On Wednesday after Succos, Yeshivas Ateres Yisroel in
Yerushalaim held a special alumni get-together commemorating
25 years of the yeshiva's existence. Over 800 alumni (which
are 80 percent of the yeshiva's 1,000 local alumni) converged
on the Heichal Simcha hall in Yerushalaim for the event. The
school has another 200 alumni who live abroad.
The rosh yeshiva of "Ateret" is HaRav Boruch Mordechai
Ezrachi, and for many years the mashgiach was his father-in-
law HaRav Meir Chodosh, one of the original Slobodka
Yeshiva's most famous students, until his passing about 10
years ago.
The large turnout was explained by Rav Benzion Ezrachi, the
executive director, as due to the strong tie between the Rosh
Yeshiva and the students.
"This is their house," he said simply. "One never forgets a
father, even when one leaves. The Rosh Yeshiva maintains a
personal tie with students. He is awake around the clock, and
spends his time on giving his shiurim, maintaining a
close relationship with the students, and writing his
Bircas Mordechai series, six volumes of which have
been published so far."
It is a daily occurrence for Ateret bochurim to knock
on the Rosh Yeshiva's door at 3:00 a.m. to speak with him
personally, discuss divrei Torah, or just get a meal
from the Rebbetzin. Personal ties developed during the years
of studying in the yeshiva, continue on for years after a
bochur has left its doors. The 25th anniversary was
eagerly awaited by the students.
The assembly started with the recital of Tehillim for
the recovery of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky. HaRav Dovid Cohen, now
a rosh yeshiva in Chevron and a former maggid shiur in
the yeshiva, spoke warmly of the special connection the
students feel to the yeshiva.
The next speaker was HaRav Yaakov Hillel, rosh yeshivas
Ahavat Sholom, a friend of HaRav Ezrachi who often attended
his shiurim.
The climax of the evening was an address by HaRav Aaron Leib
Steinman who spoke warm words of chizuk to the
assembly.
The event was emceed by HaRav Tzvi Diament, the mashgiach
of Yeshivas Or Yisroel, and the students were represented
by HaRav Hillel Zaks, rosh yeshiva of Tiferes Mordechai in
Bnei Brak, and HaRav Ami Mizrachi, who edited Or Meir,
a 400 page collection of HaRav Meir Chodosh's discourses
over the years, which was given out to all the alumni.
The guest of honor was Rav Ezriel Tenem of London, a sponsor
of the evening and a long-time supporter of the yeshiva. He
was given a special oil painting of HaRav Meir Chodosh. He
addressed the students and alumni afterwards, and told them
how much the yeshiva means to him and that he is planning to
help advance the construction of the yeshiva's new campus on
Hapisga street.
It was noted that a high percentage of alumni are today
serving as dayanim, mashgichim, roshei yeshivos and
rabbonim. Ateret graduates are highly sought after as
mashgichim, and its students are prolific authors,
having published over a dozen books in the past month.
The staff found the list of resolutions drawn up at an alumni
meeting which took place in the Lithuanian Slobodka Yeshiva
over 60 years ago, and decided to follow this precedent at
the present alumni meeting. The 800 alumni resolved to
rededicate themselves to mussar study, and increasing
achdus among themselves in their daily life.
The alumni presented the Rosh Yeshiva with a special leather
and silver-bound copy of the 6 volumes of chiddushei Torah
he has published. They also bought him a large silver cup
on which was printed "The cup that overflows on its side."
This was the name of the biography of HaRav Meir Chodosh
which was written and recently published by Rebbetzin
Ezrachi, and it symbolized a common theme he spoke about:
Only when a person is full himself can he overflow to
others.
The alumni were feted to a riveting video which traced HaRav
Meir Chodosh's life from his beginning roots in Slobodka
yeshiva in Lithuania through his various positions until the
end of his life. The 12-minute video included a recently-
found British film of the destruction of the Chevron Jewish
community and the wounded residents after the 1929 pogrom
(which HaRav Meir miraculously survived), an old film of
Jewish life in Kovno, plus more historical scenes and
documentation concerning Rav Meir's life. HaRav Meir Chodosh
spent the last years of his life as the mashgiach in Ateres
Yisroel Yeshiva and giving shmuessim in Chevron Yeshiva.
Ateres Yisroel is planning to sell the video soon in a CD-ROM
format. All who are interested in purchasing the film can
contact the yeshiva in Israel at +972-2-6436144.
