jewry are simply melting away and
shedding their identity. If the Jewish federations were serious about confronting
this crisis, they should have taken the extraordinary step of reformatting the GA’s
schedule in order to focus on the existential emergency at hand.
Page 5
The Outlook
Instead, in an act of pathetic hubris, they had the
gall to add a single session on Monday, with the
self-aggrandizing title, “Responding to Pew: How
Federations are Successfully Engaging the Next
Generation.”
costs of Jewish day-schools were threatening
to squeeze many Jewish children out of the
system, forcing them to attend public schools
and lose out on the opportunity to receive a
well-rounded Jewish education.
“Successfully”? Who are they kidding? BACK IN
1990, after the National Jewish Population Survey revealed an intermarriage rate of 52% (which
was subsequently the subject of much debate),
the Jewish world was stirred into action, vowing
to do whatever was necessary to stem the tide of
assimilation.
“Most federations of Jewish philanthropy,” he
noted, “have neither the resources nor the will
to make affordability a priority, and other
types of organizations don’t even pretend to
pay attention. It is not as if they have not
been warned about the severity of the problem: for the past 25 years, studies have periodically catalogued rising prices.”
Here we are, more than two decades – and hundreds of millions of dollars spent on bolstering
Jewish identity – later, and for all intents and purposes the situation has only worsened as growing numbers of Jews turn their backs on their
heritage.
In that regard, little has changed in the intervening three years, nor is it likely to change
any time soon. The Federations will continue
to deceive the public – and themselves – that
they are “successfully” reaching the younger
generation, even as much of that very same
generation marries out of the fold.
Clearly, the Federation system has proven to be
a colossal failure, and it bears much of the blame
for this catastrophic situation. It sets the spending priorities of the Jewish community, allocates
funds and oversees various initiatives.
Nonetheless, they have presided over nothing
less than a disaster of epic proportions, even as
they celebrate their own failures at the GA.
This isn’t responsible leadership, it is a reckless
letdown.
Back in 2010, Jack Wertheimer, a professor of
Jewish history at the Jewish Theological Seminary, penned an important article, “The High
Cost of Jewish Living,” in Commentary magazine, which pointed out that the costs involved in
living a Jewish life were increasingly beyond the
means of many American Jews.
He also took Jewish federations to task for their
apathy toward this issue as well as their misguided priorities, which tended to allocate funds
to various non-Jewish causes even as critical
Jewish needs were not being met.
In particular, Wertheimer noted, the skyrocketing
Year after year, they will continue to gather at
the GA, applauding themselves and their
achievements even as the population they
ostensibly serve continues to wither and
shrivel in size.
And therein lies the real tragedy. For unlike
the crew of the Titanic, which sought to reverse course once they struck ice, our own
Jewish leadership merrily continues to sail
forward, straight into calamity, ignorant of the
ruin they are leaving in their wake. American
Jewry deserves better.
Published in The Jerusalem Post, www.jpost.com
Michael Freund served as Deputy Communications
Director in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office under
Binyamin Netanyahu during his first term. Freund is a
correspondent and syndicated columnist for the
Jerusalem Post, Israel's largest English-language daily.
A native New Yorker, he is a graduate of Princeton
University and holds an MBA in Finance from Columbia.
The Outlook
Page 6
Thank You To All Who Have Demonstrated Inspiring
Support and Have Shared in the Vision of a Strong and
Growing Torah Community. Thanks to Your Belief in the
Mission and the Future of The Yeshiva and Shaarei Torah,
$97,403 in Cash Donations Have Been Received.
Of the 68 individuals & families and the 8 businesses that made gifts, four were between
$10,000-$25,000, ten were between $1,000 and $9,999, six were between $500 and $999,
twenty-three were between $100 and $499 and thirty-three were between $18 and $99.
Mr. & Mrs. Drew Alexander Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Tzvi Kaufman Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Sean Steinberg Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Menachem Augenstein Passaic, NJ
Mr. & Mrs. Ariel Klestzick Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Sy Stern Brooklyn, NY
Miss Nechama Bart Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Avrummie Klestzick Far Rockaway, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Allen and Ellen Strauss Passaic, NJ
Miss Sarah Bart Richmond, VA
Mr. Tzvi Klestzick, Richmond, VA
Ms. Carol Trepp Far Rockaway, NY
Miss Shoshana Bart Richmond, VA
Mr. Noam Kutcher Lakewood, NJ
Mr. & Mrs. Shalom Tyberg Brooklyn, NY
Miss Yehudis Bart Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Mordy Lahasky Lawrence, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Verstandig Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Shimy Bender Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Yitzchok Loriner Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Eliezer Wallerstein Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Lee Braverman Far Rockaway, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Ben Melton Richmond, VA
Ms. Malka Weinreich Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Avram Cahn New York, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Eric Messner Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Seth Yavne Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Eli Calm Baltimore, MD
Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Nadler Brooklyn, NY
Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Cantor Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Eli Neuberg Woodmere, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Yonatan Cantor Richmond, VA
Rabbi & Mrs. Dovid Nussbaum Far Rockaway, NY
Rabbi & Mrs, Chaim Chait Modiin, Israel
Mr. David Pinter Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Yosef Churba Brooklyn, NY
Mr. Moshe Pollak Brooklyn, NY
Ashel Property Management Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi & Mrs. Yisroel David Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Adam Poznanski, Pittsburgh, PA
Designer Deliveries
Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Freedlander Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Press Richmond, VA
Jerusalem Connection Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Victor Fried Staten Island, NY
Rabbi & Mrs. Shmuel Rochkind Baltimore, MD
Lasker Realty Corp
Mr. & Mrs. Harold Friedman Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Yehuda Rosenshein Brooklyn, NY
SIL Insurance Richmond, VA
Dr. & Mrs. Akiva Gimpelevich Atlanta, GA
Mr. & Mrs. Shlomo Roshgadol Baltimore, MD
Straight Path Communications Inc. Glen Allen, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Uri Goldman Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Nachum Shoenfeld Brooklyn, NY
Titleworks of Virginia, Inc. Glen Allen, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Chaim Greenberger Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Hirsh Seibert Jerusalem, Israel
Torah Umesorah, Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Hill Richmond, VA
Rabbi & Mrs. Baruch Sherman Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. David Hoch Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi & Mrs. Menachem Sherman San Diego, CA
Mr. and Mrs Ickowicks Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Elliot Shindler Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Israel New York, NY
Rabbi & Mrs. Eliezer Soloff Monsey, NY
Mr. Chanan Kanner Brooklyn, NY
Ms. Olga Solomonova Richmond, VA
Mr. & Mrs. Joel Kaplan Far Rockaway, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Mordechai Soroka Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Mark Katz Brooklyn, NY
Mr. & Mrs. Adam Stein Flushing, NY
Mr, & Mrs. Tzvi Katz Brooklyn, NY
Mr. David Steinberg Brooklyn, NY
Corporations
Richmond, VA
Brooklyn, NY
The Outlook
Page 7
Yeshiva and Shaarei Torah Alumni & Students; Feeding
the Body and Nourishing the Soul of Jewish Richmond!
Inez Pereira Rosenblum and
Galee Saar teaching at AlephBet Preschool
Sorah (Selznick) Plotnick
teaching at RTA
Leora Lewis teaching
at WJCC Preschool
R’ Don Cantor
teaching at YVA
(From L-R)
Tzvi David Klestzick
- Goin’ Bananas
Ariel Rachmanov YVA Dorm Counselor and mashgiach
at WJCC Café
Betzalel Levi - Starbucks
David Solomon Krispy Kreme
Michael Hart, YVA
Dorm Counselor
Yeshiva Basketball Season Begins With Nail-Biting Tournament in Washington
Yeshiva of Virginia fans including parents and alumni drove to
Washington from NY, Baltimore and Virginia to cheer as our
boys beat the Yeshiva of Greater Washington 52-50 in a nailbiter. To see video clips go to: http://yeshivaofvirginia.org
Yeshiva of Virginia Basketball Season Schedule
November 9/10 Silver Spring Tournament
Tuesday, November 19 at West End 7:00 pm
Monday, November 25 New Community at WJCC 7:00 pm
Monday, December 2 James River at WJCC 7:15 pm
Thursday, December 5 Carmel Church at WJCC 6:30 pm
Monday, December 9 Veritas at WJCC 7:00 pm
Monday, December 16 New Life at WJCC 7:00 pm
Tuesday, December 17 at VCA 7:00 pm
Monday, December 23 Albermarle JCC
Monday, January 6 Spirit at WJCC 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 9 at VCA 7:00 pm
Monday, January 13 West End at WJCC 7:00 pm
Tuesday, January 21 at CVHAA 7:00 pm
Monday, January 27 Elijah House at WJCC 7:00 pm
Tuesday, January 28 at New Community 7:00 pm
Tuesday, February 11 at Grove 7:00 pm
Monday, February 17 Salem at WJCC 7:00 pm
Tuesday, February 18 Veritas at WJCC 7:00 pm
Many thanks to coaches Yitzy Klestzick and Akiva Lessin for
all of their hard work, planning and preparation. Special
thanks to Coach Doug Lewis for his senior leadership.
•Building Our Community Through Torah and Mesorah•
Alumni News
Page 8
•Mazel Tov to Yosef and Anya (Sedletscaia) Alayev upon the birth of a girl!
•Mazel Tov to Yaffa Harbater upon her engagement to Yakov Rubin!
•Mazel Tov to Ushie and Goldie (Paley) Wittels and their families upon the birth of a boy!
The Outlook
Have news to tell?
Let us know!
Send us pictures!
•Mazel Tov to Shea and Tovi (Klestzick)Weinberger and their families upon the birth of a baby girl!
•Mazel Tov to Yitzy and Raizy (Shapiro) Abramovitz upon the occasion of their marriage!
TO:
Thank You!!!
•Mr. & Mrs. Avrummie Klestzick for sponsoring kiddush at Yeshiva.
•Rabbi and Mrs. Baruch Sherman for sponsoring kiddush at the Yeshiva.
•Mr. & Mrs. Shea Weinberger for sponsoring kiddush at Yeshiva.
•Mr. & Mrs. Mark Press for sponsoring the Yeshiva’s first basketball game of the season.
•Mrs. Aliza Asher for coming in to speak with Shaarei Torah about a career in Design.
•Ms. Ann Roberts for coming in to speak with Shaarei Torah about a career in Nursing.
•Ms. Debbie Colby for coming in to speak with Shaarei Torah about a career in Audiology.
•Mrs. Sorah Plotnick for hosting an inspiring melaveh malka for Shaarei Torah.
•Rebecca Lynn and Rochel Chaya Cohn for their “Hands On” help with the melaveh malka.
•Rabbi and Mrs. Bart for hosting a Friday night oneg for Shaarei Torah.
•Mr. and Mrs. John Ernst for their donation of a dresser to the Yeshiva.
•Rabbi and Mrs. Samberg for hosting yeshiva boys on their recent trip.
•The anonymous donor for sponsoring the Shaarei Torah girls’ South African Dinner at KBI.
•Mr. & Mrs. Charles Lessin for donating furniture to the Yeshiva.
•Mrs. Aliza Asher for designing the TASC Force Logo.
•Mr. & Mrs. Jon Kaufman from Cleveland for purchasing children’s toys for Yeshiva tots.
•Mr. Eric and Shai Saar and Rowee Yadin for putting in new locks.
•Mr. Rich Lehman for all of his technical assistance and support.
•The following sixteen families: Aranowitz, Rubin, Stein, Cantor, Cantor, Selznick, Plotnick, Klestzick, Klestzick, David, Asher,
Bart, Miller, Lewis, Sherman and Skaist, for hosting students for Shabbos & Yom Tov meals.
•Josh & Elly Goldberg, Avery & Rebecca Lynn, Moshe Mizrachi, R’ Mo & Tehilla Sherman, Donna, Bob, Emma & Shiffy
Rubin, Ben Ellis, Leora Lewis, R’ Elliot Plotnick, Michael Hart, Ariel Rachmanov, Ben & Lisa Melton and Drew Alexander
who worked Let’s Give RVA’s bingo and directed their support to the Yeshiva.
•Mrs. Lin Hardy for all of her help and for always being there.
In Our Community
Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Josh Goldberg and their families upon the birth of twins, a boy and girl!
Mazel Tov to the Roth family upon the engagement of their son Jacob to Racheli Weiss of Chicago!
Mazel Tov to Rabbi & Mrs. Bart & family upon the engagement of Sarah Bart to Yisroel Caplan!
We wish a full and speedy recovery to Adrienne Winkelmann.
Condolences to Richard Murad and family upon the loss of his wife Vivian. May Hashem comfort them among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Yeshiva (and main office) - 6801 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23226
Shaarei Torah - 12285 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23238
Phone: 804-288-7610
Fax: 804-288-7867 (STOR)
Email: [email protected]
•Building Our Community Through Torah and Mesorah•