T h e J e w i s h H o m e n j u n e 2 7 , 2013
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An Evening to Benefit Yeshiva Nishmas HaTorah By Liba Lieberman As the rain poured down on Thursday evening, June 13, over two hundred members of the community came out in the daunting weather for an evening to benefit Yeshiva Nishmas HaTorah, entitled, “It’s 2013…Do You Know Where Your Yiddishkeit Is?”, graciously held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dovid and Tikva Azman in Cedarhurst. After mincha and partaking of a delicious buffet of steak, wine, and sushi, catered by Yanky Potash, everyone turned their attention to an inspiring program describing the yeshiva, led by the Roshei Yeshiva of Yeshiva Nishmas HaTorah, Rabbi Yissochar Blinder, Rabbi Pinchas Weinberger, and Rabbi Abi Goldenberg. A bais medrash geared for post-high school bochurim looking to develop themselves further as true Bnei Torah while advancing their career educations, the yeshiva, located in Bais Medrash Heichal Dovid in Lawrence, has grown since its inception two years ago to presently include twenty-five bo-
churim. Its program’s uniqueness stems from a warm and personal approach to the bochurim, matching levels of learning to each particular talmid’s capacity while placing a strong emphasis on shleimus ha’adam. The program offers tools and insight to help each talmid achieve his unique potential, keeping the ruach of a fulltime yeshiva while stressing productivity and responsibility for
oneself and to the klal. Rabbi Blinder started the evening by thanking everyone for venturing out on
5th-6th Grade Champions – Shaarey Tefilla “A”
Front Row (L-R): Yehudah Aryeh, Dovi Olshan, Yisroel Wolf, Eliezer Jesselson, Shimmy Krischer, Zevi Wolff, Meir Greenblatt; Back Row (L-R): Aharon Fox, Shmuel Yosef Pluchenik, Avraham Yaakov Roseman, Akiva David; Not Shown: Shmuel Rubin; Coaches: Baruch Aryeh, Motti Fox
such a wet night, and also expressed a deep appreciation to the yeshiva’s third partner, Rabbi Abi Goldenberg, for adding a new dimension to the yeshiva this past year. He cited Rabbi Goldenberg’s warmth and down to earth approach with the bochurim, creating a force that uplifts the entire bais medrash. He also thanked Rabbi Simcha Leibowitz, who is a menahel by day and runs the yeshiva’s night seder program. Before introducing Rabbi Pinchas Weinberger, he noted that there is learning Torah and there is feeling a passion for Torah. Ye-
shiva Nishmas HaTorah works to bridge the two ideas, laying the foundation to insure there is always a passion for Torah and Yiddishkeit in whatever one might encounter through life. When Rabbi Weinberger began speaking, he asked the audience to take themselves back a few years, to the time they had just come back from learning in Eretz Yisroel. It is a delicate time for most bochurim, filled with confusion and often downslides in avodas Hashem—and yet, it is a time when life decisions are made. “Imagine a yeshiva schedule that helps bochurim be as productive as possible,” he continued. “Our yeshiva has a high talmid to rebbe ratio, because we are committed to individualized attention. Three different shiurim cater to each bochur’s needs as they work to understand the give and take of the gemara. Bochurim give chaburas, and vaadim are given daily in biur tefilah, emunah and bitachon, halachos of bein adom l’chavero, and shalom bayis. The yeshiva also offers a once a week vaad in Chumash b’iyun, and on Sunday mornings there is a vaad on Choshen Mishpat, where bochurim have the opportunity to understand real business halacha and hashkafa. The yeshiva brings in guest speakers to discuss challenges that bo-
churim may go through regarding the halachos of shidduchim, and they also run a lunch and learn program, in which businessmen give over to the bochurim different professional advice and assistance for job hunting while remaining a ben Torah. Specifically, they address how to remain a successful Yid in the workforce. We provide all this because we want to give each bochur an understanding that the Torah guides a person in every step of his life. Our yeshiva is a complete, wholesome experience that evokes pride in one’s Yiddishkeit. In doing so, it actually creates leadership for the next generation. “We have a message for Klal Yisroel. That message is that everyone has a special neshama, with an individualized purpose in this world. Through understanding this concept, and being given the tools to thrive and grow from all of life’s challenges, then one’s entire life will be one of connecting to Hashem, which is our ultimate purpose. We will be producing happy, healthy, wonderful, Torahdig mishpachas in Klal Yisroel. We must realize this is not just a message for our bochurim, but for everyone to bring into their own lives.” The yeshiva in its short time has already seen the fruits of its labor, by seeing young bochurim going out on their own initiative starting chesed organizations, mentoring younger children, and creating new shiurim and vaadim for the public. The evening ended with a video presentation that went through the inner workings of the yeshiva, by Gabe Solomon. The yeshiva is looking forward to building on theses ideals, and continuing to affect change for Klal Yisroel. For more information, contact the yeshiva at info@nishmashatorah.org.