Thank You Speech

Thank You Speech

delivered at the Phoenix Communtiy Kollel’s Tenth Anniversery

Lag B’Omer 5770 May 4, 2010


Esther and I would like to express our feelings and thoughts at this time.

This moment of achievement is bigger then any one individual as it says in Brachos ( 58a). The great Ben Azai’s succees was dependent on the a multitude of people’s support.

Within all the Jewish souls in the past and present in the Valley there is lava of spiritual energy yearning to be a proper Jew that sanctifies G-d’s name as is hinted to in Niddah (30b) that the angel taught us the Torah before we were born.

This molten rock erupts beyond the surface of mediocrity creating an organization such as the Phoenix Community Kollel to teach and connect us to the inner recesses of our souls.

Therefore, this moment is about all of us, the entire Jewish Community even beyond the walls of this room.
It is because the people are the ones that make the leader. The people are the ones that make the teacher as it says in Taanis (7a). “From my students (I have learned) more then anyone.

Thank you to the Kollel for recognizing our efforts.

Thank you to our founding colleagues especially Rabbi and Rebbitzen Holland and their leadership for helping us together achieve what we celebrate tonight.

Thank you to Rabbi Chaim and Rebbitzin Silver, Dr. Steve and Lynn Kanner, Mitzi and Lbcl’’c Abe Friedman ob”m whose vision and fortitude have realized this reality.

More then a decade ago they wisely looked into the future as it says in Tamid (32a), ‘who is wise one who sees the future’, and refused to rest on the inviting cushions of complacency as Rashi says in Parshas Vayeishev that one should never seek tranquility.

Tonight with this celebration we look back so that we can move forward. As we did then we say now, Yes we can…I mean we will succeed!

This festivity is a resounding statement that as a community we want to touch as many of the Valley’s 100,000 Jews as we can.