NOVEMBER 30 • 2023 | 21
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better world, a world without the evil we
are experiencing and witnessing, a world
full of the kindness the Yeshiva instills in
its students, a world they were all there
to celebrate.
And celebrate they did. Steve Steinour,
dinner chairman and 2020 honoree, was
surprised to receive the coveted Yeshiva
Guardian award by Jim Grosfeld, a
dinner chair, last year’s honoree and a
Yeshiva Guardian himself.
Dinner honoree, DTE CEO Jerry
Norcia was presented with the
Outstanding Leadership Award after
a touching video about his childhood
in Italy and his desire to give back. His
story is memorialized in The Boy who
Lit Up the World, an illustrated book
published in Jerry’s honor as a souvenir
of the event.
Rabbi Gershon Miller, dean of
Beth Yehudah, delivered a poignant
Torah thought on the creation of
Man. God instructed, “Let us make
Man,
” a directive to every individual to
incorporate the Heavenly and Divine
into our essential beings, and make
choices that will reflect all that is good
and noble and godly.
“We have never been more aware
of the need to fill our world with true
goodness, with the beauty, the kindness
and the healing power that resides in
every human soul,
” said Rabbi Miller,
“and we are, therefore, so extremely
grateful to every one of you who has
joined us for this evening of unity.
”
Yeshiva President Gary Torgow
invoked the words of King Solomon
that teach us all how to navigate the
paradoxes of life. “Every day and every
hour, each human being on the planet
Education for all
at the Yeshiva
Inclusion has long been the mission of
education at the Yeshiva, and now it’s
reached a new level.
The Yeshiva’s James Grosfeld
Center for Special Education and
Support Services encompasses the
entire Yeshiva system, from Pre-K
through high school, with evaluation,
intervention and support for all 1,400
students in their schools.
The incredible generosity of Jim
and Nancy Grosfeld has enabled
the Yeshiva to expand this program
to continue to meet the needs of its
students.
When a child receives timely
assessment and accommodations,
they demonstrate social and
emotional growth, as well as cognitive
development. This is why the Yeshiva
thoroughly assesses each of their
youngest students for learning, mental
health and social development issues,
and repeatedly tests them throughout
elementary, middle and high school.
Assessment data guides the special
education staff in meeting individual
needs and ascertaining effectiveness.
When issues are detected and
addressed early, students can remain
at their grade level, consistently
requiring fewer interventions as they
get older.
For the more than 420 students
that require additional support, a staff
of nearly 100, including a full-time
program director, case managers,
ABA, speech, language, occupational
and physical therapists, social
workers, math and reading specialists,
and classroom shadows provide
extensive intervention services, in
settings ranging from an intensive
self-contained classroom to periodic
pull-out support. Mental health
professionals monitor the students’
emotional well-being and provide
additional support as needed.
The Yeshiva’s model has shown
to benefit the entire school with a
healthier learning environment. By
addressing the needs of individual
students, every child can benefit from
the comprehensive Jewish and secular
education they deserve. When every
child is growing, all children thrive.
continued on page 22
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
introduced guest speaker
Gov. Josh Shapiro.
PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY ROBERT BRUCE PHOTOGRAPHY
Sen. Debbie Stabenow was thrilled to
be surprised with a retrospective of
her past appearances at the Yeshiva
Dinner over the last 20 years.
Jerry Norcia responded to receiving the
Outstanding Leadership Award.
Sen. Gary Peters extolled the
Evening of Unity as fulfilling the
highest calling of mankind — the
commitment to peace and the
work of building a better world for
our children.