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.

