On Rosh Chodesh Sivan in the presence of many prominent
rabbonim and numerous guests, Rav Sender Dominitz, guest of
honor, headed the cornerstone-laying ceremony for the
impressive three story building of Merkaz HaTorah in
Yokneam, in the north of Israel near Haifa.
Participating in the event were HaRav Yaakov Edelstein,
HaRav Yaakov Meir Zonnenfeld, the rabbi of Yokneam, and
other public figures. Some 500 guests participated in the
cornerstone-laying ceremony.
The building has been designed to serve many functions. A
beis hamedrash, beis knesses, kollel, talmud Torah
and mikveh are all on premises, as are a library and
conference hall. Two private flats to accommodate guest
speakers and families that travel to Yokneam for
kiruv seminars and cultural activities are also
located within this impressive structure.
This great project will eventually cater to thousands of
baalei teshuvah in Yokneam and surrounding
villages.
Though Keren Lekiruv Yisroel is fully involved in some
thirty institutions, Yokneam is their pride. Beginning as a
fledgling community eighteen years ago, the Keren's
activists were zocheh to build a thriving
kehilloh of over a thousand souls.
The momentous event took place just two weeks after R'
Sender Dominitz and his wife returned from Moscow, where
they had participated in the chanukas habayis of the
impressive three story Bais Yaakov Teacher Seminary which
will house a hundred pupils. That building was built under
the guidance of Keren Lekiruv Yisroel headed by R' Dominitz,
while Reb Dovid Ludzker, the executive director of Keren
Lekiruv Yisroel's Russian outreach program, raised the
majority of the necessary funds.
R' Sender Dominitz started his kiruv work during
World War II nearly 60 years ago, and is well known as one
of the pioneers of kiruv in our times. His
outstanding work was made possible largely due to the help
of loyal financial supporters in London, Europe, United
States and Israel, all of whom have a great cheilek
in this important mitzvoh of kiruv Am Yisroel.
The organization urgently needs donations of tefillin
and financial help to provide for its ever-increasing
activities. Donations can be made out to Tevini c/o Reb
Dominitz, 43 Osbaldeston Rd., London N16 7DL; or Keren
Lekiruv Yisroel, 11/2 Nodah Beyehudah, Kiryat Sefer,
Israel.
