16 | APRIL 11 • 2024 tial might not be obvious, is an obligation that we all share. There’s much to be passionate about in supporting our chil- dren and in supporting their educational needs. ” He contin- ued, “Gary has asked me to tell you that the Yeshiva is willing to share its expertise with anyone, to help improve the lives of chil- dren throughout our state. Just don’t steal our people. They are priceless. ” Yeshiva President Gary Torgow said, “It is awe-inspiring to see this auditorium filled with amazing leaders, educators and organizations who have gathered to share ideas and efforts to make our communi- ty and our state best-in-class in the critical area of special education. We recognize that all of our children — all of our children — are entitled to the highest quality of education. It is an exemplification of our crit- ical ideals that we marshal our resources to provide that educa- tion as effectively as possible. ” Torgow cited the Talmudic reference in Bava Basra (21a) to Yehoshua ben Gamla, who decreed that every communi- ty must institute a system to educate all of its children. But it wasn’t until he established a school for orphans that the Talmud praised him effusively. Why was that effort so praise- worthy? “The answer is that if there are segments of our communi- ty’s children who are not given the opportunity to learn, to study, to be taught, our entire system could be fatally deficient and may not survive. Those without means, those with lim- ited ability, those with limited mobility, those with limited speech or hearing or sight — if any of those conditions of our children are ignored, neglected or bypassed, our chances for ultimate societal success are in serious jeopardy. ” THE QUESTION OF FUNDING Ian Santus, M.S., BCBA, LBA, COBA, COO and co-founder of Akoya Behavioral Health, attended the conference. He and his business partner, Yitz Miller, have been working together for about the last six months to build their company. “We were both interested in what the Yeshiva is doing as well as connecting with some Heartbeat of the Community The Yeshiva Beth Yehudah has been educating the children of the Detroit Jewish community for over 100 years. Today, nearly 1,400 boys and girls are receiving the foundational Torah and secular education they need to thrive. On campuses in Oak Park and Southfield, the Yeshiva’s students learn and grow in state of the art facilities with devoted and caring teachers and staff members to help ensure their success, in school and in life. In addition to providing for students in PreK-12, 42 post-graduate scholars study full time in the Yeshiva’s Scholars Kollel, acting as role models for the students and preparing to take on educational leadership throughout the community. The Yeshiva’s Partners Detroit program helps members of the greater Detroit Jewish community connect to their own rich heritage. Through specialized educational programming for all age groups, such as the Partners Tuesday night in- person study hour, sports leagues, and programming for young professionals, moms, dads and families, Partners Detroit attracts over 2,000 participants each month. continued on page 18 Paul Mersino related how his visit to the Grosfeld Center spurred his efforts to support special needs children in his own community Lissie Rothstein, Director of the Grosfeld Center, detailed the efforts and successes of the Yeshiva’s program. continued from page 14 OUR COMMUNITY COVER STORY