Victor Cohen
“Honoring Our Past Building Our Future” was the theme of the Hillel Yeshiva’s 75th anniversary gala celebration dinner. The black tie event was held on June 23rd at the outdoor tent erected for the evening at the home of Carol and Morris, a”h, Franco.
Hillel Yeshiva has been a central part of our community’s education in Deal, New Jersey. For generations, most children from the Deal area have attended Hillel, whether for elementary school, middle school, high school, or some combination of the three. The evening was dedicated to celebrate and to show hakarat hatov to those who have worked tirelessly for Hillel’s growth and advancement, and to fundraise to insure its future. The event was open to parents of current students, community members, and alumni of Hillel, as well as those who helped make the institution into what it is today.
I would like to give special thanks to Sammy Saka, who chaired the event, for his help and guidance with this article.
A Brief History
Hillel Yeshiva opened its doors in 1951 in Asbury Park, led by Rabbi Morris A. Schmidman, a”h. The yeshiva was founded with the commitment to provide its students with outstanding Judaic and general studies. Hillel was, of course, much smaller than it is today and it was tailored to the local Jewish population in Deal.
In the early 1970s, things began to change ass more of our community members began to move to Deal. Hillel Yeshiva outgrew its space and moved to Logan Road. Hillel’s president at the time, Morris I. Franco, was the lead fundraiser and helped Hillel to reach an enrollment of over 300 students. Mr. Franco believed that every student who desired a Jewish education should be accommodated. Through his work and his vision, he set the tone for the decades to come.
Two brothers, Saul E. Ashkenazi, a”h, and Ely Ashkenazi, a”h, were visionaries. They recognized that even the Logan Road space would not be adequate for what Hillel needed. Accordingly, they donated a large, 56-acre parcel of land that would become the future complex of Hillel, and one the school would move to just a few years later.
Mr. Morris I. Franco, Mr. Saul E. Ashkenazi, and Mr. Ely Ashkenazi are honored in Hillel’s Founders Hall for their tireless work and dedication to the community. Presidents who followed and helped Hillel grow are Mr. Jack D. Franco, Mr. Joel Rishty, a”h, Dr. Charles Abady, Mr. Sammy Saka, and Mr. Joseph I. Mizrahi, the current President of Hillel. Mr. Jack D. Franco serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Mr. Saka serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Today, Hillel’s enrollment totals nearly 1,500 students, and the number grows substantially every year. Nearly every incoming grade is larger than the last. Future expansion is now in the planning.
An Unforgettable Evening
The event took place in the Franco’s backyard under a giant white tent. Current students welcomed the hundreds of guests in and directed them towards their assigned seats.
Many rabbis and community leaders were present. Hillel’s Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Saul Kassin, spoke about the school’s growth. He also presented awards. Many other rabbis were in attendance, including Assistant Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Joseph Dana, and almost all of the rabbis who currently teach at Hillel. Community rabbis included Rabbi Shlomo Diamond and Rabbi Eli Mansour.
To open the night, children from Hillel Yeshiva’s kindergarten sang Hatikva and Gd Bless America and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Keynote Speech
Sammy Saka delivered the keynote speech. “Tonight is a moment 75 years in the making,” he said. He noted that the theme of the night, “Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future,” was evident by looking around the room, at the hundreds of alumni in attendance. Sammy noted, “You are seeing Hillel’s legacy come to life.” Sammy thanked and recognized those who worked so hard in the early days and those who help Hillel today.
“I would like to thank our administrators, rabbis, and faculty members for their commitment and love to our children. Every day, you show up not just as educators, but as mentors and role models. You are the heartbeat of this institution,” Sammy added.
Sammy then addressed the board. “Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Jack D. Franco, Board of Trustees Mr. Ezra S. Ashkenazi, Mr. Neil Tobias, and Mr. Morris S. Ashear, current President Mr. Joe Mizrahi, past President Mr. Joel Rishty of blessed memory, past President Dr. Charles Abady and all of our officers, advisory board, board members, past board members, and PTA – thank you for your lasting impact on Hillel and its students.”
Sammy offered special recognition to Richie Benedikt and the entire Ray Buildersteam for their incredible work on the construction of our new buildings and to Aliza Sokol of SusanStrauss Design for her team’s beautiful design work.
“I would like to also thank everyone involved with the planning of tonight’s festivities, especially Norma Cohen. Norma designed this event from the ground up, thought through every detail, and spent a whole year preparing everything for tonight.”
Sammy also thanked One Hospitality, Co-chair Dr. Gayle Krost, Margo Jemal, Jackie Gindi, Elizabeth Beckerman, Harry J. Franco, Richie Setton, Joseph Ades, Michael Dweck, and Joseph Shamah. “The creativity, hard work, and attention to detail from the entire group made this evening truly exceptional.”
Hillel’s Growth
Sammy then spoke about the exceptional growth of Hillel over the past few years. “This coming September,” he said, “Hillel will welcome a record 1,500 students – up ten percent year over year.”
“To provide some added perspective,” he continued, “in the High School we average 65 students per grade; In the Middle School 90 students per grade; in the Elementary school 110 students per grade, and in kindergarten, an incredible 135 students. At this pace, in just a few short years, we will exceed 2,000 students.”
“Our future is very bright.”
Sammy walked through the plans for the school’s expansion. With more students, Hillel needs to grow once again. “There’s four phases,” Sammy said. “Phase one is the new preschool. Phase two is the new high school. Phase three is the new middle school, and phase four is the new, multi-level parking lot.”
The new Jack & Marilyn Chehebar Preschool is due to be completed in September 2026, and will raise the overall capacity to 1,600 students. The new high school raises the capacity to 2,100 students, and the new middle school will raise it to 2,600 students. The parking lot will help support this growth.
Funding
The next phases of the plan will cost $36 million dollars. “To help raise these funds,” Sammy said, “we created Legends Park in the front of the school. It will be a meaningful, vibrant hub for outdoor programs. Students, parents, and faculty can come together in Legends Park throughout the year to celebrate special moments.”
After the speeches, the fundraising for the night began. Community leader Mr. Harry Adjmi took the microphone, and the excitement increased. Numbers started flying in from across the room. Very quickly, Hillel Yeshiva found itself with significant financial support. Many of its alumni stepped up to the plate to give back to their alma mater.
Famous comedian Elon Gold closed out the night. He joked that Sammy made him an offer to teach in Hillel, on condition that he move to Deal. His routine had the entire tent roaring with laughter, and he moved between poking fun at the donation numbers, current affairs, self-deprecating jokes about speaking Hebrew, and much more. He truly brought up the night.
The Future
Hillel, and the community overall, have a bright future ahead. Our community in Deal continues to grow. Even with the opening of additional schools in Deal over the past 20 years, Hillel Yeshiva continues to see enrollment exceeding capacity and sees a need to plan for the future. The community’s support in these endeavors is also strong, ensuring that the education of our children, the leaders of the future, is given the highest priority.