Video, Photos: 10,000 at Birchas Hachama at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ

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birchas-hachama-bmg-10-small[Video and photos below.] Thousands gathered this morning at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ, for Birchas Hachama. The men gathered on Seventh Street between Forest Avenue and Lakewood Avenue – adjacent to the Willows, Bais Eliyahu and the main yeshiva building. The women gathered on the other side of the yeshiva parking lot off of Sixth Street, next to the Legion building and the Martin Klein dormitory building.

About 10,000 people were in attendance, according to police estimates provided to Matzav.com.

Security was high, with Lakewood Police Chief Rob Lawson and numerous officers in attendance, and crossing guards and officers at intersections in the surrounding vicinity direction traffic.

Following Shacharis minyanim at BMG, both at the main campus and at Bais Shalom at 6 a.m., residents converged on the BMG campus. The recital of Tehillim was led by Rav Aryeh Leib Klein and the bracha was recited by Rav Aharon Schustal together with the tremendous crowd. Numerous roshei yeshiva and rabbonim were in attendance, including Marav Harav Chaim Leib Epstein, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshiva Zichron Meilich in Brooklyn. The Birchas Hachama had been scheduled to be said at 7:15, but because the sun was somewhat obscured, Harav Yaakov Forchheimer and Harav Shmuel Felder, poskim in Beth Medrash Govoha, had the shliach tzibbur wait a few minutes before leading the thousands in the bracha of Oseh Maaseh Bereishis.

Following the recital of the bracha, the crowd sang Keil Adon. The Rosh Hayeshiva, Harav Malkiel Kotler, then delivered divrei hisorerus and the crowd broke out into spirited dancing, singing Malchuso Netzach, Achakeh Lo and other songs. Live music was played by Rabbi Yehoshua Ausfresser.

The crowd then dispersed, returning a short time later to the BMG campuses on Sixth Street and Forest Avenue and Tenth Street and Clifton Avenue for biur chometz.

For photos, click here.

For video, click below:

{Video clips and photos by D. L., C. K. and T. B. D/Matzav.com Newscenter}


10 COMMENTS

  1. Pumpery? Huh? Is this all you have to say about such a beautiful gathering? I think Hashem has other adjectives for this…

  2. In West Gate we, of course, also had to wait. The Rav, Rav Zimbal, said to say tehillim. Immediately when we reached “yomam hashemesh lo yakeka” the clouds broke and we were able to say the bracha.

  3. Matzav: Hasdei Hashem! Yasher koach to your contributors! Imagine Rav Kotler’s nachas! Here we are in galus, and yet Hashem benches us in many locales throughout the world with the opportunity to say Birchas Hachama! (Personally, I joined R’ Shloime Mandel & company on the roof of Yeshiva of Brooklyn. Second 28-year occasion for me.)
    Baruch Hashem.

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