Kushner dinner to honor past and present leaders
THE JOSEPH KUSHNER Hebrew Academy/Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School (JKHA/RKYHS) 69th Annual Dinner — centering on Bonim Yesodot L’Atidenu — Building Foundations for Our Future — will take place on Wednesday, May 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Factory 220 in Passaic.
The Livingston school’s gala will celebrate honorees Sandra and Howard Blank, Paula and Jerry Gottesman, and Harriet and George Blank, representing the role of parents, community members, and educational leaders; the legacy of the school’s early founders; and grandparents and community leaders whose work aims to sustain Jewish education.
Sandra and Howard Blank are leaders involved as parents and professionals. Howard’s service on the board of trustees and as chair of development have helped the yeshiva secure greater long-term investment and revenue. Sandra has served as a parent volunteer, art teacher, and editor of “The Kosher Palette” and “The Kosher Palette II.” Under her tenure as director of admissions and community relations, JKHA/RKYHS enrollment has increased by more than 100 students during the last three years.
The Gottesmans represent the founders of the school, among them Sadie and Joseph Gottesman, Jerry’s parents, who built the Yeshiva of Newark and Hebrew Youth Academy, the predecessor to JKHA/RKYHS. The Gottesmans continue to contribute to establishing and funding affordability programs for day schools in the community.
“My parents’ deep support for and involvement in JKHA/RKYHS has been passed through the generations…and to our ongoing commitment today,” said Jerry Gottesman. “It is our honor to represent the early founders and visionaries of JKHA/RKYHS and to recognize their enduring commitment and contributions.”
Long-time community leaders Harriet and George Blank emigrated from Europe as young children and are JKHA/RKYHS grandparents. As founding chairs of the L’Atidenu Financial Assistance Endowment Campaign, they have promoted tuition affordability and strengthening the school’s endowment.
“We are examples of the greatness of America, which welcomed us and gave us opportunity,” they said in a statement. “That is why we are so thrilled to play a small part in supporting tuition affordability for yeshiva education at JKHA/RKYHS. This yeshiva is building the future of Judaism as well as great citizens of America one student at a time.”
Tickets to the dinner cost $125-$250, with many sponsorship levels available. To purchase tickets or place an ad in the virtual journal, visit wizadjournal.com/jkha2017 or contact director of development Lauren Shapiro at 862-437-8192 or lshapiro@jkha.org.
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