Opposite page : The members of the Kollel ’ s semicha chaburah after their third oral bechina from Rav Yisroel Reisman . L-R : R ’ Yaakov Yisroel Hirschman ; R ’ Levi Simsovits , rosh chaburah ; R ’ Avi Lauterbach , rosh chaburah ; Rav Reisman ; Rav Dovid Bender , rosh kollel ; R ’ Levi Goldman ; R ’ Yonah Green ; and R ’ Daniel Schulman . After this bechina , the semicha chaburah doubled in size , welcoming R ’ Yehuda Leib Gold , R ’ Eliyahu Lowinger , R ’ Meir Maza , R ’ Raphael Meiri , R ’ Elchonon Messner , and R ’ Eli Scharf . The chaburah is also joined daily for second seder by R ’ Yechiel Bloom and R ’ Yisroel Moshen .
tion in the methodology of how to apply their knowledge to real-life situations . In addition , Dayan Shmuel Fuerst of Chicago has visited and spent hours with the chaburah .
“ We have visited Rav Yisroel Reisman [ the rosh yeshiva of Torah Vodaas and rav of Agudath Israel of Madison ] and other recognized poskim to get tested and learn how to approach the shailos which typically come the way of a present-day rav ,” Rabbi Simsovits says . “ This helps us get a hands-on approach to what may typically cross our paths , and we have gained a tremendous deal from these visits . “
“ The chaburah sets ambitious goals to complete
various inyanim at set times , and this intensive program requires the yungeleit to be motivated and driven to keep pace and achieve these goals ,” Rabbi Lauterbach explains . “ We hope to cover many more topics in the future and help produce talmidei chachamim who can fill the needs of Klal Yisrael .”
Rav Dovid Bender , the Rosh Kollel , shares that “ the stellar reputation and unique design of the chaburah has encouraged numerous inquiries about joining it . Rabbi Simsovits and Rabbi Lauterbach are yungeleit who are role models for the rest of the chaburah , as they have already achieved the expertise to pasken through their learning and the shimush they have undergone .” !
About the Beis Medrash and Kollel
Since its inception in 1999 , Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid has enabled an entire generation of bachurim to grow in Torah , yirah , and middos from morning to night under the tutelage of their roshei yeshiva , maggidei shiur and mashgiach .
In 2005 , at the request of several alumni returning to the States from yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael , a ‘ kibbutz ’ of senior bachurim was formed as well . These talmidim soon married and formed the pioneer cadre of Kollel Tirtza Devorah , which today has 29 full-time avreichim and 47 mechanchim in its afternoon Kollel — in addition to a kibbutz — all under the aegis of the rosh kollel .
Together , the Beis Medrash and Kollel train over 200 budding talmidei chachomim — who are living examples of
Torah lishmah for their younger counterparts on campus — as the next generation of Jewish leaders . Indeed , hundreds of alumni are now teaching and disseminating Torah throughout North America and beyond as rabbeim , poskim , and learned baalei batim , building their own homes and communities on the firm foundations they formed at the Yeshiva of their youth .
For more information , or to contribute , please call : 718.868.2300 ext . 219 email : kollel @ darchei . org or visit : darchei . org / Kollel
BEDARCHEI HATORAH WINTER 5784 / 2024 25