In a rare show of commitment and community support, no less
than thirteen of London's leading Dayonim and Rabbonim
attended a special Yom Limud at Kisharon's adult vocational
training center in Golders Green.
With the av beis din, Rabbi E. Padwa and Rav Y. Z.
Dunner, came Dayonim A. D. Dunner, D. Grynhaus, S. Friedman,
Y. Babad, and B.Z. Blum, as well as Rabbis P. Roberts, C.
Wosner, Z. Feldman, S. Winegarten, C. Halpern, and the
Sassover Rebbe, Rabbi S. Rubin.
Rabbi Winegarten chaired the gathering and formally welcomed
the rabbonim. He spoke of the history of Kisharon which was
founded by Mrs. Chava Lehman in 1976 with three special-
needs pupils in two rooms of a small house. After 25 years
of hard work and private fundraising, Kisharon now looks
after some 70 special-needs children and adults in four NW
London centers. Much of the fundraising effort had been
spearheaded by Mr. Walter Bentley, ably followed by one of
his sons.
The school's ethos is the enhancement of students' skills
and talent in a Torah-true environment. The vast spectrum of
professionally qualified staff is unparalleled anywhere in
the U.K. Jewish community.
After an address by the Av Beis Din and divrei Torah
given by four of the students, the rabbonim left for a
tour of Kisharon's new headquarters at Montfort House,
Hendon. Kisharon could not have hoped for better sized and
located premises to accommodate their autistic and other
special-needs students than this former monastery now under
extensive refurbishment. Rabbi Chaim Halpern and the
Sassover Rebbe spoke after the tour.
Dayan A. D. Dunner, as a brother of one Kisharon student,
spoke warmly about the positive effect Kisharon has had on
his brother's life and how important such special children
are to Klal Yisroel. He said that special children
are given by Hakodosh Boruch Hu to special parents.
Not only are special-needs children and adults free of sin,
but they are capable of performing mitzvos on a more
elevated level than most of us.
A simultaneous Yom Limud for the girls took place at the day
school with an address by Rebbetzin Ehrentreu and a puppet
show on the theme of loshon hora.
For further information contact David Goodman 8731 7009.
