Rabbi Dovid Rhodes presents plaque to Nina and Tim. |
YESHIVA
TORAH MITZION
Long
Island School Taps
Boxers as Top Parents
By TIM BOXER
 ESHIVA
Torah Mitzion Institute of Judaic Studies honored Nina and me as
Parents of the Year at its annual dinner at the Merrick Jewish
Center in Merrick, Long Island.
It took Rabbi Dovid
Rhodes ten minutes to present us with the appropriate plaques
and citations, but he allotted me only two minutes to respond.
Two minutes? It takes me
that long to clear my throat!
Rabbi
Dovid Rhodes with his student, Gabriel, and
Gabriel’s wife Rebeka. |
I had prepared a speech
that was twenty minutes long. Due to what Nina said, I got it down
to a reasonable length. She said what she says every night: Take out
the garbage.
This was one of those rare
occasions when my wife lets me speak. When I open my mouth at home,
she laughs. My kids never laugh – they never listen.
I can tell you that I
don’t deserve a Parent of the Year award. A medal for Husband of
the Year – yes! – for surviving.
Our wedding was wonderful
– it’s the living together that was tough. I was in the Army, so
I’m trained for combat duty.
Rebeka’s
mother, Lois, and siblings
Samuel and Rachel. |
Actually, Nina and I are
always holding hands. If I let go – she goes shopping!
For putting up with these
jokes, Nina deserves an Oscar. She’s a true ayshes chayil
[noble wife].
Through
the years, we put our two boys through private schools in New York
and Israel.
Gabriel
recently married a wonderful young lady, Rebeka,
who about to enter medical school. He goes to Queens College for
business and is continuing his Hebrew studies at Torah Mitzion.
Our second son, David,
is at Cornell, where in his first semester as a freshman this year
they put him on the Dean’s List.
The only list I made was
the principal’s list. You don’t want to hear about that!
Glenn Cohen (from left), Ralph Sherman
and Danny Hiller among the many dinner
guests. |
I tried bringing up our
kids the right way. Boy, it was hard! The only thing children wear
out faster than shoes are parents and teachers.
My boys complained that I
was not a good father. I never played ball with them. I rarely came
out to watch them play in Little League.
I was always too busy
writing a column, editing a website, producing a book. In other
words – I was a lousy Dad.
Now take my wife…please!
She deserves to be honored…as Wife of the Year…for putting up
with these jokes every day.
Rabbi
Dovid Rhodes (second from right) welcomes
Nassau County politicians
(l-r) Commissioner
J. Leonard Samansky, representing County
Executive Thomas S. Gulotta; County
Legislator
Norma L. Gonsalves, New York State Senator
Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., and County Comptroller
Frederick E. Parola. |
Two other couples really
deserved their honors. Jerry
Gil and his wife received the Pillar of Chesed Award, and Dov
Greenberg and his wife were named Alumni of the Year.
In paying tribute to the
guests of honor, Rabbi Rhodes said the mission of the school is to
help students function in the world of business.
“There is no separation
between the secular and holy lives,” he said. “We integrate
Torah values in our lives.”
Three
local politicians presented certificates and citations: New York
State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., Nassau County
Executive Thomas S. Gulotta, and Nassau County Legislator Norma
L. Gonsalves.
|
