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
continued from page 24