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July 4, 2008
PTI reaches $1 million goal
Yeshivah honors donors, who make running the school possible.
RON FRIEDMAN
While not everyone who attended the Pacific Torah Institute's fundraising dinner had to sing for their supper, guests were treated to a memorable performance of Mizmor L'David by the evening's honoree, Rabbi Yosef Wosk, and his friend, David Freedman.
The event, which took place June 24 at the home of Sydney and Joanne Belzberg celebrated the completion of this year's fundraising drive for the school, with the goal of reaching $1 million achieved on the night. Roughly 100 people attended the gala dinner.
After the meal, yeshivah dean Rabbi Noam Abramchik addressed the guests, letting them in on the major fundraising achievements of the year and expressing special thanks to Gordon and Leslie Diamond for their donation of $250,000, which helped launch the yeshivah, and introduced Arnold Silber, one of the school's top fundraisers.
Silber spoke about the importance of the yeshivah and his closeness to the rabbis. "Although a lot of us are business people, we feel that being with the rabbis gives that super feeling of being connected to the Almighty." He then proceeded to introduce Wosk: "Yossi, along with others, was extremely instrumental with the start of Pacific Torah Institute. I was very fortunate to be at the graduation of PTI and have met with the boys a number of times. And I should tell you that our community is very blessed and if we're going to leave a legacy behind, the future is there, because these kids are going to come back."
As Wosk took the stage, guests honored him with a standing ovation.
"What these boys are learning when they're learning the Mishnah and the Talmud and the Torah, in a way that has been passed down for millennium, it's not just cultural studies, it's not just culinary arts, it's really the authentic teachings," said Wosk, whose substantial donation helped found the yeshivah and whose father it is named after. It's not a big centre, acknowledged Wosk, "But the quality is there, the authenticity, the reality is there.... Whether it's in collecting books or friends or yeshivahs, I want it to be real, authentic and something that is eternal. And in PTI, in the yeshivah, I think we've all found that." Wosk concluded his speech by quoting from the song of praise he then proceeded to sing: "Let only goodness and kindness chase after us all our lives."
The evening culminated with the presentation of awards to top donors. Decorated plaques went to Jeanette and Arnold Silber and Herbert Silber, Ze'ev and Elaine Shafran and Anita Shafran, the Belzbergs and the Diamonds.
After announcing that $133,000 was required to reach the fundraising target for the year, Wosk volunteered to donate $100,000 if someone else made up the rest. A few minutes later, the rest was donated by the Shafran family and an anonymous donor.
The Pacific Torah Institute is the first yeshivah in the Pacific Northwest. This year's class was the sixth to graduate. Over the last five years, PTI has grown from 16 to an anticipated more than 60 students in the coming year. It attracts students from all across the region.
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