CHAVRUSAA PUBLICATION OF THE RABBINIC ALUMNI OF THE RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY • AN AFFILIATE OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY

DECEMBER 2006 • KISLEV 5767 VOLUME 41 • NUMBER 2:dx ,ufrc–vrucjc tkt ,hbeb vru,v iht

istory was made on the WilfCampus at a groundbreakingceremony for the Jacob andDreizel Glueck Center for

Jewish Study. The Glueck Center is thefirst building to be constructed on theWilf Campus in over 20 years and willhouse a two-story, 470 seat Beit Midrash,the largest at YU. The Center and theBeit Midrash bear the names of Jacoband Dreizel Glueck z”l in gratitude tothe Glueck family for their visionarylead gift toward construction of the new facility.

Philanthropist Jacob Glueck is aHolocaust survivor who came to the USvirtually penniless and built one of thecountry’s leading flavor producing andprocessing companies. Mr. Glueck andhis wife became leading philanthropists

in the US and Israel. In 1998, Mr.Glueck was the recipient of the EitzChaim Award, the highest honor RIETScan bestow for advancement to Jewishlife. Vivian Glueck Rosenberg, Mr.Glueck’s daughter, is a member of YU’sBoard of Trustees and the Board ofDirectors of Stern College for Women, aswell as co-founder of the Dreizel GlueckBikur Cholim Foundation. She and herhusband, Henry Rosenberg, are continu-ing her father’s example of leadership inthe Jewish community.

“I am delighted that the first newconstruction of my presidency – a proj-ect that was begun by Dr. Lamm—is aBeit Midrash, a house of study for oursacred texts, which will without doubtspread so much light and warmth and

Rabbi HershelReichman InvestedAs Bronka WeintraubProfessor in Talmud at RIETS

abbi Hershel. Reichman beca-me the newest member of theRabbi Isaac Elchanan Theolog-ical Seminary faculty to occupy

an endowed chair when he was investedby President Richard M. Joel as theBronka Weintraub Professor of Talmudon Sunday, Sept. 17, in the HarryFischel Beit Midrash of Zysman Hall onthe Wilf Campus.

President Joel praised Rabbi Reichman,who has taught at RIETS for over 30years, for “his ability to beautifully convey

HighlightsYeshiva Breaks Ground for..................1

Glueck CenterRabbi Reichman Investiture ..............2Divrei Chizuk ....................................3Chomer L’Drush ................................4Rabbinic Services ..............................5Back to the Beit Midrash ..................6Chag Hasemikhah in Israel ................8In Appreciation of YU........................9

Rabbinic PlacementMusmakhim in the Limelight............10Amudei Hamusmakhim ..................13Life Cycle ........................................15

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Architectural rendering of the Glueck Center, to be erected directly west of the MendelGottesman Library Building on 185th Street.

Yeshiva Breaks Ground for Jacob andDreizel Glueck Center for Jewish Study

Torah, to sing Torah, and to make Torahcome alive” for his students. RabbiZevulun Charlop, Max and Marion GrillDean of RIETS, fondly recalled success-fully appealing some 34 years ago to Dr.Samuel Belkin, ztz”l, then President of YUand RIETS, for permission to hire theyoung rabbi, who, at the time, was theassistant to The Rav, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, ztz”l, and an activist send-ing Jews to settle in Northern Israel. RabbiJulius Berman ’59R, RIETS Board chair-man, noted that the Bronka WeintraubChair now held by Rabbi Reichman is theinstitution’s 24th endowed chair, “whichtells the world just how much our RosheiYeshiva are at the heart of our yeshiva andespecially RIETS.”

In his acceptance remarks, RabbiReichman said, “This is a very specialoccasion for me. I have the chance tothank the people who really made a difference in my life: my late father, whowas my first rebbe; my mother, Mrs. EllaReichman, an outspoken supporter ofIsrael and leader in Emunah for manyyears; Rav Soloveitchik, who, for us, is stillalive through his teachings; Rav Belkin andRav Lamm, for giving me the privilege of

teaching; President Joel, for his caringand encouragement; and my talmidim(students), who have taught me so much.”Rabbi Reichman then gave a shiur on theenduring presence, both spiritual andhalakhic of the site where the BeitHamikdash stood, using biblical, Talmu-dic and rabbinic sources. He then seguedinto a discussion on the levels of sanctityand priority attributed to the synagogueand beit midrash and explained why the

beit midrash has a higher degree of sancti-ty. Rabbi Reichman dedicated his remarks,which were filled with warmth andhumor, to the enduring memory of BronkaWeintraub, z”l, whom he called “a devot-ed daughter of Israel.”

Mrs. Weintraub’s nephew, CarmiSchwartz, was the guest of honor at aluncheon in Weissberg Commons whichfollowed the investiture ceremony. RabbiLamm praised Mr. Schwartz who, asexecutor of Mrs. Weintraub’s estate,arranged for the chair to be endowed inher memory. Mr. Schwartz, a distin-guished Jewish communal professionalwho has been a consultant and lay leaderfor numerous organizations since hisretirement as Executive Vice President ofthe Council of Jewish Federations,received an honorary doctoral degree fromYU in 1987. After receiving a symbolicreplica of the Weintraub Chair, Mr.Schwartz spoke of Mrs. Weintraub’s life-time of devotion to Israel and Jewishcauses. He explained that she grew to loveYU and RIETS through her leadershipaffiliation with the Albert EinsteinCollege of Medicine, of which she andher third husband, Jacob Weintraub, wereFounders and Benefactors. n

Rabbi Hershel Reichmancontinued from page 1

Rabbi Reichman delivering a shiur during the investiture.

(L–R): Carmi Schwartz, President Joel, and Rabbi Dr. Lamm pose with the honoree.

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Rabbi David Millernd Yisrael loved Yosef more than his other sons because hewas a ‘ben zekunim’… Rashi points out that the phrase‘ben zekunim’ is translated by Unkelos as ‘bar chakin,’ i.e.that Yosef was the wise son, he had a unique capacity

to learn, and therefore, continues Rashi, Yaacov taught Yosef allthat he learned from Shem and Ever.

This statement of Rashi is very strange. It is true that Yaakovlearned in the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever for fourteen years on hisway to the house of Lavan, but if Yaacov had to choose a certainbody of knowledge to pass on to his son Yosef—wouldn’t it havemade more sense to teach Yosef the Torah of Avraham andYitzchak? Wouldn’t that which Yaacov learnt when he was an “ishtam yosheiv ohalim,” when he was learning with his father and hisgrandfather, have been a more proper heritage to pass down tohis favorite son?

Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, zt”l, answeredthis question as follows: Certainly Yaacovtaught all his sons, including Yosef thatwhich he received from Avraham andYitzchak, the heritage we have as Jews.However, there is a unique body of knowl-edge—the knowledge of Shem and Ever—that Yaacov felt he should transmit specifi-cally to Yosef. What is the special charac-teristic of the knowledge of Shem andEver? It is the key to remaining G-d fear-ing in an environment which is totallyinhospitable to a religious lifestyle. Shemwas brought up in the generation of theflood; Ever in the generation of the Tower of Babel. They had tostruggle to maintain their spiritual identity in a society with total-ly antithetical values, and they succeeded. This is why Yaacovspent fourteen years in the Yeshiva of Shem and Ever before flee-ing to Charan. He knew he would need that strategic knowledgeto maintain his spiritual development in the house of Lavan andin the society of Charan. He learned that special Torah, so wellthat after twenty years by Lavan, he was able to return to EretzYisrael and tell Eisav: “Im Lavan garti, v’taryag mitzvot shamarti.”

Yaacov had a premonition that his wise son Yosef, who was sosimilar to him in so many ways (see Rashi on “toldot Yosef”—theywere similar in appearance; both had brothers that hated them;both had brothers who wanted to kill them; etc.), would alsoneed the knowledge of Shem and Ever. Yosef would also have tostruggle to maintain his identity in a foreign environment similarto Shem, Ever, and Yaacov, and therefore Yaacov specificallytaught these ideas to Yosef.

What was the content of Torat Shem V’Ever? We don’t know, butperhaps an insight of my mechutan, Rav Chaim Brovender ’65R, in

an explanation of the Ramban on Chumash, would at least parallelone aspect of this very special tradition.

The juxtaposition in the calendar of the parsha of V’Yeshevwith Chanukah is reflected in masechet Shabbat (22a) where thedrasha of the pasuk “vhabor reik, ein bo mayim” is found in themiddle of the entire sugya of Chanukah.

Chazal there infer from the tautology “reik, ein bo” that the pitwas empty of water, but was full of snakes and scorpions. TheRamban in his commentary on Chumash was bothered by thequestion as to whether the brothers were aware of this situation.If they were aware, how would casting Yosef into the pit serve asthe means of “hatzalah” that Reuven intended? If they wereunaware, then why would the Torah bother to give us this infor-mation? The Ramban posits that the brothers were totallyunaware, because had they become aware that at any point Yosefwas being miraculously saved from certain death (similar to

Daniel in the lions’ den), they would haveimmediately realized that their thesis wastotally wrong. Yosef was a tzaddik in G-d’seyes. They never would have continuedwith the sale, the deception of Yaacov, etc.

Rav Brovender pointed out that theRamban is showing us a scenario in whichobvious and open miracles are occurringliterally under the feet of the brothers, andtheir living and acting in ignorance of themiracles brought about tragic results.

The knowledge and perspective thatwe are living in a world that cries out ‘alnisecha shbechol yom emanu’ and yet socie-ty ignores the implications of that reality

would be a concise summary of the struggle between Judaismand Hellenism.

The miracle of the ‘pach hashemen’ as the response to thequestion of the braita “mai chanukah” puts in proper perspectivewhat the war was all about: the Nes nigleh of the pach hashemenwhich reflects on the reality of a world of ‘Nisecha Shbechol yomemanu,’ which is antithetical to the Hellenist philosophy.

Perhaps this is part of the tradition that served Shem and Everso well, and was passed down from Yaacov to Yosef. It would cer-tainly be meaningful to us in our challenge of maintaining ourspiritual identity while living in western society, “im Lavan garti,v’taryag mitzvot shamarti”. n

RABBI DAVID MILLER ’71R, Associate Director of the Caroline and JosephS. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem, occupies the Benjamin and CharlotteGottesfeld Chair in Talmud. He is also a senior lecturer in the Israel Defenseforce Rabbinate when on reserve army duty. After making aliyah, he contin-ued his studies at Kollel Shevet U’Mechokek in a program leading to designa-tion as a dayan. He is also the spiritual leader of a shul in Har Nof.

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Divrei Chizuk From Our Leaders

or a long time, conventional wis-dom asserted that two geograph-ically distinct and culturally dif-ferent Jewries existed side by

side in Western Europe throughout theMiddle Ages. After the second hurban,Palestinian Jewry’s influence was mostdirectly felt in Italy and, some time in thetenth century, spread to Germany andFrance. Around the same time, with therise of the Muslim caliphate in Baghdadin the eighth century, Babylonian Jewrydeveloped as a strong center of powerin the Jewish world and, within acentury or two, influenced otherJewries in the general Muslimorbit, including those living inthe Iberian peninsula. By theeleventh century, these twoJewries— the Ashkenazim of Franco-Germany and the Sephardim of Spain—had developed into two independent reli-gious and cultural groups no longerdependant upon their centers of originand they continued as two separate anddistinct entities throughout the medievalperiod into modern times.

The truth is that Sephardi and AskenaziJewries did not flourish in absolute isola-tion of one another. It has long beenknown, among other facts, that Sephardischolars had close connections withRabbenu Gershom, that the teachers ofthe Ramban (Spain) were from SouthernFrance, that R. Avraham ha-Yarhi, authorof the Sefer ha-Manhig (Provence), and R.

Moshe of Coucy, author of the SeferMizvot Gadol (Semag), traveled to Spain,and that the Rashba (Spain) had studentsin his yeshiva from Ashkenaz.1 The lifestory of Rabbenu Asher (the Rosh) aloneis enough to make this point, representinga combination of the Ashkenazi world of the first half of his life and the Sephardiworld of the second.2 In recent times, alarge and growing literature has furtherhighlighted the connections betweenthese two Jewries.3

One remarkable example of this cross-cultural relationship between

Ashkenazim and Sephardim isthe matter of the number of can-dles lit on the holiday ofHannukah. The Talmud (Shabbat

21b) states that the basic require-ment is to kindle only one light each

night of the holiday for all the members ofthe household. However, it continues,those more scrupulous in their obser-vance (mehadrin) light a separate candlefor each member of the household eachnight.4 Finally, those who are unusuallyscrupulous (mehadrin min ha-mehadrin)add one additional candle each night (wefollow the opinion of Bet Hillel).

For some reason, or set of reasons, thestandard of mehadrin min ha-mehadrinhas been deemed the normative require-ment,5 but its exact meaning is the subjectof a dispute between Tosafot (Ashkenaziauthorities) and Maimonides (a Sephardiauthority). According to Tosafot (Shabbat

21b, s.v. ve-ha-mehadrin), the only variableconsidered is the number of the night;hence one candle is lit the first night, twothe second, and so on, until the eighthnight when, at most, eight candles are lit,regardless of how many people are pres-ent. For Maimonides (Hilkhot Hannukah4:1–2), however, the mehadrin min ha-mehadrin level considers the number ofthe people present in addition to the num-ber of the night; hence, the amount ofcandles lit any given night represents themultiple of the number of the night timesthe number of people present. AsMaimonides writes, if ten people are pres-ent the last night of Hannukah, eightycandles are lit.

Within a few centuries, somethingvery interesting occurred. Not only wasone culture influenced by the other, but,remarkably, each culture adopted the rul-ing of the other as normative halakhah. Inthe sixteenth century, Rabbi Joseph Karoruled (Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim671:2) like Tosafot, that no matter howmany people are present, the most can-dles that could be lit on the last night ofHannukah is eight, while Rabbi MosesIsserles follows the Rambam and allowsfor many more than eight candles to be litin a house on the last night of Hannukah;each person present, he rules, lightseight. The Sephardi Rabbi Karo followsthe Ashkenazi Tosafot while theAshkenazi Rabbi Isserles follows theSephardi Maimonides! In his commen-tary on the Tur (Orah Hayyim 671), RabbiYoel Sirkis (Bayit Hadash, s.v. ve-kamah)notes that “our (Ashkenazi) custom is likethe opinion of the Rambam and theSephardi custom is like the opinion ofTosafot.” His son-in-law, Rabbi DavidHalevi, actually went so far as to add, “ve-zeh lo matzinu be-sha’ar mekomot” (Taz,ad. loc. 671:1). While it has been sug-gested that this assertion is somewhat ofan exaggeration,6 the remarkable phenom-enon of this cross-cultural criss-crossedinfluence is certainly unusual and de-serves particular attention.7

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Ashkenazim, Sephardim and theHannukah Menorah: A Study in Cultural Cross-TransferenceRabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter

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Chomer L’Drush

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END NOTES

1 Many of these examples—and many more—appear in an article written almost eighty yearsago. See Simchah Assaf, “Halifat She’elot u-Teshuvot ben Sefarad u-ben Zarefat ve-Ashkenaz,” Tarbiz 8:2 (1937):162–70. See tooH. J. Zimmels, Ashkenazim and Sephardim(London, 1976), in passim.

2 See the almost ninety year old series of articlesby Alfred Freimann, “Ascher b. Jehiel: SeinLeben und Wirken,” Jahrbuch der Judisch-Literarischen Gesellschaft 12 (1918):237–317;“Die Ascheriden (1267–1391),” 13 (1919):142–254. They were translated into Hebrew and pub-lished twenty years ago as Ha-Rosh: RabbenuAsher be-R. Yehiel ve-Ze’eza’av (Jerusalem, 1986).

3 See, for example, Avraham Grossman, “BenSefarad le-Zarefat: Ha-Kesharim ben KehillotYisrael she-bi-Sefarad ha-Muslamit u-ben KehillotZarefat,” in A. Mirsky, A. Grossman and Y. Kaplan,eds., Galut Ahar Golah (Jerusalem, 1988),75–101; idem., “Relations Between Spanish andAshkenazi Jewry in the Middle Ages,” in Haim

Beinart, ed., Moreshet Sepharad: The SephardiLegacy 1 (Jerusalem, 1992), 220–39; Yisrael M.Ta-Shema, “Hasidut Ashkenaz be-Sefarad:Rabbenu Yonah Gerond— Ha-Ish u-Poalo”, inGalut Ahar Golah, pp. 165–94; idem., “RabbenuAsher u-Beno R. Yaakov Ba‘al ha-Turim: BenAshkenaz le-Sefarad,” Pe’amim 46–47(1991):75–91; Jeffrey R. Woolf, “MaimonidesRevisited: The Case of the Sefer Miswot Gadol,”Harvard Theological Review 90:2(1997):175–203; Benjamin Bar Tikva,“Reciprocity Between the Provencal School ofPiyyutim and the Schools of Catalonia andAshkenazi France,” in Gabrielle Sed-Rajna, ed.,Rashi 1040–1990: Hommage a Ephraim E.Urbach (Paris, 1993), 375–83.

For recent scholarship on Rabbenu Asher, seeYehudah Galinsky, “Ashkenazim in Sefarad: The Rosh and the Tur on the Codification ofJewish Law,” Jewish Law Annual 16 (2006):3–23. My thanks to Dr. Ephraim Kanarfogel forthis last reference.

4 I will not deal here with the issue of who does thelighting, the head of the household for each per-

son (hovat ha-bayit) or each person for him orherself (hovat ha-guf). This is an important mat-ter and the careful reader will note the differentpositions taken on this matter among Rishonimand Ahronim. See, for example, R. YitzhakMirsky, Hegyonei Halakhah 1 (Jerusalem, 1989),204–07. See also the article by Rabbi DovidGottlieb in this issue of Chavrusa.

5 For one, well known, explanation, see R. YosefDov Soloveitchik, Sefer Bet Halevi (New York,1973), 29a, s.v. sham ve-ha-mehadrin.

6 See R. Shlomoh Yosef Zevin, Ha-Mo‘adim ba-Halakhah (Tel Aviv, 1955), 166, n. 15.

7 For a very interesting, albeit problematic, explanation for this shift, see R. YehezkelKatzenellenbogen, She’elot u-Teshuvot KnessetYehezkel #17.

For more on this issue, see R. Zvi Hirsch Chajes,“Darkei ha-Hora’ah,” in Kol Sifrei Maharat”zHayot 1 (Jerusalem, 1958), 224; R. Yitzhak Mirsky, Hegyonei Halakhah 2(Jerusalem, 1998), 117–22. n

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he well known Talmudic pre-sentation of neros Chanukah(Shabbos 21b) describes a tri-level stratification of the mitz-

vah. The basic requirement is “ner ish u-beiso,” one candle per house, per night.The mehadrin option is for every familymember to light one candle each night.And finally, most optimally—mehadrinmin ha-mehadrin—is to light the numberof candles corresponding to the night ofthe holiday. More specifically, followingthe opinion of Beis Hillel we light one can-dle on the first night, two the second, andso on, until we light eight candles on thefinal night of the holiday.

The exact relationship between thefinal two levels, mehadrin and mehadrinmin ha-mehadrin, is unclear and is subjectto a dispute among the rishonim.

Tosafos ad loc., s.v. u-mehadrin main-tains that the final level of adding a can-dle each night is in lieu of the previousfulfillment of everyone lighting for them-selves. In other words, according toTosafos the preferred method is for oneperson per home to light an additionalcandle each successive night.

The Rambam, Hilchos Chanukah 4:1argues on this understanding and rulesthat mehadrin min ha-mehadrin buildson and includes the prior method of lighting. Namely, we increase thenumber of candles lit each night in addi-tion to lighting for every member of the household.

The Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim671:2 follows the position of Tosafos whilethe Ramo—at first glance—appears to follow the Rambam’s understanding1. How-ever, a number of achronim have correctlypointed out that a closer reading of theRambam and Ramo reveals that despitesome overlap, they appear to disagree aboutthe critical question of who should light theneros Chanukah2. The Rambam’s positionis that even though the number of candlestakes into account every member of thehouse, only the ba’al ha-bayyis lights thecandles, while the Ramo clearly rulesthat—as is the common practice inAshkenazic homes—each family memberlights their own neros.

* * *While the machlokes between Tosafos

and the Rambam seems to revolve aroundwhether or not it must be visibly clear to apasserby what night of the holiday it is3, itis unclear what issue underlies the debatebetween the Rambam and Ramo—bothof whom deny the need for “heker shelminyan ha-yamim”.4

R. Velvel Soloveitchik suggests that, infact, the positions of both the Rambamand Ramo, respectively, are consistentwith their general views about the largerquestion of the role of hiddur mitzvah.5

He bases his analysis on a seminalteshuvah of the Beis ha-Levi, II #47, whoexplains—in the context of a discussionabout removing additional pieces of theforeskin after the essential bris milah is

already complete—that the Rambam andRamo (along with the Tur) argue aboutthe relationship between the actual mitzvahand hiddur mitzvah. The Rambam under-stands that for hiddur mitzvah to be mean-ingful it must be performed simultaneous-ly with the actual mitzvah whereas theRamo allows for the hiddur mitzvah to beaccomplished even somewhat apart fromthe performance of the mitzvah itself.6

R. Velvel explains that this same issueis at the heart of the debate regarding nerosChanukah. The Rambam rules that thehead of the house must light all of the can-dles—both those which fulfill the essen-tial mitzvah and those for hiddurmitzvah—because by so doing he inte-grates the ikkar mitzvah with the hiddur.The Ramo, on the other hand, allows everymember of the home to light independent-ly—consistent with his general positionwhich allows for hiddur mitzvah to beaccomplished even independent from theactual mitzvah requirement.

* * *The implicit assumption made by R.

Velvel is that the hiddur mitzvah ofChanukah candles is, essentially, the samekiyyum—rooted in “zeh keli v’anvehu”—asthe hiddur mitzvah of mitzvos generally,and one can therefore explain one’s posi-tion about neros Chanukah based on posi-tions held regarding other mitzvos.7

However, this assumption seemsquestionable in light of a number ofanomalous characteristics of the hiddurmitzvah of neros Chanukah.

First, the very fact that there is aspecifically prescribed method of per-forming hiddur—as is outlined by theGemara Shabbos—is a departure from themore subjective criteria which typicallygoverns the implementation of hiddurmitzvah. Second, this is the only contextwhere we find the additional level“mehadrin min ha-mehadrin.” And finally,the preferred performance of the mitzvahclearly requires an outlay of money whichfar exceeds the general rule of “hiddurmitzvah ad shlish” (Bava Kama 9b).

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Back to the Beit Midrash

The Unique Status of Hiddur Mitzvah in Neros Chanukah

Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb

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In light of these discrepancies, per-haps we can suggest that the hiddur ofneros Chanukah is unique and is in factquite distinct from the general notion ofhiddur mitzvah. More specifically, itappears that whereas hiddur mitzvah isgenerally something additional whichremains apart from the essential mitzvah,the hiddur of neros Chanukah is differentin that it integrates into the very fabric ofthe mitzvah.8

* * *There are a number halachos where

this unique feature of hiddur mitzvah seemsto be evident.

For example, the poskim discuss wheth-er one can still make a berachah if the firstcandle has already been lit but one has notyet kindled the remaining candles. TeshuvosRebbi Akiva Eger, Mahadura Tinyana, #13,Teshuvos Kesav Sofer, Orach Chayyim,#135, and R. Yosef Engel, Gilyonei Ha-Shas, Shabbos, 23a all rule that one mayrecite the berachah in this instance.9 Butthis seems very problematic, as the PriMeggadim, Mishbetzos Zahav, 676:2 notes,because the basic mitzvah is already com-plete and we generally do not make bera-chos on the fulfillment of hiddur mitzvah.But the explanation may be that hiddur ofneros Chanukah is unique in that it isincorporated into the mitzvah itself and

therefore one can make a beracha on its fulfillment.10

Another example of this phenomenonmay be the debate about a case where onelacks sufficient candles to fulfill the mitz-vah optimally and only after having alreadylit does the person come into possession ofadditional candles. The question ariseswhether, when lighting the additional can-dles (to correctly correspond to the nightof the holiday), another berachah shouldbe recited. The Magen Avraham, 651:25,Elyah Rabba, 672:7, Birkei Yosef, 671:13,and others debate this question.

In truth, the very possibility—let alone,final ruling—that one should make aberachah is startling considering that thebasic mitzvah has no doubt already beenfulfilled (see the Machatzis ha-Shekel,676). However, if hiddur is actually a com-ponent of the mitzvah and not additional toit then it is understandable why one wouldeven make a berachah in this situation.11

A further echo of this understanding isimplied by the ruling of R. Meir Simcha,Ohr Sameach, Hilchos Chanukah, 4:12,regarding a person who cannot afford nerosChanukah. In such a case, the halacharequires a person to do whatever it takes—including selling the shirt off his back—toraise enough money to fulfill the mitzvah.12

Unlike the Chemed Moshe (cited approv-

ingly by the Mishnah Berurah, 651:3) wholimits this to raising sufficient funds forthe basic obligation of one candle pernight, the Ohr Sameach suggests that onemust even go to such lengths in order tofulfill the demands of “mehadrin min ha-mehadrin.” The most likely explanation forsuch a surprising and extreme position isthat the hiddur mitzvah is, ultimately,inseparable from the basic mitzvah and istherefore equally demanding.

* * *The mitzvah of neros Chanukah thus

emerges as the source of a new and fasci-nating halachic construct. Far from beingjust another example of the general prin-ciple of zeh keli v’anvehu, our ambitiousand maximal fulfillment of the mitzvah isrooted in the unique integration of theikkar mitzvah and the hiddur mitzvah.13

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Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, rabbi of CongregationShomrei Emunah in Baltimore, MD, receivedsemichah from the Rabbi Isaac ElchananTheological Seminary (RIETS) in 1999 and was afellow in the prestigious Harry and Bella WexnerKollel Elyon. Rabbi Gottlieb is a member of theExecutive Board of the Rabbinical Council ofAmerica (RCA) as well as its recently reconsti-tuted Vaad Halacha. He is the author of the sefer Ateres Yaakov. He can be reached at rabbigottlieb@shomreiemunah.us.

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1 See the Taz ad loc. # 1 and the Sedei Chemed,Ma’areches Chanukah, #9 who note the oddity ofthe Shulchan Aruch—and subsequent Sefardictradition—following Tosafos while the Ramo andAshkenzic tradition follow the Rambam. See thearticle by Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter in this issue of Chavrusa.

2 Teshuvos Galya Maseches, #6 and Aruch ha-Shulchan, Orach Chayim 671:15.

3 See the Biur Ha-Gra, Orach Chayim s.v. v’yeshomrim and the Beis Ha-Levi Al Ha-Torah,Derashah L’Chanukah, s.v. b’Gemara chad amar.See as well, R. Daniel Feldman, Binah B’Seforim,I #5. For alternative explanations, see R. AsherWeiss, Minchas Asher al Maseches Shabbos,#32 and R. Avroham Farbstein, KenesesAvroham al Inayanei Mitzvos u-Moadim, #7.

4 A number of different explanations are suggest-ed. See for example, the discussions of R. YosefDov Soloveitchik in Kovetz Mesorah, IV p. 9, R.Yosef Lieberman, Mishnas Yosef al Inyanei OrachChayim, II #36, and R. Yitzchok Sorotzkin,

Gevuras Yitzchok al Inyanei Chanukah, #10.

5 Chiddushei Maran Riz ha-Levi, HilchosChanukah 4:1.

6 See R. Moshe Shternbuch’s important discussionin Moadim u-Zemanim, II #123 on the parametersof how independent the hiddur can be evenaccording to the position of the Ramo. See, howev-er, R. J. D. Bleich, Sefer Zichron Ha-Rav pp. 4–11.

7 R. Velvel seems to have been preceded in thisposition by Rabbenu Chananel—see the commentary of Rabbenu Chananel to Shabbos,ad loc. and Bava Kama 9b.

8 Support for this idea can be found in the commentsof the Ra’avan, I #35 cited by R.Lieberman, opcit. and the Sefer Ha-Ittur, Hilchos TzItzis, III no.2 cited by R. Shmuel ha-Levi Wozsner, TeshuvosShevet ha-Levi, III #84. This may also explain thestriking presentation of the Shulchan Aruch, adloc. who only cites the maximal fulfillment of“mehadrin min ha-mehadrin” without ever men-tioning that me’ikkar ha-din the obligation can befulfilled with one candle per night. See the com-

ments of R. Elazar Menachem Shach, Avi Ezri,Hilchos Chanukah who is very bothered by thisomission of the Shulchan Aruch.

9 This position is based on comments of the BeisYosef, Orach Chayyim 676.

10 See also Teshuvos Shevet ha-Levi, loc cit. and R. Nosson Gestetner, Teshuvos Le’horos Nosson,II #53 who discuss variations of this case andrule similarly because of the unique role that hiddur mitzvah plays in neros Chanukah.

11 R. Betzalel Zolti, Mishnas Ya’avetz, OrachChayyim, # 66.

12 See Rambam, ad loc. and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayyim 671:1. For an explanation of this demanding requirement, see the MaggidMishneh, ad loc., Teshuvos Maharam Schick,Orach Chayyim, #331, and Teshuvos AvneiNezer, Orach Chayyim, #501.

For further development of this idea and itsapplication to other halachos of neros Chanukah,see my Ateres Yaakov, #5.

8

n Sunday afternoon March 19th, 32 musmakhimin Israel were honored with a Yom Iyun and a ChagHaSemikhah. The Israeli musmakhim were part of agroup of 185 rabbis—the largest in the history of YU’s

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary —who celebratedtheir formal ordination on Sunday, March 26, at the quadrennialChag HaSemikhah in New York.

More than 600 people attended the family Shabbaton on theShabbat preceding the Yom Iyun/Chag Hasemikhah, where peo-ple from across Israel joined together to share their experiencesas YU alumni and olim. Alumni were overjoyed to see old friendsand receive updates on what is happening at YU. Sunday after-noon featured a special Chag HaSemikhah and Yom Iyun for the32 musmakhim in Israel. The Chag HaSemikhah featured a pres-entation of the 32 musmakhim and a charge to the musmakhimby Rabbi Dovid Miller ’71R, Associate Director of the Carolineand Joseph S. Gruss Institute in Jerusalem and the occupant ofthe Benjamin and Charlotte Gottesfeld Chair in Talmud.President Richard M. Joel and Rabbi Norman Lamm, RoshHaYeshiva and Chancellor, addressed the musmakhim.

The Yom Iyun, cosponsored with the RCA Israel Region wasthemed, “The Rabbinate and the Community in the 21st Century.”The Yom Iyun featured a keynote address by Rav ZalmanNechemia Goldberg, entitled, “The Task of a Rabbi as a Posek inthe Community.” RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky ’91Rpresented a shiur entitled, “The Prohibition of Issuing HalakhicRulings in the Presence of One’s Teacher.” Other RIETS mus-makhim in Israel presented shiurim. Rabbi Daniel Mann ’89R,the Shoel U’Mashiv & Magid Shiur in Halacha at the YeshivaUniversity in Israel (YUI) RIETS Kollel delivered “The Authorityof the Rav of the Community” (“Mara D’Atra”); Rabbi MosheDovid Weissman ’04R, founder of Kollel Zichron Tova Sara, BeitarIllit, spoke about, “Lay Judges as Agents of OrdainedMagistrates”(“Shlichusayahu Ka Avdenan”); Rabbi MenachemRaab ’47R, Chairman of the RCA Israel Region, offered a D’varTorah at lunch, which was followed by shiurim by YUI RIETSKollel Magidei Shiur. Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh ’97R deliveredremarks on “Legislative Authority of the Rabbis,” and Rabbi AaronRakeffet ’67R enlightened the attendees on “A HistoricalOverview of Semikhah.” n

RIETS celebrates Shabbaton, Chag Hasemikhah and

Yom Iyun in Israel

Rabbi Yaakov Mintz ’06R stands at the dais along with (l–r) Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh, Rabbi David Miller, Rosh Hayeshiva

Rabbi Dr. Lamm, President Joel and Howard Weisband, Senior Advisor to the President on Israel affairs.

RIETS Roshei Yeshiva (l–r) Rabbis Goldwicht,Sobolofsky, Miller, Bednashand Glickman join PresidentJoel and Rosh HayeshivaRabbi Dr. Lamm at the ChagHasemikhah in Jerusalem.

O

his year marked the 12th Yahrzeit of our Father, RabbiChaim Yehoshua Meskin OB”M who spent 31 years atthe helm of the Young Israel of Sunnyside. Albeit a smallgeographic area off Queens Boulevard en route to

Manhattan, Sunnyside and especially the Young Israel communi-ty, contributed significantly to what New York Jewry has becometoday. Graduates of local Yeshiva day schools, now as parents andgrandparents, have populated our larger Jewish communities withRabbis, doctors, religious studies teachers, community activistsand even Olim.

Recently, the edifice of the Young Israel,especially the main sanctuary—once elegantand inspiring—has been deteriorating as theparishioners have dwindled. A decision wasmade by the National Council of Young Israelto sell the property to a developer to bereplaced with condominiums. However, at thesame time, a stalwart and loyal group of wor-shipers were determined to continue the min-yan in rented rooms at a local apartment build-ing. Believing in the credo “If you build it, theywill come,” they purchased 50 Artscroll Siddurim and Machzorimfor the Yomim Noraim and B”H no fewer that 50 adults came todaven. Seeing the potential for perpetuation, the group contactedthe National Council of Young Israel as well as the Gertrude andMorris Bienenfeld Department of Rabbinic Services of YeshivaUniversity to seek out a new rabbi for the newly revitalized YoungIsrael. To the joy and gratitude of our family and of course theSunnyside Community, Rabbi Yonah Levant’02R, a young Rabbienrolled at Yeshiva University’s Bella and Harry Wexner KollelElyon Semikhah Honors Program accepted the position and relo-cated with his young family to head the Young Israel. In addition,

Rabbi Levant has amassed three young kollel couples to move intoSunnyside to learn with the baalei batim and keep the daily minyan-im ongoing. He is currently seeking an Assistant Rabbi who will alsolearn with his kollel.

The personal gratification of the Meskin family is enormous.The annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot Shiur held in Kew Gardens Hillsin memory of Rabbi Chaim Meskin as well as the ever-increas-ing number (kain yirbu) of great-grandsons named in his memo-ry are significant. However, even transcending these memorials isthe re-”Jew-venation” of Sunnyside and specifically the YoungIsrael. In the 1940s and 1950s, before kiruv and baalei teshuvawere household words, our father welcomed the remnants ofEuropean Jewry to our community and prevailed upon them tosend their precious children, the sparks of life remaining fromthe Shoah, to Yeshiva day schools. To enable them to do so, he

became a one-man tuition-reduction advocateso their children’s education would be afford-able. Rabbi Meskin also pre-dated the Wo-men’s Torah learning thrust by learning seriousTalmud with a few local young girls who werefrustrated by the lack of Gemara in theirschool curriculum. On Rosh Hashanah andYom Kippur our father addressed three packedservices and ignited sparks of interest in manyotherwise unaffiliated Jews.

It is truly a fitting tribute to a rabbi whoaccomplished so much in a modest and under-

stated manner toward the furtherance of Yiddishkeit in Queensand eventually the larger Jewish community. We wish RabbiLevant and his lovely Rebbetzin and family our heartfelt wishes foroverwhelming success in their new community of Sunnyside. Andwe wish to reiterate our gratitude to Yeshiva University’s Office ofRabbinic Placement for facilitating this wonderful shidduch. n

In appreciation, Pearl Markovitz & the extended Meskin Family

9

Rabbi YonahLevant (far right)with congregants at Young Israel ofSunnyside.

< Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside.

In Appreciation of YU Rabbinic PlacementBy Pearl Markovitz

T

Ki Mitzion Tetzei Torah Udvar HASHEM M’Yerushalayim.

Over the past few issues of Chavrusa, we have spotlighted musmachim who all share a common denominator, be it geography, age or vocation. In this edition, we highlight our proudalumni who have chosen to fulfill their Zionistic dream and moveto Medinat Yisrael. According to our records, about 20% of theRabbinic Alumni—or almost 400 RIETS musmakhim—current-ly reside in Israel, a fact about which we are very proud.

Chavrusa spoke with three musmakhim who have movedtheir families to Israel after holding prominent positions in chutzla’aretz: Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber (RSF), Rabbi Yehoshua Fass(RYF) and Rabbi Ira Kosowsky (RIK). You can see their respec-tive biographical information at the end of the article. While weinterviewed these three chaveirim separately, for stylistic reasonswe are presenting this feature as if they were interviewed togeth-er, as they answered similar questions and made similar points.

How are the RIETS musmakhim in Israel doing? Are they succeeding in finding positions in avodat hakodesh?

RYF: When Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) was first founded, one of themajor obstacles to American aliyah was employment. In order toalleviate this challenge and ensure successful aliyah, NBN createdan employment department that helps our Olim find jobs. Today,

the department includes 5 employees and has successfully devel-oped a wide array of contacts. The employment department func-tions as a professional recruitment agency, receiving about 25calls daily about available positions in companies and institutionsaround Israel. The companies turn to us because they appreciatethe work ethic and skills of North American olim; they do notwant to spend money on headhunters (we provide the service freeof charge); and they know that we will send them qualityresumes that match the needs of their companies and institu-tions. We are proud of the achievement of the employmentdepartment: Between 90% and 94% of NBN olim find employ-ment within 6 to 8 months of their aliyah.

Chinuch is difficult in Israel as there are so many Jewish edu-cators in Israel and so few placements. So many colleagues havetold me, “I would be on the next NBN plane if I knew I had a chin-uch position waiting for me.” Many of our potential olim arrive inIsrael with proposals for new schools or programs. Numerousyeshivot have been opened and other educational programslaunched which provide new job opportunities for olim in chinuch.

RIK: It is difficult to find a chinuch position in Israel, althoughthere are many more opportunities available today. The yeshiva/seminary scene for a m’chanech generally consists of two or threepart-time jobs in different places, as the full-time positions aregenerally filled. While the m’chanech can be marbitz Torah to arange of students and develop an expertise in specific areas suchas halacha, Tanach, Talmud… there is at times frustration thatyou just want to be part of the development and growth of onespecific program. It is also more challenging to develop a person-al connection with students when traveling to and from differentjobs. I also have friends, graduates of YU, who are teaching inschools for Israelis. They were determined to become involved inIsraeli society and have actualized their dream. A strong knowl-edge of Hebrew is obviously a prerequisite for the latter. Thereare still other musmakhim who have created a niche in the mar-ket by creating new schools and unique educational programs.While there are so many educators in Israel and limited place-ments, there are still many success stories that provide inspirationfor achieving our dreams of being m’chanchim in Israel.

Our musmakhim have a strong Zionist education. How do youaddress the struggle of living the Zionist dream versus theirpotential impact in chutz la’aretz?

RSF: I still struggle with the decision. I often ask myself if my con-tributions would not be greater in the States. When I evaluate mywork here, I realize that I’m involved with the broader Jewish com-munity of 4 million Jews, not just my shul, or even the 78,000 peo-ple in the Raanana community.

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Rabbi Farber receiving a citation from Raanana Mayor Nachum Chofri

Musmakhim in the Limelight

RYF: When people ask me this question, Itry to answer on a very personal level. Eachindividual has to make an honest cheshbonhanefesh; it’s a humbling assessment ofoneself and one’s ability to contribute andbetter society, weighing the pros and consof a person’s influence and ability to effectchange. I will add, however, that we cannotunderestimate the educational value of aperson who is making aliyah. The individ-ual may not continue to make the sameimpact in the classroom or on the pulpit,but picking up one’s family and moving toIsrael does have a huge impact on stu-dents, congregants and others.

RIK: I have been involved with chinuch inEngland, America, South Africa and Israel.I cannot imagine myself absent from theclassroom or not creating and implement-ing an educational program. This was anincredible dilemma my wife and I consid-ered before making aliyah. However, thiswas question number 2 for us. Our num-ber one question was what would be bestfor our family and where we wanted ourchildren to grow up. We want our childrento have a connection to Am Yisrael in EretzYisrael, for the center of Torah Judaism is here. If I had to choose between being a plumber in Israel or a successfulm’chanech in chutz la’aertz, personally, Iwould be a very frustrated plumber. I feelblessed that God has given me the oppor-tunity to actualize my dreams as an educa-tor in Israel.

How have the American olim acclimated toIsraeli culture?

RYF: I find that most American olim find abalance between a need to be with otherlike-minded individuals with similar back-grounds, and a need to integrate into Israelisociety. In some communities there isalready a saturation of English-speakers,and there definitely should be more of apush for some olim to become more inte-grated. On the other hand, for olim

Chadashim who are transitioning intoIsraeli society, it is certainly easier to be incommunities that offer the support ofother English speakers. You don’t move toIsrael in order to be in an American com-munity, but at the same time, most peoplefind that they need an American communi-ty (at least in the beginning) in order tosucceed in Israel. While some olim want tolive on a moshav and live among Israelis,most do not, and mitzvat yishuv ha’aretzdoes not imply that you have to live in atotally Israeli environment.

NBN’s olim for instance have initiatedvarious non-profit organizations, createdbusinesses that provide employment oppor-tunities for countless olim and Israelis alike,have generated capital in local VC funds,and have contributed to the health andsocial fields. Outside of the employmentrealm, NBN olim are involved in volunteeractivities. One such example is an olah ofours who created a website during therecent Northern war to assist residents ofthe north in anyway possible.

RSF: The purpose of ITIM: The JewishLife Information Center is to help Israelisnavigate the difficult maze that is theRabbanut here. In the last few months,

ITIM has helped more than 20 RIETSmusmakhim who have congregants gettingmarried in Israel. We can help arrange forAmerican chaveirim to officiate at wed-dings in Israel and we are in the forefrontof helping chaveirim whose gerim come toIsrael. Every month RIETS musmakhimtell me how useful they have found ourwebsite with its hands-on approach andeasy accessibility to the general public.Our general clientele are secular Israeliswho seek more counsel and compassion asthey encounter specific life-cycle events.Here in Israel, the pastoral side of experi-encing these life cycle events is absent.Israelis do not even think of turning totheir rabbis for aid in this regard. RIETSeducated its students to believe in provid-ing the community with a sense ofempowerment with a sense of Jewish life.That is completely lacking here. We help800 people a month via our staff and ourinteractive website (www. Itim.org.il). Weseek to fill the void by the lack of theAmerican style of the rabbinate. InAmerica, a community chooses its rabbi;here, communal rabbis are chosen by thechief rabbis. The rabbonim are govern-ment officials and do not feel the sameallegiance to their communities.

This can change by more Americanrabbonim coming on aliyah. This samestress equally applies to the shul I helpedfound. We started in Jerusalem as KehilatMoriah and because many of the congre-gants moved to Raanana, the shul basical-ly moved there too and became KehilatNetivot. It was founded by North Am-erican Jews who were accustomed to theAmerican style rabbinate. They were usedto their shul being a place of dialoguebetween their personal lives and their reli-gious lives. Our shul is so different fromwhat most Israelis know. We now have 60core families, with 150 children. ButIsraelis are open to change and presently50% of the mitpallelim on Shabbat areIsraelis. Our current facility was designedby Ada Karmi, the noted architect who

11

Rabbi Ira Kosowsky

designed the Israeli Supreme Court. Wesponsor scholars in residence, communitytiyulim, a welcoming committee and manyother features of American shuls. Our peo-ple pay membership and our shul’s budgetis also supplemented by grants. We strivefor a demographic of half olim and halfnative Israelis.

As an example of opportunities here,our shul hosted the only debate for themayoral race in Raanana, which consistedof four candidates. One candidate wasdati, one was from Peace Now and theother two were secular. Rather thandebating politics, they debated values,using the text from Akeidat Yitzchak. Themayor sees our Beit Knesset as his spiritu-al home and he prayed with us on RoshHashanah. We received a citation fromthe Raanana municipality for the commu-nity’s efforts to house refugees during therecent Lebanon War.

What and who inspired you to a career in avodat hakodesh?

RIK: For me it was being an advisor inNCSY. There were a lot of high school stu-dents who were searching. The motivationwas there and the questions about so manyissues never ceased. It was exciting and aprivilege to be in an environment where

people can grow at their own pace. NCSYis open and informal; no one is judged andeveryone can grow at their own pace.

This is really the model we have creat-ed at Machon Maayan. We have endeav-ored to create a place where you areinspired to grow. It is a holistic programwhere there is a combination of intensiveTorah study, community internships,Shabbatonim, and weekly seminars usingIsrael as our classroom. We facilitate theopportunity for a student not only tolearn, but to experience Judaism andIsrael on a deeper intellectual, emotionaland personal level. We also offer coursesin leadership and throughout the pro-gram, we empower our students tobecome involved and take ownership. Weencourage our students to use their tal-ents that God has given them back to thecommunity. We want them to be active inJSU, NCSY, their local shuls and collegeupon their return. We accept them forwho they are not who we want them to be;in partnership, we encourage them toexplore the beauty and depth of Torah andYiddishkeit.

RIETS afforded me the opportunity tostudy Torah in depth. After five years ofteaching at Carmel College in England, Ireturned to Israel and studied at YeshivatHamivtar and I found that the learningwas totally different after years in thefield. I absorbed the material for myselfbut constantly asked myself how I cantransmit the material to others? I’m a bigbeliever in people making their own edu-cated decisions. We ran an encounter pro-gram in South Africa and a studentannounced that he didn’t believe in theTorah. The Rabbi there asked him ‘Howdo you know? Did you read the Torah? Haveyou read the first Rashi in Chumash?How can you make an informed decisionwithout the facts?”

Rav Yehudah Parnes ’51R taught mehow to analyze, to get to the core of anissue, to dig deeper and deeper and todefine your terms. I always say that as wegrow physically, we must also grow intel-lectually and spiritually as well. Rav Dovid

Miller ’71R’s shiurim on halacha taughtme how to learn practical halacha byunderstanding the roots and essence of adin and its application.

My father, Rabbi Philip Kosowsky a’h ’56R, was an educator par excellencewho brought people in to our home on aweekly basis. I learned from him thatteaching is more about relationships thanknowledge. Once the student is comfort-able with the teacher, they can move for-ward together.

RSF: I was inspired by the religious lead-ership at YU. I spent two years plus in theGruss kollel. The rebbeim I had interact-ed with preached involvement with thecommunity coupled with a firm base inTalmud Torah and lomdus. No matterwhere you are, they taught, you need tokeep on learning. Not only do I usewww.YUTORAH.org a lot, but I findmyself constantly recommending it toothers. It helps me prepare for shiurimand my own personal talmud Torah.

RYF: I am the complete YU product—MSTA for high school, YC for college andthen RIETS. The rebbeim to whom I wasexposed were never secluded from amcha.They juggled family, talmidim and com-munity. Looking back, the rebbeim withwhom I had the greatest affinity were theones who did the most amount of juggling.When my cousin was killed in a piguah, Iknew that I could not just merely grieve; ithad to become manifest into giving back toamcha. That was the genesis of NBN. Ialso learned a lot about this when I servedin Boca Raton with Rabbi KennethBrander ‘86R.

What can RIETS, Rabbinic Alumni andthe Yeshiva University in Israel office dofor YU/RIETS alumni in Israel that willhelp you in your work?

RSF: The numbers of resources that havebeen created are terrific. The infrastruc-ture (websites, materials, video confer-encing…) is a tremendous resource that

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Rabbi Yehoshua Fass

13

really benefits us. Perhaps creating ameans for greater dialogue among rabbon-im would be helpful. A few years back,Rav Miller at Gruss hosted a public forumabout the rabbinate in Israel that manypeople in avodat hakodesh found helpful.

RYF: Rabbinic Alumni in Israel is a hugeuntapped resource. We have almost 400chaveirim living here, which is a majorforce within the olim community. Firstly,since there is a lack of communal rabbisin Israel, these individuals could act assurrogates, even if on an informal basis.People still need a rav and a posek who islocal and who understands their lifestyle.Secondly, these chaveirim can be ambas-sadors, scholars-in-residence, and they canwrite. How about an English siddur forToshavei Eretz Yisrael? Why can’t a RIETSalumnus do that? Many of the RIETSalumni here are blessed to be grandpar-ents. Many of our Olim have their grand-parents back in the states. Perhaps someof our chaveirim could be surrogate bub-bies and zeidis for these Olim.

RIK: Those of us in chinuch need to con-tinue learning and growing. I would loveto share ideas and thoughts with chaveir-im, asking one another how to respond tocertain questions and situations. In edu-cation, we tend to focus on our area ofexpertise, but we need to share ideas andexpand our horizons.

Many American Jews struggled this pastsummer during the war in Lebanon? What do you suggest?

RYF: To feel the pain and empathize. Theconcept of ‘Imo anochi b’tzara’ means thatthe empathy should not be lip service.Davening, learning and chessed were dif-ferent this summer in Israel. Nine out often families that I knew had people livingin their homes or relatives on active duty.The war and its effects were tangible. Itraveled 12 times back and forth this sum-mer. In some Diaspora communities, peo-ple felt it; people sent vests, goggles, night

vision equipment and anything theycould, in order to help. They looked forthings to send—which means that theycared. The rabbonim need to lead by find-ing and creating ways in which all Jewsfeel the pain of any threat to Israel, so thatit can be just as real, even if it is 6,000miles away. Life cannot be business asusual. Money is often a quick fix thatcomes out of your pocket, not your heart.A person should feel that his heart isaching. During the 2000 Intifadah, I wasa rabbi of a congregation who was callingfor the recitation of tehillim. When mycousin was killed, I realized that I hadn'tbeen doing enough.

You can adopt a family, call themweekly. Many rabbinic alumni were host-ing families. In 5 hours, each rav in eachAmerican community could call a rav inIsrael about getting pen-pals (phone pals).The members of the Boca Raton Syna-gogue initiated a five day mission to Israeland told the rav that they wanted him tolead them. They came to NBN and wemade packages for single soldiers who hadjust become olim, whose families stilllived in the US. Can you imagine whatthey were enduring? Someone in Bocasuggested an idea that those who did notjoin the mission should help their chil-dren write notes to these chayalim. Theypacked the hand-written notes in thepackages. Almost every chayal (when theygot out of harms way) told NBN thatthose notes rocked their world. Chayalimcried to me on the phone as to how muchthose notes meant to them. More thanonce I heard a chayal say, “I realized thatI’m her hero.”

On a personal note, I am proud of allthe olim this summer. Not one personcancelled. This summer we had our 22ndNBN flight. We were not expectingtremendous media coverage, but the factthat every single North American oleh fol-lowed through and made Aliyah duringthe war hit the newspapers and radios inIsrael. I think these flights got the mostpublicity of all of our flights. The commit-ment of each oleh despite the turbulent

political background showed the extent oftheir desire to follow through with theirAliyah dreams. n

Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber ‘91R, Director of ITIM: The Jewish Life Information Center and Rabbi ofKehillat Netivot in Raanana, received his Ph.D.from Hebrew University. He is the author of “An American Orthodox Dreamer: Rabbi Joseph B.Soloveitchik and Boston’s Maimonides School.” He taught in Maimonides School in Brookline,MA and directed Ma’ayan, a Boston-based adulteducation program for Jewish women that he co founded.

Rabbi Yehoshua Fass ‘98R serves as Founder andExecutive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. Afterreceiving his rabbinic ordination and degrees inbiology and education from Yeshiva University,Rabbi Fass moved to Boca Raton, Florida as aJudaic fellow in the newly established kollel. A year and a half later, Rabbi Fass assumed theposition as assistant Rabbi of the Boca RatonSynagogue, the fastest growing AmericanOrthodox synagogue—only shortly later to be renamed associate Rabbi. For five years, RabbiFass directed the Helen Julius Reiter Institute ofJudaic Studies which taught over 500 studentsweekly. After an Israeli relative of Rabbi Fass' wasmurdered by a terrorist bombing, Rabbi Fassdecided to embark on an even greater challengefor Israel and the Jewish people, by co-foundingand Nefesh B'Nefesh, a foundation whose solemission is to revitalize Aliyah by eliminating theobstacles that prevent and hinder those whodream and will to move to Israel.

Rabbi Ira Kosowsky ‘93R, Director of MachonMaayan, believes in personal growth throughopen discussions, in-depth Torah study, andcommunity involvement. Machon Maayan is anOrthodox offshoot of the Institute of YouthLeaders Abroad of the Jewish Agency and theOrthodox Union’s Israel Center. Rabbi Kosowskyhas established student leadership programs inmany countries – including England, South Africaand the United States—that are characterized bypractical leadership training, which has empow-ered the graduates to get involved in many meaningful challenges in the Jewish world. He also holds a Master’s degree in Bible fromBernard Revel Graduate School and received asecond semikhah from Yeshivat Hamivtar.

14

Amudei HamusmakhimRabbinic Alumni would like to thank the following chaveirim whohave contributed at the AmudeiHamusmakhim level towards theirRabbinic Alumni dues for 5767.

Rabbi Dr. Elie AbadieNew York, NY

Rabbi Everett S. AckermanBrooklyn, NY

Rabbi Hyman ArbesfeldKew Gardens, NY

Rabbi Richard BielerW. Hempstead, NY

Rabbi Marvin S. BienenfeldLong Beach, NY

Rabbi Daniel BouskilaLos Angeles, CA

Rabbi Michael BroydeAtlanta, GA

Rabbi Edward M. DavisHollywood, FL

Rabbi Michael DubitskyPhoenix, AZ

Rabbi Zvi EngelFairfield, CT

Rabbi Baruch EnglardBrooklyn, NY

Rabbi David FineOverland Park, KS

Rabbi Jeffrey FrankelNew York, NY

Rabbi Shmuel GoldinEnglewood, NJ

Rabbi Uri Avraham GordonNew York, NY

Rabbi Maurice J. GrebenauDallas, TX

Rabbi Alan M. KalinskyLos Angeles, CA

Rabbi Jonathan KaplanTeaneck, NJ

Rabbi Marshall KornFlushing, NY

Rabbi Abraham J. KramEnglewood, NJ

Rabbi Jonah KupietzkyNew York, NY

Rabbi Dr. Zalman LevineTeaneck, NJ

Rabbi Haskel LooksteinNew York, NY

Rabbi David MillerMontreal, Quebec, Canada

Rabbi Moshe MirksySchenectady, NY

Rabbi Elazar R. MuskinLos Angeles, CA

Rabbi Moshe NeissRiverdale, NY

Rabbi Irwin PeyserAtlantic Beach, NY

Rabbi Dale PolakoffGreat Neck, NY

Rabbi Myron RakowitzBrooklyn, NY

Rabbi Stephen N. RichterNew Hempstead, NY

Rabbi Marvin RosenTeaneck, NJ

Rabbi Jonathan I.RosenblattBronx, NY

Rabbi Dr. Yosef RosensheinBrooklyn, NY

Rabbi Dr. Solomon F. RybakPassaic, NJ

Rabbi Max N. SchreierBrooklyn, NY

Rabbi Ronald L. SchwarzbergHighland Park, NJ

Rabbi Yair SilvermanBerkeley, CA

Rabbi Victor Martin SolomonTeaneck, NJ

Rabbi Lawrence J. TeitelmanJackson Heights, NY

Rabbi Mark Eric UrkowitzHouston, TX

Rabbi Marc VolkMerrick, NY

Rabbi Norman A. WallesBrooklyn, NY

Rabbinic Alumni would like to thank Rabbi Manfred M.Rechtschaffen ’56R for an$18,000, Master Builder gift to the RIETS Rabbinic WelfareFund. Rabbi Rechtschaffen is a Director on the Board of theSy Syms School of Businessand he and his wife, Pamela,are YU Guardians.

enrich the world in so many ways,” said President Richard M.Joel.

The Center will contain two large, modern lecture halls, 50faculty offices and 11 classrooms, facilities for seminars and con-ferences, and will be connected to the adjacent MendelGottesman Library. It will be a venue for faculty and students tostudy and meet informally to share ideas.

“It is so meaningful that the Beit Midrash will be connectedto the library because it underscores our commitment to studythe sacred texts with open eyes to allow these profound values toenrich the world,” Mr. Joel noted.

The facilities will incorporate state-of the-art technology.Students will have electronic access to the resources of theGottesman Library and to the growing array of texts, research andcommentaries available online from the world over.

The university’s mission of Torah Umadda (the synthesis ofgeneral and Jewish studies) will be represented by the symboliclinking of the Glueck Center and the Gottesman Library via aground floor atrium. This spacious and light-filled facility will beknown as the Nagel Family Atrium and Student Commons, in trib-ute to YU Benefactors Jack and Gitta Nagel and their children.

Israel and Caryl Englander also made a generous contributionto the Glueck building which will bear the name Beit Moshe BenYaakov HaKohen, z”l. Michael and Fiona Sharf provided the aronhakodesh (ark), and the Samuel and Claire A Mozel CharitableTrust endowed the fourth floor of the Center. Dr. SusanDworken, a prominent educator, endowed a classroom in memoryof her husband, Rabbi Steven M. Dworken, formerly ExecutiveVice President of the Rabbinical Council of America, AssistantDirector of RIETS’ Max Stern Division of Communal Services,Director of Rabbinic Services and past president of RIETS’Rabbinic Alumni. He was an esteemed and much beloved leaderof the Jewish community. n

Yeshiva Breaks Groundcontinued from page 1

Life Cycle

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BOOKSRabbi Cary A. Friedman ’96R haswritten “Wisdom from the Batcave:How to Live a Super, Heroic Life”(Compass Books).

Rabbi Mendy Gopin ’72R on the publication of his new sefer“Davening With The Rav: My Rabbi &My Rebbe.” It is divided into threesections: (1) a number of personalanecdotes regarding the Rav, gathered over a 40 year period, both in Boston & New York; (2) thevarious Nuschaos HaRav for theYomim Noraim; & (3) Hanhagos ofthe Rav in shul, spanning the entire calendar year.

Rabbi Jonathan Miskin ’93R on hisself published encylopedia of everyindividual in Tanakh, called “TanakhProfiles,” available online atwww.tanakhprofiles.org.

Rabbi Dr. Seymour Moskowitzauthored an historical novel, “Falconof the Quraysh,” about the eighth-century Muslim conquest ofAndalusia, Spain. It emphasizes thebiography of the Emir Ahmed Abdar Rahman I and the support givento him by the Jews of Spain andNorth Africa, which helped usher inthe Golden Age of Spain.

Rabbi Joseph Radinsky, who haspublished a new Sefer in Hebrew“Hegyonai Torah,” with the help ofRabbi Shimon be Elisha of Bet ElYeshiva in Israel. It is a condensa-tion-translation of Rabbi Radinsky’s9 Torah Concepts books with additional material published for the first time.

Rabbi Michael Taubes ’83R for co-editing “The Yom Kippur Machzor:with commentary adapted from the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B.Soloveitchik.”

Rabbi Stanley Wagner ’56R,along with Rabbi Israel Drazin, hasauthored a new sefer: “Onkelos Onthe Torah: Understanding the BibleText. Bereshit & Shemot.”

Rabbi Moshe Walter ’05R on his article: “Can Porcelain beKashered?”—appearing in theJournal of Halacha and Contem-porary Society, Number LII, Succot 5767.

MAZAL TOVRIETS Student Ranan and RebeccaAmster on the birth of a son.

Rabbi Elchanan, Rosh Yeshiva,and Miriam Adler on the birth of adaughter. Also to the uncle, RIETSStudent Jeremy Gaison.

Rabbi Marc ’70R and Gilda Angel,on the birth of a grandson.

Cantor Bernard Beer, Belz Schooldirector, and wife Barbara on thebirth of a granddaughter, ChanaBatsheva and on the birth of agrandson, Yaakov Shlomo Eliyahu.

Rabbi David and Rochelle Blum’01R on the birth of a daughter,Perel Sarah

Rabbi Joshua and Adele Cheifetz’56R on the birth of granddaughter,Shira, and on the birth of great-granddaughter, Gila.

RIETS Student Jonathan Cohen onhis marriage to Ruthie Israeli.

RIETS Student Ariel and Yael Davison the birth of a son, Yehuda Yaakov.Also to the grandparents, Rabbi Dr.Hillel ’75R and Racheyl Davis.

Rabbi Shmuel ’76R and BarbaraGoldin on the marriage of their son,RIETS student Yossi Goldin to Shifra Cooper

RIETS Student Yossi Goldin on hismarriage to Shifra Cooper.

Rabbi Sheldon ’71R and ZeldaGoldsmith on the bar-mitzvah celebrations of two grandchildrenYosef Chaim Stefansky and AvrumiFelsenthal.

Rabbi Uri and Julie Goldstein ’05R on the birth of a son, Aviad Sar Shalom.

Rabbi Dr. Wallace ’69R and Ronnie Greene on the birth of granddaughter, Alexandra, and a grandson, Joe Chanan.

Rabbi William ’55R and SylviaHerskowitz on the marriage of theirgranddaughter Tova Katz to IthamarJutkowitz, and on the bar mitzvahsof their grandsons Akiva Katz andJonathan Herskowitz.

RIETS Student Shimshon andAshley Jacob on the birth of adaughter, Adira Chana.

Rabbi Joseph ’03R and ElishevaKalinsky on the birth of a son. Also to the grandfather, Rabbi AlanKalinsky ’76R.

Rabbi Alan Kalinsky ’76R execu-tive director, Orthodox Union-WestCoast Region, on being honored atits Dinner for his contributions tothe Los Angeles community for thepast 20 years.

Rabbi Eliakim ’92R Koenigsberg,Rosh Yeshiva, and his wife Tova onthe birth of twins (boy and girl);

Rabbi Chaim ’02R and Pesha Loike on the birth of a daughter,Rachel Tziona.

RIETS Student Elimelech and Chaya Rosenthal on the birth of adaughter, Adina.

RIETS Student Aryeh and DvoraSanders on the birth of a daughter,Nechama.

Rabbi Fabian ’52R and RuthSchonfeld on the birth of a greatgrandson .

Rabbi Eliav ’06R and AdiSilverman on the birth of a son.

Rabbi Yair ’02R and IlanaSilverman on the birth of a son.

RIETS Student Moshe Stavsky onhis marriage to Mirel Adler.

Rabbi Mayer ’97R and EsteeWaxman on the birth of a son.

RIETS Student Jay and SharonWeinstein on the birth of a daughter, Ora.

Rabbi Nathan and Leah Weiss onthe birth of a great grandson.

Rabbi Alan Yuter, father of Rabbi Josh Yuter ’03R, on being

appointed Adjunct Professor ofHebrew Literature at BaltimoreHebrew University.

Rabbi Naphtali ’06R and AbbyWeisz on the birth of a daugther,Baila Danya.

Rabbi Dr. Erich Zauderer ’63 on the marriage of his granddaughter,Elana, to Gabi Pinchasov.

OUR CONDOLENCESRabbi Solomon Berl, Belz Faculty,on the loss of his wife, Mrs. Eleanor Berl.

The family of Rabbi Meir Felman’36 on his passing. Rabbi Felmanwas a graduate of YU’s high school, college, RIETS and Revel,and a past president of the YURabbinic Alumni.

The family of Rabbi PhilipGoodman on his passing.

The family of Rabbi MaynardHyman on his passing.

Rebetzin Sarah Konovitch on theloss of her husband, Rabbi SimonKonovitch ’46R.

Rabbi Meyer Kramer ’41R and hisson Rabbi Dr. Doniel Kramer ’73Ron the loss of wife and mother, Rose Meyer.

Rabbi Shelley Morris ’04R on theloss of his father, Barry Morris.

Rabbi David Rogoff ’55R on hisloss of his wife.

Rabbi Sheldon ’57R and HeddaRudoff, YU Guardians, on the loss of their daughter, Shaindy.

Rabbi Adrian Skydell ’43R on theloss of his brother, Harry.

Chavrusa wishes Rebbitzen Sheviand Rabbi Benjamin Yudin ’69R a hearfelt mazal tov on the recent“Shabbat of Celebration” held bytheir shul in their honor. For 37years, the Yudins have led ShomreiTorah with love and dedication,even having the minyan meet intheir home during its initial 12years under their leadership. Avery grateful community honoredthis very special ‘First Family ofFairlawn.’ Chizky v’Imtzu.

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminaryan affiliate of Yeshiva University

Max Stern Division of Communal Service500 West 185th StreetNew York, NY 10033

Hosted by Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future

CHAVRUSA is a publication of theRabbinic Alumni of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an affiliate of Yeshiva University

Richard M. JoelPresident

Rabbi Dr. Norman LammChancellor, Yeshiva UniversityRosh HaYeshiva, RIETS

Rabbi Kenneth BranderDean, Center for the Jewish Future

Rabbi Dr. Solomon RybakPresident, Rabbinic Alumni

Rabbi Ronald L. SchwarzbergDirector, Jewish Career Developmentand Placement

Rabbi Elly KrimskyAssistant Director, Jewish CareerDevelopment and PlacementEditor, Chavrusa

Rabbi Levi MostofskyDirector of Rabbinic ProgrammingAssociate Editor, Chavrusa

Rabbi Dovid KupchikCoordinator, Educational Placement

Keren SimonAdministrator, Jewish CareerDevelopment and Placement

Naphtali LavendaRabbinic Intern, Jewish CareerDevelopment and Placement

RIETS

Rabbi Zevulun CharlopMax and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS

Rabbi Chaim BronsteinAdministrator, RIETS

Rabbi Julius BermanChairman of the Board of Trustees,RIETS