 OCTOBER 22 • 2020 | 25

Netanyahu, the scheduled featured 
guest, was absent from the event.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Trump, Biden Appear 
at Beth Yehudah 
Virtual Dinner

P

resident Donald Trump 
and former Vice 
President Joe Biden 
made surprise back-to-back 
appearances Sunday, Oct. 18, at 
“
An Evening of Unity,
” the annu-
al fundraiser event for Yeshiva 
Beth Yehudah in Oak Park.
The two presidential nominees 
were the highest-profile guests 
at the star-studded event, held 
virtually this year due to the 
pandemic. Israeli Prime Minister 
Benjamin Netanyahu, who had 
been advertised as the featured 
guest, did not appear. 
A brief message during the 
event said Netanyahu’
s absence 
was “due to unforeseen and 
unfortunate circumstances.
” 
Rabbi Shragie Myers, the execu-
tive director of the Yeshiva, could 
not be reached for comment.
In brief recorded speeches, 
Trump and Biden both delivered 
greetings to the school. Trump 
listed his administration’
s accom-
plishments in Israel, including 
pulling out of the Iran nuclear 
deal, opening the U.S. Embassy 
in Jerusalem and the Abraham 
Accords. 
“I wish you a safe and suc-
cessful evening of unity all in 
support of our children and their 
education,
” Trump said. 
Biden, who had also been a 
featured guest at the dinner in 
2011, noted how different the 
current situation was. 
“
A lot has changed since we 
were last together, but we remain 
united in our appreciation for 
this extraordinary institution 
and the students it serves,
” he 

said in his video. Biden also 
mentioned the work that needs 
to be done to stop the rise of 
antisemitism. 
The Yeshiva Dinner his-
torically pays tribute to the 
106-year-old educational insti-
tution, gathering thousands of 
guests and local and national 
luminaries to address Jewish 
Detroit. 
Additional speakers this 
year included Michigan Gov. 
Gretchen Whitmer; Senators 
Debbie Stabenow and Gary 
Peters; Detroit Mayor Mike 
Duggan; the Reverend Dr. 
Wendell Anthony, president 
of NAACP Detroit; JPMorgan 
Chase CEO Jamie Dimon; and 
Gary Torgow, chairman of TCF 
Bank and president of YBY.
This year’
s dinner was free to 
“attend.
” 
Groups including The Arab-
American News and IfNotNow 
Detroit had criticized the event 
for advertising Netanyahu as 
the guest while promoting “
An 
Evening of Unity” as its theme. 
“We are outraged that any 
community organization would 
honor Netanyahu,
” an unsigned 
Arab-American editorial said. 
“There is nothing about him that 
screams ‘
unity.
’
” 
In her speech, Whitmer 
praised YBY for its kosher meals 
program.
“I’
m grateful that you’
ve 
helped provide hundreds of 
thousands of meals during the 
COVID-19 pandemic for kids in 
your area,
” Whitmer said. “Your 
gathering in celebration of unity 

only serves to strengthen the 
message that you’
ve lived out for 
years.
”
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah is the 
largest Jewish school system in 
Michigan, providing a Torah-
based education to more than 
1,000 students from pre-K 
through grade 12. The school 
has offered in-person classes 
during the pandemic.
Yousef Al Otaiba, the United 
Arab Emirates Ambassador to 
the U.S., made an appearance to 
comment on the signing of the 
Abraham Accords. 
“Two countries who weren’
t 
talking to each other are now 
talking to each other,
” he said. “I 
know Emiratis are very excited 
to learn about Israel and get 
to visit, and I hope Israelis are 
equally as excited about getting 
to know us.
”
Steve Steinour, presi-
dent, chairman and CEO of 
Huntington Bank, received the 
Outstanding Leadership Award 
at the virtual event. 
The event ended with an 
announcement promoting next 
year’
s annual YBY dinner, in per-
son, on Oct. 24, 2021. 

feel the pain of somebody 
else, there’
s very little 
hesitation to commit any 
sort of atrocity.” Katzman 
says that the fear and anger 
children endure because of 
maltreatment causes them 
to repress their emotions.
“That fear and anger sits 
as a time bomb that is often 
ignited at a later time,” 
Katzman said.
To avoid this perfect 
storm for hate and violence, 
attentive and responsible 
parenting is crucial, 
Katzman says.
He suggests that early 
literacy, daily readings 
with stories that have 
morals, and role models 
in schools, religious 
institutions and community 
would contribute further 
to a child’
s character 
development. Katzman 
recommends non-abusive 
methods of discipline, such 
as “time outs.”
“The hopeful result of 
this sequence of events 
is a significant capacity 
for emotional empathy,” 
Katzman says.
“Promoting healthy child 
development is work that 
involves parents, peers 
and community. There is 
much that all of us can do 
to facilitate the process by 
making sure that support 
and resources are available 
to all children.” 

President 

Donald Trump

Vice President 

Joe Biden

SCREENSHOTS

Dr. Gerald 

Katzman

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