September 2007 Tishrei 5768

Volume 42 Number 1

Shana Tova UMetukah

In This Issue
Divrei Torah from
Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Rabbi Menachem Genack & Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter

Interview with Rabbi Charlop: The Belkin Years Page 7

Anointed for War Inside the Military Chaplaincy Page 10

Divrei Chizuk from our Leaders

When we understand the secret of the , the world has a reason to exist.

From the of Teshuva to the of a Year

Rabbi Meir Goldwicht

The is found once again in Tehillim 122, where David HaMelech says, I rejoice in those who tell me we will go to the house of Hashem. Why? Because We stood in your gates, Yerushalayim. Only through the power of the ,by standing in the gate, will Yerushalayim become , As a city connected together. This is what "teaches Kayin: If you understand the secret of the ,good, but if not, sin crouches at the door. And by standing at the of the ,Eliyahu wanted to teach R Yossei that although he was davening in the for the sake of , and despite the amazing tefillah that resulted from his tremendous while davening alone, in order to transform the into a ,it is more important to daven together with everyone else. This secret of the , standing at the entrance and bringing those outside to the inside, is Eliyahus lesson. This lesson he also taught R Shimon bar Yochai and R Elazar when they left the cave. Despite the tremendous levels of they Continued on Page 5

hazal teach us: HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to the Jewish people: Open for Me a the size of the point of a needle, and I will open for you an entrance like the entrance of the .Shortly after the Creation of Man, "says: If you do well, will it not be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at the door. Later, one of the arguments Korach makes to Moshe is that it is absurd that a house full of sifrei Torah should require a mezuzah on the .The gemara in Berachos 3a, the first aggadeta in Shas, marks the first time Chazal discuss the :R Yossei tells us that he once went into one of the to daven and Eliyahu HaNavi waited for him at the of the until R Yossei concluded his prayers. The makes an appearance in Shabbos 33b as well, where the gemara relates that Eliyahu HaNavi waited at the of the cave in which R Shimon bar Yochai and his son, R Elazar, had been hiding for twelve years from the Caesar, who sought to kill them, in order to inform them that the Caesar had died and his edict was therefore nullified. Through the many instances of the in Chazal and in the Torah we see its significance. In the course of things, I will try to explain the concept of the ,from one perspective, in particular as it relates to the concept of teshuva. The on says that when "decided to create Man, and supported the idea because Man would be a creature of and .At the same time, objected because Man is full of , and objected because Man is full of .
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To ,Hashem responded, Truth will sprout forth from the ground (Tehillim 85:12). In other words, even though Man is full of ,there will come a time when will shine forth from the .This that comes from within has special strength and unique brightness. Hearing this, agreed to Mans creation. However, "did not respond to s objection, because is found only in the Heavens, as it says, , He makes peace in His Heavens (Iyov 25:2). To put it simply, our world is full of .How can we, in our world of ,live in ,if is only found in the Heavens? The only way is to understand the essence of the ,and to stand in the ,aware of what goes on inside and what goes on outside, and bringing the inside and the outside together. The first person to teach us this secret was Avraham Avinu, about whom the Torah says, Vhu Yosheiv Mipetach Haohel Kchom Hayom. Vayisah Einav Vayar Vhinei Shlosha Anashim Nitzavim Alav Vayar Varatz Likratam (Bereishit 18:1-2). Why does the Torah have to tell us that Avraham ran from the when it already told us in the previous passuk that Avraham was sitting in the of his tent? The Torah is emphasizing that what enabled Avraham to continue running, even at his old age and even after his brit milah, was the of the .Avrahams essence is the connection between what happens outside and what happens inside, which gave him the motivation and the energy to run even in his old age. He opened a to wayfarers, and if not for him, HaKadosh Baruch Hu says, I would not have created the Heavens and the earth (Bereishit Rabbah 48).

In This Issue
Divrei Chizuk In the News Chomer lDrush Back to the Beit Midrash The Menahels Memories Musmakhim in the Limelight LHREI Year 1 Teach NYS Plain Talk from Plainview RIETS Dinner Lifecycles Growth Opportunities for RIETS Alumni 2 3 4 6 7 10 12 16 17 18 22 23

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

In the News
Rabbi Charlop to Retire and Assume New Post
On May 2, 2007, Rabbi Zevulun Charlop 54R, Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS, announced his retirement from the position of Dean of RIETS-MYP, a position he has held with distinction for 37 years. Upon his retirement in June, 2008, President Richard Joel will name him Dean Emeritus of RIETS and Special Advisor to the President on Yeshiva Affairs, with Cabinet rank. In a statement acknowledging Rabbi Charlops retirement, President Joel stated: More than guided, it (RIETS) has been embraced, informed, protected and nurtured by his loving hand and Torah vision. Under his leadership, the Yeshiva has experienced enormous growth, the Beit Midrash filled with the spirit of learning. Thousands of young men have grown in Torah and values to become rabbis, teachers, scholars and communal leaders. On his watch and with his guidance and vision, we have been blessed with a cadre of Roshei Yeshiva of impeccable quality and dedication. Innovations in learning and guidance, development of kollelim and reinvention of professional rabbinics curricula continue to this day. He has been a defining force in Yeshivat Rabeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, in partnership with our Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Lamm.

President Richard Joel, Ann & Rabbi Hyman Arbesfeld

Rabbi and Mrs. Bednarsh share a moment with David Mitzner

Yeshiva Supporters Disseminate Torah in New York, Houston & Jerusalem.

n the course of a few weeks in the spring, a popular Sunday morning learning program was named, and a RIETS Rosh Yeshiva was invested as the occupant of a new Chair. On March 18, 2007 Ann and Rabbi Hyman Arbesfeld 56R dedicated the Kollel Yom Rishon and Midreshet Yom Rishon Sunday morning learning programs in memory of Rabbi Arbesfelds parents. In April, Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh 97R was invested as the first Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Professor of Talmud and Jewish Law.

Kollel Yom Rishon and Midreshet Yom Rishon Dedicated

Ann and Rabbi Hyman Arbesfeld of Kew Gardens, NY, dedicated the popular Sunday learning programs at Yeshiva University, in memory of Rabbi Arbesfelds parents. The Kollel Yom Rishon, a program for men, was named the Abraham Arbesfeld Kollel Yom Rishon program and the study group for women was named the Millie Arbesfeld Midreshet Yom Rishon program. According to Philip Moskowitz, program coordinator for the Center for the Jewish Futures Department of Community Initiatives, the unique series had its beginning when Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Joel and Maria Finkle Visiting Israeli Rosh Yeshiva, suggested in passing to colleagues at RIETS that they should create special learning programs to re-engage former

students. Today, those programs - a project of the CJF and RIETS - serve hundreds of men and women every Sunday morning, drawing not only alumni but interested students and visitors from all over the metropolitan area. Word spread quickly and we started to attract all those thirsty for YUs brand of Torah, notes Mr. Moskowitz. The program now has an email base of 4,000 names and features weekly presentations by RIETS Roshei HaYeshiva, members of YUs faculty, and other Torah luminaries, both men and women. Rabbi and Mrs. Arbesfeld were so impressed by the program, which they began attending, that Rabbi Arbesfeld offered to endow the programs in memory of his parents. Its a perfect fit, he says. My father always had a sefer in his hand, and he always spoke about the importance of learning. Rabbi Arbesfeld is hopeful that his gift will allow the two programs to expand, since, he notes, calls are coming in from all around the country for this type of venture. The couple has a long relationship with YU. Rabbi Arbesfeld, a longtime member of the RIETS board, says he is indebted to YU for 11 years of education, including high school, college, and three years in the semikhah program. Mrs. Arbesfeld Continued on Page 9

President Joel announced that Rabbi Charlop will work closely with him in the selection of a successor. He will begin to create forums and venues for teaching and mentoring rabbinical students and others, individually and/or in groups; will work on special, timely projects which we may jointly design to be implemented here and/or in Israel, within Yeshiva or without; he will continue to be involved in the semikhah process, serving as one of the Masmikhim, giving tests for ordination and signing the diplomas; he will also continue his special relationship with the Kollel Elyon as part of the selection process, as a member of the Wexner Advisory Continued on Page 20
Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007 3

Chomer LDrush
The Power of Connections: Thoughts on Rosh Hashanah
Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter
A son of a wise man is like half a wise man. Yishmael understood, and sent her away. His mother [then] took for him a wife from her fathers household and her name was Fatima. Again after three years Avraham went to see Yishmael and swore to Sarah that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Yishmael dwelt. He arrived there at mid-day and found the wife of Yishmael. [The story continues as above, but this time] she took them out and gave them to him. Avraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, Blessed be He, for his son, and the house of Yishmael was filled with all good things, with money and blessings. When Yishmael returned, she told him the story and Yishmael understood that until that moment his [i.e., Avrahams] mercy extended to him, as a father has mercy upon his children (Tehillim 103:13). This striking Midrash has implications for our lives on three levels: our relationships with the members of our family, our relationship with other Jews and our relationship with God. A child may grow up and leave home, but parents never stop thinking about their child. We wonder, What will be with him? What will happen to her? What will be et ha-derekh asher halchu bah? A child is constantly on his parents minds even when the family dynamics are complicated, as they were in the case of Avraham. There was a rift in the family, a split, a breakup. But Avraham did not stand on ceremony. He did not say, Where is Yishmael? Why is he not in touch? Why is he not calling me? Rather, he is the one who initiated the contact; he went to seek out his son, as difficult and as complicated as that was. Remember, Sarah was obviously very unhappy with this trip and they were both forced to compromise. Her compromise was that she allowed Avraham to go; his compromise was that he would not get off the camel. Understand well that not getting off the camel means not only that Avraham could stay for only a short period of time; even more significant, it meant that he could not hug his son!

magine the scene at the funeral of Avraham. Everyone is there. The room is full. There is an overflow crowd stretching out the door as thousands of people have come to pay their last respects to the individual whose new way of thinking about God had revolutionized the world. Avrahams son Yitzhak gets up to speak. He looks out over the huge crowd and there, standing in the back, he sees his long lost half-brother Yishmael, probably wearing sunglasses, maybe even an earring, probably sporting a few tattoos, with an idling motorcycle parked out front. Yitzhak calls Yishmael forward and together they engage in the burial of their father, as the Torah relates, Yitzhak and Yishmael his sons buried him (Bereshit 25:9). At the beginning of Chapter 25 in Bereshit, Yishmael shows up at Avrahams funeral; in the keriyat ha-Torah for the first day of Rosh Hashanah (Chapter 21) Yishmael is expelled from his fathers house in response to a request by Sarah prompted by her concern that his presence there would be threatening to her son Yitzhak. In spite of his deep discomfort, Avraham responds to Gods command that he submit to the demand of his wife. At this point, Yishmael disappears, only to reappear in the biblical text four chapters later at the funeral of his father. What happened to him in between? Where had he been all those years? Remember that when God had told Avraham to sacrifice his son on the altar, the Torah uses the words, Take your son, your only
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son, the one you love (Bereshit 22:2) and Avraham still did not know which son of his God had in mind. (Rashi- Whom you love, said Avraham, I love both of them.) He loved both of his sons equally! Had there ever been any contact between the pained father and his beloved son all those years? Did Avraham die without ever seeing his son again? The Torah is silent but the Midrash fills in the gaps. The Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni #95; Pirkei de-Rabi Eliezer, Chap. 30) states that Avraham never stopped thinking about his first born son, the one whom he loved so dearly, the one whom he banished from his house against his will. Ratzah lirot et Yishmael beno ve-leyda et ha-derekh asher halchu bah, Avraham wanted to see his son Yishmael and know the path which he had followed. After three years Avraham went to see Yishmael and swore to Sarah that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Yishmael dwelt. He arrived there at mid-day and found there the wife of Yishmael. He said to her, Where is Yishmael? She said to him, He has gone with his mother to fetch fruits and dates from the wilderness. He said to her, Give me a little bread and a little water, for my soul is weary from the journey in the desert. She said to him, I have neither bread nor water. Said he to her, When Yishmael comes, tell him this story and say to him, Change the threshold of your house for it is not good for you. When Yishmael came, she told him the story.

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

There are tensions, sometimes, within families, between children and parents and between parents and children; between husbands and wives and between wives and husbands; between brothers and sisters and between sisters and brothers. The relationship may not be now what it once may have been. But the Midrash teaches: Dont stand on ceremony, get on your donkey and ride out into the desert to re-establish contact. Do not wait until the funeral because we know very well that by then it will be too late. But this Midrash is not only about the nuclear family; it is about the family of the Jewish people. The Midrash teaches us never to give up on another Jew; never, under any circumstances, to abandon another Jew. Why was Yishmael banished from the household of Avraham? The Rabbis teach us (Rashi, Bereshit 21:9, s.v. metzachek) that he was guilty of each one of the most heinous of sins, adultery, idolatry and

murder! What could be worse! But yet, Avraham was concerned, ratzah lirot et Yishmael ve-leyda et ha-derekh asher halchu

A CHIld mAy gRow uP And lEAvE HomE, buT PAREnTS nEvER SToP THInkIng AbouT THEIR CHIld.
bah. We too need to be concerned, we too need to be involved, we too need to care. We are, all of us, members of one people, of one family. Finally, this Midrash is not only about family, it is not only about the Jewish people; the Midrash is about our relationship with

God. With all Yishmael may have been, Yishmael understood that until that moment his mercy extended to him as a father has mercy upon his children. Rabbi David Luria, the author of an important nineteenth commentary on the Pirkei deRabi Eliezer, sees this as a metaphor for the nature of the relationship between God (the father) and the Jewish people (his children). Even though Yishmael did not behave the way he should have (to say the least), even though Yishmael did not act appropriately, nevertheless he knew that his father did not abandon him, that his father had rahmanut for him. So too is the nature of our relationship with God. We turn to Him and say, God, You know us well; You know us better than anyone else does; You know our failings, shortcomings and limitations. Nevertheless we ask You, our Father in Heaven, pay us a visit, leave us a blessing, bring good health and above all else in these very troubling times, peace and security for Klal Yisrael and the world at large. n

From the Petach of Teshuva to the Petach of a Year

had attained, it would now be necessary for them to connect everything they had learned inside to the outside. Shlomo HaMelech teaches us this secret as well in Mishlei, Fortunate is the man who listens to Me to watch daily at My gates, to guard the posts of My doors (8:34). To listen to "is to understand the secret of the .This is the key to all blessings. As a nation, we learned the secret of the for the first time on the night we left Mitzrayim. "asked us to put sheeps bloodthe blood of a god of Mitzrayim on the and on the .The idea was to absorb the lesson of the with . If we showed for the ,no more blood would be spilled. The more we understand the importance of living with and refraining from involvement in ,the stronger we show we are. As it says in Chazal regarding the passuk, Ki Yifaleh Mimecha Davar Mishpat Bein Dam LDam, Bein Din LDin, Bein Negah LNegah. The challenged HaKadosh Baruch Hu, accusing Him of having double standards. You ask the Jews that if they slaughter a bird, they cover its blood, but You allow the spilt blood of Jews to go uncovered. You ask the Jews not to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day, yet You allow Jewish parents and children to be murdered on the same day. You ask the Jews not to destroy a home afflicted with until the Kohen diagnoses it as a , yet You destroyed Your house without asking anyone. Why do You expect more of Your nation than You do of Yourself? "responded, .Because the Jews fight constantly. What is the solution? The city of Yerushalayim, the city that is , where we learn the lesson of ,the lesson of ,the lesson of the . We are approaching the " . requests of us one thing: open for Me a , understand the importance of the ,even just a little. Dont enter ,make an at-

continued from page 2

tempt to see the positive in others, and I will open for you a the size of the . In an earthquake, the safest place in ones home is in the doorway. Spiritually, as well, the is the safest place in the home, protecting the Jewish home by maintaining the proper balance between inside and outside. We are currently in a time when everything around us is shaking. Nothing in our day and age is stable. The way to live successfully in such a world is to stay in the . As we approach the new year, which is itself a of sorts, we must accept upon ourselves to refrain from ,to connect that which is without with that which is within, and to appreciate the Torah, mitzvos, and Klal Yisrael. May we merit as a result to stand not just in the of the ,but in the of the ,and to loudly proclaim, Seu Shearim Rosheichem VHinaschu Pitchei Olam Vayavo Melech Hakavod. n

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Back to the Beit Midrash

chuyos correspond?, and Rabbi Levi answers, They correspond to the ten praises said by David in Tehilim [150]. This is also indicated in the piyyut recited by the Shaliach Tzibbur before Malchuyos, Ochila LaKeil, in which he says, AshiraAbiah Ranenos. Given the Gemaras discussion about the relative primacy of Shira BPeh and Shira BKeili [Sukkah 50/b ff.], we can now better understand the impact of Tekios Al Seder HaBrachos. There are Midrashic/liturgical indications that Tekias Shofar can itself be a type of Shira. Tekios Al Seder HaBrachos is now revealed as the merger of the two forms of Shira; indeed, the Rambam places the Seder HaBrachos in Hilchos Shofar and not in Hilchos Tefila! [With this premise, the Rav defended Rashi from the Rambans criticism of his (Rashis) opinion that the Seder HaBrachos is MiDOraysa: it is MiDOraysa only when there are Tekios Al Seder HaBrachos, generating Shira.] Based on the Ravs teaching that Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros are said as Shira, and are not said due merely to their thematic pertinence, I think we can say that the verses from Tehilim take precedence over verses from Navi because verses from Tehilim are the prototypical praises; Tehilim is the most appropriate instrument of song. [The reason that they do not take precedence over the verses from the Torah is that nothing takes precedence over verses from Toras Moshe.] According to this, we can offer a new answer to a question posed to the Noda BYehuda [Mahadura Tinyana, Orach Chaim #20]. The Noda BYehuda was asked why the verses of Navi come before the verses from Kesuvim in the prayer, Av HaRachamim, when Tosafos [loc cit] had explained why they should come after those verses. If we assume that the precedence of Kesuvim is limited to expressions of Shira, the ordering of verses in the text of Av HaRachamima litany of petitions, not praisesis more easily understood. n We are grateful to Rabbi Eliyahu Ferrel for translating this article.

The order of the verses in malchuyos

Rabbi Menachem Genack

he Mishnah in Rosh HaShanah 32a states, [In Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros], we start with verses from the Torah and finish with verses from Navi. Indeed, as any cursory examination of the Machzor will reveal, we do indeed start with verses from the Torah, then recite verses from Kesuvim, and conclude with verses from Navi. The Baalei HaTosafos [loc cit, d.h. maschil bTorah] are perplexed by the placement of verses from Kesuvim before verses from Navi, as Navi typically takes precedence over Kesuvim. They answer that this anomalous order is due to the fact that the verses found in Tehilim, Mishlei and Iyov were written chronologically before the verses in Navi. The Rav, Ztl, offered a different resolution to the problem raised by the Baalei HaTosafos. The Rav explained that fundamentals of our faith are elucidated in Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros. We deliberately cite verses in this context so as to firmly buttress these fundamentals. The verses of Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros convey (respectively) the timelessness and eternality of Hashems sovereignty, Hashems memory, and Hashems self-revelation (Gilui Shechina). The verses from the Torah deal with the past; those from Navi, with the future. Those from Kesuvim deal with the present, and that, said the Rav, is why they are sandwiched in-between the other verses. Based on something else the Rav said, I thought perhaps that there was another way to address the problem raised by the Baalei HaTosafos. When the Rambam [Hilchos Shofar 3:8] describes the order of
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the verses for Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros, he does not adopt the phraseology of the Gemara; he instead refers to the verses from Kesuvim as verses from Tehilim. The Rav explained that, from the Rambams perspective, we specifically need verses from Tehilim because Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros are said qua Shira--and for Shira, one must employ the zemiros (songs of praise) composed by David HaMelech, our nations pleasant singer of zemiros (vide II Shmuel 23:1). The Ravs approach to the Rambam is buttressed by the Rambams own words in Hilchos Tefila 7:12, where the Rambam emphasizes that zemiros must come from Tehilim. It is worth noting that we emphasize this in the introductory brachah, Baruch SheAmar, wherein we declare that we will praise Hashem through the songs of [His] servant, David. [Indeed, the nonDavidic origin of Shiras HaYam leads the Rambam to place it after Yishtabach, the concluding brachah of Pesukei DZimra.] The Rav took note of the fact that we do not limit ourselves to merely three verses of Kesuvim in Shofaros; rather, we complete all of Tehilim 150. The Rav explained that by the time we reach Shofaros, we are so overwhelmingly inspired that Shira bursts forth spontaneously and without bounds. Furthermore, Shofaros declares Gilui Shechina, and that generates an obligation to say Shira. The classification of the recitation of Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofaros as Shira is strongly indicated by the Gemara in Rosh HaShanah [loc cit]. The Gemara asks, To what do these ten verses in Mal-

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

The menahels memories

or those who were not born yet or who were very young during the time Dr. Belkin ztl served as President of Yeshiva, it would have been impossible to believe or even imagine who he was, what he achieved, and no less significantly, his relationship to the Rav ztl. Even as the Rav was altogether singular - indeed sui generis Dr. Belkin was, in his way, also one-of-akind. Hardly ever does the likes of a Rabbi Dr. Samuel Belkin come down the pike. Before I enlarge upon the special-ness and genius of Dr. Belkin, a comment about the relationship between Dr. Belkin and the Rav is in order. In my dealings with both of them, and often times in specific circumstances you had to relate to them apart and together as one, it seemed absolutely clear to me that even as Dr. Belkin sought and coveted the approbation of the Rav above all other people for what he was and for what he achieved, I gained the distinct feeling that the Rav no less sought the approval and appreciation of Dr. Belkin. They both sensed with a genuine humility that can only be felt by those who worked in close quarters and on a continual basis with them that they both were giants; and the only approval or appreciation that really mattered much to them would be the one that genuinely came from the other. Dr. Belkin, in his time, was the single uncontested voice save on the rarest occasions - who made policy for and governance of the Yeshiva body politic. The first crack in this monolithic control and guidance came near the end of the 60s, when Dr. Belkin was persuaded, because of the increasingly desperate financial plight of Yeshiva, that there must be a separation for church-state reasons, between RIETS and the university in order to continue to receive government funding. It was then that the Rav made his famous I See Ghosts speech, which he delivered at a special luncheon appended to that years Chag Hasemikhah celebra-

An Interview with Rabbi Zevulun Charlop

As RIETS long-serving Menahel transitions to a new position at Yeshiva, CHAVRUSA has asked him for some recollections and perspectives on the three presidents with whom Rabbi Charlop has had the privilege to serve.

tion. It caused an almost unbridgeable divide between them. Dr. Belkin was convinced that he could maintain the integrity of RIETS onto itself and yet have it remain the foundation-stone and moral compass of the entire university. Even while legally RIETS and the university would be separate entities, in the most critical ways they would nonetheless remain together as inseparable parts of the whole. By and large I believe this was the case, and in some very definable ways, more so than before. The advanced kollelim, the packed batei midrash at night, the deepening and unyielding yiras shamayim of our bnei Torah all happened after the separation. Since 1971, there has not been one student, as far as I know, upon graduation from college who defected to a non-Orthodox rabbinic seminary, where years before, such lamentable departures were not altogether uncommon. One can also attribute these advances to other reasons, most notably the almost universal acceptance of a year or two of intense Torah study in Israel after completing high school. I also believe firmly, that these advances would not have been realized if it were not for the original unabashed and uncropped protests of the Rav. Remember, that the Rav continued to give shiurim for more than 15 years after the separation, and became the Rebbe of the Yeshiva, no less than before, and possibly even more so. I felt that this introduction was necessary before I could speak about Dr. Belkin and the kind of charisma and hold he had upon the Yeshiva and upon large segments of the Orthodox community and beyond. It is important to understand the state of mind that prevailed when I came to Yeshiva, to serve in the role that I have served for more than three-and-a-half decades. Dr. Belkin asked me to come to Yeshiva without any notice and only three days before the new year began, nearly 37 years
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Cha 200

In this edition: The belkin Era.

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

ago. Dr. Israel Miller 41R ztl, certainly one of the towering figures in the annals of Yeshiva history, called me at the bungalow colony where I was spending part of the summer with my family. He called me from Shelter Island, where he was visiting Dr. Belkin at his summer home, to tell me that Dr. Belkin would like me to take over the Yeshiva. This came to me as a thunderbolt, as I had never spoken to Dr. Belkin about this matter before. Indeed, I had only a few conversations with him in my entire life. I never considered myself especially close to him; my admiration of him was from a distance, which I believe must have been shared by most of my classmates and others who studied at the Yeshiva. Before I accepted the position, I wanted to know how the Rav felt about this potential out-of-the-blue appointment. Dr. Belkin and the Rav were altogether alone in the reverence that students had for them. No one today could doubt this of the Rav; but I have the sense that hardly anybody born in the last 45 years could imagine Dr. Belkin in that same brilliant light as well. That of course is a tragedy and great shame. When I came back to Yeshiva as a member of several faculties, we recognized Dr. Belkins greatness. He was known as an iluy, a prodigy of the famed Raduner Yeshiva in Poland where he attended, when he was hardly bar mitzvah. Reportedly, Dr. Belkin received semikhah at the tender age of 17 from the sainted Chofetz Chayim ztl himself, purported to be the youngest boy or man to receive semikhah from that venerable sage of the 19th and early 20th century. He then came to America, passing through the Mirrer Yeshiva. Dr. Belkin himself told me, on those very rare occasions when he spoke about his own history, that the famed Rav Lazer Yudel Finkel - the Rosh Yeshiva in Mir and the son of the fabled Alter of Slabodka made special efforts to persuade him to remain at Mir, and not to move on to America, as was his intention. Rav Lazer Yudel promised this then 18 year old musmakh the largest student stipend that was ever offered at Mir, home to many of the greatest iluyim who became geonei HaDor. He came to our Yeshiva when Reb Shimon Shkop ztl was still giving shiurim. He found it so difficult to acclimate himself to the new
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(l-r) Rabbi Zevulun Charlop: the Rav; Rabbi Shlomo Goren; Rabbi Dr. Belkin; Rabbi Dr. Israel Miller

world, that he determined to return to Europe with Rav Shimon. It was the great sage of Grodno who dissuaded him from returning. He presciently told him, well before World War II and Hitler MHBR, that the future of Yahadus lies in America and that Yiddishkeitwise, Europe is lost. In an incredible series of events, he was accepted into a doctoral program at Brown, an Ivy League institution, without even a general elementary and high school education. That alone speaks volumes about the man! It was about the same time at most a year or two apart that the Rav and Rebbitzen Tonya Soloveitchik ztl came to Boston. They sought out the European iluy, and he became a frequent Shabbos guest at their home, 50 miles away. It may be apocryphal, but the story that made the rounds was that the Rebbitzen managed to get his clothes laundered, when she realized that he did not tend to these matters himself. It was during this period that the Chiddushei Rabbeinu Chayim Halevi was published by the Ravs father Reb Moshe ztl, and his brother Reb Velvel ztl, who succeeded Reb Chaim ztl as rav of Brisk. One of the first copies to reach America was sent to the Rav. Dr. Belkin became a RIETS Rosh Yeshiva in his late twenties, after having been appointed by Dr. Revel ztl as an instructor and then professor of Greek at Yeshiva College and gave the shiur considered directly below Reb Moshe Soloveitchiks. In 1940, Dr. Revel suddenly passed away at the age of 55, at the height of his power. Incredibly, Reb Moshe Soloveitchik, who became Rosh Hayeshiva upon Dr. Revels death, was also snatched from our midst, and only 62. It was then that

Dr. Belkin was selected as Dean of RIETS and provided some stability to the yeshiva at perhaps one of its most tumultuous and trying periods. Eventually, Dr. Belkin became Yeshivas second president. This European orphan, who saw his father murdered before his eyes in a pogrom, who learned in Radun and who received a PhD at Brown in Greek, built the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the Ferkauf School of Psychology, Stern College for Women, the Belfer School of Science, the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and Cardozo Law School almost literally with his own hands. He was also responsible for bringing some of the most prominent European Roshei Yeshiva to RIETS, such as the Lomza Rav, Rav Moshe Shatzkes ztl; the Suwalker Rav, Rav Dovid Lifschitz ztl; Rav Mendel Zaks ztl, son-in-law of the Chofetz Chaim and the last Rosh Yeshiva of Radun; Rav Yerucham Gorelick ztl, Rav Noach Borenstein ztl and Rav Yaakov Lessen ztl. It was with a sense of awe that I accepted the position. That feeling became more acute when only four days after appointing me Dr. Belkin told me that I have placed the destiny of Yeshiva in your hands. Dr. Belkin used to call me up every morning around 10 or 15 after 9 am, and asked me in Yiddish Vie geit de Yeshiva - how is the Yeshiva? I assumed my position in 1971, in the midst of the Vietnam Conflict. Yeshiva was packed. Ho Chi Minh, the Communist leader of the Vietnamese uprising, was the greatest marbitz Torah of that time. As the

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

war began to wind down, people started leaving the yeshiva. Dr. Belkin told me that we needed to do something to increase enrollment. I felt that if we wanted to do something with Yeshiva we had to be a bit adventurous and dramatic. I offered what must have been considered in the economic throes in which yeshiva found itself then, the bold suggestion to appoint 3 new roshei yeshiva in one fell swoop: Rabbi Hershel Reichman, Rabbi Abba Bronspiegel, and Rabbi Mordechai Willig. Rabbi Reichman gave the chazara shiur for the Rav, and Rabbi Bronspiegel taught in the high school. In this way it would give nod to the then prevalent tradition of promoting a high school rebbe into Yeshiva. Rabbi Willig taught Talmud at the James Striar School, assuming my former position. They were all celebrated for their learning and also embodied in their personalities and affiliations a whole gamut of the Torah community which we hoped to attract. Dr. Belkin thought that my recommendation was crazy, as finances

Each one only wanted the approval and appreciation of the other.

were extremely tight at that time. I didnt think he would do it, but he did it. During Dr. Belkins administration, we eventually brought Rabbi Aharon Kahn as a Rosh Yeshiva, who succeeded Rabbi Reichman as the assistant to the Rav.

In mid 1975, Dr. Belkin took seriously ill, and relinquished his post as president, assuming the title as Yeshivas first Chancellor. He passed away a few weeks before Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm was chosen as his successor. n

Yeshiva Supporters Disseminate Torah from page 3

served for a decade as president of the Yeshiva University Womens Organization, and the couples four children are all graduates of YUs undergraduate and graduate schools. Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh Invested as the First Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Professor of Talmud and Jewish Law In a moving ceremony at Houstons United Orthodox Synagogue, the investiture of Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh as the first occupant of the Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Chair in Talmud and Jewish Law at the Yeshiva University in Israel campus took place on April 14. The chair was established through a $1-million gift from David Mitzner and his son and daughter-in-law, Ira and Mindy, in honor of their late wife and mother, Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner. The ceremony, attended by the extended Mitzner family and more than 400 members of the Houston community, was part of a weekend of activities in Houston sponsored by the Mitzner family. YU President Richard M. Joel presided over the investiture and later addressed the community; Rabbi Bednarsh, rosh yeshiva at YUs RIETS Israel Kollel, delivered the Shabbat morning sermon and led a Torah study session. We could not have been more satisfied with how my mothers memory was honored by the investiture and all of Yeshiva Universitys presence during the weekend, said Ira Mitzner, a 1981 alumnus of Yeshiva College and a lay leader in the Houston community. In the early years of World War II, David Mitzner was a courier between the Russian and German zones, helping compatriots escape persecution from the Nazis. He was sent to a Siberian gulag after being caught and served eight years of hard labor before coming to America and establishing a successful real estate development business. David is the quintessential success story, both in his career and in terms of transmitting his heritage to the next generation, making sure that Judaism flourished both in his family and in the broader Jewish community, said Rabbi Bednarsh, a former Beren Kollel and Wexner Graduate fellow at YU. Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner, whose father was a renowned Torah scholar and the rabbi of the largest Orthodox synagogue in Harlem, grew up during the 1920s. She and her family later moved to Jerusalem, where her father assisted Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, the first chief rabbi of Palestine. During her life, Ruth dedicated herself to helping Jewish people throughout the world. I feel honored to continue the legacy of Ruth Mitzner by teaching Torah in Israel and preparing the next generation of rabbis to lead the Jewish people, said Rabbi Bednarsh. The weekend concluded with a YU community council meeting hosted by Shira Yoshor, vice chairman of the Stern College Board, discussing future YU involvement in Houston. The weekend was a fitting tribute to a family who represents communal leadership and philanthropy, said Rabbi Richard C. Bieler 77R, YU Senior Executive Director for Community Affairs. Our time in Houston gave us a real sense of the Mitzners legacy and our responsibility to perpetuate that legacy. n
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Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Musmakhim in the Limelight

ANOINTED FOR WAR

It shall be that when you draw near to the war, the kohen shall approach and speak to the people (Dvarim 20:2) The Mashuah Milhama aids the soldiers in three areas: preparations for war, preparations for appeasement and preparations for prayer, a formula familiar to us from Yaakov Avinu. The Mashuah Milhamah, who inspires the nation to approach war with bravery, remains at their side in the theater of battle. He does not return to a more peaceful setting. He appeases the soldiers by telling them that HASHEM will fight for them, and allows those who are afraid to honorably remove themselves from battle. He prays with the soldiers as well, as his stirring speech is truly a prayer. [Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin, Oznayim la-Torah, Dvarim 20:2.] Although the Lutzker Rav described that special kohen mashuah milhamah, in the above commentary, he could also have been describing the dangerous, difficult and lonely task of a military chaplain. Only a few short months ago, US Army Specialist Daniel Agami, 25, known by those in his unit as GI Jew was laid to rest with full military honors in North Lauderdale, Florida. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal. An improvised explosive device (IED) took his life in Iraq. Rabbi Yossi Denburg, Dean of the Hebrew Academy Community School in Margate, FL, where Daniel was graduated, recalled in his eulogy that while in the army, Specialist Agami kept kosher, slept with both American and Israeli flags over his bunk, and on his rifle was engraved The Hebrew Hammer. The devoted chaplains, the cadre of mshuhei milhama, enabled Daniel Agami zl to live as a Jew. The chaplains are the spiritual caregivers of military personnel. Consider this excerpt from Rabbi Yisrael Meir Laus autobiography, Do Not Harm the Child (as excerpted in the Orthodox Unions Jewish Action, Summer 2007, pp. 20-28.) When Buchenwald (where Rabbi Lau was a prisoner) was liberated by American army forces, Lulek (Rabbi Laus childhood nickname) is discovered by Army Chaplain Rabbi Hershel Schacter 41R. In full army uniform, Rabbi Schacter got down from his jeep and stood before the pile of bodies. Many of them were still bleeding. Suddenly he thought he saw a pair of eyes, wide open and alive. He panicked, and with a soldiers instinct, he drew his pistol. Slowly, carefully, he began to circle the pile of bodies. Then and this I recall clearly- he bumped into me, a little boy, staring at him from behind the mound of corpses, wide-eyed. His face revealed his astonishment: in the midst of the killing fields, from within that sea of bloodsuddenly, a child appears! I did not move. But he knew that no child in this place could be anything but Jewish. He holstered his pistol, then grabbed me with both hands and caught me in a fatherly embrace, lifting me in his arms. In Yiddish, with a heavy American accent, he asked me: Wie alt bist du, mein kindt? How old are you, my boy? I saw tears dripping from his eyes CHAVRUSA interviewed Rabbi Nisson Shulman (RNS) 55R CAPT, CHC, USNR, a retired Navy Chaplain and former Director of Placement; and Second Lieutenant Mitchell Rocklin (RMR), US Army Reserve, and Second Lieutenant Moshe Grussgott (RMG), US Army Reserve, two senior semikhah students training in the US Army Chaplain Candidate Program. CHAVRUSA: Tell us about the decision and subsequent process for deciding to train as a chaplain? RMG: A few years ago, during my first year of semikhah, a Jewish chaplain named Rabbi Zalis came with a Christian chaplain to our SR/RTP class. Rabbi Zalis achieved the rank of General and eventually retired to Israel. I didnt decide then to join the chaplaincy, but his talk planted a seed and that seed lingered and was always in the back of my mind. When Mitch joined semikhah a few years later, he pushed me along since I would only consider joining with a chaver. When Mitch showed me the recruitment

Moshe Grussgott is completing his studies at RIETS. He currently serves as Assistant Rabbi at Ramath Ora in Manhattan. Mitchell Rocklin is completing his studies at RIETS. He will serve next year as Rabbinic Intern at Beth Sholom in Lawrence, NY. Rabbi Nisson Shulman served for two years at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Subsequently, he served in the Ready Reserve for a total of 30 years, with special duty at Parris Island, Camp Pendleton, San Diego Naval Training Center and in Norfolk, VA, where he compiled resources for non Jewish-chaplains how to minister to Jewish servicemen, in the absence of Jewish chaplains. He teaches at the Isaac Breuer College at Yeshiva University and has worked for the university in many capacities. He also has had an illustrious career in the pulpit all over the world. Currently he serves as chaplain at the United States Veterans Hospital in Manhattan.
10 Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

A Few Good Men

Moshe Grussgott
pamphlet, I first observed that it had the psukim about the Mashuah Milhama on the front of the packet (in English). That really inspired me; I felt that joining the military in this capacity was a holy endeavor. I have always been a patriotic American. I have always sat around the Shabbos table supporting Americas current stance in terms of global terror, but it was always an abstract discussion. I felt that it would be great to put my money where my mouth is. RMR: The program that we are in is called the Chaplain Candidate Program. It offers a wonderfully unique opportunity for a rabbinical student to consider the military chaplaincy, either full-time or part-time, without committing to join the Army as a regular chaplain does. It allows a prospective chaplain to train during school. A chaplain candidate can experience the Army and the chaplaincy firsthand, so that he can decide whether or not he will join. The Navy and the Air Force have candidate programs as well. The application process for the Army is complicated, and you have to be on top of things. The recruiters help you through it though. It involves meeting a list of academic and physical requirements that most RIETS students should not have a problem with. A recruiter and his assistant lead you through a long process of paperwork, you get a physical exam at a local

Mitchell Rocklin
Army base, and then you wait to be accepted. Chaplain Candidates can choose when to train and which training modules they would like to attend, in order to give them a better idea of whether or not the chaplaincy is for them. If they are certain that it is, the training gives them a head start before joining the military on a more permanent basis. Candidates can take the basic course for chaplains, which lasts about thirteen weeks. Usually, they do six weeks of it the first summer after they join. This is usually followed by a practicum, which is essentially a chaplaincy internship at an Army post. The practicum allows a candidate to experience the Army chaplaincy firsthand. If the candidate is happy (in my experience virtually all of them are), he can do other practicums and can finish the chaplain basic course at a later time. When a candidate finishes RIETS, he then has a decision to make. He can join the military, he can elect to stay out of such a commitment, or he can wait some time before making a final decision. If he chooses to delay, he can continue to train in practicums in order to determine whether or not the military chaplaincy is for him. Candidates are commissioned officers in the military. They receive pay and benefits for their training in exchange for the responsibilities that they assume as they train. I have no doubt that anyone con-

Rabbi Nisson Shulman

sidering the military chaplaincy should give the candidate program a try. There are plenty of upsides, and practically no downsides. RNS: For me, the decision was simple. At that time we had a lottery or a goral system - a voluntary draft. My number was fairly low, so I had a moral obligation to go to the military. My father and mother felt that we owe so much to America that we have to pay the country back in any way that we can. CHAVRUSA: How did your RIETS training help you as a chaplain? RNS: Several ways. My close relationship with the Rav enabled me to call him at any time with shaylas whenever they came up. My secular and Torah training enabled me to fit in to the large group of chaplains who were there. They regarded me as someone of intellectual equality or even superiority because of Yeshiva. There were 27 chaplains with me on that base and I was the only Jewish chaplain. One of these chaplains later became the US Navy Chief of Chaplains. He had never seen or met a Jew before he met me, even though he grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Years later, he would call me when I was in the pulpit to obtain Hebrew quotes whenever he addressed a Jewish group, which was often. Finally, the experience of the continued on page 14
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Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Legacy Heritage Rabbinic Enrichment Initiative Programs Year 1

Communal days of learning: Coordinated with local rabbis, programs in Denver, CO, Fair Lawn, NJ, Houston, TX, Miami Beach, FL, Phoenix, AZ, Rochester, NY, Skokie, IL, and West Hempstead, NY; brought Talmidei Chachamim and scholars out to the communities to speak to nearly 900 people on a variety of contemporary issues. Regional Rabbinic Seminars: Rabbinic Seminars in Detroit, MI, Los Regional Rabbinic Seminar, west Hempstead, ny Angeles, CA, Montreal and West Hempstead, NY hosted dozens of Rabbinic Alumni for shiurim and sessions to support the work of area rabbis. mentorship Program: 8 senior rabbis mentoring a total of 16 younger rabbis, working with them on developing and supporting the personal and professional quality of their rabbinate. yarchei kallah: Providing Chomer LeDrush and seminars on effective teaching to 3 cohorts of nearly 40 rabbis each, led by Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter. Clockwise Rabbis Brian Thau; Dovid Kupchik; The Rabbinic Research and Resource Center: Answering hundreds of Micah Gimpel; Eli Schick; Akiva Sacknovitz; requests from rabbis for assistance in researching a host of topics, and providing materials and resources from our beis medrash and library with rabbis in every corner of the world. national Conference: Engaging rabbinic, educational and lay leaders in issues confronting our communities, and working collectively to focus joint efforts on issues of common concern.

Community day of learning, miami, Fl

Rabbinic mentor Seminar

Rebbetzins yarchei kallah

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

Rabbi Edward Davis and Rabbi Dale Polakoff

Rebbitzen Rachel Wilinsky and Rebbitzen Karen Hochberg

Community day of learning, Houston, TX

yarchei kallah

yarchei kallah

Rabbi Yaakov Neuberger

Participants at a recent Yarchei Kallah

Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm and Rabbi Naphtali Weisz

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Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Regional Rabbinic Seminar, los Angeles, CA

Community day of learning, Skokie, Il

Rabbi Yonasan Sacks and Rabbi Elazar Muskin

(From left to right) Rabbi Shannan Gelman, Rabbi Dr. John Krug, Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Dr. Norman Blumenthal

Rabbinic mentor Seminar

yarchei kallah

Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt and Rabbi Howard Zack

Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, Rabbi David Wilensky, Rabbi Shalom Morris

Community day of learning, Phoenix, AZ

Community day of learning, Rochester, ny

Rabbi Ezra Schwartz

Rabbi Shaya Kilimnick, Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman, Rabbi Mordechai Hochheimer

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

13

Annointed for War

continued from page 13

military helped me understand America much better than otherwise I might have. It works both ways. As the first Orthodox chaplain in the navy, often what I had to do was groundbreaking. Rav Soloveitchik was a great help to me. RMG: The rigor of the yeshiva day prepared me for the length of the day in training. The only thing I have ever found as strenuous as a good day of learning was this army training. The experience of RIETS, which I believe is the only place that offers this, grounds oneself in Torah while remaining open to the world. That is exactly what you need for a military chaplaincy. Since its a non-Jewish environment, you have to be strong in your own frumkeit so it doesnt lapse or compromise. You have to be sure when to draw the line, but must also be flexible in other areas. Our training was at Fort Jackson, SC. Mitch and me were the only two Jews there in the chaplain training among 137 other students, including Protestants, a few Catholic priests and one Budhist (he may be the first ever Budhist chaplain). To my surprise, I became close with a few of the Catholics. We have some things in common such as a liturgical tradition and an Oral tradition. The chaplaincy is a Judeo-Christian environment. They really love Jews there. They all acknowledge the Jews as the people of the Bible and were always curious asking Mitch and I questions about Tanach. Many were learning Hebrew and tried to engage us in conversation. The first chaplain recruiter I met told me how meaningful it was when he walked through the Iraqi city of Ur Kasdim, in the footsteps of Abraham. Little things like that show their great respect for Jews. There are many other examples I can offer. RNS: Once the Head of Chaplains called me complaining that in his opinion, it was objectionable that the Tablet of the Law pin worn by Jewish chaplains had Roman numerals in them. He felt that the numbers one through ten should be in the aleph bet. He solicited my opinion on the matter, which of course was supportive of his sentiment. He organized a blue-ribbon panel to meet in Washington to discuss this potential change in the military uni14

US Navy Jewish Chaplain Shoulder Boards .

form, to which he invited me. Ultimately he succeeded in changing the regulation and Jewish chaplains now wear the aseret hadibrot with letters aleph through yud adorning them. RMR: I think a better question would be how military chaplaincy training would help someone as a RIETS student and rabbi. The training that the military offers cannot be found anywhere else. This is true both for general skills and religious skills. The military does not teach religion, but it does teach you how to apply your religious beliefs in difficult practical settings. This training is difficult if not impossible to obtain in civilian schools. The environment is simply not there. Civilian schooling serves the purpose of providing an education and practical training for a civilian environment. Military training does two things it provides training for a military environment, and gives soldiers unique skills that they can use for their rabbinical practices in the civilian world as well. CHAVRUSA: How does the avodah as a chaplain differ from all other forms of rabbanus you have encountered? RNS: One major difference is the age of those to whom you minister. Today the all volunteer army is largely made up of mobilized reserve units. The soldiers are therefore older, often family men, and the problems of family separation are a large part of their burden. In addition, the trauma of battle can change personalities so that many psychological problems could ensue. When I served, from 1956-1958, the challenges were mild by comparison. The soldiers I used to encounter were mostly between the ages of 17-25. Most of these

young men had very little Jewish education and minimal affiliations. I felt that my primary job was to attempt to halt intermarriages on the base. During my two years on post, at any given time, there were more than 100 Jewish boys on base. (One half of one percent of the 27,000 men on base were Jewish.) There was only one intermarriage during my tenure. What did I do to try to prevent intermarriage? I mobilized girls groups (ages 16-20) from Milwaukee to Chicago. (The base in Waukegan was between these two cities). I made a party for these boys once a month, which was the only time off that they had. When I took them to these parties, they made social contacts with these girls. Practically, these were the only girls they could date. It solved the problem without my needing to do anything. I had to find a different reason each month for the Command to permit me to take the boys off base. It had to be a holiday celebration. In the military, I had to present Judaism to the world. Non-Jews of high rank would come to special services such as kol nidrei or the Pesach seder. You had to invite them out of courtesy. I was amazed at how little many intelligent and educated non-Jews knew about Judaism. Today, chaplains who area mobilized to active duty go from base to base in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, to counsel and teach Judaism in an outreach way. In those days we also counseled the soldiers but todays task of counseling soldiers feeling the stress of family separation, of being split by distance and wanting to remain close is much harder than counseling a young lonely recruit. But visiting the hospitals and helping in the life-cycle is the same challenge that you

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

find in the rabbinate. But we had to head off the day-3 circumcisions that the military offered. I had to convince the young couple to wait until day 8 and then it was my responsibility to find a mohel. Civilians helped pay for transporting and paying the mohel. Over time, with Rav Soloveitchiks guidance, I found an observant Navy doctor to whom I taught hilchos milah, and he served as our mohel. RMG: They want us to be able to physically keep up and identify with the soldiers to whom we minister. For that reason we undergo basic training akin to any other soldier. We learned basic army skills like land navigation and cartography. They put us in the woods at night and told us to get to the next point with only a compass and a map. We had to learn how to use a gas mask and even had to expose ourselves to tear gas for a few seconds. We crawled on the dirt while live rounds were fired above us. We learned how to march in formation and spent a lot of time on physical conditioning. After sitting in the Bais Midrash for the past few years, the physical aspects were hard for me at first. But the rigor of the day (typical day from 5 am to 5 pm) was easier for Mitch and me. For most other chaplains the responses were reversed. We worked out at 5:30; each soldier was permitted to pray from 8 to 8:30, followed by more physical training until noon. On most days, the second half of the day featured classes on the structure of the army. Chaplains, however, do not bear arms at all and as such, had no weapons training. As men of God, chaplains are non-combatants. But today on the battlefront, each chaplain receives an armed chaplains assistant. CHAVRUSA: What life lessons have you learned from the military? RMR: If anyone wants to see examples of the highest character traits, the deot of Rambam, followed by his peers in an everyday environment, I would recommend trying out the Army chaplaincy in a heartbeat. The dedication, loyalty, honor, humility, respect, and energy that soldiers exude are simply overwhelming. This is life lived to the fullest. Military life requires sacrifice

Rabbi Hershel Schacter leads Shavuot Services in Buchenwald on May 18, 1945

and selflessness. It has been a humbling experience for me, and I have learned a great deal from my peers here, particularly from those with prior service. RNS: Awareness of different kinds of people; being able to deal with civilians and servicemen on their own level; understanding other faiths, denominations and religions; being able to defend Torah Judaism if and when necessary; a certain tolerance. There is a lot of loneliness among the chaplains. When I was on base near Chicago, I was able to make friends in the Jewish community. I befriended a Rabbi Shapiro, who taught at the Chicago Yeshiva - a great talmid chacham. We learned together twice a week. For, in the spirit of aseh lecha rav, it was necessary since in addition to personal loneliness, one can also experience intellectual loneliness. RMG: The importance of discipline. I realized how spoiled I was. Sometimes its a little good to be yelled at by a sergeant. It deflates your ego. We could all use some of that. I also learned the importance of teamwork; having to adapt to stressful and new situations. Most importantly, you learn how to stay yourself and committed to Torah while in a non-Jewish environment. CHAVRUSA: What would you tell musmakhim contemplating joining the military chaplaincy? RMR: If you think you can do it, and you

think you might want to, you might as well try it. There is much to gain and practically nothing to lose. The gains include an opportunity to explore a possible career or part-time job, excellent and useful training, character development, and great pay and benefits to help out with school. More importantly, the military provides an excellent opportunity for Kiddush HaShem, sanctification of Gods name, and of course to serve soldiers and fellow Jews in a challenging and rewarding setting. If anyone would like to speak to me about the military chaplaincy further, please feel free to email me at [Link]@[Link]. RMG: Ultimately, what really drew me in was the aphorism bmakom shein anashim hishtadel lhiyot ish. There are Jews in the military and they really need Orthodox rabbis to help them through. There are not enough rabbis in the Army today. The Jews there really need an advocate in terms of helping them stay observant. This is extremely difficult in the US Army, during a very emotional and stressful time in their life. If you are looking for adventure as well as a challenge, this is the way to go. Just like with any kiruv situation, its not for everyone. Lets just say that you wont be able to learn 3 sdarim a day while serving as a chaplain! Mitch and I tried to learn every day during basic training. RNS: Its a tremendous mitzvah and there is great satisfaction. It has many benefits for later on practical ones. n
15

er

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

TEACH NYS is a partnership model that works

By Elliot Gibber & Sam Sutton

no Joke
for the same project.

It could have been the opening line of a joke: two rabbis and a cardinal are walking outside the State Senate chamber in Albany, NY when they stop to talk to a reporter But this was no joke. It was a true partnership to press elected officials to help poor and middle class parents crushed by a tuition burden. Heads turned as bearded rabbis walked through the Capitol with New Yorks Catholic Archbishop, Edward Cardinal Egan and the Bishop of Brooklyn. As pulpit rabbis are acutely aware more than anyone perhaps, there is no greater topic of discussion and lament among Orthodox families at the shul Kiddush or the Shabbos table than the high (and ever rising) costs of yeshiva tuition. Potential parts of a solution include creating endowments for day schools, community scholarships, and a greater focus on tzedaka targeted to day schools, as well as efforts to see every will includes a bequest to local schools. The other major area everyone looks to is government. This has been, until recently, an arena that Orthodox Jews ignored, whether out of a misunderstanding of Church-State separation, bad advice on that same topic, or perhaps out of a lack of understanding as to how to approach government. But recently, efforts to lobby our elected officials have yielded real results. In New York, a statewide coalition called TEACH NYS brings together Orthodox Jews (including Yeshivas Center for the Jewish Future, the Orthodox Union and the National Council of Young Israel), the

Sephardic Community Federation, New Yorks Catholic Conference and New Yorks Association of Independent Schools to advocate for tax credits, deductions and other tangible ways to help parents who struggle to pay tuition bills. Our coalition work produced a rally supporting education tax credits that drew over 5,000 people to the Capitol on a crisp winter day, and secured $600 million in annual tax credits for families with school aged children - a hard won compromise with key legislators unwilling to provide a tax credit for education per se. This year, with support from Governor Spitzer, a push was made for deduction of private school tuition. An open letter to the governor signed by leaders of faith from across New York was published during the tail end of budget negotiations. Pushback from the teachers unions was intense, especially after the compromise last year on the child tax credit. So you win some, and you lose some and some loss! To compensate for thwarting this years help for families campaign we were given millions in new monies for computer hardware for our schools and millions more in direct reimbursements to our schools! And the foundation is laid for a future of more wins. In America today, success in the legislatures is dependent on broad coalitions. Moneyed, special interests like the teachers unions can fight to preserve a status quo for only so long when elected officials see their religious leaders, neighbors, and constituents shoulder to shoulder fighting

TEACH NYS has been a success because it has: Focused on achievable but meaningful goals; Acted in a bi-partisan fashion; Aggressively supported supportive legislators; and, Engaged in partnerships with otherwise diverse groups. This is a model that can be replicated anywhere. School choice is among the hottest domestic policy issues across the country, in states as diverse as Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and more. TEACH NYS needs grass roots rabbinic and lay leadership support to help advance its cause in New York and TEACH NYS looks forward to serving as a resource and partner to askanim and rabbonim in other states looking to press this issue. Most people agree that there is not one solution, but everyone agrees that a concerted and sustained long term effort is needed. Today is the day. To get involved in TEACH NYS or for information of starting a similar coalition in your area, please contact: Howie Beigelman at the OU via howieb@[Link], Michael Tobman at TEACH NYS via Michael@ [Link]; David Greenfield at the Sephardic Community Federation via david@ [Link] or reach out to the CJF office directly.

Elliot Gibber, YU and RIETS trustee is also Senior Vice President of the Orthodox Union, chair of the OU Tuition Initiative, and President of TEACH NYS. Sam Sutton, a Yeshiva College alum, is President of the Sephardic Community Federation is Vice President of TEACH NYS and a trustee of the City University of New York. Messrs. Gibber & Sutton are parents of either recent graduates or current students at Yeshiva.

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Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Plain Talk from Plainview

for that I am particularly thankful.

Questions for a new Rabbi

Rabbi Elie Weissman

m ani kan ha-kol kan. If I am here then everyone is here. The original context of this quotation is a gemara in Sukkah (Sukkah 53a): bsimchat beit hashoevah amar kein, im ani kan hakol kan; vim eini kan, mi kan. According to Rashi, Hillel here speaks in the name of God. God declares at the midst of this moment of unbridled joy and ecstasy If I am here then all are here. Yet, interestingly enough, Tosafot points out that according to the Yerushalmi, Hillel refers not to God, but to himself. If the Yerushalmi is correct, Hillel is making a bold statement. If I, Hillel, am here than so is everyone. In my mind, Hillels bold statement is actually a revolutionary moment of clarity. A declaration: since I know that I am here to celebrate, my relationship with God is so powerful, my feeling of oneness with am yisrael is so keen everyone that I need is here. What impresses me about this gemara is that at moments of happiness, of brilliance, of closeness Instead of becoming lost in frivolity, we ask a difficult and loaded existential question Why am I here? So today I ask why am I here? There are of course a number of levels to this question. Ranging from why am I here in Crest Hollow Country Club being installed to why am I here in this universe. I will deal with one at a time. Why am I here at Crest Hollow Country Club being installed? This questioned is answered partially by

referring you to one of my particularly stubborn if not obstinate relatives, who I promised would remain nameless (he actually couldnt make it because tonight is tennis night. But well return to him later). But I am here in Crest Hollow also due to the hard work and effort of the dinner committee, led by Sandy Karoll and Larry Pollack. They put up with a lot of grief and long hours, and a cantankerous honoree. And overall they did an amazing, and bang up job. So to answer the first question, why am I here in Crest Hollow? I am here, WE are here, because of their immense work and dedication. So on behalf of the Young Israel of Plainview (and being the Rabbi I can speak on their behalf) I thank you. Why am here in Plainview? This too is somehow related to a stubborn and often unreasonable relative, who I hardly knew until I moved here to Plainview. And, depending on how the next few years go, I want to thank him. Also more particularly because Lou, Marty, and Gerry had the forethought to take me out to Dougies in order to convince me to take the job. I am here because of the giants who came before me, Rabbi Aaron Shapiro, Rabbi Leon Salonge, and of course Rabbi Moshe Portnoy (whose second yahrtzeit we now approach) all zichronam livracha . I hope to live up to their examples. But I am also here in Plainview because of all of you sitting here and those who were unable to make it as well. You have been welcoming, and warm. You have opened your homes and your hearts to me and my family, and

I am a young rabbi, and I have made mistakes. While I have no intention of making any more in the future, I have a hunch that I will. To a certain extent teaching, for me, has come quite naturally. It is the cloak of leader and pastor that I still wear uncomfortably. I thank you for your support and understanding as I grow into it. I am thankful to the two wonderful presidents I have been privileged to work with. Lou and Ken, your guidance and perspectives have been to me essential. I am appreciative to those who have given me advice, and so too just as much to those who have not. There is a great amount of Kavod that goes along with being elected Rabbi of a shul. Yet most of all I am thankful to those who have had the courage and understanding to be my friend, for that in my mind is the greatest kavod of all. The kavod of a Rav is hard to earn, the kavod of earning peoples respect as a friend is invaluable. So to answer the second question, why am I here in Plainview? I am in Plainview because of all of you. Why am I here in the world of avodat ha-kodesh, chinuch, Jewish education and communal leadership? I am here because I was inspired. Inspired first by professional, caring, and sensitive educators. Starting specifically at the Jewish Foundation School and then the Yeshiva of Flatbush, where I was exposed to teachers from across a wide ideological spectrum all of whom shared the same goal of inspiring Jewish youth to greater commitment. I again found inspiration at Yeshivat Har Etzion, Gush, from my Roshei Yeshiva Rav Yehuda Amital and Rav Aharon Lichtenstien powerfully committed, powerfully creative, passionate about the future of am Yisrael and the religious Zionist Ideal. It is their vision that continues to inspire me. And moreover, it is the friendships that I formed there that continue to serve as my inspiration and support. In Yeshiva University its easy to get caught up in the atmosphere. Every one has their own local issues, complaints. But now

This article is a written transcript of Rabbi Elie Weissmans speech at his instalation ceremony as the Rabbi of the Young Israel of Plainview..
Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007 17

as I get farther away from the time I spent there as a student, I see more clearly all that I had gained from my time bein kotlei beit Hamidrash. Rav Rosensweig offered me a perspective on Lomdus, an understanding that I had never before experienced. Asking nuanced often even philosophical questions, when exploring the underpinnings and complexity of the Halachik argument leading to a broad conceptual understanding of HKBHs Torah. From Rabbi Carmy, my mind was opened for real to the Philosophy of the Rav and to the rich intellectual history of the Jewish people. From Rav Glickman, the critical eye necessary to explore Halacha and that what I had been doing when learning a gemara in Bava Metzia was necessary for explore psak halacha and even life. I am also here because the Yeshiva of Flatbush decided to take a chance on an alumnus with no experience, and took the time to guide me, offering me mentors of unbelievable quality- among them Rabbi Dr. David Eliach who we were privileged to host here in Plainview. And now at Central (YUs precious secret), I am privileged to continue my first love education in the classroom with incomparable students. Why am I here in the rabbinate? For this I thank Rabbi Yaakov Lerner who

has been a role model and mentor to me. He was a friend of Rabbi Portnoy and I am glad that the lines of communication between the Young Israels of Plainview and Great Neck continue. I am here also because of the gentle nudging of Rabbi Barry Kornblau of the Young Israel of Windsor Park, who put me in front of his congregation. I feel very privileged that Rabbi Ronald Schwarzberg and Rabbi Kenny Brander were able to be here today. The Center for Jewish Future has offered me such valuable guidance and assistance, whether on a professional or spiritual level. They have truly gathered the best of YU into one place and models like Rabbi Brander and Rabbi Schwarzberg are an inspiration to young rabbis. The Center for Jewish Future merges the best of Yeshiva University and I feel privileged to be a part of it. Finally, Avital and I are here in this field because of the support of our parents (who have schlepped all the way in from Florida and Binghamton respectively). The path that we have chosen is complex, but we were given great confidence by supportive parents. They did not merely accept our choice, but actively assisted, advised and guided. For this they should truly be lauded. And Avital and I love them dearly for it. Why am I here on earth?

I dont know. Yet what I do know is that once I am here, I have been given a beautiful family to share it with. Bill Cosby once said I am not the boss in my house. I am not sure when I lost the job, but I know this. Ive seen the work. I dont want it! I am privileged to be married to a wonderful educator. A woman who cares deeply for the Jewish people, for Eretz Yisrael, and who keeps our house a bright and deeply spiritual place. Who puts up with so much and inspires me every day. I do not know what I would do without you. I feel privileged to have a share in your home. What you do for our family, for Tiferet and Leba, is immeasurable. They are unique and growing because of you. No one stands when she walks into a room, she doesnt get installed, she doesnt get the aliyah for chazak, yet all the kavod in the world is owed to her. Sheli vshelachem shelah hu, all that I have gained is due to you. Avital. I thank you all again for this honor. Thank you all those who came from Staten Island, from Florida, New Jersey and all over. And thank you all those from Plainview. May Hashem bless us all, may He grant refuah sheleima to all those who are in need, and may our community continue to grow and prosper ultimately in Eretz Yisrael. n

RIETS Tribute Dinner Honors Three Leaders

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), an affiliate of Yeshiva University, honored distinguished RIETS roshei yeshiva (professor of Talmud) Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, and Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg and Rabbi Mordechai Besser, at a tribute dinner celebrating Torah excellence on Sunday, June 10, 2007, in New York City. Rabbi Goldwicht, who is the Joel and Maria Finkle Visiting Israeli Rosh Yeshiva and a rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva Universitys undergraduate Yeshiva Program/Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, is a prominent Israeli scholar and educator. He is head rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva Universitys Irving I. Stone Continued on Page 20
18 Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Top row, L-R: Honorees Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg, and Rabbi Mordechai Besser. Bottom row, L-R: Rabbi Zevulun Charlop, the Max and Marion Grill Dean of RIETS; YU President Richard M. Joel; Rabbi Norman Lamm, YU Chancellor and Rosh HaYeshiva of RIETS; and Julius Berman, chairman of the RIETS Board of Trustees.

...
TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL RABBI ISAAC ELCHANAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

HAUSMAN/STERN KINUS TESHUVA LECTURES

RENUNCIATION, DIVORCE, AND REHABILITATION: REFLECTIONS ON FACETS OF TESHUVA
RABBI AHARON LICHTENSTEIN
Rabbi Henoch and Sarah D. Berman Professor of Talmud, Rosh Kollel and Director, Gruss Institute WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 jxa, hra, jk rut 7:30 PM
40 DUVDEVANI STREET, BAYIT VEGAN, JERUSALEM

TESHUVA AND ITS CONTEMPORARY RESONANCE IN THE RAMBAMS YAD HACHAZAKA

RABBI ZEVULUN CHARLOP
Max and Marion Grill Dean, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 jxa, hra, jk rut
Live Webcast at the Marcos & adina Katz [Link] LIVE WEBCAST AT [Link]/TORAH

8:00 PM WEISSBERG COMMONS-BELFER HALL WILF CAMPUS OF YESHIVA UNIVERSITY 2495 AMSTERDAM AVENUE AT 184TH STREET
Lectures will be in English. For more information, directions, and parking, please contact: The Max Stern Division of Communal Services / CJF 212-960-5263 or by email at lectures@[Link]

Richard M. Joel President RIETS Rabbi Norman Lamm Rosh HaYeshiva RIETS Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Max and Marion Grill Dean RIETS Rabbi Kenneth Brander Dean Max Stern Division of Communal Services / CJF RIETS Julius Berman Chairman Board of Trustees RIETS

B R I N G

W I S D O M

T O

L I F E

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

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Rabbi Charlop to Retire and Assume New Post

continued from page 3

Board and in his participation in seminars and other such opportunities. Rabbi Charlop appointed most of the current Roshei Yeshiva and initiated the Kollel Elyon. In an interview with the YU Commentator (Volume LXXI Issue 10 Final), Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, RIETS Rosh HaYeshiva, commented: Rabbi Charlops years of service were distinguished by ideological consistency, firm leadership, and an uncanny ability to reconcile opposing views in his learned and eminent faculty. He had to deal with an often impatient president who had his own ideas - and yet we remained not only respectful colleagues but also good and dear friends. Rabbi Lamm noted that Rabbi Charlop occupied his position both before and after he served as President of the University. That same article in the Commentator quoted Rabbi Michael Rosensweig 80R, the Nathan and Perel Schupf Professor of Talmud, who also had high praise for the RIETS menahel. I think that Rabbi Charlop has magnificently protected the priorities of the values of the yeshiva and the university. He has been an advocate of the yeshiva to the university for a long time. He continued: I think I speak for all of the Roshei Yeshiva in saying that we are all very comforted during this transition by

Rabbi Charlop at a RIETS Yom Iyun with Rabbi Kenneth Brander (l), President Richard Joel (r)

the fact that Rabbi Charlop will continue to be a force within Yeshiva for many years. He has contributed so much in his capacity as dean and will continue to do so in his new role in the university. Rabbi Charlop graduated from Yeshiva College in 1951 and received his semikhah three years later. He taught American history at Yeshiva College and has been the Spiritual Leader of the Young Israel of Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx since his ordination. Rabbi Charlop was tapped as the Director of the Mazer Yeshiva Program, the largest undergraduate Jewish studies program, and RIETS in 1971. In 1987 he was named Dean. Rabbi Charlop is the scion of a family with a tradition of rabbinic leadership and Jewish scholarship. He has authored numerous scholarly essays, including The Making of Orthodox Rabbis in Encyclopedia Judaica, and G-d in History and Halakha from the Perspective of American History. He has served

as president of the American Committee for the United Charities in Israel, General Israel Orphans Home for Girls in Jerusalem, and the National Council of Young Israel Rabbis. He is the editor of three novellae on Torah and Talmud by his late father, the noted Rabbi Yechiel Michel Charlop. Rabbi Charlop was honored at the 2006 Chag Hasemikhah Convocation with the esteemed Harav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik ztl Aluf Torah Award. He joins Rosh Hayeshiva Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, and Rabbi Dr. Aaron Lichtenstein 59R, the occupant of the Rabbi Henoch and Sarah D. Berman Chair in Talmud, as the only three individuals upon whom this honor has been bestowed. n At the time of printing CHAVRUSA, no announcement has been made regarding the new RIETS Dean.

RIETS Tribute Dinner Honors Three Leaders

Beit Midrash Program. Rabbi Hochberg, who leads the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates and is mashgiach ruchani (spiritual advisor) of Stern College for Women, received the RIETS Distinguished Rabbinic Leadership award. He was recently elected President of the Rabbinical Council of America. Rabbi Besser, principal of Manhattan Day School, received the RIETS Educator of the Year award. He resides in Kew Gardens Hills, New York. Rabbi Hochberg and Rabbi

continued from page 18

Besser are musmakhim (graduates) of RIETS. The tribute dinner also recognized the 25th and 50th anniversary classes of RIETS. The event, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, began at 4 pm with Torah presentations followed by a reception at 5 pm and dinner at 6 pm. General chairman of the dinner was Steven Adelsberg, secretary of the Board of Directors of YUs Azrieli Graduate School of Jew-

ish Education and Administration. Maria Finkle, who established with her late husband, Joel, the RIETS Joel and Maria Finkle Visiting Israeli Rosh Yeshiva Program, served as honorary chair. n

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Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

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Lifecycles
books
Rabbi Michael Broyde 93R has published a new edition of his book, The Pursuit of Justice and Jewish Law: Halakhic Perspectives on the Legal Profession. The book examines the ethical and halachic issues raised by the many facets of law practice and provides guidance on a number of issues that are of relevance to anyone dealing with the secular justice system (particularly regarding mesirah). The book can be purchased at local bookstores or online at [Link]. Rabbi Daniel Mann 89R has edited the new book, Living the Halachic Process: Questions and Answers for the Modern Jew. Rabbi Mann is a faculty member at both Yeshiva Universitys RIETS Israel Kollel and at Yeshivat Shvilei Hatorah. For more information about the book, please go to [Link] or email info@[Link] Dr. David Zomick has published Rejoice In Your Festivals (Penetrating Insights Into Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot), Urim Press. The volume is based on the meticulous notes of the late RIETS Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Zvi Dov kanotopsky 44R. RIETS Student Yoni and Shani Chambre on the birth of a son, Aryeh Moshe. Mazel tov also to grandparents Rabbi Allen 86R and Alisa Schwartz. Rabbi Judah 01R and Naomi Dardik on the birth of a daughter, Hodayah Cheyn. RIETS Student Erez and Debra David on the birth of a daughter, Rena. Rabbi Zvi 02R and Laurie Engel on the birth of a son, Yaakov Noam. Rabbi Joshua 01R and Aviva Friedman on the birth of a son, Yehuda. Rabbi Eliot 75R and Ann Feldman on the birth of a grandson, Ilan Yehuda, to Ari and Leah Feldman. Beren Kollel Elyon member Rabbi Dani and Zipora Gelernter on the birth of a daughter, Zahava. Rabbi Mark 94R and Chumi Gottlieb on the birth of a daughter, Rina Eliana. Rabbi Maury 04R and Malka Grebenau on the birth of a daughter, Bayla Aliza. RIETS Student Gary and Leba Guttenberg on the birth of a son, Menashe. Rabbi Kenneth 78R and Nancy Hain on the marriage of their son, RIETS Student Yonah Hain to Ilana Stein. Rabbi Isaiah 55R and Sara Hertzberg on the birth of their great-granddaughter, Tehilla Zaslow, daughter of their grandchildren Shoshana and Levi Zaslow. Rabbi Gili and Chaya Houpt on the birth of twin daughters, Yemima Bracha and Bara Avigayil Ness. RIETS Student Raphy Hulkower on his marriage to Miriam Ausubel. Rabbi Yonatan and Miriam Kaganoff on the birth of a son, Menachem Nachum. RIETS Student Michael and Mira Kaplan on the birth of a son, Yoel. Rabbi Martin 75R and Yaffa Katz and Rabbi Dr. E. Yechiel 55R and Natalie Simon on the birth of a son, Dovid Katz, to their children/grandchildren, Esti & Avi Katz. RIETS Student Eli and Naomi Kohl on the birth of a son, Yisroel Akiva. Rabbi Moshe 87R and Chashie Krupka on the birth of a daughter, Tehila Tova. Rabbi Sholom 82R and Shifra Kurz on the birth of a granddaughter. RIETS Student Naphtali and Elana Lavenda on the birth of a daughter, Ahuva Rachel. Mazal tov also to grandparents, Rabbi Stuart 80R and Karen Lavena. RIETS Student David and Adina Lessin on the birth of a daughter, Ayelet Maytal. Rabbi Yosie 06R and Rachel Levine on the birth of a son, Akiva. Rabbi Aaron 05R and Elisheva Levitt on the birth of twins, Simcha and Rina Yocheved. Rabbi Asher 96R and Rachel Lopatin on the birth of a son, Gideon Bert Shalom. RIETS Student Zvi and Miriam Lowy on the birth of a daughter, Sara Tehila. Rabbi Uriel 00R and Shani Lubetski on the birth of a son, Yehuda. Rabbi Dovid 02R and Meira Mintz on the birth of a son, Moshe. Rabbi Etan Mintz 05R on his marriage to Tammy Haendel. Rabbi Yitzchak Motzen 05R on his marriage to Susan Rudolph. Wexner Kollel Elyon member Rabbi David 05R and and Jenny Nachbar on the birth of a daughter, Liba Yiska. RIETS Student Asher and Rivka Nemes on the birth of a son, Tova Menucha. RIETS Student Jeff and Aviva Ney on the birth of a son, Menachem Ben Tzion. Rabbi Joseph 99R and Ashira Ozarowski on the marriage of their son Rabbi Shalom Ozarowski to Bryna Billauer and the marriage of their daughter Chani to Yosef Newman. Rabbi Chaim and Shoshana Poupko on the birth of a daughter, Ayelet Malka. Rabbi Tzvi 97R and Shifra Pittinsky on the birth of daughter, Tzofiya Tikva Rabbi Dale Polakoff 82R on being honored at the Orthodox Union annual dinner. Rabbi Jonathan 06R and Nechama Price on the birth of a daughter, Navah Tovah. Rabbi Bennett 66R and Ruth Rackman and Rabbi Emanuel 34R Rackman on the birth of a granddaughter and great grand-daughter respectively, Devorah Bayla. Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel and Chasida Reichman, on the birth of a grandchild to Yehoshua and Tzippy Klaver. Rabbi Yona 91R and Mindy Reiss on the birth of a son, Yishai Refael. Rabbi Zvi 99R and Shira Romm on the birth of a son, Moshe Simcha. RIETS Student Michael and Esther Rootman on the birth of a daughter, Devora. Rabbi Moshe 02R and Yonit Rothchild, on the birth of a daughter, Shira Gabriella. Rabbi Jason and Bruriah Rozen on the birth of a son. Rabbi Benjamin Samson 60R on being honored with the 207 Zagelbaum Chaplain of the Year Award by The New York Board of Rabbis. Rabbi Benjamin 96R and Stephanie Samuels on the bar mitzvah of their eldest son, Amitai. RIETS Student Eitan and Rebecca Schnall on the birth of a daughter, Chana Esther. Mazal tov also to the grandparents, Azrieli Dean Rabbi Dr. David 72R and Toby Schnall and Rabbi Solomon 49R and Bertha Shoulson. Rabbi Eliezer Schnall 03R on his marriage to Shira Hirsch. Mazal tov also to his parents, Azrieli Dean Rabbi Dr. David 72R and Toby Schnall. Rabbi Marc Schneier 83R on being elected Chairman of the World Jewish Congress, American Section. RIETS Student Ari Schwarzberg on his marriage to Naomi Weiss. Mazal tov also to his parents, Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future Jewish Career Development and Placement Director, Rabbi Ronald 83R and Judy Schwarzberg. RIETS Student David and Monica Shabtai on the birth of a son, Eliyahu Mordechai. Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Eliahu Baruch and Esti Shulman on the marriage of their daughter, Chava Shulman, to Moshe Avigdor Konigsberg. Mazal tov also to Chavas grandparents, Rabbi Nisson 55R and Rywka Shulman. Rabbi Solomon 49R and Bertha Shoulson as well as Rabbi Jay 79R and Jody Shoulson on the graduation of their granddaughter/daughter as a Doctor of Veterinary Science. Rabbi Moshe R07 and Mirel Stavsky on the birth of a daughter, Ora Temima. RIETS Student Rafi and Malka Stohl on the birth of a son, Eliyahu. Rabbi Aaron 94R and Marci Tirschwell on the birth of their third son (and first sabra), Yehuda Yaakov. RIETS Student Phillip and Sharona Vedol on the birth of a son, Shlomo Binyamin. Rabbi Dr. Ronald 72R and Resa Warburg on the birth of two grand-

mazal Tov
Rabbi Kenneth 78R and Joanne Auman on the birth of a grandson, born to their children Penina and Avraham Yitzchak Braunstein. Rabbi Shalom 95R and Rachel Axelrod on the birth of a daughter, Nomi Tifara. Rabbi Moshe 75R and Rachel Bomzer, on the marriage of their daughter Leebie to Shragie Teller. Mazal tov also to grandparents, Rabbi Herbert 51R and Leona Bomzer. Rabbi Ari 95R and Anita Berman on the bar-mitzvah of their son, Shlomo. RIETS Student Etan and Yonina Berman on the birth of a son, Nechemiah. RIETS Student David Berger on his marriage to Talya Ladell. Rabbi Mordechai Besser 70R, Rosh Yeshiva Rav Meir Goldwicht, and Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg 73R on being honored at the RIETS annual dinner. Mazal tov also to Rabbi Hochberg on his appointment as the incoming President of the Rabbinical Council of America. Rabbi Steven 05R and Rachel Burg on the birth of a son, Natan Yoel Roi. 22 Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

Lifecycles
daughters, Atara to Rafi and Miriam Warburg, and Adina to Shalom and Becky Warburg. Rabbi Nathan & Leah Weiss on the birth of a great granddaughter. Rabbi Elie 05R and Avital Weissman on the birth of a son, Noam David. Rabbi Akiva 06R and Yael Willig on the birth of a son, Betzalel. Mazal tov also to Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mordechai 71R and Fagie Willig. Rabbi Michoel 03R and Rachel Zylberman on the birth of a son, David Netanel. of his mother, Chaya Carmy Rabbi Aaron Feder 55R and his sister-in-law, Mrs. Cecile Feder, on the loss of his brother, Rabbi Walter Feder, MD. The Goldberg and Mondrow families on the loss of Rabbi Jacob Goldberg 46R. Rabbi Sheldon 71R Goldsmith on the passing of his mother, Rose Goldsmith. Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider 94R on the loss of his father, Rabbi Harvey Goldscheider. Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot 89R on the loss of his sister, Dalia Naomi Hay. Jacob W. Heller, Honorary Trustee of RIETS Board of Trustees, on the loss of his brother, Miles Heller. Rabbi David Israel 96R on the loss of his mother, Bella Israel. Rabbi Barry Konovitch 67R on the loss of his father, Rabbi Simon Konovitch 46R. Rabbi Yona Reiss 91R, Menhahel of the Beth Din of America, on the loss of his father, Harry Reiss. Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt 82R on the loss of his father, Dr. David Rosenblatt. Joyce Saltman on the loss of her husband, Rabbi Kopi Saltman 68R. Rabbi Moshe Schapiro 98R on the loss of his mother, Lucille Schapiro. Rabbi Max 52R and Toby Schreier on the loss of Tobys mother, Mrs. Faye Raitzik. The family of the late Rabbi Moshe Aryeh (Maurice) Schwartz of 54R, Rabbi on the loss of Rebbitzen Rachel Schwartz, sister-in-law Gedalia Schwartz 49R. Rabbi Philip 59R and Lilly Schwebel on the loss of their daughter, Dr. Lana Schwebel, Assistant Professor of English at Stern College. Rabbi Joseph Siev 70R on the loss of his mother, Pesel, wife of the late Rabbi Asher Siev 38R. Rabbi Kalman Topp 97R on the loss of his father Dr. Leonard Topp. Rabbi Jeremiah Wohlberg 61R, Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg 68R and Rabbi Saul Wohlberg 67R, on the loss of their mother, Mrs. Jessie Wohlberg.

Condolences
The Bonchek family on the loss of Rabbi Daniel Bonchek 57R Rabbi Shalom Carmy 84R on the loss

Growth opportunities
There are several new & personalized free services that we now offer to Rabbinic Alumni.

for

riets Alumni

The Global Jewish Database (The Responsa Project) at Bar-Ilan University is now available to our alumni. The largest database of its kind, this database includes the full text of Tanach and its principal commentaries, the Talmud Bavli with Rashi and Tosafot, the Talmud Yerushalmi, the Rambams Mishneh Torah, Shulchan Aruch with commentaries, Midrashim, hundreds of Shailot UTeshuvot, and the Talmudic Encyclopedia, representing a period of over three thousand years of Jewish literary creativity. To access the Responsa Project you will need a personal logon, which you receive by emailing alumni@[Link] with your full name, e-mail address and graduation date. Then logon to [Link] to logon and access the Bar Ilan Responsa project, and a host of other resources including Otzar HaHochma, which features the full text of almost 20,000 Sefarim. The Resource and Research Center provides individual assistance in researching issues of Jewish law and thought. Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, Director of Rabbinic Research, will respond to inquiries concerning the above fields to assist you in preparing shiurim or researching halachic issues of interest and importance to you. This service is part of our Legacy Heritage Fund Rabbinic Enrichment Initiative, generously sponsored by the Legacy Heritage Fund Limited. Rabbi Feldman can be reached at: RabbinicResource@[Link]. Do you have a shayla you would like addressed to one of the RIETS Roshei Yeshiva? If you e-mail RabbinicConsult@ [Link], your shayla will be delivered in a timely fashion to be answered by one of our Roshei Yeshiva. A response will be provided within one week. A Shayla can be kept anonymous and will never be discussed with anyone but the Roshei Yeshiva to whom the question is posed. More and more people are raving about [Link], the Marcos and Adina Katz YU Torah Online. Search through thousands of written, audio, and video shiurim from the RIETS Roshei Yeshiva and faculty of the past 100 years. The following RIETS classes are open to Rabbinic Alumni Pastoral Psychology Drs. David Pelcovitz/Norman Blumenthal Friday mornings, 9:00 am Rabbinic Practicum Taught by Roshei Yeshiva & Shul Rabbanim Thursday Afternoons 12:05 pm Contemporary Halacha Rabbi Ezra Schwartz Thursday afternoons, 1:00 pm Fourth Year Halacha Lmaaseh Rabbi Daniel Stein Thursday afternoons, 2:00 pm Advanced Counseling Dr. Pelcovitz Wednesday afternoons at noon. Speech Seminar one of the biggest and most welcome additions to the RIETS curriculum is a strong stress on speech classes, taught by experts in the field. Based upon sufficient interest, RIETS could organize such a speech classes for Rabbinic Alumni for a nominal fee. Size would be limited to ten students per class. Please contact Rabbi Marc Penner at penner@[Link] if you would be interested in attending.

Chavrusa Elul 5767 September 2007

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Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary an affiliate of Yeshiva University Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future Max Stern Division of Communal Service 500 West 185th Street New York, NY 10033

Richard m. Joel President Rabbi dr. norman lamm Chancellor, Yeshiva University Rosh HaYeshiva, RIETS Rabbi kenneth brander Dean, Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi dr. Solomon Rybak President, Rabbinic Alumni Rabbi Ronald l. Schwarzberg Director, Jewish Career Development and Placement Rabbi Elly krimsky Assistant Director, Jewish Career Development and Placement Editor, Chavrusa Rabbi levi mostofsky Director of Rabbinic Programming Associate Editor, Chavrusa Rabbi Robert Shur Coordinator, Community Programs Graphics and Layout, Chavrusa Rabbi naphtali lavenda Program Manager, Jewish Career Development and Placement keren Simon Administrator, Jewish Career Development and Placement

RIETS

Rabbi Zevulun Charlop Max and Marion Grill Dean, RIETS Rabbi Chaim bronstein Administrator, RIETS Rabbi Julius berman Chairman of the Board of Trustees, RIETS