Dear BPY Family,

 

We are delighted to announce that Ben Porat Yosef’s Annual Dinner will be held on Thursday, February 29th at 7:00 pm at Edgewood Country Club in River Vale, New Jersey.

 

As we emerge from Channukah, one of the most comforting terms we have at BPY is contained in the salutation above. Family. BPY is not merely a school; it is not even merely a community. At the heart of our legendary hallmarks, we find the strength of family.  It has been extremely exciting to watch how our family has grown over the past few years - not just in terms of student enrollment numbers, but in terms of the numbers of different families, communities, and heritages. 

 

And still, within that diversity, we have also always been collectively driven by an articulated and focused mission, diligently crafted and nurtured to give our children a leading academic, religious, social, and emotional experience. The annual dinner is our chance to recognize those who go above and beyond in ensuring that we continue to hone and deliver that mission and that the BPY family grows and strengthens.

 

We are pleased to designate our immediate past president, Rachel Barber Schwartz, and our member of the board of trustees, Adam Groveman as this year's guests of honor. Each of them, through their unique contributions, serves as an exemplary role model for our BPY family. Much of the work that they do is behind the scenes - and that makes it even more important that we have the opportunity to publicly acknowledge the tireless dedication that they have for BPY.

 

Also, while we often understand how invaluable our award-winning, paradigmatic Shlichim Program is to the life, vitality, and energy of BPY, we felt this year that given what Israel continues to face, we would like to highlight and recognize this program with a special tribute at the dinner. We never cease to marvel at how even years after a Shlichim couple returns home to Israel, their lives remain so intertwined with their BPY family.

 

And finally, we are thrilled to designate Morah Naava Gavarin as our Faculty Award. Morah Naava's gentle, caring demeanor, coupled with her vision and adherence to stretch the students to reach for achievements that even they did not think possible or likely, make her a true teacher's teacher. She is a model educator and a caring friend to the faculty and administration.

 

We thank all of you for your past support, and we would love for you to join us as we plan for a glorious future. And while the best is yet to come, let's take one night to celebrate the people and the programs that brought us to where we are today, and the exciting path on which our family is going.

 

Sincerely yours, 

 

Rabbi Saul Zucker, Head of School

Howard Kestenbaum, President