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 
is confronted with the extremes of 
moments of peace and war, love and 
hate, weeping and laughter, and of 
life and death,
” said Torgow, but King 
Solomon’s sage advice reveals to us the 
key to navigating these paradoxes. 
“Tovim hashnayim min ha’echad, 
standing together is the only way we 
can achieve what we cannot ever do 
alone,
” he explained. “It is only through 
a unified brotherhood and sisterhood, 
no matter how diverse we are, that we 

can ever expect to achieve the 
beauty and satisfaction of the life 
on this Earth that each of us so 
desperately desires.
”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro 
spoke of his own Jewish day 
school education and the need to 
be proud of who we are, proud 
of our identity and proud of the 
values we stand for. Gov. Shapiro 
voiced his staunch support for 
Israel and the Jewish people.
During a heartwarming 
music video about the Yeshiva, 
the Boys Choir quietly gathered on 
stage and burst into song at the end, 
to the surprise and delight of the 
guests. Their final song was dedicated 
in honor of the 100th birthday of 
Bill Davidson, and in recognition 
of the Davidson Foundation and its 
incredible work around the world. 
Their performance was a capstone on 
this magical Evening of Unity.
Throughout the evening, the words 
sung by those seven boys echoed in the 
collective mind of the dinner guests:

When will it be, that vision
we see
When our dreams become a
reality
When will we wake
To a world of calm and peace

How we long for that day
We hope and we pray 
We’ll never give up, as long as
it takes
Until we remain in a world of
unity. 

The Boy 
who Lit up 
the World, 
the story of 
Jerry Norcia

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 
introduced guest speaker 
Gov. Josh Shapiro.

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.

Jim Grosfeld presented 
the coveted Guardian 
Award to Dinner Chair 
Steve Steinour.

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE BY ROBERT BRUCE PHOTOGRAPHY

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. 

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Special Edition NOVEMBER 3 • 2024 | 33
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