Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bedarchei Hatorah Winter2015
Bedarchei Hatorah Winter2015
36
DINNER PREVIEW
Celebrating 42 Years of
Chinuch with Heart
VKHKU ONUH
THE
24/7
MESIVTA
A Visit to Mesivta Chaim Shlomo,
where a Bachurs Opportunities
for Growth are Limitless
DIVISIONS
Preschool
Elementary School
Junior High School and Mechina
Rabenstein Learning Center
Mesivta Chaim Shlomo The Maurice & Edith Lowinger Mesivta High School
Weiss Vocational Center
Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid
Kollel Tirtza Devorah
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Simcha Day Camp
Mesivta/Beis Medrash Learning Camp Upstate N.Y.
Machaneh Hakayitz
GEMILAS CHESED
Y.D.T. Rabbis Special Fund
Tomchei Torah Interest-Free Loan Fund
OTHER PROGRAMS
Alumni Association
Weiss Institute for Continuing Education
Publications
Community Housing Initiative
AFFILIATES
Alumni Night Kollel Jerusalem
Alumni Night Kollel Lakewood, N.J.
Yeshiva Ohr Yehuda Lakewood, N.J.
BEDARCHEI
HATORAH
News from Yeshiva Darchei Torah
In this issue...
44
30
21
3
4
8
18
22
28
33
44
48
51
Ronald Lowinger
PRESIDENT
BOARDOFTRUSTEES
Lloyd Keilson
Motty Klein
CO-CHAIRMEN
Alex Edelman
Shimon Pluchenik
Morris Smith
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Elisha Brecher
Aron Solomon
CO-CHAIRMEN
Dovid Bloom
Eli Bobker
Dovid Brecher
Mottie Drillman
Shamshy Eisenberger
Michael Fragin
Shlomo Jacobowitz
Menachem Lieber
Ben Lowinger
Menachem Marx
Adam Mirzoeff
Menash Oratz
Aroni Parnes
Dovid Scharf
Yoav Taub
Ely Tendler
Avi Weinstock
Dov Weinstock
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Moshe Bloom
Berel Daskal
Uri Dreifus
Yoily Edelstein
Eytan Feldman
Gadi Fuchs
Alon Goldberger
Carmi Gruenbaum
Tzvi Keilson
Yair Keilson
Duvi Klein
Ushi Klein
Yosef Lowinger
Matis Manela
Moshe Mendlowitz
Hillel Moerman
Ephram Ostreicher
Chaim Schulhof
Shlomo Weiss
BEDARCHEI HATORAH
Rabbi Moshe Benoliel
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Rabbi Yehudah Leib Gordon
COPY EDITOR
Debbie Maimon
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dov Berg, Yonah Carrey,
Tsemach Glenn, Naftoli Goldgrab,
Meir Haltovsky, Yoel Hecht
DESIGN
David Benoliel
PUBLISHED BY
The Yeshiva Darchei Torah
Office of Communications & Alumni Affairs
257 Beach 17 Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691
718-868-2300 ext. 317
news@darchei.org
Each year we confer awards on outstanding members from the Yeshiva community and beyond.
To place an advertisement in our annual journal, or for more information, please call the Dinner Desk
at 718.868.2300 ext. 237 or email dinner@darchei.org.
Yeshiva and his rabbeim long after graduation, returning for daily sedarim with
the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shlomo Avigdor
Altusky, for several years.
In 2008, Yossi agreed to serve
as one of the founding members of
the Yeshiva Darchei Torah Alumni
Committee. In the ensuing years,
Yossi and his fellow committee members have developed numerous projects that have provided extraordinary
mutual benefit to the Yeshiva and to
the alumni including regular shiurim, well-attended reunions, the
establishment of an Alumni Shadchan
Network, several successful fundrais-
Raphael Aranov
Yehudah Bajnon
Boruch Ber Bender
Yehoshua Bleiberg
Shimon Leib Cohen
Mati Diamond
Yacov Asher Engel
Moshe Feigenbaum
Daniel Fleisher
Shmuel Freund
Feivel Reuven Ganeles
Yosef Goldberg
Yehudah Greenberg
Moshe Chaim Horowitz
Orrin Jaroslawicz
Mordechai Rosen
Zeev Rosenfeld
Ezra Rosner
Yitzchok Rothman
Yehuda Ruzohorsky
Avrohom Schustal
Aron Schwed
Yitzchok Shanik
Meir Sherman
Moshe Teich
Yonah Tusk
Eliezer B. Weinreb
Zevi Wolff
Ilan Wunsch
HIGHLIGHTS
New Security
Enhancements
Respond to a
Changing World
W
Returning Tests Each Week, Rosh
HaYeshiva Encourages Talmidims Growth
very Tuesday, Rav Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva, visits each class from
grades six through twelve. Sitting next to the rebbi, the Rosh HaYeshiva
returns each test paper, already marked by the rebbi, to each individual
talmid, using the opportunity to offer encouragement to each one and stay
abreast of their progress. For a test with an exceptionally high score or that
reflects significant progress since the last exam, the Rosh HaYeshiva will often
insist that the talmid proceed immediately to the Yeshiva office to fax or email
the document to his parents often interrupting a parents otherwise challenging workday with an unexpected message of nachas from their beloved son.
A Momentous Siyum
HIGHLIGHTS
Inspiration from
the Rosh Yeshiva
The Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shlomo
Avigdor Altusky, speaks at an
assembly of the first and
second grades in the
Diamond Bais Medrash.
Hadran Alach
All Winners
As part of the Yeshivas highly successful Parsha Program (featured in our last issue), third, fourth and fifth grade talmidim
were tested on their proficiency in Chumash Shemos. Based
on their scores, they were given tickets to a series of raffles
which were held with great fanfare at a special assembly in the
Diamond Bais Medrash. Some won prizes; some did not. All,
however, gained something more precious than any of the prizes:
a comprehensive knowledge of so many parshios haTorah.
10
Heroism
and History
The yahrtzeit of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai was commemorated with the
traditional medurah, bonfire, representing the fire of Torah. Rabbeim
led their talmidim in song and dance in honor of this special day.
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HIGHLIGHTS
The Rosh HaYeshiva presented
each talmid with a full-color
illustrated book on the 39
Melachos
Rav Shmuel Strickman, menahel of the Lower Elementary School, speaks at the event
Graduation Trip
The graduates of the Junior High School/Mechina were
treated to special trip in June: an enjoyable day of rafting
down the scenic Delaware River.
12
Yossi Herskovitz
helps his
long-lost cousin,
Sanford Herskovitz,
don Tefillin in
Bellaire, Texas
13
HIGHLIGHTS
Rav Shlomo
Avigdor Altusky
14
INTERVIEW
WERE
IN THIS
Together
15
INTERVIEW
to make it work.
Its very important to remember
that parents are not buying items
and putting them in their shopping
cart. My kid did not use this particular service today so Im not paying
for it, or my son does not need
Resource Room help so Im not paying for that. Were part of a community, of a cooperative venture. We all
have to make it work. When you pay
16
About 40 percent.
WHAT DO YOU ASK OF THE PARENTS?
17
PRESCHOOL
I (Truly) Did It
All By Myself!
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Rav Henoch Potash with his Pre-1A class at the Siddur Play
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PRESCHOOL
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
a Taste of the
Real Thing
O
n Simchas Torah, when the first and second grade talmidim of Yeshiva Darchei Torah joined their fathers and
older brothers at Hakafos, chances are that they were
already familiar with the niggunim and minhagim of this joyous celebration.
Ten days earlier, these boys were treated to a special
pre-Sukkos Hakafos event at the Yeshiva, an event designed
to familiarize them with Hakafos so that they would arrive
at the real thing with some preparation and thereby be better
able to participate. The boys were taught the introductory
pesukim said at the start of each Hakafah by a different rebbi
enwrapped in a tallis, and the text was brightly displayed in
large letters on a giant screen. With the help of the keyboard
playing of Rav Yaakov Zukerman, a second grade rebbi, the
boys were also taught many of the traditional niggunim sung
during the Hakafos as they enthusiastically danced with their
rabbeim. Many boys also brought their own miniature Sifrei
Torah from home for the occasion, lending the program an
even more real Simchas Torah feel.
It was a fitting way to spend part of the last day of Yeshiva
before Sukkos, the yomtov which is Zman Simchaseinu. f
21
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PROFILES IN CHINUCH
First Class
Chinuch in
the Second
Grade
An Illuminating
Conversation with
22
23
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
24
Hascholas Gemara
25
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
GOING PUBLIC
AN ELITE WRITING PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
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27
49,082
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
At the siyum: Yehuda Zev Klein (with microphone) and Rav Dovid Frischman
225 talmidim of the Junior High School spent the weeks from Pesach
until shortly after Shavuos learning Mishnayos in memory of the
sixth graders classmate, Aaron Shalom Tepfer ah, who was niftar
the previous August. A total of 49,082 Mishnayos were completed.
The siyum, held in the Kaufman Ezras Nashim, was addressed by Rav
Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva; Rav Dovid Frischman, menahel of the
Junior High School; Rav Yaakov Feitman, rav of Kehillas Bais Yehuda
Tzvi in Cedarhurst; Mr. Tuli Tepfer; and two friends of Aaron Shaloms,
Eli Frechter and Yehuda Zev Klein. This was followed by spirited
dancing in the Diamond
Bais Medrash.
The raffle winners gather on stage with their prizes.
The next day a series
of exciting raffles were
drawn; every boy who
learned Mishnayos was
entitled to tickets in
the raffles. f
28
Shaya Lebowitz
with his
well-earned
prize
29
30
What Do
Paper Airplanes
And Paper Clips
31
BY CHAIA FRISHMAN
32
We Thank
Our Donors
w
Mr. and Mrs. Murray Huberfeld
Mr. and Mrs. Rivie Schwebel
Mr. and Mrs. Eli Amsterdam
Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Bess
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Botwinick
Mr. and Dr. Dovid Cohen
Mr. and Mrs. Mottie Drillman
Mr. and Mrs. Shimon Eckstein
Dr. and Mrs. Eli Eisenberger
Dr. and Mrs. Shamshy Eisenberger
Mr. and Mrs. Seth Farbman
Mr. and Mrs. Nachum Futersak
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Herzka
Mr. and Mrs. Naftoli Kaplan
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Langer
Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lavi
Mr. and Mrs. Motti Lazar
Mr. and Mrs. Yitzchok Leshinsky
Mr. and Mrs. Zion Maidi
Rabbi and Mrs. Yisroel Neuberger
Mr. and Mrs. Tzvi Odzer
Rabbi and Mrs. Baruch Rothman
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Schwartz
Mr. and Mrs. Yitzhak Soleimani
Mr. and Mrs. Zev Aron Solomon
Mr. and Mrs. Avery Stok
Rabbi and Mrs. Zevi Trenk
Mr. and Mrs. Dovi Warman
Mr. and Mrs. Avi Weinstock
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34
7:30 AM
Shacharis is the first avodah of the day, and the bachurim
conduct themselves during the tefillah as befits the Bnei Torah
that they are, undoubtedly beseeching Hashem for continued
hatzlacha in learning and fulfillment of their aspirations.
7:15 AM
Dormitory mashgiach NOCHUM SREBRO does more
than enforce curfew and ensure the smooth operation
of the Yeshivas multiple dormitories on campus. This
Ben-Torah leads an early-morning chaburah in Halacha
before davening, enabling bachurim to further expand
their bekius in the halachos of yamim tovim, tefillah, and
other topics. Moreover, he serves as a true role model of
what a yeshiva bachur can aspire to become.
9:00 AM
During the 45 minutes
allotted for breakfast,
many bachurim choose to
complete their meal a bit
quicker so that they can
gain from RAV PINCHUS
WACHSMANS 15-minute
shiur in a different perek
of Bava Basra, the Yeshiva
masechta for this year. This
will help them get closer
to their goal of finishing
the entire masechta. Last
year the shiur covered
approximately 70 blatt.
Rav Wachsman is the firstyear maggid shiur in Bais
Medrash Heichal Dovid.
9:15 AM
9:15 am to 12:50 pm
First Seder and Second Seder take up the entire morning (with a break
in the middle) and go into the first hour of the afternoon. Each of the
Mesivtas fourteen distinguished maggidei shiur delivers a daily Iyun
shiur in his classroom, often working with his talmidim beforehand in the
main beis medrash as they prepare the Gemara and Mefarshim with their
chavrusos. Lunch is then served in the dining room.
1:50 to 2:35 pm
After Mincha comes Bekius, when the shiurim learn other sugyos at
a somewhat quicker pace than the morning seder either to further
the goal of completing Bava Basra or to learn other masechtos such as
Megillah and Taanis.
At the
end of the
lunch break, but
before Mincha,
RAV MENACHEM
FEIFER (pictured),
an eleventh grade
maggid shiur and
the rav of Agudath
Israel of Bayswater,
learns Mishnayos Bava Basra with talmidim for 10 minutes.
1:20 pm
35
2:35 to 3:00 pm
3:00 to 6:30 pm
For talmidim who have sufficiently
completed their curriculum requirements,
there are advanced-level shiurim which
take place each afternoon. Eleventh
and twelfth graders learn under RAV
AVROHOM WACHSMAN; Twelfth
graders learn under RAV ASHER
GENISH and tenth graders learn under
RAV SHMUEL SHOLOM BENDER.
6:30 pm
DINNER IS SERVED in
the dining room. All meals
are as delicious as they are
nourishing, and are prepared
with devotion by the Yeshivas
chef, Mrs. Chana Florans, who is described by Menahel Rav Zevi Trenk as
a Yiddishe mamme and bubby at heart, who has forty guests of her own
each week at her Shabbos table, creating a Kiddush Hashem in Flatbush
with her husband R Mordy, who offers constant chizuk and Divrei Torah.
8:00 pm
7:15 pm
36
8:30 pm
Ninth Grade
Rebbi RAV
YITZCHOK
HAUER learns
Gemara Makkos
with a group
of talmidim
every evening
after the official
night seder.
On Sundays
they learn after
Bekius Seder.
SUNDAY
9:15 pm
On Sunday evenings Twelfth Grade Rebbi
RAV AARON GOLDMAN delivers a vaad
on MESILAS YESHARIM enabling the
talmidim to apply the messages of this
Mussar classic to their lives. *
THURSDAY
9:05 pm
10:45 pm
10:00 pm
To enhance the late-night
learning, cholent and kugel are
served in the dining room,
offering well-deserved
refreshment
for the bachurim.
SHABBOS
FRIDAY
11:20 am
On Friday morning, RAV YAAKOV BENDER, ROSH
HAYESHIVA, gives a shmuess to the talmidim of Mesivta
Chaim Shlomo and Bais Medrash Heichal Dovid. Using
the parsha or inyana diyoma as a springboard, he imparts
fundamental lessons in hashkafa and middos that will help
form the talmidims outlook for life. *
* Recordings are avilable for purchase on CD or MP3. Please call
718.868.2300 ext. 312 or email publications@darchei.org
37
At the annual community Kinus Teshuva of Yeshiva Ohavei Torah held at Mesivta Chaim Shlomo:
Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid and Rav Eliahu Rominek,
Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohavei Torah. The gathering was chaired by Mr. Irwin Benjamin.
38
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Malcolm Hoenlein
39
40
System Upgrade
41
Moshe Terebelo
Dovy Vachss
42
Yeshiva President
Ronald Lowinger
Avraham Adir Farbman (at mic) makes a siyum on Maseches Rosh Hashana.
Seated, L-R: Rav Moshe Bender, Ronald Lowinger, Rav Menachem Gold, Rav
Yaakov Bender, Rav Shimon Dachs and Mr. Alex Edelman. Background: Rav
Dov Keilson, Rav Dovid Bender and Rav Moshe Krasnow
Helping Children
to Realize
their Dreams
Photos from the successful breakfast reception for
the Rabenstein Learning Center and Weiss Vocational
Center in Lawrence, hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Mendy Elefant
43
ALUMNI REPORT
At Spring Event,
Hundreds of Alumni
Reconnect with
Rabbeim, and
Each Other
Stay Connected!
A partial view of the dais, L-R: Rav Shloime Eisen, Rav Pinchus
Wachsman, Rav Avrohom Nusbaum, Rav Moshe Bender, Rabbi Moshe
Benoliel, Rav Yaakov Bender (at microphone), Moshie Horn, Rav Shlomo
Avigdor Altusky, Yair Netzer, Rav Zevi Trenk, Rav Shia Neuberg,
Rav Dovid Bender, Rav Dovid Geller, Rav Shimon Dov Notis,
Rav Zev Brown and Rav Yisroel Feder
44
45
ALUMNI REPORT
Naftoli Kolodny, Yitzchok Kolodny and Chaim Dienstag Avi Lang, Chaim Blumenkrantz, Eli Korn and Nisanel Salamon
Attention Alumni:
Help Raise the Bar on alumni giving
join the Alumni Partnership today.
For more information,
Call: 718.868.2300 ext. 317
Email: alumni@darchei.org
Online: www.darchei.org/alumni
Tzvi Sussman and Dovi Safier
46
47
Rav Shlomo
Avigdor Altusky
delivering a
vaad to senior
talmidim
48
49
Eternal Dividends
hen Moshe
Rabbeinu
blessed the
Shevatim before his passing, he included Yissachar
and Zevulun in the same
sentence: Rejoice, O
Zevulun, in your excursions, and Yissachar in
your tents. (Devarim 33:18)
Rashi explains that the two
Shevatim formed a partnership: the tribe of Zevulun
settled near the sea, engaging in maritime commerce
and provided a livelihood
for the tribe of Yissachar,
whose occupation was in
the tents of Torah study.
This concept has
endured throughout Jewish
history in various forms. It
is now a reality at Yeshiva
Darchei Torahs Kollel
Tirtza Devorah, where the
50
new Yissachar/Zevulun
initiative is enabling those
who appreciate the supreme
value of Torah Lishmah to
dedicate and have a share in
the learning of an individual
Kollel yungerman.
Our 30 distinguished
yungeleit primarily alumni
of the Yeshiva chose to
return and continue their
growth here, explains Rav
Dovid Bender, Rosh Kollel.
In the process, they have
not only enhanced their
own learning but have
elevated the entire yeshiva.
They are true role models
for the younger talmidim.
Most of the Kollel
members have also settled
in the Yeshiva neighborhood. With many of their
wives also serving in local
mosdos, the Kollels positive
For more
information,
please call
Rabbi Zev Bald
at 718.868.2300
ext. 219
or Rabbi Baruch
Rothman
at 718.868.2300
ext. 706
A more extensive
feature about the
Kollel appeared in
our previous issue;
a complimentary
copy is available
upon request.
A Bridge
to
Har Sinai
forAmerican
Talmidim
An Appreciation of
RAV ZALMON
MALINOWITZ ZTL
BY RABBI YAAKOV BENDER
ROSH HAYESHIVA
51
TRIBUTE
his talmidim.
Many of these talmidim were from
affluent neighborhoods. But thanks in
large part to Rav Zalmons work, they
emerged from yeshiva as bnei Torah,
as lamdonim, as ruchniyus-focused
people rather than gashmiyus-focused.
HOW DID HE DO IT?
Rav Zalmon was a member of a
distinguished chaburah of illustrious
and devoted maggidei shiur at the
Yeshiva, may they live and be well
until 120. But the shiurim he delivered
took place in the afternoon rather
than the morning, and they were for a
select group of Mesivta bachurim who
had sufficiently advanced in their general studies syllabus to allow for a few
periods of advanced Gemara learning.
When Rav Zalmon dissected a
sugya, he was aflame. It was kinisinosson miSinai. He worked tirelessly with
his bachurim to bring them to the
next level of learning, to enable them
to see the Gemara and mefarshim
with a sharper, more mature perspective and to polish their skills as lamdanim. The clarity of his approach
was remarkable. He did not let the
bachurim jump to peruse the explanations of the Acharonim he wanted
them to learn how to understand each
Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos and Rishon
in a straightforward, glatteh way, and
to ultimately arrive at the underlying
pshat in each sugya.
FOUR TIMES A YEAR, he would give
a written test. The chazara for each
lasted weeks. The bachurim could be
seen up until all hours of the night,
horving and reviewing, making sure
that they had truly absorbed their rebbes approach. When he marked their
tests, Rav Zalmon did so on a curve,
taking into account each bachurs
52
he experienced the gevaldigeh enjoyment of seeing people who are living ruchniyus. Think about it for a
moment: Bezalel has kept that letter
in his wallet from Mesivta graduation,
through Beis Medrash, to Brisk in
Ye r u s h a l a y i m
53
TRIBUTE
Less than two weeks before his petirah, Rav Malinowitz dancing with Shlomo Hirschey at his chasunah
54
daughter
Stay Connected!
55
56
Emmanuel Zerovabeli09M,
12B on his marriage to
Devorah Rahmany of Los
Angeles
Kos Tanchumim
Moshe Bonrouhi 99E, 03M, 07B on the petirah
of his father ah
57
news@darchei.org
In Living Color
A Second Grade talmid learns about plant parts and functions at the Yeshivas state-of-the-art
science laboratory, which was underwritten by the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education