Mr. Michael Mellner, A"H

Mr. Michael Mellner, father of our long-time yeshiva of South Shore parent, Marni Polatoff, was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania where he married Rhoda Oram, and lived there until his passing this past summer (2020).

Although he himself did not have a formal Jewish education, he along with his wife made sure that their two children, Marni Mellner Polatoff and Steve Mellner, were given the opportunity to attend a Yeshiva Days School and receive the Jewish education that he did not have. 

His daughter Marni married a Scranton native, Eli Polatoff and together they live in Far Rockaway. Marni is a beloved Morah and Eli is well known for his community work on behalf of Hatzalah and myriad chessed projects. Eli and Marni have three daughters in TAG. Their three boys are all Yeshiva of South Shore talmidim, Aharon (Class of 2009), and Avi (Class of 2011), are proud alumni, and their youngest son, Mordy, is currently in second grade.

Michael always loved coming to see his grandchildren perform in school productions, Chumash plays and siyumim. He had much nachas as he watched his grandchildren’s faces as they received their first Siddurim and Chumashim.

He was beloved in his community and respected by all who knew him in the professional field. May his memory be a blessing.

The Yeshiva has established the Michael Mellner Scholarship in his memory to support the type of Torah education, he worked so hard to give his children.