Rising to this critical moment in the history of the Jewish people, Yeshiva University demonstrated its unwavering leadership in a moving evening of music and unity at its 99th Annual Hanukkah Dinner, which featured YU students and faculty who are veterans of the Israel Defense Forces, as well as the music of popular Israeli singer-songwriter Ishay Ribo.
Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, thanked the 500-plus friends, dignitaries and supporters of YU on Sunday night, Dec. 3, at New York City’s Ziegfeld Ballroom for the groundswell of support, announcing that after only three years of publicly launching the Rise Up Campaign for 613, they have already raised more than $400 million.
He also announced the establishment of the new Sen. Joseph Lieberman Center for Public Service and Advocacy, founded by the Ira Mitzner and Riva Collins Families, with a generous gift of $10 million. This vital center will further YU’s mission, developing the next generation of government leaders and advocates who are both connected to Israel and imbued with Jewish values and tradition.
Inspired by Lieberman, a renowned figure of faith in the public square, YU’s new Lieberman-Mitzner Center for Public Service and Advocacy will develop the next generation of government leaders and public advocates with a national and international focus, deeply rooted in Jewish values and tradition.
“Yeshiva University is where the next generation of leaders are nourished, educated and inspired to lead lives of influence and impact,” said Berman. “But Yeshiva University is more than that. In a topsy-turvy world in which Hamas is hallowed as heroes and innocent Israeli children are portrayed as villains, Yeshiva University stands for something even greater—the Truth. It is the truth that motivates our unwavering support for Israel. It is the truth that animates our commitment to Torah. It is the search for truth that drives our top-tier research in all our undergraduate and graduate schools. And the truth is that the world needs Yeshiva University now more than ever as the Flagship Jewish University.”
Through multimedia presentations and live performances by the Maccabeats, Cantor Netanel Hershtik and Ribo, who thanked the crowd for receiving the first “YU Grammy award”, the event celebrated YU’s heroes who are standing in unity with Israel and the Jewish people, showcasing the many ways in which the administration, faculty and students support Israel.