SHOAH Legacy

YOF has received from graduate William S. Levine a gift of $6,000,000, the largest donation ever given to the Yeshivah since its founding in 1927.

The donation will establish the Levine Institute for Shoah Legacy, an all-encompassing umbrella initiative for Middle School and JBHS students. “The programs offered by the Institute will prepare students for the moral responsibility to bear witness to the tragedies of the Holocaust and will help preserve an honest history of survivors’ voices for generations to come,” expressed Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman, YOF Executive Vice President. Through the Institute’s many programs, students will learn the importance of continuing survivor legacies.

Holocaust studies are a core part of our students’ education. The Institute supports this philosophy through student participation in classes, missions, trips, theater and movie productions, as well as art exhibits. YOF students are given the opportunity to participate in multiple interdisciplinary programs to strengthen their understanding of the Holocaust in the greater context of world history and as young Jewish people who are committed to advancing the welfare of all humanity, as taught in the Torah.

Mr. Levine became aware of the horrors of the Holocaust as a young student at the Yeshivah of Flatbush. As stories started trickling in from Europe, Mr. Levine recalls “sitting in the auditorium and listening to the rabbis who were crying as they

“With the rising tide of antisemitism in the United States and around the world, the lessons of the Holocaust resonate now as much as ever. It's crucial that we keep the memory of the Shoah in the hearts and minds of our students,” shared Rabbi Joseph Beyda, Joel Braverman High School Head of School.

“The importance and relevance of our students learning about the Shoah cannot be overstated. As the population of Holocaust survivors continues to wane, the baton is passed to our Jewish youths who now have the job - and honor - of sharing the testimony of those who have passed on,” said Rabbi Yahel Tsaidi, Head of Elementary School.

Mr. Levine has made a tremendous impact on Holocaust education worldwide and is a proud supporter and board member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, New York University, and Brooklyn Law School, but claims that “the most I ever learned was at the Yeshivah of Flatbush.”

“The substantial investment made by Mr. Levine to the Yeshivah of Flatbush is an action that speaks louder than words and serves to educate us all. Investing in Jewish education perpetuates our mission, and ensures our continuity and values for future generations,” said Abe Hanan, YOF President.

A long-time supporter of Yeshivah of Flatbush, Mr. Levine dedicated the Pre-School Entrance in the then newly built Elementary School building in memory of his late wife, Ina Levine A”H, in 1996. In 2001, he named the original YOF Elementary School building in memory of his parents, Tess and Morris Levine A”H. "One of the things that I learned at the Yeshivah was to give to charity,” shared Mr. Levine. “I am proud and lucky to be able to give back to the Yeshivah of Flatbush."