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NEWS
Roshei Yeshivos and Bnei Torah at a Large Gathering in
Paris
by Arnon Yaffe, Paris
The Kehal Yereim community in Paris recently celebrated a
siyum and the completion of examinations on Yoreh
Deah, cheilek beis by avreichim of the
rabbonus kollel in a large gathering and seudas
mitzvah with the participation of roshei yeshivos
and rabbonim from all over Europe.
The community's institutions are spread over several
sections of Paris. They include five shuls, three
yeshivos, a school for boys, a Beis Yaakov school and a
girls' seminary. HaRav Y. Efrati conveyed the greetings of
HaRav Eliashiv and was full of praise for the way the
community had developed, its increased Torah studies, and
the expansion of its institutions under the leadership of
Rav Yitzchok Katz. He pointed out that not only was so much
Torah being studied by members of the community, but
everyone who joins it immediately becomes a real ben
Torah. Several hundred avreichim and
bochurim filled the Kinyan Avrohom shul hall in Rue
Saint Maure.
Rav Pinchos Weiss brought greetings from HaRav Aharon Yehuda
Leib Shteinman and said that Paris was in need of some
reinforcement of taharoh and kedushoh.
HaRav Eliashiv's letter, which was also signed by HaRav
Shteinman, said the following: "The avreichim of the
kollel horo'oh have been successfully tested on
Shulchan Oruch, Yoreh Deah by rabbonim, gedolei
Torah shlita. I wish to convey my blessings to all those
gathered for this simcha shel Torah to rejoice with
the avreichim shlita who have completed a
masechta, and especially to the kind supporters of
these magnificent institutions, who so generously devote
their resources and energies in order to increase Torah and
to strengthen Torah fortresses in general and in Paris in
particular. May all those who assist them in building up the
Torah institutions under the leadership of HaRav HaGaon
Yitzchok Katz shlita be blessed by the Source of all
blessings."
Rav Katz himself stressed that there was still an immense
amount of work left to do in France when, out of a
population of 700,000 Jews, there are only 100 boys learning
in a full-time yeshiva ketanoh. In England, for
example, the proportion of boys in yeshiva is much higher.
This is why the gedolim of Eretz Yisroel were
paying so much attention to French Jewry.
Other speakers included Rav Avrohom Gurwitz, rosh
yeshiva of Gateshead Yeshiva and Rav Yosef Zvi Dunner,
av beis din of London, and the head of Kedassia
organization. Also present were HaRav Yehuda Toledano, HaRav
Shneor, the rosh yeshiva of Bousier, HaRav Dovid
Pinto, rosh yeshiva of Lyon, and HaRav Reuven Meir,
rosh yeshiva of St. Louis. The participation of these
rabbonim is indicative of the rapid development of
yeshivas and Torah study in France over the last few
years.
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