The Commentator

Pier Sixty of Chelsea Piers provided an elegant venue on October 21 as Yeshiva College hosted its annual Gala Dinner.  The dinner honored this year’s benefactors Barbara and Michael Gamson and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Yeshiva College and esteemed member of its Executive Committee Leon Wildes.  Close to 300 people were in attendance for the cocktails, presentations, and a buffet dinner.

According to Director of Institutional Advancement for Yeshiva College Heidi Kuperman, the mastermind of this event, “The dinner turned out to be a great success, and everything ran so smoothly.”

Following the cocktails, the group gathered to honor the Dinner’s honorees.  Dinner Co-Chairmen Stanley Raskas (YC ‘65) and Beryl Eckstein (YC ‘79) welcomed the audience with a few brief remarks.  Yeshiva President Richard M. Joel then took the stage to present  awards to Mr. and Mrs. Gamson and Mr. Wildes.

President Joel also made reference to the changes and advances made by Yeshiva College in the past two years since Dean David Srolovitz arrived on campus.

Following the main honoree presentations, Aaron Weitz (YC ‘51), the Chairman of the Revel Award Committee presented the Revel Awards to three very deserving men. 

The Bernard Revel Memorial Award for Religion and Religious Education was presented to Rabbi Tzvi Flaum (YC ‘71). Rabbi Flaum is the rabbi of Congregation Kneseth Israel in Far Rockaway, NY, and a world class scholar who has lectured extensively on various topics in Jewish Medical Ethics.  He is actively involved with the National Institute of Judaism and Medicine and has received the Senior Professor Award from Stern College for Women for five consecutive years.

The Bernard Revel Memorial Award for Community Service Leadership was presented to Rabbi Dr. Doniel Z. Kramer (YC ‘70), a chaplain to patients at the VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System.  According to the Gala Dinner Program, he served for nearly 30 years as Brigade Chaplain and Instructor with the United States Army.  He also worked with the American Red Cross at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks.  In addition, he has many professional affiliations and holds office on many councils and boards.

And finally, the Bernard Revel Memorial Award for Professional Achievement was presented to Dr. John Loike (YC ‘71).  Dr. Loike is a preeminent immunologist, a Co-Director for Graduate Studies in the Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, and the Director of Special Programs in the Center for Bioethics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.  He is on the Advisory Board of the Columbia University Center for Study of Science and Religion.  Dr. Loike is also the creator and faculty editor of the Columbia University Journal of Bioethics.

Following a few words from Dean Srolovitz, a special tribute was made as Eliot Lauer (YC ‘71) presented the Rabbi Sheldon S. Miller Memorial Fund plaque to the late Rabbi Miller’s son.  According to the Gala Dinner’s Program “The Rabbi Sheldon S. Miller Memorial Fund has been established in honor of Shelly’s legacy of friendship, compassion and caring.  The scholarship will be awarded yearly to a Yeshiva College student who plans on receiving semikhah from RIETS and dedicating his life to helping others in a non-pulpit field, as Shelly did.”

The Yeshiva College Gala Dinner concluded with a few brief thank you announcements as the attendees sat down to enjoy the buffet dinner.

Article Tools