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NEWS
Weekend of His'orerus
by Yated Ne'eman Staff
A kinus hizchazkus to commemorate the first
yahrtzeit of the late Sunderland Rov and rosh yeshiva,
HaRav Shammai Zahn, zt"l, culminated in a grand
melave malkah in the Gateshead shul hall. In
the presence of the Rov, Rabbi Bezalel Rakow, the guests of
honor, Rabbi Zecharia Gelley, rov of Washington Heights,
Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, rosh of the London Beis Din, and the
av beis din of Paris, HaRav Nissim Rebiboh, and with
the participation of all the talmidim from Gateshead,
many from Manchester who had traveled up on motzei
Shabbos and several from London, France, Eretz
Yisroel and America who had spent Shabbos in Gateshead.
The atmosphere of achdus amongst the talmidim,
some of whom had not seen each other for over thirty years,
was tangible and everyone left feeling spiritually
uplifted.
Reb Avrohom Chaim Zahn, youngest son of R' Shammai and ram
in the Yeshiva, opened the proceedings by welcoming all
the guests, especially his mother, Rebbetzin Zahn, who had
stood by Reb Shammai for over fifty years supporting him in
his avodas hakodesh. Rabbi Rakow, a close friend of
Rabbi Shammai, pointed out that Reb Shammai was one of the
key builders of Torah in the world after the last War. Rabbi
Gelley, who was amongst the first group of talmidim in
the yeshiva in the '40s and later served as a ram for
over twenty years, declared that his foundation in learning
came from Reb Shammai who knew how to bring out the best from
every bochur.
This sentiment was echoed by Dayan Ehrentreu, also a
talmid in the 40s, and later rosh hakollel in
Sunderland for many years, a mossad founded by Reb
Shammai zt"l. Dayan Ehrentreu went on to urge every
talmid to perpetuate Reb Shammai's achievements by
financially supporting the yeshiva.
Two of the guests of honor also gave shiurim in the
yeshiva: Rabbi Gelley on Thursday evening and Dayan Ehrentreu
on motzei Shabbos before the melave malka.
Earlier, Reb Dovid Zahn, an elder son and also ram in
the Yeshiva, thanked all the organizers and in particular
Rabbi Dovid Sebbag of Lakewood, a talmid from the 60s,
on whose initiative the kinus took place, and
presented him with a beautifully framed picture of Reb
Shammai. Rabbi Sebbag responded with warmth and eloquence,
telling many stories of Reb Shammai's devotion to his
talmidim and appealed to all to truly support the
yeshiva.
A memorial brochure with a biography of Reb Shammai and
Sefer Beis Shammai on parshios hashovua and
moadim were published to mark the occasion.
Over Shabbos, several talmidim with their families
gathered in the Springfield Hotel for what turned out to be
an unforgettable experience. The seudos Shabbos were
enhanced by many droshos, allowing the speakers to
express their feelings of gratitude to Reb Shammai. Many
interesting anecdotes were told of the unbelievable love and
evocation that Reb Shammai gave to each and every
talmid.
At a kiddush in the yeshiva on Shabbos morning, the
Mashgiach, Reb Yaakov Abenson, described the
incredible warmth of Reb Shammai's personality. The rosh
yeshiva, Reb Yankel Ehrentreu, said that Reb Shammai would
surely be a meilitz yosher for those bochurim
who learned behasmodoh. One of the out of town guests,
Reb Gavriel Ittah, marbitz Torah in Strasbourg and a
talmid of the yeshiva in the late 50s, told of Reb
Shammai's mesiras nefesh giving everything away for
both the ruchniyus and gashmiyus needs of the
bochurim.
On the evening of the yahrtzeit, Wednesday evening,
Reb Zushe Zahn, eldest son of Reb Shammai and ram in
Yeshivas Nachalas Moshe, Yerushalayim, said over a
shiur from his father in the yeshiva on Hilchos
Brochos and went on to explain that Reb Shammai's
determination in his avodas hakodesh, despite
tremendous difficulties, came from his understanding of the
true value of harbotzas haTorah. Reb Avrohom
Ehrentreu, rosh hakibbutz and son-in-law of Reb
Shammai, showed how his father-in-law was manhig the
yeshiva, totally lishmoh without any self-interest.
Reb Dovid Pinto, founder of Mosdos Pinto throughout the world
and a talmid from the 60s, illustrated Reb Shammai's
love and care for all and encouraged the bochurim to
go in his ways.
On Thursday, at the beis olom, Rabbi Gelley movingly
expressed his deep hakoras hatov to Reb Shammai for
all he had done for him. Reb Dovid Zahn brought out his
father's feelings of responsibility to the klal even
though there was no kovod in it for him.
All who participated in the kinus went away with a
tremendous chizuk in avodas Hashem, and with an
ambition to emulate the wonderful lessons they had learned
from their rosh yeshiva.
Yehi zichro boruch.
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