Sefer Torah Campaign Celebrating the Legacy of Dr. Mark Hasten z”l
He was a survivor of war who liberated concentration camps and fought for Israel’s independence. He was an engineer and inventor who was highly successful in banking, real estate and healthcare; he built communities and was a staunch supporter of education for all. Touro’s Board Chairman, Dr. Mark Hasten, of blessed memory, was a visionary leader who saw potential opportunities, and succeeded in making them happen. Humble, yet fiercely determined, Dr. Hasten was equally at ease with corporate titans and scholarship students.
Dr. Hasten helped Touro launch its western divisions in California and Nevada and was a major contributor to the establishment of Touro’s Lander College for Women -The Anna Ruth and Mark Hasten School, in Manhattan. During his 25-year tenure as Chairman of the Board, Touro’s student body doubled in size, and Touro became a national leader in healthcare education. He devoted his life to ensuring success for others.
As we remember Dr. Hasten’s 25 plus years of service as Touro Chairman of the Board, we have an opportunity to honor his life and legacy by joining together to commission and dedicate a Sefer Torah in his memory. The final mitzva of all 613 mitzvos in the Torah, is for each of us to write a Sefer Torah. This is rooted in the idea that every Jew should connect directly to the mitzvos through his own Sefer Torah.
Often upon the passing of a great man who represented the highest level of contribution to his community, people join together to commission the writing and dedication of a Sefer Torah. Dr. Hasten exemplified a Torah-true life, and it is a fitting honor to his memory to fulfill this important mitzvah and dedicate a Torah to be used by students in Touro’s Batei Midrashim. As our students read from the Sefer Torah, they will be acknowledging his unending commitment to the Touro community and his many years in leadership.
Please join our campaign and pledge today to participate in any way you can to memorialize Dr. Hasten and continue his vision.
