The NSHA/NSHAHS Sam Aharonoff Memorial Shivtei Torah Campaign

The Commissioning & Dedication of 12 New Sifrei Torah

To commemorate over half a century of the North Shore Hebrew Academy's service to the Great Neck community and to celebrate our North Shore High School's new magnificent campus, we are proud and honored to introduce the NSHA/NSHAHS Sam Aharonoff Memorial Shivtei Torah Campaign, sponsored by the greater Great Neck Jewish community. This is a unique and unprecedented mission involving the commissioning and dedication of 12 new Sifrei Torah at one time by one institution.

As Moshe Rebeinu wrote 12 Sifrei Torah before his passing and gave one to each Shaivet, we at the Academy have proudly commissioned 12 Torahs named for each Shaivet. The Torahs will be housed in the high school's beautiful school synagogue as well as in the lower schools and used by our students in our many daily Minyanim. By actively participating to fulfill this ultimate mitzvah, the last of the 613 mitzvot, we affirm our commitment to our sacred legacy.

The NSHA/NSHAHS Shivtei Torah Campaign is named in memory of the Academy's long-time Executive Board member, Sam Aharonoff z'l, who dedicated so many years of his life to serving and advocating for the Academy, functioning as the "bridge" between our Ashkenazi and Sephardic cultures. For the past year, he had been the major advocate for this project, inspiring our entire community and bringing it closer together with weekly Torah classes that were held on his behalf, challah baking sessions held for his recovery, and of course, numerous acts of Chesed (kindness) done by our community that were inspired by his strength and his unshakable belief in Hashem.

Proceeds raised from this campaign will go directly to the Sam Aharonoff Memorial Scholarship Fund for needy students who otherwise would not be able to attend this wonderful Yeshiva. For decades, this Academy, founded on 'Torah Umada', has provided its diverse student body with an outstanding education in both secular and Judaic studies while being one of the few truly Ivrit B'Ivrit programs for 'Limudei Kodesh', emphasizing a love of Eretz Yisroel, Midinat Yisroel and Am Yisroel.

Numerous dedication opportunities are available in the writing of these 12 Torahs. Dedication opportunities can be taken to honor our children by enhancing their smachot (e.g., dedicating your child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah Parsha) to honor or memorialize parents, grandparents or family members by sponsoring a letter, word, verse, chapter or an entire book or by choosing any of the special selections outlined on this web site. Since each and every letter validates the Torah, one who authorizes the writing of even one letter fulfills this special mitzvah. Every contribution will be inscribed in the special Shivtei Torah Campaign Sefer and every donor will also receive a beautiful Certificate of Dedication upon completion of this project.

We encourage all of you to carefully review this website and to participate on some level in this unique mitzvah that you and your family will remember forever. Dedications can be taken by completing a dedication form online or by requesting a copy of a brochure (with an enclosed insert to mail back) from the school office. If you have any questions about this campaign, please call the school office at (516) 487-8687 ext 2.

Please join us on Sunday, June 14, 2009 for the historic Siyum as we invite the entire community to welcome these new Torahs to their new home and complete all of them at one time. This will be a momentous and historical day for all of us.

Thank you in advance for participating in this wonderful and most meaningful mitzvah and may Hashem grant health, prosperity and peace to you and your entire family.

Very truly yours,