This Sunday, Yeshiva Torah Vodaath will pay tribute to Moreinu Horav Yisroel Belsky. The tribute Dinner celebrates a Yovel of ongoing Harbotzas Torah and leadership by the Rosh Hayeshiva. Indeed, as the broad and enthusiastic response to the campaign attests, this Yovel milestone encompasses far more than Rav Belsky’s capacity as Rosh Hayeshiva in Torah Vodaath.

In the broader sense, when one considers the big picture of the Rosh Hayeshiva’s achievements, there isn’t perhaps a single person today who is not a beneficiary of his life of commitment to Klal Yisroel. Whether it’s kashrus, landmark piskei halacha, the establishment of global standards and protocols for contemporary shailos, or harbotzas haTorah in general, this indebtedness and overriding sense of Hakaras Hatov is universal. And this milestone celebration is a long-awaited occasion for Klal Yisroel as a whole to reciprocate this dedication, in the firm support for the Yeshiva that is eternally bound to the Rosh Hayeshiva’s heart and soul.

In essence, this broader perspective of Rav Belsky’s impact parallels that of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. Whether we have learned in Torah Vodaath or not, ultimately, we are all beneficiaries of this acknowledged “Mother of the Yeshiva Movement in America.” Over close to one hundred years, Yeshiva Torah Vodaath has set the trend for chinuch and harbotzas Torah in a new age and on a new continent.

Mr. Shlom Yehuda Rechnitz, world-renowned Torah philanthropist, and the Rosh Hayeshiva’s son-in-law, and one of the Honorary Chairmen will introduce the Rosh Hayeshiva and present the Rosh Hayeshiva with the Kesser Torah Yovel Tribute. Also serving as co-Honorary Chairmen is Mr. Leonard Kestenbaum, longtime benefactor of Kollel Nachlas Dovid. Joining them are Reb Berish and Reb Moshe Fuchs, two loyal talmidim of Torah Vodaath renowned for their magnanimity and dedication to the Yeshiva and their patronage of its mechanchim and yungeleit.

Mr. and Mrs. Avrohom Krull, and Mr. and Mrs. Micky Krull will serve as “Yedidei Rosh Hayeshiva” awardees. As young bochurim in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, the Krull brothers forged a close kesher with Rav Belsky, spending many Shabbossosat his home. This kesher carries on to this day, with the Rosh Hayeshiva making a point to attend the Krull family simchas much like the simcha of an own child.

The dinner will pay tribute to the more than fifty musmachim, who have received semichah from the Rosh Hayeshiva. The diversity of the group of musmachim is in fact another indicator of the diversity of Rav Belsky’s hashpa’ah. This group will be represented by four close talmidim of the Rosh Hayeshiva; Rabbi Moshe Brody, one of the premier yungeleit of Kollel Nachlas Dovid; Dr. Asher Zelig Diamond, a top-rated dentist from Plainview, NY and grandson of the legendary Rabbi David Diamond; Rabbi Ben Kaniel, a Sephardic talmid of the Rosh Hayeshiva, who serves as an Associate Rabbi  in Great Neck and Mr. Dovi Minzer, a successful businessman from Brooklyn, whose son is now a proud, fourth generation talmid of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. Mr. and Mrs. Motty Kraus will be serving as Parents of the Year.

The dinner will also feature a special tribute to the Yovel Class of 1963. The class will be represented by Rav Dovid Pam, a distinguished alumnus whose dedicated tenure in the rabbonus continues to serve as a catalyst for growth for his ownkehilla, Khal Zichron Schneur, and for the entire Toronto community as a whole, and R’ Yonah Blumenfrucht, a noted askan and member of the board of directors.

A 25th Anniversary Tribute will be presented to the Class of 1988. This group will be represented by Mr.and Mrs. Shrage Friedman of Baltimore as well as Rabbi and Mrs. Yaakov Lach of Brooklyn. Shrage Friedman is a well known friendly fellow, who lives and breathes the ideals of Torah Vodaath in the Baltimore community. Rabbi Lach is renowned for his encyclopedic and beautifully illustrated works on mesechta Chullin and hilchos treifos. These illuminating seforim,known as Chullin Illuminated in English and Temunei Chol in Loshon Hakodesh, were published by Hamesivta Publications and have since been reprinted several times.

Chairing the dinner once again will be the Yeshiva’s indefatigable Executive Committee member, Reb Gedaliah Weinberger, whose dedication to the Yeshiva and to Klal Yisroel knows no bounds. Shloime Dachs will serve as Journal Chairman.

The dinner will take place on Sunday evening, April 21, 2013 at the Palace in Brooklyn NY. The office has been bombarded with a steady flow of calls for reservations and journal ads. For more information regarding ad placement or reservations, please contact the Yeshiva Torah Vodaath Dinner office at 718.941.8000 ext. 205.