ALUMNI NEWS
An Experience Like No Other
Alumni Gather on Staten Island, Assuming
a Larger Leadership Role in Yeshiva’s Future
O
ver three hundred alumni of Mesivta Chaim
Shlomo and Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid
attended the first-ever “Alumni Experience,”
a groundbreaking event held at the Vanderbilt
at South Beach on Staten Island.
The gathering, which had the ambience of a
joyous reunion, also served to promote a new “Alumni
Partnership” campaign, wherein alumni are urged to sign
up for a recurring monthly gift to the Yeshiva. As they
mature and enter the workforce, alumni have been signing
up and getting personally active in the broader effort to
increase alumni investment in the Yeshiva and place it on a
stronger financial footing.
The event was attended by nearly every rebbi and
sho’el umeishiv of the Mesivta and Beis Medrash, who
spent quality time with their talmidim, some of whom they
had not seen in years but who are never far from their
minds. Alumni came from far and near and represented a
broad cross-section of ages and careers.
The evening began with a shiur from the Rosh Yeshiva,
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BEDARCHEI HATORAH
WINTER 5780/2020
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, and a shmuess from the
mashgiach ruchani of Mesivta Chaim Shlomo, Rav Dov
Keilson. After a delectable buffet dinner, a short program
featured remarks from Elie Schwab, the alumni campaign
chairman and Rabbi Moshe Benoliel, the director of
alumni affairs; and divrei chizuk from the Rosh HaYeshiva,
Rav Yaakov Bender. The “Musical Experience,” led by
the talented Dudi Knopfler, was comprised of a heartfelt
kumzitz that included many songs and zemiros from
Mesivta Chaim Shlomo’s 24-year history. A slideshow of
archival images broadcast around the room added to the
air of nostalgia and positive memories.
The occasion also served to re-introduce the alumni
to a wide and impressive array of shiurim, services and
programming offered by the Alumni Association, including
the YDT Alumni Chesed Fund, shiurim from rabbeim,
the “ChizuCast” recordings, and Chupas Chaveiro, an
initiative to help friends and classmates find their zivug.
All videos can be viewed at Darchei.org/DAE2019