Ohr Torah Stone Honors Natan Sharansky And Robert M. Beren With First Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Legacy Award At NYC Dinner

Natan Sharansky and Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander Q&A

Photo Credit Andrea Klerides-Michael Priest Photography

Natan Sharansky receiving the award

Photo Credit Andrea Klerides-Michael Priest Photography

Ohr Torah Stone celebrated its Annual Dinner, honoring Natan Sharansky and Robert M. Beren, z’l, two figures whose leadership, courage, and generosity have strengthened Jewish communities around the world.

They are the inaugural recipients of the Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Legacy Award, created to recognize individuals who embody Rabbi Riskin’s lifelong commitment to Jewish identity, education, and impact.

Rabbi Riskin, Ohr Torah Stone’s founder and rosh hayeshiva, is one of the most influential Modern Orthodox leaders of the past half-century. He has shaped global Jewish life through his work in education, community building, women’s learning, halachic leadership, and Jewish outreach. He is the founding Chief Rabbi of Efrat and established OTS with its 32 institutions as a worldwide network dedicated to Jewish identity, empowerment, and service.

The program opened with remarks from Laurence Schreiber, Chair of OTS’s USA Board, followed by prayers for the United States, the State of Israel, the welfare of IDF soldiers, and the recovery of the injured.

Sharansky, a global symbol of Jewish freedom, participated in an on-stage conversation with Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, president and rosh hayeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone, that explored faith, identity, and Jewish resilience. The discussion touched on his years in Soviet prisons, his relationship with Rabbi Riskin, the current political moment in New York City, and the state of world Jewry.  Sharansky spoke warmly of his granddaughter enjoying the Jennie Sapirstein “Ohr Torah” high school for girls in Ramot, Jerusalem. He also shared: “In prison, I learned that survival cannot be the purpose of life. Freedom comes from choosing meaning. I felt a direct line to G-d and to the miracle of our people who continue their story against all odds. Today we face new lies and old antisemitism, but our strength remains the same. Faith, our connection to Israel, and the knowledge that Jews have every reason to be proud. When we speak in one voice, nothing can break us.”

Robert M. Beren, z’l, was represented by his daughters, Julie Platt, Nancy Beren, and Amy Bressman, as well as other family members who came together to mark the occasion. Mr. Beren was a visionary partner to OTS, strengthening programs that train hundreds of global emissaries, support the journeys of more than 1,700 converts, and shape the Machanaim Hesder Yeshiva. His commitment to cultivating future Jewish leadership continues through the emerging Robert M. Beren Center for Educational Leadership.

The evening also marked a significant milestone for Ohr Torah Stone’s International Halakhic Scholars Program, which celebrated the graduation of its first cohort—19 graduates who completed four years of intensive halachic study, chavruta learning, and rigorous exams in the laws of Shabbat, kashrut, mourning, and niddah under the direction of program director Rabbanit Dr. Hannah Hashkes and senior faculty member Rabbi David Brofsky. These extraordinary scholars are already strengthening Jewish communities around the world.

Dr. Rebecca Winter, one of the graduates, delivered the evening’s dvar Torah after being introduced by Rabbanit Chamutal Shoval, Director of OTS’s Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute of Halakhic Leadership (WIHL).

IHSP 2025 Graduates recognized at the event include Lawrence resident Julie Stern Joseph, Ed.D, M.A., educational director, Project Inspire, Lawrence, NY.

Rabbi Brander spoke about the legacy of Rabbi Riskin and the significance of honoring leaders who have advanced Jewish life across the globe. “These have been years of heartbreak for our nation, and our Ohr Torah Stone family has shared in that grief. Even in the most difficult moments, our community chose action. We strengthened mental health support, trained educators to navigate trauma, and stood shoulder to shoulder with every student and teacher who needed us,” said Rabbi Brander. “Astonishingly, during this same period, our schools have not only endured but grown. New programs, new campuses, and unprecedented numbers of applicants testify to the vibrancy of our mission. As we celebrate the launch of the Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Legacy Award, named for the ultimate man of action, we also pay tribute to two giants who embody his values. Looking ahead, Rabbi Riskin’s legacy will continue to inspire through the forthcoming Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Digital Library, to be housed in the new Robert M. Beren Educational Center, now under construction. The library will feature recordings of his classes and speeches, his written works, and cutting-edge AI technology designed to bring his Torah to the next generation.”

The dinner brought together lay leaders, educators, philanthropists, rabbis, and community members, including Eric Fingerhut, President & CEO of JFNA, and Eric Goldstein, CEO of UJA, who share OTS’s mission to strengthen Jewish identity, empower the next generation, and build vibrant Jewish communities in Israel and around the world.