Kollel Boker of K’hal Talmidei
HaYeshivos Celebrates its Inaugural Siyum
By Eliakim Willner
“Phenomenon: Something that is impressive or
extraordinary”
This past Thursday I was privileged to attend an event that
commemorated a phenomenon – the seudas
siyum of the morning kollel of K’hal Talmidei HaYeshivos. The
siyum itself – the kollel finished meseches Brachos – was
a beautiful affair, held at the Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin Rochel Montag Simcha
Hall, but it would be an overstatement to call it a phenomenon. That noun,
however, is perfectly suited to the learning that led up to the siyum,
and to the events that led up to the learning, as we will explain.
The Kehilla
Khal Talmidei HaYeshivos was founded four years ago
by a group of working bnai Torah who were seeking a kehilla that
combined the best of the Yeshiva davening experience with the varmkeit
of a shteibel and the hadracha of a Rav and moreh d’asra.
Approximately a year and a half after opening, they joined with Yeshiva Rabbi
Chaim Berlin to become an Alumni Minyan branch, and simultaneously prevailed
upon Rav Binyomin Cohen, Rosh Kollel of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin
to become their Rav and posek. Under Rav Cohen’s leadership the kehilla
expanded rapidly, quickly outgrowing their original rented location on Elm
Avenue, and moving to their current, much larger location at 1609 Avenue M – a
building purchased by the Yeshiva specifically to house the new home of the kehilla.
(They are already stretching the seams of their new Bais Medrash!)
The kehilla boasts numerous sedarim tailored
to the schedules of baalei batim. The Rav delivers shiurim as do other choshuve
Rabbonim, and the mispallelim could very well have rested on their
laurels and considered themselves a success. But, with the blood of bnai
Torah coursing through their veins, they realized that the essence of
success in avodas Hashem is shtaiging – never resting on your
laurels, always striving to improve your ruchnius in whichever way
possible.
The Kollel
Thus was born the morning kollel. The idea, whose
primary advocate and organizer was Rav Binyomin Cohen himself, was to create a
microcosm of the Yeshiva experience for an hour each morning, followed by Shacharis.
But the intended attendees were working men. They would have to show up at
6:00am, which meant waking up somewhere around 5:00am. They would have to shake
off their slumber by the time they arrived so that they could plunge into their
learning with clear heads. Could they do it? Would the plan work?
It worked beyond everyone’s wildest expectations. On Shabbos
morning the Rav spoke enthusiastically about the Kollel he planned to
implement, and he personally urged mispallelim to join in the days following.
Rav Mendel Braunstein, a noted talmid chochom, former chavrusa of
Rav Binyomin and Mara D’asra of the Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin Avenue I
Alumni Minyan, was appointed the Rosh Kollel. Rav Braunstein’s perpetual
smile and natural warmth, combined with his personal interest in every single
kollel member’s learning and general well-being, was the spark that set Rav Binyamin’s
kindling on fire.
The kollel started off with a bang. Over forty people
came on the first day! And like the kehilla it is a part of, it grew by
leaps and bounds as well. Today, a visitor entering the Bais Medrash
shortly after 6:00am would scarcely believe his eyes. The room is packed with
60-80 men- yungeleit, baaleibatim and Rebbeim, of all ages and
diverse Yeshiva backgrounds, learning with hislahavus. The seviva
resonates with the sweetness of kol Torah. You might easily think you
were back in a Yeshiva Bais Medrash during a busy morning seder!
More – the varmkeit and freindshaft that
permeates the minyan itself has seeped into the kollel as well.
Lasting friendships have been formed. A kollel member’s absence is
noticed and the chavrei haKollel, as well as its hanhala, reach
out to make sure everything is ok.
The Phenomenon
Prominent Rabbonim, including Harav Boruch
Mordechai Ezrachi, Harav Eliezer Ginsburg, Harav Elya Brudny and others
have visited the kollel to deliver divrei chizuk and were nispael
that such a thing exists. So, indeed, is everyone who has had the privilege of
visiting the kollel during seder. THIS is truly “impressive and
extraordinary”. THIS is the phenomenon!
The Siyum
The siyum itself was a joyous event, attended by the mesaymim,
of course, as well as wives, parents, grandparents and friends. The dais was
graced with the presence of Rav Aharon Schechter, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of
Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, Rav Faivel Cohen, shlita (Rav Binyomin’s
father), Rav Moshe
Tuvia Lieff, Rav Hillel David, Rav Elya Brudny, Rav Avrohom Zucker, Rav Moshe Baruch Kirzner as well, of course, with
the presence of Rav Binyomin Cohen and Rav Mendel Braunstein. Mr. Avrohom
Fruchthandler and the Rav’s father-in-law, Mr. Rubin Schron, founding supporters
of the Shul, proudly graced the dais as well.
The event was expertly chaired by Reb Yehoshua Leib Fruchthandler,
one of the founding members of the kehilla and the kollel, who
greeted the guests and introduced Rav Binyomin and Rav Mendel. The program
commenced with a short video which included divrei bracha from Harav
Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, shlita, and Rav Eliezer Ginsburg, shlita.
Next, the Mara D’asra and Rosh Kollel addressed the assemblage. Rav
Binyomin spoke passionately about the importance of the kollel and its
mission, and issued an invitation to all attendees who were not yet members
(and by extension, all readers of this article) to join. Rav Mendel reminisced
about how the seeds for the kollel were actually planted many years earlier
as a result of a casual conversation between Rav Binyomin and himself.
Both Rabbonim expressed gratitude to the wives, many
of whom were in attendance, for not only allowing their husbands to be absent
during such a hectic time of day, but for encouraging them with joy to go and
learn!
The divrei Torah were followed by a professionally
produced video presentation which featured kollel members speaking about
what the kollel meant to them and to their families.
A recurring theme in their retrospectives was how they were skeptical that they could
actually sustain their new kollel schedule, how surprised and delighted
they were to discover that they could, and how profoundly grateful they were
that they did, since the kollel had a marked impact not only on the rest
of their day, but on their wives, their mishpochos and their lives. Many,
in fact, declared that, despite their hectic schedules, the morning Kollel
quickly became the most important part of their day.
Following the video presentation, R’ Shai Markowitz, along
with R’ Yossi Gutwirth were mesayeim the mesechta and said the hadran
and Kaddish.
A bountiful five-star meal was prepared by Yeshiva Rabbeinu
Chaim Berlin’s resident caterer and chef, Dovy Zeitlin. The meal and program
were followed by spirited and uplifting dancing by the mesaymim, the Rebbeim,
and guests.
The Conclusion
We have been reading with pride about the actions of our
various public service mosdos, and of whole communities, who united to
assist those affected by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. That was truly a kiddush
Hashem. But when it comes to kiddush Hashem, nothing compares to limud
Torah, as the posuk says (Devarim 4:6) “And you shall study
them and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of
the peoples, who will… say, ‘Only this great nation is a wise and understanding
people.’”
Mazal tov to all the mesaymim! Special Mazal
tov to our son, Nachman, who has been part of the kehilla and kollel
since their respective beginnings!
May the Kollel Boker be zoche to finish many
more masechtos, b’ezras Hashem. May the zechus of the Kollel
Boker of K’hal Talmidei HaYeshivos continue to be a beacon of kiddush
Hashem in our community, may it light to the way to a healthy, peaceful and
productive year for the attendees, the Rabbonim, the kehilla and
all of klal yisroel, and may it hasten the arrival of Moshiach!
