A blessing among blessings was the Thursday morning visit of Grand Rebbe Mayer A. Horowitz.

Leader of the American Friends of Mosdos Boston and co-founder, with his father the Bostoner Rebbe z"l, of the Kollel Boston in Jerusalem which he continues to lead, the Rebbe provided wisdom and insight during a couple of Yavneh's morning Judaic Studies classes.

A Boston native, the Rebbe first went to Israel to study at Ponovitch Yeshiva, Bnei Brak, where he was subsequently ordained before returning to Lakewood Yeshiva.  The Rebbe served as Executive Director, of Yeshiva Gedolah Boston, founder of the Kehillah Day Camp, and Yeshiva Machzkei Torah, for which he served as Dean for many years.

"Torah gives us meaning that never changes, it doesn't waiver, it never moves," said the Rebbe.  "In life, there are many rules that change because of human concerns.  From the Torah, it isn't ours to decide if the rules are right or wrong, but to appreciate them. On Pesach, we drink four cups of wine and make the blessings of:

 "Hotzaiti ~ I will bring out"

"Hitzalti ~ I will save"

"Ga'alti ~ I will redeem"

"Lakachti ~ I will take"

Avraham Aveinu gave to our gene pool the ability to move," said the Rebbe.  "In Parsha Lech Lecha we read "lech lecha m'artzecha, go forth from the land" - we learn our purpose, of how and why we became a People.  We must keep in mind also that each of us is unique and what is the purpose for each of us as well.  None of us has the same fingerprint, and none of us is here for the identical reason."

The Rebbe discussed that mathematics preceded Archimedes by years, that the gemara is filled with equations from the requirements to build a mikvah to that of building the mishkan and the monies that were collected from Klal Yisroel.

The Rebbe continued discussing that a righteous person will live on their faith, in the merit of the belief that Klal Yisroel finds sustenance.  "A person doesn't get rewards for good deeds and how they live if they live right, the reward is the knowledge we have done so," he said, enhancing his conversation to include the mitzvot of keeping Shabbat.   "If you were given a shopping cart at the grocery store - and five minutes to fill it with anything you could for free - you'd run, not walk.  On Shabbos, you have the opportunity to 'fill your own cart,' with mitzvos, and to make your own experience that much more meaningful."

"Hashem didn't give the Torah to angels, but to mankind and you have a choice," said the Rebbe.  "We are the best example to others, and every individual is able to praise Hashem with every breath, statement, and action. As much as you think you can do, you can do much more."

It was big band harmony between Yavneh's student body and members of Israel's Thelma

Yellin Big Band on Wednesday when the two connected in learning, laughter, and performance. 

Nineteen members of the Big Band jazz group, in Dallas as one of two high school groups chosen to participate in this week's esteemed 5^th Annual Jazz Education Network Conference.  In just four days, the conference's participants, primarily college and professional bands, participated in close to 300 performances, master classes and lectures by some of the world's leading artists. 

"Just look around, the kids are doing what kids do best and that's making friends," said Ron Romaner who, with Jolene Risch-Minsky, both Yavneh parents, co-chairs the Federation's  Partnership2Gether committee.  "These kids are so talented, really, really amazing, and I love watching our talented guys and girls experiencing the same culture they love, from these guests to the Campus.  This is what the Schultz Rosenberg Campus and our local, and global Jewish Community are all about.  This is the reality of the dream for our community." 

The Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts was founded 53 years ago in the memory of the Israeli cellist, Thelma Bentwich Yellin, who immigrated to Israel in the 1920s from England. It was her dream to establish a high school that would nurture the very special needs of artistically gifted students during their high school years.   A national high school, its ninth through twelfth grade students comes from throughout the country to study in a programming offering courses in six majors: ballet and modern dance, classical music, jazz, drama, film and visual arts. 

"This was a really incredibly way to put a face to Yavneh's connection to Israel, for our students to be together, to touch an opportunity making that connection permanent," said Naomi Schrager, Yavneh's Associate Principal/Judaic Programming.  "We saw many of the kids exchanging email and Facebook addresses and it wasn't long before many of them seemed to have known each other for a long time."

"Music is not a hobby for our students, many of whom go on to international acclaim," said Eli Benacot, the band's conductor who helped found the department, more than 20 years ago.  "Anat Cohen, Avishai Cohen, Eli Degibri and many others are world renowned artists who studied with us and in this group, for sure there are future professional talents."

"Coming to Yavneh is definitely a comfort to us during our trip here and the interaction has been tremendous," said Mr. Benacot who was joined in Dallas by Yossi Regev who heads the Thelma Yellin Jazz Department Head and that department's 70 students.  "It's great to see the kids together and I think some friendships were made even in this short time."

Yavneh students gave their guests tours of the campus, they engaged in question and answer sessions, exchanging their high school experiences, and then moved to the SR Campus' Beit Midrash where Thelma Yellin High School's Big Band, with vocalist Shalev Edri at the microphone, performed many songs - the Yavneh audience finally pushing for, and getting an encore.

 

"It's extremely beneficial to have our students meet and share this time, and a morning like this one goes a long way to enhancing a strong bond for the next generation," said

Sarah Golman, Israel & Overseas Coordinator of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, noting that the Thelma Yellin High School works with many in Dallas' Western Galilee Partnership Region.  "What a beautiful morning." 

"Music is a great mutual agent," said Mrs. Schrager.  "While the kids lives are different in so many ways, too their lives are very similar and just because we live a world apart in miles, it certainly didn't seem that way today.   At Yavneh, we support and love Israel and these moments are irreplaceable in enhancing that tie even moreso."