In a modest gathering last week the cornerstone was laid for
the Adas Yisroel's Beis Knesses Kehillas Ashkenaz in Kiryat
Sefer (Modi'in Illit). At the ceremony were HaRav Eliezer
Halevy Dunner, a member of the Badatz of Shearis
Yisroel and rov of the Adas Yisroel kehilloh in Eretz
Hakodesh; members and supporters of the kehilloh and
Modi'in Illit Local Council Head Rabbi Yaakov Gutterman.
Beis Haknesses Kehillas Ashkenaz was started four years ago
in Kiryat Sefer by a group of avreichim, with the
encouragement and guidance of gedolei hador.
Members of the congregation are primarily descendants of
German immigrants accustomed to Minhag Ashkenaz since
childhood, who want to perpetuate their forefathers'
longstanding customs in Kiryat Sefer. They began the
minyan in a temporary structure, which soon became too
small to accommodate all of the people who came to take part
in the tefillos.
At the initiative of the gabboim and the congregants,
and with the assistance and encouragement of the moro
de'asro HaRav Meir Kessler (who was forced to cancel
plans to participate in the ceremony at the last minute), the
kehilloh submitted a request to Rabbi Gutterman to
allocate space for the construction of a beis knesses.
He worked hard to secure the lot made available to them a few
weeks ago in a central location in Kiryat Sefer, near a
complex of botei medrash.
The gabboim, headed by R' Nosson Yaffe, immediately
began preparations for construction and planning. The
architecture of the new shul, will be in accordance
with the German tradition.
Last week, as soon as the planning phase was complete and the
necessary approvals had been obtained, construction already
got underway. Because it was held during the Nine Days,
poskei hador instructed the congregation to conduct a
modest stone-laying ceremony.
Following the recital of several chapters of Tehillim
by the chazon of the kehilloh, R' Binyomin
Fordsham, distinguished participants laid the cornerstone for
the stately beis knesses. HaRav Dunner delivered a
stirring speech in which he said that the exalted event,
which would help strengthen the perpetuation of the glorious
German tradition, was appropriately held during the days when
we mourn the destruction of Beis Hamikdash, citing remarks
made by the Rosh while in Spain: "I hold fast to our
tradition and the kabolloh of our forefathers of
blessed memory, the sages of Ashkenaz, for whom the Torah was
an inheritance from the days of the destruction [of the Beis
Hamikdash]." The memory and strengthening of the tradition
passed down to us, explained Rav Dunner, "has continued like
a golden chain representing a remembrance of the period of
the destruction and a link to the Beis Hamikdash as it
stood, and thus gives hope for the Redemption, since this the
tradition was passed down through the generations for close
to two thousand years, [and will b'H continue to be
passed on] until the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
"When I was asked to serve as rov of the kehilloh in
Bnei Brak I went to the home of rabbon shel kol bnei
hagoloh Maran HaRosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Menachem Shach
zt'l to seek his advice and guidance. [When] I laid my
doubts out before him, Maran, zechuso yogen aleinu--
whose opinion represents daas Torah on the importance
of maintaining the customs of Ashkenaz passed down from
generation to generation--said at the time that the
kehilloh would grow and flourish among bnei
Torah who are the sons of the kehillohs of
Ashkenaz. At the time I did not imagine that within a few
years we would stand at such an event [marking the]
construction of another beis knesses built on the
foundations of the Ashkenaz tradition."
Rabbi Gutterman spoke of his enthusiasm over laying the
cornerstone in a lot set aside since he assumed his post. The
Local Council Head offered his blessings that they would
merit completing construction of the beis knesses in
the near future.
