Leonard Grunstein Celebrates Yeshiva Graduates

Leonard Grunstein attended a reception earlier this spring honoring the new Bergen County graduates of Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (REITS). Grunstein and his wife Chanie have long been generous supporters of Yeshiva University, from which his three children, daughter-in-law and sons-in-law all graduated. In July 2013, Grunstein was named a board member of Yeshiva’s Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. The school has also praised Grunstein for his analysis of Jewish banking laws, which appeared in the Banking Law Journal in 2013.

The reception celebrated the seminary’s 50 new Bergen County graduates. This year’s REITS cohort, 230 graduates in total, is the largest graduating class in the school’s history. The reception in Teaneck preceded the REITS ceremony and featured Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, a professor at the school and renowned former chief rabbi of England.

Sacks, the Kressel and Ephrat Family University Professor of Jewish Thought at Yeshiva, served as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from September 1991 until September 2013. He is known as one of the most prolific and well-regarded Jewish thinkers in the world and has been called an “intellectual giant” by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. At the reception, Sacks elaborated on the role of the rabbi in the Jewish community, saying the training of new students is the most important thing one can do in the Jewish world.

Leonard Grunstein expressed his excitement at having Sacks speak at the ceremony, calling him “a brilliant man and speaker.”

Leonard Grunstein and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

Lady Elaine Sacks and Chanie Grunstein at Bergen County graduate reception

Rav Benjamin Yudin, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Rav Herschel Schacter and his son, Rabbi Shai Schacter

Dean of REITS at YU, Rabbi Menachem Penner and Rabbi Ari Zahtz, assistant Rabbi at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck

Accomplished Scholar and Author Gives Lecture at Yeshiva University

Leonard Grunstein, Revel Graduate School board member, attended a lecture and book launch at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff, accomplished professor of rabbinic literature at Yeshiva University’s Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem presented the lecture to celebrate the re-issuing of two of his previously published biographies.

A scholar and author Rabbi Rakeffet’s books, The Silver Era: Rabbi Eliezer Silver and His Generation, and Bernard Revel: Builder of American Orthodoxy, were the result of his doctoral dissertation at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. The lecture specifically celebrated the relaunch of the biography of Bernard Revel, which is being re-issued by the OU Press with the inclusion of a new introduction by chairman of the Revel Board of Overseers, Mordecai D. Katz, Esq.

Thanks to Rakeffet’s research, both biographies give readers a glimpse into the lives of these two important leaders while simultaneously detailing the history of Orthodox Judaism in America. Both men are recognized for their dedication to the Jewish people.

Leonard Grunstein at Yeshiva University

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leonard Grunstein with Rabbi Rakeffet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yeshiva University School of Jewish Education Names New Dean

Yeshiva University announced that Dr. David Schnall, current dean of the School of Jewish Education and Administration, will be retiring as Azrielli Dean after the 2013-14 academic year.

Dr. Rona Novick will succeed Dr. Schnall, effecitve July 1, 2014.  A PhD recepitant of Rutgers University, Dr. Novick is known for her expertise in behavior management and child behavior therapy.  With extensive research in parenting, and the behavior and development of young children, Dr. Novick has been invited to present at national and international conferences.  As dean, Dr. Novick will work with Provost-elect Dr. Selma Botman and bring focus to the future of Jewish education.

Dr. Rona Novak

President of the University, Richard Joel welcomed Dr. Novick with enthusiasm:

“I am delighted that Dr. Rona Novick has accepted my invitation to serve as the dean of Azrieli”… “She has been an invaluable asset to our institution, serving as director of the Fanya Gottesfeld Heller Doctoral Program prior to her new appointment. Concurrently, she will hold the Raine and Stanley Silverstein Chair in Professional Ethics and Values.”

Upon retirement, Dr. Schnall plans to spend more time with his family and focus on his writing and research.  Dr. Schnall has served as dean for 13 years, but will continue his involvement at the University after a brief sabbatical.  According to President Joel, Schnall will resume teaching and publishing at YU:

“In recognition of his extraordinary achievements and contributions to Yeshiva University, I have decided to name Dr. Schnall University Professor of Jewish Culture and Society.”

Leonard Grunstein was appointed to Board Member of the Revel Graduate School at Yeshiva University in 2013.

Leonard Grunstein Analysis Published in The Banking Law Journal

An extensive analysis conducted by Leonard Grunstein was published in The Banking Law Journal.  The highly reputable publication, featured Grunstein’s analysis of the contemporary application of Jewish laws regarding the taking of interest. Yeshiva University affirmed,

“The Banking Law Journal, publication, reflects Mr. Grunstein’s mastery of the intricacies of a complex area of halakhah, of the similar challenges raised by the strictures of Islamic law, and of the workings of Western economies.”

Grunstein presents his findings,

“The Article provides a timely analysis of the recent defaults, bankruptcies and attempts at restructuring of Sha’ariah compliant financial products, including. the spectacular bankruptcy by a Sha’ariah compliant institutional lender, which threatens to undermine the very basis for these products. It discusses the structural issues exposed by these events as well as the inherent incompatibility between existing Sha’ariah products and the requirements of the capital markets.”

Read Leonard Grunstein’s full report here.

Leonard Grunstein became a member of the Revel Board of Overseers in the summer of 2013.  Both Grunstein and his wife, Chana, are long-time supporters of Yeshiva University.

Yeshiva University & Revel Graduate School

Yeshiva University was founded in 1896 as Yeshivat Rabbeinu Yatzchak Elchanan by graduates from Etz Chaim, an elementary school established by Eastern European immigrants in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, who wanted to continue their formal Jewish education. With no other options for higher education, students joined Rabbi Moses Matlin in an apartment in the neighborhood. One year later, the yeshiva was chartered by the State as the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, ordaining its first class in 1903.

Today, Yeshiva University remains one of the oldest and most prestigious Jewish institutions in America and has a number of distinguished alumni including Nobel laureates, rabbinic leaders, politicians and philanthropists. With an enrollment of over 9,000 students the school has thirteen undergraduate and graduate schools that are dispersed throughout four separate campuses in the city.

One of the six graduate schools in existence today, the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies was the University’s first graduate school, begun in 1935 as a program in Semitics. The school was formally established two years later and, following an expansion, re-named in honor of Bernard Revel, president from 1915 to 1940, in 1941. Today, Revel offers M.A., Ph.D. and joint B.A./M.A. degree programs in Jewish studies with emphasis on critical analysis of primary sources, methodology and secondary literature.

Joining Revel’s faculty and administration in their commitment to supporting Jewish education and scholarship, Leonard Grunstein has become the newest member of the school’s Board of Overseers.