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YU News

Dinner Honors Board Members Dr. Benjamin Chouake, Suzanne and Miles Berger and Philip Friedman

May 13, 2009 -- Yeshiva University’s three undergraduate schools--Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women and Sy Syms School of Business--will hold their first combined Undergraduate Dinner on June 17 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers in New York City. The dinner will honor distinguished members of the schools' Boards Benjamin S. Chouake, MD, Suzanne and Miles Berger and Philip Friedman, who are all New Jersey residents. Chouake founded Emergi-Med, an eight-physician primary care practice in 1984, and holds certifications in internal medicine and emergency medicine. As president of NORPAC, the nations’ largest pro-Israel political action committee, he has become a nationally recognized advocate of U.S.-Israel relations. He sits on the National Council of AIPAC, among other boards, and received its Community Leader Award in 2008. A resident of Englewood, Chouake brings integrity and tenacity to his work as a Board member of Yeshiva College, a position he has held since 2003. Chouake, who also serves on the Board of Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, and his wife, Dr. Esther Hershenbaum, established the Esther and Ben Chouake Scholarship at Yeshiva College. “It is incumbent upon us—those who have the ability--to build the community,” he said. “And that’s why I am involved.” Suzanne Berger joined Stern College's Board four years ago, a move precipitated by her commitment to Judaism, understanding of its underlying importance and value in a secular-dominated education system and her daughter’s attendance at Stern. “I have witnessed a unique group of Jewish women committed to making a mark in the world through active participation in societal issues as well as in the fields of science, medicine and literature,” Mrs. Berger said. “Simultaneously, by embracing their Jewish values, these young women truly epitomize what it means to be women of valor.” She and her husband, Miles Berger, chairman of the Berger Organization, have been married for 30 years. “We are very proud to be honored by Yeshiva University,” the Livingston residents said. “We believe in Yeshiva and what it represents.” Philip Friedman founded Computer Generated Solutions, which specializes in software, systems integration, help desk, consulting and training, with just five employees in 1984. Today, the company employs 3,000 professionals and maintains a global presence spanning North America, Europe and Asia. In 1996, Friedman was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the City of New York, Ernst & Young, Inc., Merrill Lynch and Inc. Magazine. A Board member of Sy Syms School of Business since 2003, the Livingston resident takes an active role in its growth and future. “Sy Syms School will be one of the leading institutions in the field of business,” Friedman said. “And I will do what I can to get them there. The mere fact that we can educate thousands of Jewish kids to follow our traditions and give them a great education is deserving of my support.” To make a reservation, place a message in the Dinner Scroll of Honor or for more information, visit www.yu.edu/undergraduatedinner, e-mail undergraduatedinner@yu.edu or call 212-960-5468.