By COLlive reporter
Photos: Mendy Krief/COLlive
Over 350 alumni, students, friends, and supporters of Tomchei Temimim of Morristown gathered Sunday for a gala dinner event celebrating the Yeshiva and its impact for the past 52 years, led by Dean Rabbi Moshe Herson.
The festive event was held in a special tent on the Yeshiva grounds, near the construction site of a 30,000-square-foot building that is being built to expand the sprawling Yeshiva campus.
The warm and nostalgic evening raised close to $900,000 with a RaiseThon.com-led fundraising campaign. The event was produced by DW Productions, catered by Table 1, and designed by Chani Greenbaum Events.
The evening opened with remarks by MC Rabbi Yossi Serebryanski, shliach in Denver, Colorado, who related his memories of Morristown Yeshiva and remarked how much the Yeshiva has grown since he was a student.
Tehillim was led by senior Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Zalman Wilschansky and Rabbi Sholom Spalter.
The evening entertainment was by singers Benny Friedman, Baruch Sholom Blesofsky, and Berel Faiden, and included beautiful videos and memories by alumni and current students.
Rabbi Mendel Serebryanski, a student of the Yeshiva who recently received Semicha, made a Siyum after completing the entire Shas, an endeavor that took him 7 years.
Rabbi Shloimy Greenwald, founder of the Kollel L’Horaah Ma’asis in Crown Heights, spoke about Rabbi Chaim Schapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of the Semicha Program, and his 25 years of tireless work and care for his students. R’ Greenwald related that he has retained a warm friendship and connection with Rabbi Schapiro, 17 years later.
R’ Greenwald emphasized the importance of Mashpiim keeping a connection with students, as well as the importance of supporting Torah learning.
Rabbi Chaim Schapiro, the evening’s honoree, spoke about his 25 years in the Yeshiva. His award was presented by his father, Rabbi Leibel Schapiro, Rosh Yeshivah of Miami Yeshivah Gedolah and Rov of Beis Menachem of Miami Beach, who was a special guest who flew in specially for the event.
The event also included a video tour of the new building by Rabbi Mendy Herson, Associate Dean, which includes a spacious new zal, double the size of the current one, with a skylight and 18-foot high ceilings, a gym, Shiur room, offices and more.
“This new building is not just a building, it’s a new threshold for our Yeshiva,” Rabbi Mendy Herson said. “Morristown has been a fixture in Lubavitch of Limmud Hatorah. My father, [Rabbi Moshe Herson], was the Rebbe’s agent and Shliach for creating change within Lubavitch,” he said.
VIDEO: FULL REPLAY
