52nd Annual Dinner Sponsors
52nd YIS Anniversary Dinner Honorees
Manhigei Yisrael Award
Ariel & Matt Levitan
Ariel and Matt Levitan moved to Scarsdale in August of 2019 with their children Lexi and David and YIS quickly became home.
Ariel has been involved in the New Family’s Welcome Committee, assisted in finding meals for our wonderful Shlichot and is currently serving as YIS Sisterhood Co-President. Matt just finished his third year on the Kol Nidre Appeal committee and has achieved his lifelong dream of securing a shul cubby. The Levitans knew they had found a warm and welcoming community after their first visit to Scarsdale and felt embraced from the very first day. Their favorite and most meaningful time has been spent with friends in shul and around the Shabbos table.They can’t think of a better place to teach their children the value of community. It is a testament to this incredible kehila that Lexi and David feel so connected to everything about YIS and can be found most Shabboses covered in cholent in the social hall.
The Levitans are so grateful to the entire community for this wonderful honor and look forward to many more years of friendship, laughter and l’chaims.
Am Yisrael Chai Award
Galia & Josh Rosenbaum
Galia and Josh Rosenbaum have been active members of the community since they moved to the neighborhood in 2001. They are the proud parents of Joseph, Aiden and Amanda who all attended Westchester Day School. Joseph and Aiden both graduated from the Frisch school and Amanda is currently a Sophomore at SAR high school. Joseph is studying at Binghamton University SOM, and Aiden is learning at Yeshivat Reishit in Israel. All of their children were born while they were living in Scarsdale and they had the privilege of having all their children’s smachot with their YIS family.
Josh has served on the YIS Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and was Co-President from 2020 to 2022. He is a founding member of YIS CSS, has chaired the security and nominating committees, served on numerous other committees and continues to serve as counsel for YIS real estate. Galia has been an active member of the YIS sisterhood, chaired boutiques and Mishloach Manot, was the welcoming committee for 3 years, and has been involved in various dinner committees. Both Galia and Josh understand and appreciate the importance of community and are always willing to volunteer.
The Rosenbaums feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in the YIS family mission in 2017 led by Rabbi Morgenstern and Jordana which was an experience they will never forget.
Josh is the managing partner of The Law Office of Joshua Rosenbaum and also runs his own Real Estate Investment firm. Galia worked as a Guidance Counselor for the Department of Education for sixteen years and is currently on sabbatical.
Galia and Josh are grateful to be honored alongside their friends Ariel and Matt Levitan and Generation US. They are thankful to the YIS family for providing them with a community filled with warmth, spiritualty and a love for Israel.
Chazak V'Ematz Award
Generation Us
Generation Us started in 2021 as a response to the COVID pandemic. We realized that YIS members, particularly those with empty nests, were feeling isolated and needed ways to connect. As the pandemic waned, the shul was starting to create rich programming for children, young families and new members who once again had the opportunity to be together. We decided that our age group would benefit from activities as well. And so Generation Us-55 Plus was born.
Since then we have had three summer events - a Western style barbecue, a Hawaiian luau, and an outdoor dinner in honor of the 75th birthday of our beloved Israel. In addition, among our programs, we had a brunch entitled Homegrown Torah, at which we had the nachas of hearing from four YIS young adult alumni who are now prominent rabbis and Jewish educators, a trip to the New York Historical Society to see the wonderful exhibit I’ll Have What She’s Having - The History of the New York Deli, a luncheon with our Scholar in Residence, Rav Stav, and a recent Trivia Night.
Though we were reluctant to have a carefree evening during this current difficult time, Rabbi Morgenstern encouraged us, quoting a midrash that says “when two Jews laugh together, G-d laughs too. “ We hope it is this kind of pleasure stemming from warmth and togetherness that Generation Us brings to our community.