Feb 9, 2011 By: yunews
Showing Their Appreciation, RIETS Alumni Sponsor Day of Learning
Every year, Rabbi Jonathan Gross and a few fellow graduates of the (RIETS) get together to catch up, share their experiences as community leaders across the country and exchange ideas about how to best serve their congregations. At their last gathering, however, Gross started thinking.
鈥淭hat we were able to learn at RIETS for free, with world-class rabbis who I can still call up today鈥攏ot to mention the network of relationships we built with other rabbis and colleagues while we were there鈥攊s truly incredible,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y degree is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and I don鈥檛 owe a penny. I thought, 鈥楬ow can I in some way show my gratitude and acknowledge the value of my degree?鈥欌
When he learned about RIETS鈥 parnas hayom program, which offers the chance to sponsor a day, week or even a month of learning, Gross shared it with the group. He wanted to sponsor a day of learning in recognition of the education he鈥檇 received. Everyone wanted to pitch in.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot about RIETS that I鈥檓 very appreciative of,鈥 said Rabbi Yonah Gross (no relation). 鈥淭he education and the background there really prepared me for the challenges I face in my daily work, and we covered a lot of things, like practical halachos (laws), which don鈥檛 get covered in many yeshivas.鈥 Like Rabbi Jonathan Gross, he felt the friendships created in RIETS were critical, noting that it created a system of support for rabbis just starting out in communities across America. 鈥淵esterday, a rabbi from South Carolina threw out a question about minyan, and I happened to have a book he didn鈥檛 have,鈥 he said. 鈥淚n some places, your library is the only thing you鈥檝e got. But I could scan a couple pages and send it to him.鈥
The group of alumni hopes the sponsorship will set a precedent for other students and alumni to follow. 鈥淚t would be great if it inspired students in Yeshiva right now to see a bunch of rabbis, not much older than they are, so appreciative of the education they received,鈥 said Rabbi Yonah Gross.
Every RIETS student is provided with a full academic scholarship and many receive other benefits, such as living and housing stipends, which are made possible with the financial support of alumni and affiliates of the institution. This investment allows the Yeshiva to continue its tradition of providing tuition-free semikhah [rabbinic ordination] and post-semikhah kollel [advanced learning] study programs to attract quality candidates for rabbinical training.
鈥淭he truth is that all of our supporters have a cherished chelek [share] in the constant and vibrant Torah learning that takes place at our Yeshiva,鈥 said Rabbi Yonah Reiss, the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS. 鈥淭he notion of dedicating a day of learning has in its origins the famous statement of our Rabbis that the words of Torah should constantly be viewed as new and fresh each day, as if the Torah was given to us on that day (Rashi, Shemot 19:1). Likewise, the fire of Torah in our batei midrashot [study halls] is rekindled each day through the parnas hayon program and the committed benefactors who help sustain our students one day at a time.鈥
To sponsor a day of learning, contact Genene Kaye, associate director of institutional advancement at RIETS, at gkaye@yu.edu.
鈥淭hat we were able to learn at RIETS for free, with world-class rabbis who I can still call up today鈥攏ot to mention the network of relationships we built with other rabbis and colleagues while we were there鈥攊s truly incredible,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y degree is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and I don鈥檛 owe a penny. I thought, 鈥楬ow can I in some way show my gratitude and acknowledge the value of my degree?鈥欌
When he learned about RIETS鈥 parnas hayom program, which offers the chance to sponsor a day, week or even a month of learning, Gross shared it with the group. He wanted to sponsor a day of learning in recognition of the education he鈥檇 received. Everyone wanted to pitch in.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot about RIETS that I鈥檓 very appreciative of,鈥 said Rabbi Yonah Gross (no relation). 鈥淭he education and the background there really prepared me for the challenges I face in my daily work, and we covered a lot of things, like practical halachos (laws), which don鈥檛 get covered in many yeshivas.鈥 Like Rabbi Jonathan Gross, he felt the friendships created in RIETS were critical, noting that it created a system of support for rabbis just starting out in communities across America. 鈥淵esterday, a rabbi from South Carolina threw out a question about minyan, and I happened to have a book he didn鈥檛 have,鈥 he said. 鈥淚n some places, your library is the only thing you鈥檝e got. But I could scan a couple pages and send it to him.鈥
The group of alumni hopes the sponsorship will set a precedent for other students and alumni to follow. 鈥淚t would be great if it inspired students in Yeshiva right now to see a bunch of rabbis, not much older than they are, so appreciative of the education they received,鈥 said Rabbi Yonah Gross.
Every RIETS student is provided with a full academic scholarship and many receive other benefits, such as living and housing stipends, which are made possible with the financial support of alumni and affiliates of the institution. This investment allows the Yeshiva to continue its tradition of providing tuition-free semikhah [rabbinic ordination] and post-semikhah kollel [advanced learning] study programs to attract quality candidates for rabbinical training.
鈥淭he truth is that all of our supporters have a cherished chelek [share] in the constant and vibrant Torah learning that takes place at our Yeshiva,鈥 said Rabbi Yonah Reiss, the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS. 鈥淭he notion of dedicating a day of learning has in its origins the famous statement of our Rabbis that the words of Torah should constantly be viewed as new and fresh each day, as if the Torah was given to us on that day (Rashi, Shemot 19:1). Likewise, the fire of Torah in our batei midrashot [study halls] is rekindled each day through the parnas hayon program and the committed benefactors who help sustain our students one day at a time.鈥
To sponsor a day of learning, contact Genene Kaye, associate director of institutional advancement at RIETS, at gkaye@yu.edu.
