Erev Yom Kippur mishmar at MAY
Erev Yom Kippur mishmar at MAY
Erev Yom Kippur mishmar at MAY

Rabbi Mendy Edelstein Joins Yeshiva Gedolah Ateres Yaakov Faculty. There is tremendous excitement in the air. The kol Torah emanating from the yeshiva gedolah bachurim is palpable, and reverberates throughout the entire Ateres Yaakov building. It is with great excitement that Yeshiva Gedolah Ateres Yaakov welcomes a new maggidshiur, Rabbi Mendy Edelstein, shlita, to its staff of chashuvarebbeim. As a close talmid of Rav Asher Arielli, shlita, of the Mir, Rabbi Edelstein brings with him over a decade of hasmadah and shteiging in limudhaTorah. Rabbi Edelstein has extensive experience teaching talmidim in several other local yeshiva gedolah programs, and also heads the masmidim program at Camp Munk. Rabbi Edelstein was recruited to meet the needs of rapidly expanding enrollment while continuing the high rebbe-talmid ratio the yeshiva maintains. “Baruch Hashem, we are so excited to have Rabbi Edelstein join our yeshiva. Rabbi Edelstein has a warm personality and tremendous clarity in learning,” said Rabbi Meir Braunstein, shlita, roshyeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedolah.

With this great addition to the yeshiva staff, Rabbi Yisroel Gold, shlita, one of the yeshiva’s veteran maggideishiur, can focus on the new first year beismidrash program. Rabbi Gold will continue to develop a close relationship with his talmidim, a key component of Ateres Yaakov’s chinuch methodology.

Ateres Yaakov is also proud to host a thriving kollel, with Rabbi Akiva Willig, shlita, as the kollel’s maggidshiur. The kollel will begin to learn about basar b’chalav this coming zeman,iy’H, and MAY is looking forward to another zeman of growth in yiras Shamayim and Torah.

To schedule a farher or for more information, please call the Ateres Yaakov office at 516-374-6465.

Erev Yom Kippur Mishmar. Throughout the week prior, fliers were posted around the mesivta encouraging boys to sign up for one of seven optional shiurim, all on inyanei Yom Kippur, to be offered on Thursday night after mishmar. It was optional. The brainchild of a number of the mesivta rebbeim, for the third year running, close to 100 boys signed up to participate.

Following poignant, introductory words delivered by the menahel, Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, the chaburos divided and filed into their assigned locations. From the beismidrash itself, to the student lounge, to the teacher’s lounge, there was Torah being disseminated in every corner of the building. It was truly overwhelming.

After a 45-minute interactive shiur, boys relocated to the lunchroom for cholent, kugel, and drinks from Delicious Dishes as they related to one another the highlights of their shiur choice. The atmosphere was one of growth, inspiration, and camaraderie.

And yet, the highlight of the evening was yet to come. Following the refreshments, boys were ushered into the atrium where chairs were set up in a concentric circle surrounding candles flickering brightly on the floor. With the lights out and only the light of the candles and the glow of the talmidim’s faces illuminating the large, imposing room, a heart-melting kumzits began. Interspersed with divreichizuk and uplifting ma’asim from Rabbi Yaffe, the atmosphere was exhilarating. Staring up 40 feet at the room’s skylights into the night sky, it almost felt as if the music and passion were piercing the heavens. Words cannot adequately describe the feelings of emotion, connection, and inspiration that were almost tangible in the room that night.

“When we first ran this program three years ago, we never thought it would be so successful that three years later it would still be inspiring and preparing our talmidim for Yom Kippur,” commented Rabbi Yossi Bennett, assistant menahel, “Rabbi Tsvi Greenfield, our new student activities coordinator, really went above and beyond in preparing this event. It’s a very special z’chus.”

Talmidim and rebbeim alike left that evening close to 10 p.m. prepared and enthusiastic to approach Yom Kippur with the serious, yet optimistic perspective appropriate for the awesome day.

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