Emek’s record-breaking Trustee Dinner took place on February 25th raising over half a million dollars for our Shoham Scholarship Fund. First and foremost, the dedication of our Head of School, Rabbi Mordechai Shifman, must be commended; without his direction the event could not have been nearly as successful as it proved to be. Second, the creativity of our Director of Admissions, Mrs. Sandra R’bibo cannot be understated. Working together with our co-PTA president Mrs. Vardit Aharonoff and our trustee dinner committee, the event reached a new level of tastefulness and refinement. The dinner, held at Cicada Restaurant in downtown LA, was reminiscent of a 1920’s gala with opulent gold and burgundy ornate décor throughout. Emek’s own parent and board member Mr. Nir Weinblut prepared a gastronomical masterpiece with impeccable presentation, complemented by the flower arrangements exquisitely designed by Mrs. Gali Studnik.
A beautiful personalized book was presented to our Chairman of the Board, Sol and Ruth Teichman, thanking them for their graciousness in hosting our staff at their home in November. Rabbi Mordechai Shifman and our board president, Mr. Daniel Aharonoff, addressed the attendees, imploring them to maximize their support of Emek as we watched a moving video of several of the families who are currently receiving the benefits of our scholarship fund. The speeches were perfectly complemented by a nostalgic and heartwarming video of our memorialized honoree, Mr. David Weisman, ob”m. Mr. Lyle Weisman, David’s son, accepted the Legacy Award in recognition of his father’s dedication to Emek in its early days. Finally, we recognized the dedication, effort and unwavering loyalty of Mr. and Mrs. Steve and Sue Darrison. Mr. Darrison served on Emek’s Board for 16 years, several of those years as our Board President during a tumultuous time in Emek’s history. Mr. and Mrs. Darrison’s steadfast commitment to Emek’s success has greatly contributed to what Emek has become today.
This was truly a night to remember, as board member Steve Rodin expressed, “The event was fabulous, which is not a word I use often.” Most importantly, the purpose of the evening, which was to raise funds to allow Jewish children the opportunity to receive an excellent Emek education, was realized. We raised over $510,000 for the scholarship fund, and due to the beneficence and benevolence of the Teichman Family, an additional $40,000 was raised at the event for new family scholarships. Let’s continue to build on the positive energy that has been created. Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Besimcha.
