On May 29th, NCSY Canada and Torah High honoured outstanding NCSYers and Torah High students at their annual Awards Banquet. The evening was a smashing success with over 300 students and parents coming out for the evening of celebration. The families enjoyed a beautiful dessert reception and sushi, sponsored by Umami Sushi. Families were filled with pride for their children who won an award that recognized their accomplishments. Over 200 teens received awards, including more than 30 who received Star of David awards, which were presented to students who distinguished themselves by going above and beyond expectations. The evening was capped with awards being presented to parents of the year Paul & Kathy Foris and NCSYer of the Year Miriam Benyair.
Come meet a few of our awesome award winners below.
STAR OF DAVID LEADERSHIP AWARD
Jaime Berr; Gitty Nussbaum, Live2Give Director; Milka Beker, Director of NCSY Juniors; Natalie Gabay; Jaclyn Kholodenko; Ellie Haar; Jory Datan; Hillel Freiheit; Yakov Zarkhine; Tzvi Tabakman, Director of NCSY Juniors; Shlomo Mandel, NCSY Toronto City Director; Jason Renard, NCSY Associate City Director; Rabbi Josh Stein, NCSY City Director of Thornhill
STAR OF DAVID JSU PRESIDENTS AWARD
Stephanie Grad; Hannah Gray; Rafael Abecassis; Shlomo Mandel, NCSY City Director. Award winner Felicia Kingsbury is not pictured.
STAR OF DAVID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD
Gitty Nussbaum, Live2Give Director; Marlowe Bederman; NCSY donor Paul Jacobs; Ty Bradlow; Shlomo Mandel, NCSY City Director
STAR OF DAVID TORAH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Gitty Nussbaum, Live2Give Director; Seema Woolf; Alie Eisen; Kayla Miller; Laura Barkel; Alicia Mandel, Torah High teacher and NCSY Associate City Director; Shlomo Mandel, NCSY City Directory; David Yuffa; Justin Tanenbaum; Ari Aben; Rabbi Josh Stein, NCSY Thornhill City Director
STAR OF DAVID JUNIOR NCSY
TORAH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Shira Woolf and Milka Beker, Director of NCSY Juniors. Award winner Adir Gabriel is not pictured.
STAR OF DAVID ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Veronica Grad; Jane Farkas, NCSY Alumni Coordinator; and Loren Cohen
PARENTS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Henny Black, Associate Coordinator of Jewish Family Experience (JFX); Rabbi Glenn Black, CEO of NCSY Canada and Torah High; Parents of the Year Paul & Kathy Foris; Irene Foris; Rina Deutsch, Director of JFX; and Jody Berkel, Associate Coordinator of JFX
NCSY parents of the year Paul and Kathy Foris exemplify what it means to be part of the NCSY family. Throughout the year, they have been involved in JFX and NCSY programming and weekly Torah learning for moms, dad, and teens.
Kathy and Paul have a thirst for knowledge, always questioning, challenging, and demonstrating a strong desire to learn more. Their sincerity, openness, and kindness are not just beneficial to them, but inspiring to us as well.
Everything the Forises have done and accomplished is a testament to a family that puts Jewish knowledge, Jewish growth, and Jewish continuity at the center of their world.
STAR OF DAVID ADVISOR RECOGNITION AWARD
Rabbi Gavry Mandel, NCSY Director of Programs; Rabbi Josh Stein, NCSY Thornhill City Director; Nicole Ruderfer; Shira Moll; Mercedes Essebag; Nina Benyair; Leah Friedmann; Shayna Segal; and Rabbi Leib Irons, NCSY Director of Education
STAR OF DAVID NER EMUNAH AWARD
Ivan Simon, Taryn Simon, Laurian Simon
NCSY OF THE YEAR AWARD
Rabbi Glenn Black, CEO of NCSY Canada and Torah High, NCSYer of the Year Miriam Benyair, Preci Benyair, & Rabbi Josh Stein, NCSY Thornhill City Director
Miriam Benyair has demonstrated an incredible passion and commitment this year. Her dedication to NCSY has proven itself time and time again, from being the president of her JSU, to attending countless shabbatons, and even being a Jr. Advisor. She has taken her passion and drive for the Jewish people to the next level and has decided to spend next year in seminary in Israel. We are incredibly proud to have had Miriam a part of NCSY. We are sure that she will continue to be an inspiration to everyone in Israel.