It was great evening that paid tribute to the way that TDSP has been a catalyst for growth in greater Phoenix, and celebrating the role that Torah Umesorah had in that growth. We were honored to host and hear from distinguished guests, Rabbi Chaim Nosson Segal, Rabbi Chaim Shimon Neuberger, both from Torah Umesorah, and Rabbi Eli Dessler from the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland.
In addition to those guests, there were over 360 other people who came to the dinner. The guests included TDSP staff and their spouses, TDSP parents, and others who just wanted to support the school. There was a great feeling of unity and enthusiasm in the air, with lots of smiles and hugs. Everyone seemed like they were having fun.
But it was not just fun. The evening was full of inspiration. All the speeches were wonderful, and we will just quote a few lines here:
From Rabbi Cohen, Head of School of TDSP
“How much can we give over to our children, when we give over to them that we are not mushrooms that have no roots? Our roots are deep. We have a mesorah, a tradition, and that tradition is transmitted from father to son, from a Rebbe to a student”
From Rabbi Chaim Shimon Neuberger, Executive Director of Torah Umesorah
“That tremendous ohr (light) that came out of the Mishkan is innately in every single Yid. It is that potential Kedusha. If we could just stop for a minute and say ‘Oh- that is the achrayus (responsibility) I have for the children in my classroom every day, that I’m building a Mishkan. All you have to do is open up your hearts and realize you are building a Mishkan.”
Rabbi Eli Dessler, Executive Director of the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland even gave a shoutout to everyone’s favorite publication:
“In the hotel room was a newsletter (The Weekly Roundup). I read it from cover to cover. It made me feel like home. The essence of the school is ..given over in that newsletter….”
But the best speech of the night was for sure TDSP 8th grade student Benjamin Gavrielov, who had the crowd laughing and cheering.
“I shall remember TDSP every time I see anything in Hebrew,” Benjamin said. “It will remind me that TDSP taught me everything I know.”
It was a truly magical evening, and it seemed that everything that could go right did go right! We had great weather- mild and temperate, and the setting on the golf course, with its lush green grass, was gorgeous. The food, by Simcha Catering – which included a carving station, tamales, latkes, and for desert bananas flambe and cherries jubilee, was delicious and plentiful. And the hall looked fantastic. TDSP art teacher Mrs. Naomi Weintraub set up a beautiful art display of sculptures and paintings that greeted everyone as they arrived, and the walls of the hall were covered in huge pictures of TDSP students.
But mostly, what made the evening so memorable was the palpable feeling of unity in the air. Everyone seemed happy to be there and happy to be a part of the growth of TDSP.
“From the beginning, a cornerstone of the vision of Torah Day School was the belief that an excellent day school had the potential to ignite an entire community,” said TDSP President Mr. David Friedman in his speech.
It was clear from Shining Bright! that Torah Day School has done exactly that.
TDSP thanks our amazing Dinner Committee and Table Captains, our generous sponsors, and everyone who contributed to making the dinner possible.