A

little bit of light repels a lot of darkness (Duties
of the Heart, Chapter 5)
During this time of global turmoil,
darkness and challenge, attending the Yeshiva Beth
Yehudah’s Evening of Unity provided the light and
warmth so many have been seeking.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, a broad and diverse
cross section of the greater Detroit community graced
the Renaissance Ballroom and dais of the Detroit
Marriott, uplifting the sellout crowd with the palpable
sense of togetherness and hope, of light and positivity.
They were all there to recognize the children of the
Yeshiva, 1,400 bright and beautiful young men and
women, all receiving the essential knowledge and tools
to become the leaders of tomorrow. They were there
for the 400+ children receiving invaluable support
at the James Grosfeld Center for Special Education,
each one learning and growing at their own pace, with
individualized attention, incredibly loving teachers and
staff, and the goal of reaching the same heights as their
peers.
They were there because they understood the future
of our community relies on the brotherhood and unity
of each one of us.
There were the usual touches one has come to
expect at the Yeshiva Dinner — an abundant and

delicious strolling dinner, a first-class orchestra,
inspiring speeches by community and business leaders,
heartwarming performances by the young men of the
Yeshiva Boys Choir. There was the Partners Detroit
Torah learning program an hour before the reception,
where hundreds of Jews from all backgrounds
gathered to engage in Torah study and join together in
prayer for the safety of Israel and its soldiers.
And there was the feeling everyone has come to
expect from a Yeshiva event: the unity of guests from
all walks of life, different political parties, varied
religious affiliations, corporate leaders and community
members of every stripe, joining together in solidarity
and support of our shared values.
The ballroom was filled with hundreds of tables,
a four-tiered dais graced by the leadership of our
state and scions of our religious, philanthropic and
business communities, souvenir journals packed with
congratulatory messages and adorable photos of the
children everyone had come to support.
Parents, grandparents and friends of the students
of the Yeshiva joyfully attended to show their love
and support for these wonderful children and the
marvelous education they are receiving.
But this year, after singing the anthems, all the guests
were asked to sit as seven young boys were introduced

and sang a haunting, beautiful song of unity, a vision
for our world of peace, goodness, kindness and love.
Their rendition brought tears to the eyes of many.
These seven boys set the tone for the rest of the
evening. Mayor Mike Duggan, Senators Gary Peters
and Debbie Stabenow and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer all
spoke of a 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

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah’s 2023
Annual Dinner Was a Showcase
of Light and Warmth

Yeshiva supporter and
aluminous Mickey
Shapiro and dinner
honoree Jerry Norcia

The Yeshiva’s Boys Choir
thrilled the audience with
heartwarming songs and
dedications.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF YESHIVA BETH YEHUDAH

Guest speaker
Pennsylvania
Gov. Josh Shapiro

32 | NOVEMBER 3 • 2024 Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Special Edition J
N

YESHIVA BETH YEHUDAH

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOVEMBER 30, 2023