Moshe Rabbeinu stands out as the most prominent figure in the Torah. His name appears numerous times in virtually every parsha that occurred during his life- with one exception. There is no mention of Moshe's name in Parshat Tetzaveh. The Lubavitcher Rebbe argues that, despite the absence of his name, Moshe's essence is present in this Parsha more than any other. The parsha begins with the word "ve'ata tetzaveh", translated as "and you shall command." Hashem is talking directly to Moshe in this verse. A name, argues the Rebbe, is simply a descriptor of one's essence. By talking directly to Moshe and not using his name, the Torah peels away the descriptor,allowing Hashem to speak directly to Moshe's essence.
One's presence can be deeply felt even when he is no longer physically present. Mrs. Yocheved Orbach was a woman who personified the middot that we look to instill in our children at Moriah. She was known for being kind and compassionate, was a religious role model to all who knew her, and led a life filled with joy. She was passionately devoted to her children's day school, recognizing the vital role that it played in their lives. Her essence lives on today in the values and actions of her family and friends, whose values were shaped and molded by her. We are thankful to Jessica and Meyer for their leadership and devotion to Moriah and are proud to work every day to instill the middot in our students at Moriah that Mrs. Orbach Z'L stood for and valued.
Jason and Ali (‘95) Auerbach serve as an inspiration to us all. Ali started volunteering and working for the school from virtually the first day she had children at Moriah. They care deeply about Moriah, and personify the values that we stand for.
Bracha Bluman is a teacher's teacher. Her commitment to, and love for Moriah are unparalleled. Bracha has created a classroom where students learn and grow in a warm and nurturing environment. She has taught hundreds of students over the years and is one of the most beloved faculty members on our staff.
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to ensure that this year’s dinner would be a success. Moriah is a special place. Our strength lies in the passion of our teachers, our students, our parents and all our stakeholders, who are committed to ensuring that we continue to prepare our students to thrive in the world around them, lead vibrant Jewish lives, and make a difference.
It has become very apparent that our world is in need of repair. One only has to open a newspaper or watch the nightly news to see the evidence. The recent tragedies in Israel and throughout the world highlight the enormous and immediate need for change. It is incumbent upon all of us to do our part. To that end, the theme for Moriah's Annual Dinner is "Tikkun Olam," most broadly understood as "Repairing the World."
Our responsibility, both individually and collectively, to change, improve, and fix our surroundings is vital. As parents, educators and community members, each of us has a hand in working towards the betterment of our own existence as well as the lives of future generations. As Jews, we can accomplish this by participating in tzedakah (justice and righteousness) and g'milut chasadim (acts of loving kindness).
Increasing the well-being of humankind is one of the key elements of repairing the world. Helping those who are in need, no matter in what capacity, is crucial to restoring the world to its original state of holiness.
Moriah's achievements are the result of a collective effort that combines the talent and dedication of both full time faculty and lay volunteers. The Annual Dinner is our moment to thank them for their efforts to help Moriah strive toward excellence, all-the-while promoting the concepts of tzedakah and g'milut chasadim.
The Guests of Honor at our dinner are Jessica and Meyer Orbach. Jessica and Meyer have made supporting quality Jewish Education the highest priority for their giving. They have also demonstrated time and again that tzedakah and chesed are intertwined. The extraordinary donation they gave to name the campus the Yocheved Orbach Campus provided Moriah with the ability to embark on our own "tikkun" or "repair" - these funds were used for a much-needed update of the campus and fields (with more upgrades still to come). Jessica has worked on various committees, including Mishloach Manot, Israeli Day Parade and MAP. Jessica and Meyer continue to demonstrate to each of their four children -- Eve ('14), Lea ('17), Bo ('20) and Zeke ('24) - that the responsibility of Tikkun Olam belongs to all of us.
Moriah is fortunate to have over 60 alumni who have returned to Moriah as parents. When alumni assume leadership roles in the school, they bring a special quality - a love and appreciation for the school and a kinship with their children that can only be cultivated by shared experience. We are excited to announce that Ali (‘95) and Jason Auerbach have accepted the Young Alumni Leadership Award. Ali and Jason are parents to second generation Moriah students, Henry ('23) and Lucy ('26) and have been tremendous advocates of Moriah. They have worked tirelessly on the Admissions & Recruitment Committee, collecting and counting Box Tops and coordinating the entire behind the scenes efforts for spirit wear.
This year's Rabbi J. Shelley Applbaum Achievement Award is being awarded to Mrs. Bracha Bluman, a master, veteran Kindergarten teacher whose reputation for academic excellence and warmth speaks to everything we want for our school. Morah Bracha has been a part of the Moriah family for almost 30 years, including being a Moriah parent to four proud Moriah alumni. Morah Bracha is beloved by her students and colleagues and we are honored she has accepted this recognition.
Special thanks to Polly Bousbib, Talia Gollender, Eda Greenbaum, Beth Lipschitz, and Drorit Ratzker, our Dinner Chairs; Alex Solomon, Ami Rosen, Joseph Dyckman, Brian Haimm and Evan Sohn, our Annual Campaign chairs; and Deanna Blank and Rivka Gertzulin, our Journal Chairs. If you would like to join any of the dinner committees, please be in touch with the Chairs directly. We look forward to celebrating with you and doing our part to support Moriah's efforts in Tikkun Olam.
Thank you for your continued support.
Seth Gribetz, President
Evan Borenstein, Chairman
