Fwd: HTC Newsletter: December Recap

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From: HTC <htcnews-htc.edu@shared1.ccsend.com>
Date: Wed, Dec 31, 2025, 7:40 PM
Subject: HTC Newsletter: December Recap
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December 31, 2025 Dear Alumni and Friends, Thank you to the many prospective families who joined us for our FYHS Open House! It was a pleasure to showcase the warmth, energy, and excellence that define our Yeshiva, and we look forward to welcoming the next generation of talmidim. With less than one week to go, excitement is building for our HTC103 Gala, taking place this Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at Ateres Ayala. Please join us in celebrating this year as we honor Rabbi & Mrs. Yosef and Bracha Polstein and Mr. & Mrs. Michael and Tova Perl, and recognize Mrs. Rita Lipshitz.  Visit htc.edu/gala to support the HTC103 Gala. Looking forward to celebrating together very soon! All the best, Rabbi Shmuel L. Schuman CEO, HTC HTC News This monthly email newsletter is sponsored by: GGM Associates, Inc. was established with a strong foundation and understanding of the healthcare industry's accounting and business operations. With decades of public and private accounting experience, GGM can help you grow your business and achieve your goals. Visit ggmcpas.com to learn more! Upcoming Events HTC News Check out HTC's alumni website for more exciting news, pictures, events, and more! Rosh HaYeshiva Emeritus Visits HTC This month, HTC was privileged to welcome back our Rosh HaYeshiva Emeritus, Rabbi Avraham Friedman. The Rosh HaYeshiva, who had been in Israel for several months visited with our talmidim and rebbeim, sharing his love for Torah, energy, and enthusiasm. While in Israel, our alumni learning in Yeshivas across Yerushalayim have been privileged to interact and feel the warmth of the Rosh HaYeshiva as he learned in their Yeshivas.  Preparing for the Future with Gratitude and Clarity: Dr. Chani Tessler Visits Mesorah High School for Girls On Tuesday, December 2, Mesorah High School for Girls had the privilege of welcoming Dr. Chani Tessler, Dean of Sarah Hartman Women's College of Touro University (Chicago), for an informative and inspiring visit with our juniors and seniors. The day offered students not only practical guidance about college planning but also meaningful Torah insights that framed the conversation with depth and purpose... Read more on mesorahhighschool.org YU Kollel Leads Community Building Program at FYHS This month, the YU Kollel joined our talmidim for a meaningful and enriching community-building program. Together, they explored what it truly takes to build a strong Jewish community—the investment of time, effort, and commitment, and the lasting rewards that come from it. Through thoughtful discussion and classic marei mekomos, students learned about the foundational elements of a thriving community, including the role of the mikvah, school, shul, and communal responsibility. It was a powerful and impactful experience. FYHS Seniors Visit Park Plaza On December 25th, our FYHS seniors visited Park Plaza to help welcome Shabbos with the residents. Through singing beautiful Shabbos songs and spending time walking around and schmoozing, our students brought warmth, joy, and meaningful connection to everyone they met. It was a truly special and uplifting experience for everyone! More HTC News Our Alumni and Students HTC is proud of our students, past and present! Take a look at this month's spotlighted alumni. Alumnus Name: Elyaniv Rotstain Graduating Year: 2007 Current Location: Vienna, Austria Profession: I work in real estate and volunteer for security Tell us a little bit about your family:  I'm married to Rachel with 6 kids. What is your favorite memory/(memories) from FYHS/HTC/Kayitz: I love everything about the Yeshiva. I loved the freedom I had living in the dorms and thought the food was so good. I have only fond memories, the whole system just worked for me. The Rebbeim were caring. The motzei Shabbos pizza was another great memory. I used to say those were the best years of my life. My best friends today are from those years.  I still meet up with some classmates every year to travel together for a week. This yearly experience always connects back to the Yeshiva. I could really go on and on about how much I loved it. Please share a lesson/takeaway from your time at FYHS/HTC/Kayitz: The rebbeim had so much care for me. I was close with Rabbi Haskell and Rabbi Weiss. We had our own Sephardi minyan where we didn't have attendance, and we felt an obligation to show up. They trusted us.  Advice for current students: Go with the flow. Let the Yeshiva do its thing and enjoy the process. The system is good and healthy. Keep your illegal stuff to a bare minimum :)  Anything else to share: I have so many memories from the Yeshiva. The last day of senior year, I felt like crying because I loved it so much. I'll never experience that freedom again. I was planning on going back for Beis Midrash, but it didn't work out. I love the Yeshiva! Student Name: Yahu Greenberger   Grade: 11th Grade, Class of '27 Shiur: Rabbi Goldstein's Shiur Favorite Class: Mr. Verdageur's History Class What Career are you Interested in pursuing: Architecture Best memory at FYHS so far: The Ida Crown Sports Games Best Part of the Yeshiva: The ruach and achdus! More Alumni Spotlights Divrei Torah from Alumni and Rebbeim The Brothers' Concern By Dr. Avraham Bogachkov At the end of the parashah, the Torah presents the above poignant final interaction between Yosef and his brothers. Despite the kindness and care that Yosef expressed toward them during their years in Mitzrayim, the brothers were concerned that Yosef's attitude would change following their father's passing. They appeal to their brother to calm any residual anger he might harbor toward them, citing their father's dying wish that Yosef forgive their trespass against him. Yosef cries in grief once he hears their concerns and responds: "הֲתַחַת אֱלֹקִים אָנִי" – "Am I in place of God?" Read More Hagar's Ordeal By Rabbi Yosef Polstein The following questions have bothered me for years: 1. Why did Yosef present both sons to Yaakov to receive a brachah at the same time, standing them side by side?  Why didn't he present Menashe first for his own blessing, followed by Ephraim? This was certainly the way that Yaakov gave his brachos to all of his sons.  2. In Verses 16 and 17, Yosef waited until Yaakov finished his long brachah before objecting to his father's placing of his right hand on Ephraim. Why did he not immediately react when seeing his father's shifting of his hands?.... Read More More Divrei Torah Are You Following HTC? Check Out Our Updated Brochures! HTC Beis Midrash and Men's College Brochure HTC Flex College Brochure Sarah Hartman Women's College of Touro Brochure