On motzei Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Re'ei, Rosh Chodesh Elul
5761, the grand chanukas habayis celebration of Yeshiva
Ahavas Torah took place in Bnei Brak. Very many people
attended the event which was graced by the presence of HaRav
Aharon Yehudah Leib Shteinman.
Ahavas Torah was founded last year in Bnei Brak under the
auspices of HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman and with the full
encouragement and support of HaRav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz,
the rosh yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva Ketana. In the new
Yeshiva, stress is placed upon covering ground in
gemora without neglecting in-depth study. Special
stress is also placed upon the development of each and every
student according to his specific talents and personality,
following the principle: "Educate each child according to his
way."
In its first year the yeshiva already proved itself. In
admissions, stress was placed upon the quality of the
students and not on the quantity. In the learning the yeshiva
accomplished its goals of covering a significant number of
dapim of gemora with deep understanding but
stressing constant review. Especially worthy of mention are
the close ties of the students to the yeshiva, which students
already felt to be their home.
The rosh yeshiva, HaRav Avrohom Kahn, has more than twenty
years' experience teaching in yeshivos in Bnei Brak. He
literally invests day and night in the advancement of the
students. HaRav Avrohom Malachi is his partner on the staff.
He is known as a foremost Torah educator with a special
ability to approach young students effectively.
The yeshiva has been so successful that the original building
is already too crowded to house all the applicants, leaving
the Yeshiva with no choice but to rent a more spacious
building and to make he extensive renovations necessary to
adapt it to the requirements of the yeshiva, including a
beis hamedrash, a dining room, rooms for the shiurim
and an up-to-date dormitory wing.
Before the opening of the ceremony, the guests were shown
around the new building. They were quite overwhelmed by the
attention given to each detail of the building.
The ceremony itself began with the fixing of the mezuzah
at the entrance to the beis hamedrash. The
mezuzah was fixed by HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman who
said that he is not giving his brochoh that this should
be the permanent building of the yeshiva (binyan adei
ad) since it seems that they will soon have to move to a
larger building in view of the rapid expansion of the
yeshiva.
Many other distinguished Torah personalities were present,
including: HaRav Paltiel Kahn, dayan in the Tel Aviv
beth din and father of the Rosh Yeshiva; HaRav Avrohom
Malachi, one of the roshei hayeshiva; HaRav Moshe Mann, a
maggid shiur in the yeshiva; HaRav Ehud Perri, HaRav
Avrohom Shimon Lipschitz, a rosh yeshiva in Bnei Brak, the
Mayor of Bnei Brak Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz and Rabbi Shmuel
Elishayov, director of the Sha'arei Zion institutions in Bnei
Brak.
The participants partook of a festive melave malke and
Rosh Chodesh seudah at which the Rosh Yeshiva expressed
his feelings of praise and thanks to Hakodosh Boruch Hu
for giving him the zechus to reach this great occasion.
He then spoke about the significance of the holy days of Elul
and the yomim noraim.
In conclusion, the Rosh Yeshiva also expressed his deepfelt
appreciation of the devoted staff who set no limit to their
devotion to the advancement of the students and to the
Yeshiva director, Rabbi Menachem Blumenthal, who invests
great efforts towards the advancement and development of the
study of Torah.
HaRav Chizikiahu Mishkovsky, mashgiach in the Orchos
Torah Yeshiva, spoke with great feeling, as follows:
Let us imagine, he said, when the Ponevezh Yeshiva was first
opened and six boys comprised the entire student body.
Imagine that the Ponevezher Rov then asked someone to
purchase four amos in the yeshiva to be for his
everlasting zechus. How wise must one have been to see
the future and to understand that here is the place in which
to invest!
HaRav Mishkovsky added that he is closely acquainted with the
yeshiva and he can testify that it justifies its name, for it
is a yeshiva which infuses its students with tremendous
ahavas Torah. He has no doubt that he will be able to
relate proudly to his grandchildren that he had the privilege
of participating in the chanukas habayis of the Ahavas
Torah Yeshiva which will blossom to become one of the major
yeshivos in our time.
