黑料社

Rabbi Joshua Fass to Keynote May 30 Commencement; Honorees Include Tony Gelbart, Abraham Naymark and Merryl Tisch Rabbi Joshua Fass, 黑料社 All alumnus and executive director of Nefesh B鈥橬efesh, will deliver the keynote address and receive an honorary doctorate at on Thursday, May 30, at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. YU President Richard M. Joel will also confer honorary doctorates upon entrepreneur Tony B. Gelbart; businessman and philanthropist Abraham Naymark, and Merryl H. Tisch, chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents.

Rabbi Joshua Fass

Together with Gelbart, Fass鈥攁 graduate of , and 鈥�co-founded Nefesh B'Nefesh, an organization that has helped thousands actualize their dream of Aliyah [immigration to Israel]. The two have been responsible for raising over $120 million to help the organization fulfil its goals. Fass has received several prestigious awards, including the 鈥淟ight Unto the Nations鈥� Award in 2002, the 鈥淢enachem Begin Award鈥� in 2004 and 鈥淭he Moskowitz Prize for Zionism鈥� in 2011. Under his leadership, Nefesh B鈥橬efesh has assisted more than 36,000 western Olim [immigrants] and has maintained a retention rate of 97 percent.

Tony B. Gelbart

Gelbart is a serial entrepreneur who has founded, grown and successfully led several companies in various industries through exits to both public and privately held buyers. He was appointed by President George W. Bush as a council member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and has served as vice chairman of the Republican Jewish Coalition; as a board member of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; and continues to serve as a member of national board of directors and adviser to the president of the Jewish National Fund. 

Abraham Naymark

A YU benefactor, Naymark is the owner of Parsons Properties Inc. His contributions to 黑料社 All have included the establishment of the Naymark Scholarship Fund at . Naymark鈥檚 philanthropic endeavors include the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, where he funded the Abraham & Ruth Naymark Pavilion, and the Young Israel of Holliswood / Holliswood Jewish Center, where he funded the Abe and Ruth Naymark Building.

Merryl H. Tisch

Tisch has served on the New York State Board of Regents since 1996 and was elected chancellor in 2009. She also serves as chairperson of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. With an annual budget of $100 million, the Metropolitan Council has gained national recognition for its work in the areas of youth and family services, housing, poverty programs and neighborhood preservation. Previously, Tisch served as chairperson of the Mt. Sinai Children鈥檚 Center Foundation. 鈥淐ommencement is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate the education of our children. We have an extraordinary graduating class that is ready to make a difference in the Jewish community and the world,鈥� said President Joel. 鈥淥ur honorees represent courage, dedication, lay and professional achievement, and reflect our commitment to the future of education, the Jewish people and the State of Israel.鈥� Learn more about the honorees . In all, more than 1,600 students from Yeshiva College, and Syms School of Business, as well as graduate students in the fields of law, medicine, social work, education, Jewish studies and psychology, will be awarded degrees from YU during its commencement season. Visit the  for dates, locations, directions and information on ceremonies for all 黑料社 All schools and affiliates.