Another Sefer Torah Joins YU

By: Darren May

A person’s marriage is often one of the most defining moments of his or her life. So too, one of the defining moments of a yeshiva is a Hachnasat Sefer Torah. On December the 6th, our yeshiva celebrated the dedication of a new Torah scroll. The Torah scroll was donated by Leonard Grunstein in memory of his father Morris Grunstein. Various people wrote the final letters in Weissberg Commons of Belfer Hall, before the Torah was escorted with dancing and music to the Glueck Beit Midrash. Once in Glueck, Leonard Grunstein and Rabbi Ahron Kahn each spoke about the event. After the speeches were finished, prayers were said, and the event was concluded.

During his speech, Leonard Grunstein talked about the different sacrifices his father made during the Holocaust and later in America in order so that his family could lead a Torah-observant lifestyle. Morris Grunstein sold his business and moved to New York after he saw that the religious observance of his children was starting to wane. In order to underscore the importance of his father’s sacrifices in order to raise a Jewish lifestyle, Leonard Grunstein stated, “All the other children in my community who did not move to more religious areas are now not religious.”

“It was amazing to see the whole yeshiva celebrating together,” said YC junior Ari Garfinkel. Garfinkel went on to say that “both of the speeches were very moving, and I really learnt a lot about what it means to be totally dedicated to living a Torah life.” Hopefully YU and the larger YU community will have reason for many more celebrations in the months and years that come.