Metro

A Yeshiva Education

Annual dinner underscores value of Torah-based learning environment.

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Arthur Weiss of Farmington Hills receives theiGolden Torah Award from Dr. Conrad Giles! of Bloomfield Hills

Robert Sklar

Editor

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eshiva Beth Yehudah gave its
highest honor, the Golden Torah
Award, to Arthur Weiss, whose
parents bear the name of the Southfield-
based day school's popular Jean and
Theodore Weiss Partners in Torah program.
"One cannot think of a greater merit than
the naming of a Torah learning center dedi-
cated to reaching out to our entire Jewish
community, irrespective of their religious
adherence Weiss told the 2,250 guests at
the 95-year-old Yeshiva's annual dinner on
Nov. 15 at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance
Center. "This Torah center encompasses all
denominations of Judaism and is a gift for
which I am forever grateful!'
The student enrollment of 750 com-
bines with Partners in Torah participation
to bring the number of learners touched
by the Yeshiva to 1,200.
Other dinner highlights included
Robert Aronson, the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit's former CEO
who continues to head Federation's
major fundraising, becoming a Yeshiva
Guardian; a medley of songs by the

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November 26 • 2009

my

Yeshiva Boys Choir (grades 5-8) under
Rabbi Yerachmiel "Rocky" Stewart; a dvar
Torah by Partners in Torah director Rabbi
Avraham Cohen; and a keynote address by
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet
Napolitano.
President Nancy Grosfeld spoke on
Federation's behalf. U.S. District Judge
Avern Cohn of Detroit was the dinner's
general chair. Dr. Conrad Giles served as
master of ceremonies.
Weiss is a senior partner with the
Southfield law firm Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer &
Weiss. He credited his parents with instill-
ing "the fundamental importance of kind-
ness and respect toward others!'
Contemplating why he earned the pres-
tigious honor, Weiss said he believed he
was chosen to receive the Golden Torah
Award "in honor of the courageous indi-
viduals who came to America as Jewish
immigrants in the period preceding or
immediately following World War IL"
"I am standing here on behalf of those
who fought against all odds to escape
persecution in Europe, survive the trans-
atlantic journey, make their way to Detroit
and choose to enroll their children at the
Yeshiva;' Weiss said.

Weiss attended the Yeshiva in the mid-
1950s. Like many of his generation, he was
born in America to parents who emigrated
from Europe or elsewhere or were born in
Displaced Persons Camps and then came
here.
"My classmates and I simply woke up in
the morning, got dressed and headed over
to the Yeshiva at Dexter, between Courtland
and Sturtevant;' Weiss recalled. "But the dif-
ficult part, our enrollment, was due to our
parents' decisions to take a risk and send
us to an Orthodox Jewish day school, the
Yeshiva — a significant leap of faith!'
These parents came to America to cre-
ate new and better lives for their fami-
lies. "Most of the parents left war-torn
Europe having lost most of their family
and friends in the Holocaust:' Weiss said.
"Their goals for their children were both
simple and lofty — to be accepted as
Americans and to benefit morally and
spiritually in a country with no boundar-
ies and no limitations!'
While assimilating into America was
important, more vital was not to forget
about their Jewish heritage, religion and
culture, Weiss said.
He concluded, "Those parents hoped

and anticipated that their children would
matriculate well into their new American
world while maintaining a strong link to
Judaism and our tradition!'
In introducing the Golden Torah Award
honoree, Yeshiva President Gary Torgow
said, "Arthur, there is no doubt that your
beautiful family stands as a supreme
testament to the vitality of Am Yisrael
[the People of Israel]. Although, regret-
tably, your dear parents are not here with
us tonight, they are undoubtedly looking
down from their heavenly perch with a
tremendous sense of pride and grateful-
ness to the Almighty — for your passion,
your wisdom, your devotion and your
commitment to the next generation!'
Robert Aronson became a Yeshiva
Guardian "in recognition of his incredible
contributions to the strength and vitality
of our community."
"Thank you for your vision and extraor-
dinary dedication to Jewish education and
the Jewish people Torgow said in present-
ing the honor to Aronson.
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing talked about
how, both as a public citizen and now as a
public servant, he found that "real success
can only be achieved when it is played as a

Yeshiva on page 18

