Opening. When I say “teaching Torah,” I don’t just mean text; I mean teaching history, sociology, political science, the study of who the Jews are in

opening

When I say “teaching Torah,” I don’t just mean text; I mean teaching history, sociology,

political science, the study of who the Jews are in interaction with

the other civilizations of the world, as well as the text they

have written.

—Arnold Eisen

I salute JTS Board Chair Abby Joseph Cohen,

JTS Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen, the entire Board of Trustees,

and members of the administration.

With their “new energy,” we all can anticipate important progress going

forward.

From strength to strength,

Gershon Kekst

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R C H A N C E L L O R ’S M I N Y A N S U P P O R T

“A righteous man is the foundation of the world.”

Thank you for the foundation on which we can

build the future.

Abby Joseph Cohen and David M. Cohen

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R P I L L A R S O F J T S S U P P O R T

Gershon,we salute you for your

leadership, your vision, and your commitment

to JTS.You have been our mentor

and role model.

The JTS Board of Trustees


We must teach and demonstrate community;

we must teach and hold to Torah. This is of course a

tall order. We have no choice but to meet it.

—Arnold Eisen

To Gershon

The blessing to the patriarch is contradictory. A childless old man is promised that his progeny will be as numerous as the grains of sand at the

shore and as many as the stars in the sky.

“There are far more grains of sand than there are stars,” the Sages note.The reason for the disparity is important.

“Some people are like grains of sand on the shore, indistinguishable one from

the other; washed away by the tide. Others are beacons of light illuminating the

heavens. They are guiding stars to the wanderers.”

Undoubtedly our Sages, Chazal, had Gershon in mind when they offered this interpretation of the blessing to the patriarch Abraham. This shining light

has been a beacon to many. They heed his advice and navigate by wise luminescent counsel. Gershon’s influence on his friends, on society, and on

JTS will be long lasting.

How fortunate I have been in my personal life to have had such a warm, nurturing guiding star.

Rabbi Malcolm Thomson (JTS ’64)


Gershon,All our love and admiration for your many contributions

to JTS and all your accomplishments on the

bigger stage of life.

Jerry Rosenfeld and Judith Zarin


Gershon, thank you for 18 years of

leadership as Chairman of the Board of

Trustees and for your support of Jewish

learning and community.

From the Faculty, Students, and Staff of JTS


We are pleased to join in honoring

a truly extraordinary leader,Gershon Kekst.

Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R C H A I R M A N ’ S C I R C L E S U P P O R T

The Wexner Foundation

Congratulations to our dear friendGershon Kekst.

With our respect, admiration,and love,

Leslie and Abigail Wexner


We join The Jewish Theological

Seminary

in honoring Gershon Kekst

as the recipient of the

2009 Louis Marshall Award.


Congratulations to our good friend

Gershon Kekst.

Irene and Bernard Schwartz


Jews are not meant to be a people

off to the side, talking to God and one another; they are meant to be

out in the world, doing good things for the world, making sure

that Blessing comes to be pervasive in this world.

—Arnold Eisen

Levine


Dear Gershon,

Congratulations to a first class Chairman Emeritus.

Your commitment to the Jewish people, your love of JTS, and your tremendous leadership have

strengthened the ideals of what JTS stands for and have opened the door for the next

generation of Board of Trustee leadership.

May you continue to make a difference in all your

future pursuits, as well as here at JTS.

May you go from strength to strength.

Diane and Howard Wohl


JTS is part of a much larger picture. It’s a picture of the

Jewish people and Jewish past, Jewish tradition, Jewish faith.

It’s an institution that’s in service to something

larger than itself.

—Arnold Eisen

CONGRATULATIONS

David and Carol Feinberg



In honor of Gershon Kekst,

whose wisdom, leadership, and selfless devotionhave touched the lives of so many, so profoundly.

May the blessings you generate come back to youmultiplied many times over.

We honor and salute you.Kol Hakavod!

Jeanette and Joe Neubauer

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R C H A I S O C I E T Y A N D S E M I N A R Y S O C I E T Y S U P P O R T

We applaud your incredible service and

devotion to JTS.

Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP

Thank you, Gershon,for your leadership,

advice, and friendshipover the years.

Mary and Saul Sanders

Quarter Page StartQuarter-page Message

Shep Goldfein

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R S E M I N A R Y S O C I E T Y S U P P O R T

Congratulations to Gershon Kekst

from Arkin Kaplan Rice

LLP

Gershon,Thank you for your

splendid leadership and many years of devoted

service to JTS.

Rob Kaplan

All through Genesis we see Jews entangled in a web of relations with non-Jews . . . all because of

this mission that we’re not supposed to simply serve

ourselves, but somehow be an agent of transformation.

—Arnold Eisen

Gershon Kekst,

a most deserving individual and a role model.

May you continue to be an inspiration.

Congratulations!!

Oded Aboodi & Family

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R P L A T I N U M – L E V E L S U P P O R T

Congratulations toGERSHON KEKST

for all you have done for JTS over 18 years as Chairman.

FromRobin Chemers Neustein

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R G O L D – L E V E L S U P P O R T

Congratulations to our dear friend

Gershon

on receiving this wonderful honor.

Helen, Beth, and Joshua Nash


Simpson Thatcher


We appreciate the wonderful job you’ve done.

Now it’stime to sit back and relax!!

Irma and Paul Milstein


To our great friend Gershon,

with thanks for all the good you do.

Congratulations,

Joanne and Mike


Congratulations To Our

Good FriendGershon Kekst.

Thank You For All You Do.

Eva and Marc Stern


The Coca-Cola Company is pleased to honor Gershon Kekst tonight for his

long service to The Jewish Theological Seminary.

Gershon is a trusted friend, a valued mentor, and an inspired leader who has touched the lives of countless

people, always instilling quiet confidence through his dedication and

service to others.


Torah includes not just text and ideas but

lives and communities.

—Arnold Eisen

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R S I L V E R – L E V E L S U P P O R T

The trustees, faculties, and students of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in

Jerusalem express their boundless gratitude, respect, and affection for

Gershon Kekst, whose generous support and wise leadership have nurtured our Institute

through its first quarter century so that it now brings each year Jewish learning to more than 40,000 teachers, scholars, and school children

throughout Israel and Eastern Europe.

Professor David Golinkin Robert S. Rifkind President Chairman, Board of

Trustees


Best wishes to our friend Gershon Kekst.

We are honored to celebrate with you as you have honored us and klal Yisrael

through your leadership and devoted efforts.

The Officers and Directors of theWorld Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues

( Masorti Olami )

Alan H. Silberman Rabbi Tzvi GraetzPresident Executive Director


CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHESTO

GERSHON KEKST

Thank you for your 18 years of exceptional serviceto the Jewish Community as Chair of

The Jewish Theological Seminary.You are a great role model.

Fondly,Steve & Dedee Lovell and Family

LOVELL SAFETY MANAGEMENT CO., L.L.C.“The Workers’ Compensation Experts”

110 William StreetNew York, NY 10038-3935Telephone (212) 709-8600


Mazel tov to Gershon and the entire Kekst family.

Gershon, we are thrilled to celebrate this prestigious honor with you. Hazak v’ Ematz!

With love and admiration from your family at Park Avenue Synagogue.

Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove Steven M. Friedman, Chairman


Frank


TAG ASSOCIATESis pleased to support

THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

and to honor our friend and clientGERSHON KEKST.


We congratulate

Gershon Kekst

for his years of service toThe Jewish Theological Seminary and express

our appreciation for his dedication.

*****

We congratulate as wellour good friend

Alan Levine

for his election asvice chair of the Board.

Roni and Bob Jossen


Wishing Gershon, his wife, and family continued health, happiness,

and long years to recount his many achievements.

Carol and Paul Miller

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R H A L F – P A G E S U P P O R T

TO GERSHON KEKST . . .THE BEST OF THE BEST!

F R O M

The Slovin Foundation and the Center for Jewish History

Quarter Page

MAZEL TOV!

Much love,Betty Feinberg

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R Q U A R T E R – P A G E S U P P O R T

In honor of our good friend Gershon Kekst.

Your sage advice and wisdom have been invaluable to us.

May Hashem give you strength to continue your noble endeavorson behalf of the Jewish people, which has been an inspiration to

us all.

Lori and Brian Schreiber

We honor our friend,Gershon Kekst,

a man of vision, integrity, and generous spirit.

Joan and Paul Schreiber

Best wishes Gershon

Jonathan and Mary Aaron

Gershon, we salute you for your

years of dedication to JTS and the Jewish community in the United States and

abroad.

Beatriz and Harold Jacobsohn

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R Q U A R T E R – P A G E S U P P O R T

General Atlanticproudly supports

The Jewish Theological Seminary

Greenwich New York Palo Alto São Paulo London Düsseldorf Mumbai Hong Kong Beijing

www.generalatlantic.com

General Atlantic: Providing

Growth

Equity and Strategic Expertise

to

Build Market Leaders

Mazel tov, Gershon!

Your kippah mate,Aaron

Mazel tov, Gershon, on this enormous honor —Arthur Ainsberg

To Gershon, with great admiration for all you have accomplished —Amy and Bob Bressman

Congratulations to our dear friend, Gershon —Caryn Schacht and David Fox

Congratulations Gershon —Anita Gluck and Family

Kol Hakavod to a great leader —Temma and Alfred Kingsley

We salute a preeminent community leader and wonderful gentleman

—Nancy and Morris W. Offit

Congratulations Gershon —Blanche and Neil Sosland

In honor of Gershon Kekst —Bettina and Spencer Waxman

T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R S U P P O R T

Closing

Documents

Opening. When I say “teaching Torah,” I don’t just mean text; I mean teaching history, sociology, political science, the study of who the Jews are in