26th Season of the One Week Kollel

0
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

one-week-kollelThe Flatbush community will have an exciting learning opportunity during the last week of December. The program is known as the “One Week Kollel of Flatbush.” This year will mark its twenty-sixth season.

The Kollel will be held from Thursday, December 25, 2014, through Thursday, January 1, 2015, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It will be hosted in the spacious and comfortable BeisMedrash, Congregation Tomchei Torah, 1966 Ocean Avenue, between Avenues N and O. The sugyos for this year will be drawn from PerekHa’Arel(Yevomos 70a), which coincides with the current Daf Yomi limud. The Kollel program includes chavrusa study and advanced shiurim. Lunch and refreshments will be served.

The Rosh Kollel is the renowned RavPesachya Fried, shlita, who has served in this capacity since the program’s inception. His legendary shiurim cover the major themes of the sugyos and are always accompanied by well-organized handouts presenting the relevant source material. His shiurimare on the highest level and are delivered with utmost clarity.

Another pillar of the Kollel is Rav Moshe Twersky, shlita, who has also been part of the Kollel since its beginning. RavTwersky will deliver an intense series of daily shiurim covering every detail of the selected sugyos.

Additional shiurim will be presented by the Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta Torah Vodaath, RavYisroelBelsky, shlita; the Mara d’AsraRavSholomPlutchok, shlita; RavYitzchokDeitz, shlita, the Mara d’Asra of Congregation Zichron Alter; and other special guests. Preliminary and preparatory shiurim will also be offered for those who are interested.

The learning will be dedicated le’iluinishmas Mrs. Batsheva Mandel a”h. Mrs. Mandel’s nobility, grace and kindness will certainly be remembered by the chaveirim of the Kollel. She took it upon herself to personally serve lunch to the members of the Kollel every year. All remember her warm greetings and divreibracha during the brief daily lunch breaks.

The Kollel was established in December 1988 by Dr. Aaron Mandel under the auspices of Torah Connections. The mission of the One Week Kollel is to afford ba’aleibattim an opportunity to relive the milchamtashelTorah of their Yeshiva days. The last week in December was selected because it is a time when many have vacation from work and are able to commit themselves to this holy endeavor.

Participants in the Kollel spend a week learning b’chavrusa several sugyos in the company of noted talmideichachamimand yir’eiShamayim. The highlight of the program is the series of stimulating shiurim delivered by distinguished Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim. The sugyos are carefully selected to include familiar topics to enable the participants to delve into the sugyos quickly without spending much time familiarizing themselves with background material. Through the nurturing of the MaggideiShiur, participants in the Kollel in prior years have advanced spiritually and intellectually.

The core members of the Kollel are a diverse group of more than fifty people from near and far, united in their desire to grow in Torah and yirasshamayim. In addition to broadening one’s knowledge of Torah, the Kollel fosters an environment of genuine camaraderie and inspiration. One member noted that beyond the knowledge that he has gained through the program, the Kollel environment has inspired him to strive for greater heights in ruchniyus.

As a testament to its success, the one-week program has been extended in prior years to weekly shiurim. In addition, some members of the Kollel have met learning partners with whom they have continued to learn and maintain close relationships for years. As many have discovered, there is no friendship that is stronger or more enduring than one forged through the study of Torah.

Every day in our tefillos, we say, “Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh, Hashem Tzevakos, melochalha’aretzKevodo.” The Targum explains that the first “kadosh” corresponds to the holiness of Hashem in the upper worlds, the second to the holiness of Hashem in the lower world, and the third to the holiness of Hashem that spans all of time.

What is the relevance of time to the upper and lower worlds? Perhaps the answer is that the element of time is the glue that binds the holiness of the upper worlds to the lower world. Only through a sustained effort can one achieve a significant degree of success in connecting the holiness of heaven to earth.

It is noteworthy that the Kollel is beginning its twenty-sixth season. Twenty-six is the gematria of the four-letter name of Hashem, the ultimate source of holiness. Twenty-six years of sustained effort in spiritual matters would certainly be considered a holy period of time. Moreover, the study of Torah is the most effective means of connecting the holiness of heaven to earth. A group of people who come together to study Torah for twenty-six years is thus a beautiful manifestation of kadosh, kadosh, kadosh. Please join the Kollel this year and be a part of the experience!

The program offers an exciting learning opportunity for participants of all backgrounds. A special division will be devoted to beginners, which will offer shiurim and additional assistance for those who are interested. For registration, sponsorship opportunities, and more information, please call Torah Connections at (718) 998-5822 or (718) 253-3554.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}


LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here