Yeshiva University High Schools January 3 Dinner to Focus on "What's Next" Yeshiva University High Schools will present their annual Dinner of Tribute on Wednesday, January 3, 2018, at Marina del Rey in the Bronx, New York. This year’s Guests of Honor are Amy and Michael Berger ’86YUHS at Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls (YUHSG) and Gila and Dovid Weinstein ’86YUHS at The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy/Yeshiva University High School for Boys (YUHSB). Mrs. Miriam Chopp of YUHSG will be presented with the Ethel Dworetsky Morrow z”l Faculty Award and Rabbi Rafi Pearl will receive the Faculty Award from YUHSB. Special tribute will also be paid to past chairs of the Yeshiva University High Schools Joint Board of Trustees: Mr. Jack Bendheim, Mr. Elliot Gibber, Dr. Felix Glaubach, Mr. Henry Rothman, Mr. Irwin Shapiro and Dr. Edith Zwillenberg z”l. The theme of this year’s dinner is "What's Next" as the YUHS community explores the future of experiential programming and 21st Century skills and learning. The evening will recognize this integral value of YUHS, celebrate the accomplishments of students in these arenas, and look ahead toward new and exciting opportunities for YU High Schools’ growth. The Bergers, of Woodmere, New York, have been very active in the high school, from opening their home for YUHSG events to serving on the Parent Council. Amy graduated Stern College for Women in 1990 and works as a special education teacher specializing in Early Childhood Itinerant Teaching. Michael is a senior managing director at Colliers International Real Estate in New York City and once served as an advisor to the Sy Syms School of Business real estate curriculum. They have four children: Zachary ’19YC, Elizabeth ’18S, Emily ’17YUHS and Jordana ’19YUHS. “Our honorees are each a true reflection of the distinctive features of a YU High School education,” said Mrs. CB Neugroschl, head of school at YUHSG. “Michael and Amy Berger have been active partners and proud ambassadors of Central as a school that's invested in nurturing and supporting each student both academically and extracurricularly.” The Weinsteins, of Teaneck, New Jersey, are active members of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, where Dovid has served on the executive board and is involved in numerous capacities. Gila runs the popular i-Shine Teaneck program, an after-school service for children living with illness or loss in their homes. As a principal at Lincoln Equities Group, Dovis is a key member of the group’s management team and is involved in major acquisitions, development and property management decisions. They have five sons: Shaya ’09YUHS, Shmoozie ’10YUHS, Eli ’13YUHS, Shuki ’15YUHS and Chaim ’18YUHS. “Dovid and Gila Weinstein are very deserving honorees,” said Rabbi Joshua Kahn, head of school at YUHSB. “Their commitment to Talmud Torah and religious development has been instilled in each of their boys who embrace these values and are all leaders in our school community.” Chopp, of Lawrence, New York, has been a member of the YUHSG Science Department for 22 years. She teaches chemistry and mentors the science teams for competitions. She is a graduate of Brooklyn College and holds master’s degrees in chemistry, secondary school education and teacher education in science. She currently mentors new teachers following their completion of a two-year training course sponsored by the Jewish New Teacher Project. “When you talk to Mrs. Chopp's students you get that we're about so much more than just a classic curricula,” said Neugroschl. “Mrs. Chopp is one of the most dynamic teachers whose love of learning propels her to be teacher, mentor, life coach and personal role model all at once for faculty and students alike.” Rabbi Pearl, of Queens, began teaching at YUHSB in 2006. He teaches Talmud and Tanach to the ninth grade, Bekiut to the tenth grade, runs the Torah Bowl team and the Chidon HaTanach program, and serves as the Mashgiach to the tenth grade Yeshiva Fellowship. Rabbi Pearl also coordinates the soccer and football intramurals and mentors students of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. “Rabbi Pearl's commitment to his talmidim knows no limits,” said Rabbi Kahn. “Throughout the day, he can be found teaching his students in the classroom, conversing with them in the hallways or playing sports with them in the gym. Rabbi Pearl balances a rigorous style of challenging his students to really know the material they are learning with a supportive approach of working with each talmid to ensure their success.” For reservations or additional information, please visit www.yu.edu/hsdinner or contact Elissa Schertz at 212.960.5223 or elissa.schertz@yu.edu.