The yeshiva community in Beit Shemesh held a cornerstone-
laying ceremony for congregation Shaarei Torah that serves
the rapidly growing Torah community there.
In recent years, Beit Shemesh has become one of the largest
Torah communities in Eretz Yisroel. Thousands of families --
young couples as well as large, established families -- have
settled in the city, and many Jews from chutz la'aretz
have also come.
Congregation Shaarei Torah in the Bayit Umenuchah
neighborhood is a beacon of light to the city of Beit Shemesh
in general and especially to the Torah neighborhoods. The
congregation numbers approximately 150 families of bnei
Torah. The beis medrash hums with the joy of Torah
during all hours of the day. It houses a kollel during
the day, an evening kollel, and erev
Shabbos/Shabbos kollel and Torah lectures.
The community also has a talmud Torah, kindergartens,
and a Bais Yaakov school for girls. With the guidance of
Torah leaders, HaRav Moshe Tuvia Dinkel, son of HaRav
Alexander Dinkel zt'l, former rosh mesivta in
Yeshivas Kol Torah, was chosen to serve as rav of the Bayit
Umenuchah neighborhood. HaRav Dinkel, who was educated in
Yeshivas Kol Torah and Ponevezh, is a talmid muvhok of
HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt'l. HaRav Dinkel, who
also served as a moreh horo'oh in the beis din
of HaRav Wosner in Bnei Brak, was warmly received by all
elements of the community: Chassidim, Litaim and
Sephardim.
Recently the congregation has begun to construct a larger
beis hamedrash. The building will include a main
beis hamedrash with 250 seats, a women's section, a
smaller beis midrash for Torah classes, and a beis
horo'oh. The gabboim of the beis midrash
recently visited gedolei Torah shlita who gave
their blessing that the beis midrash become "a great
center for Torah and prayer." The gabboim and members
of the congregation are praying and anticipating that the
beis hamedrash will strengthen Torah in Beit Shemesh
and all of Israel.
