The Beis Yisroel neighborhood of Jerusalem is bordered by the
famous Jerusalem streets of Meah Shearim, Shmuel HaNovi and
Yoel. To many, its most famous distinction is that it is home
to the world-renowned Mirrer Yeshiva. Its population is a
third Ashkenazim, a third Chassidim, and a third Sephardim
and Yemenite. Many studying in the Mirrer yeshiva rent rooms
and live in the neighborhood.
The History of Beis Yisroel
The land of the neighborhood was originally purchased by the
society that established Meah Shearim, only because a
festering swamp in it was infecting the new settlers of Meah
Shearim with malaria and fevers.
The men of the Yishuv Hayashan purchased the 50,000
square amos of land in 1878 from the Arab owners, who
were delighted to get rid of "Death Valley." The land was
registered under the name of HaRav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld.
An ingenious way was worked out to drain the death swamp,
using a dog to drag a line and then pulling through a pipe.
Only eight years later, in 1886, did the purchasers decide to
turn the former swampland into a new Jewish neighborhood. New
residents were accepted contingent upon the approval of a
Committee. During the Mandate, Beis Yisroel was often under
curfew because of its sensitive location bordering Arab
neighborhoods and Jewish fighters used Beis Yisroel's many
warehouses and attics as hideaways.
When the Independence War broke out in 1948, Beis Yisroel was
under siege. An Arab mob descending upon Beis Yisroel was
repulsed at the house of HaRav Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky whose
house at the edge of Beis Yisroel became the last Jewish home
before no-man's-land.
A number of Beis Yisroel Jews lost their lives in shootings
by Jordanian snipers over the years, even during times of
"peace." One of these was the father of HaRav Leib Minzberg,
the current rosh yeshivas Hamasmidim. A thick barrier was
erected which offered protection to the residents of the
neighborhood for the ensuing 20 years.
The neighborhood was fully free of sniper shooting only after
the Six Day War. During the war a shell directly hit the
Mirrer yeshiva and demolished the empty third floor, but left
the other crowded floors intact.
Beis Yisroel Surging in Popularity
Beis Yisroel has seen a tremendous population explosion in
the past 10 years. From only 200 families, the neighborhood
has grown to 500 families. Many buildings and streets have
been refurbished. The Mirrer Yeshiva is expanding all the
time to provide more space for a spiralling number of
students.
Other distinguished yeshivos and shuls are located in Beis
Yisroel. The famed Shoshanim LeDovid shul (founded by the
uncle of the Ben Ish Chai) has been functioning in the area
for Sephardim for over a century. Renowned scholars HaRav
Moshe Sharabani, HaRav Ezra Attia, and HaRav Yitzchak Kadoori
studied there. Beit Aaron, another Sephardic yeshiva, is also
located there. Yeshivas Machaneh Yisroel, a yeshiva for
baalei tshuva, has been located in Beis Yisroel for
more than 20 years.
Other shuls and study halls in Beis Yisroel include the Pinsk-
Karlin beis midrash, Leibel's shul, the Shorr family
shul, Beis Hora'ah shul, Zevihl beis midrash and
Beersheva shul.
However, the focus of prayer in Beis Yisroel is without a
doubt the Beis Yaakov shul complex with its five
shteibels.
Who Was the Donor of the Beis Yaakov Shul?
An old plaque cemented into the wall of the shul tells that a
pila'i vene'elam (anonymous person) donated 110
Napoleons to construct it. There is a fascinating story which
Yerushalmis tell about the construction of this shul.
HaRav Shlomo Zalman Porush (the father of the large Porush
Yerushalmi family) was the administrator of the Minsker Kolel
which supported families from White Russia. One year the
funds were late. A worthy carpenter called Feivel Stoler had
once confided to him that he had money that he could lend for
short terms. So, HaRav Shlomo Zalman borrowed 200 golden
Napoleons from him.
The first shipment of 110 Napoleons arrived shortly after
Pesach. HaRav Shlomo Zalman promptly gave these to the
carpenter. Two months later a second shipment of 90 Napoleons
arrived.
But when he handed over the 90 Napoleons, the carpenter asked
him, "What about the other 110 Napoleons?" The stunned Rav
Shlomo Zalman tried mightily to convince the carpenter that
he had paid it two months before, but the carpenter could not
recall. They went to HaRav Shmuel Salant's beis din,
and the psak was that Rav Shlomo Zalman had to
swear de'Oraysoh that he had paid back the money.
Rav Shlomo Zalman, however, wanted to pay the huge sum of 110
Napoleons again rather than pronounce the oath. However,
HaRav Shmuel Salant refused, explaining that as a communal
worker, Rav Shlomo Zalman had to maintain a clean record. If
he paid back the sum rather than take an oath, it would place
a question mark over all his previous communal activities.
Rav Shlomo Zalman fasted three days, prayed with tears,
immersed himself in a mikveh, and then showed up at
the beis din wearing a kittel -- after which he took
the oath. The event left him so traumatized that he decided
to sell his house and save up his money until he had
accumulated 110 Napoleons. He would then give it away for a
worthy cause rather than benefit from it because he had said
an oath.
It was these 110 Napoleons, given anonymously by Rav Shlomo
Zalman, which built the Beis Yaakov shul in Beis Yisroel.
A Landmark of Jerusalem
The famous vosikin minyan of the Beis Yaakov shul has
been in existence for over a 100 years, and may in fact be
the oldest vosikin minyan in Jerusalem and possibly
the world. Beis Yaakov has another 7:30 shacharis
minyan, and then Torah students learn in it throughout
the day. In the shteiblach downstairs, minyanim
are held nonstop throughout the day from vosikin
until 2 a.m., besides the three hours from 10 in the
morning until mincha gedoloh, when Mirrer yeshiva
students "take it over" for private study.
Up to 3,000 worshippers pray there each day. It is in fact
larger than the famous Zichron Moshe shul in Mekor Boruch
which has a larger main shul, but smaller
shteibels.
The shul complex has only had makeshift repairs over its 120
years of service. There is no heating or air conditioning.
The main shul and five shteibels only have three
sifrei Torah among them all.
Residents Unite to Restore the Shul Complex
The shameful state of neglect greatly troubled some of the
residents.
A committee was formed of five distinguished residents and
activists: HaRav Avrohom Slonim, the gabbai of the
Rachmastrivka rebbe who runs one of Jerusalem's largest
gemachs; HaRav Yitzchak Lev, rosh kolel Daas
Mishpot; HaRav Shmuel Osher Weisfish, an eminent scholar who
studied in the distinguished Kolel Tal Torah; HaRav Aaron
Krishevsky, a distinguished scholar from Yeshivas Brisk; and
HaRav Avrohom Bergman, the chairman, a former rosh kolel and
principal of Yeshivas Ateres Tzvi.
The plans include new sifrei Torah, Aronot Kodesh, sifrei
kodesh and furniture. The committee is appealing to the
public to help fund the renovation of this mighty center of
Torah and tefilloh.
The major costs of the renovation -- modest as far as modern
renovations go -- will be $180,000 for the main shul and
$72,000 for each shteibel, $18,000 for the main Beis Yaakov
Aron Hakodesh, and $7,200 for each shteibel Aron
Hakodesh. Sifrei Torah cost $30,000. Smaller
dedications are also available. The committee is willing to
dedicate both the Beis Yaakov main shul and the prayer halls
in the names of donors. The address for donations and
inquiries: Rabbanit Cohen, Shaarei Harama, 1167 E. Laurelton
Pkwy, Teaneck, N.J. 07666, Tel: 201-530-0966.
A Memorial for Binyamin Bergman, Hashem Yikom Domo
The committee chairman, HaRav Bergman, is hoping someone will
come forth to name at least one of the shteibels after
his 15-year old son Binyomin, who was one of the victims of
the #2 bus bombing in the summer.
"When my ben zekunim, Benyomin, was murdered in the
blast, our family was in terrible pain," says HaRav Bergman,
tears welling up in his eyes.
"I felt a tikkun had to be made both on the personal
level and the communal level. I had always been troubled by
the terrible neglect of the Beis Yaakov shul complex. I would
say it is even a chillul Hashem.
"There were two previous attacks in the neighborhood which
resulted in 10 dead. In the last attack, my son and 8 others
from the area were murdered. When tragedy strikes a
neighborhood, all of the residents have to think about it. I
think we should no longer delay doing something about the
state of the shuls."
Rav Bergman sums up, "The best tikkun for our
neighborhood will be turning the shul complex into a
dignified house of G-d."
