Group-Aliyah Exploration by Lakewood Avreichim (NOT Yeshivas Lakewood/BMG Division)

Momentous Event in Lakewood: Group of American ‘Avreichim’ Exploring a Move to Create an American ‘Torah Community’ in Eretz Yisroel.

By Yosef Benari JUL 7, 2021

A public meeting was held in Lakewood this past Tuesday evening sponsored by group of Avreichim in Lakewood, for the purpose of inspiring others to move to Eretz Yisroel and establish a thriving Torah community for American B’nei Torah.

This project that began to take shape nearly 2 years ago, spearheaded by Rabbi Dovid Koleditsky Shlita, R”Y of Yeshiva Etz Chaim in Lakewood.

Initially, it was proposed to Rav Malkiel Kotler as an adjunctive community to Lakewood/BMG. Rav Kotler was greatly interested. However, the project stalled as a result of COVID 19 and all of the misfortune that followed.

However, Reb Dovid never shelved the idea and continued to research the possibility. As the idea simmered and began to take shape a prospective site emerged in the city of Acco which seemed to provide a generous opportunity that would enable both affordable housing as well as an already existing infrastructure that would provide for the establishment of Mosdos for both boys and girls.

Reb Dovid engaged the interest of Rabbi Menachem Leibowitz, who as it were was himself seriously planning a move to Eretz Yisroel with his family. Reb Menachem joined Reb Dovid’s efforts and together they created the plan that would IY”H be the framework for this promising project.

Expanded Partnerships

In time, Reb Dovid solicited the assistance of HaRav Gershon Sharaby in Eretz Yisroel along with his brother, well known Lakewood Askan Rabbi Avraham Sharaby, who presented both to the local municipality of Acco as well as the State Government, all of what would be needed in order to actualize this new community. In both cases the results were very successful, property areas were already earmarked, and some buildings which will be move-in-ready immediately after Succos 5782.

Inaugural Presentation in Lakewood

On Tuesday July 6 at 8:30 PM an inaugural meeting was held at Estreia Restaurant. There were over 100 people in attendance. Many from outside the Lakewood community had signed up to attend but were subverted by the storm. Additional meetings to the public are expected immediately shortly. Other meetings are currently being scheduled by request from other communities in the Tri-state area.

Many have already reached out from as far out as Los Angeles, as information of this project makes its way around the U.S.

Continue reading…

From JNews, here.

Blast From the Past: How Can You Say Berachos During the ‘Fragrant’ Nine Days?

Briskers Are Always Inventing New Halachos

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From Rabbi Sternbuch’s English Parsha sheet on Parshas Vayeishev:

“And they lifted their eyes and saw, and behold, a caravan of Yishmoelites was coming from Gilad, and their camels were carrying spices, balm, and lotus, going to take it down to Egypt” (37:25). Rashi: Why did the possuk publicize their burden? To let you know the reward of the righteous, for it is customary for Arabs to carry only paraffin and tar, whose odor is unpleasant, but for Yoseph spices were arranged, so that he should not be harmed by an unpleasant odor…

[Rabbi Sternbuch quotes the Brisker interpretation:]

Yosef did not divert his mind from Torah even for a moment, and if the Yishmoelites would have carried paraffin and tar, whose odor is very unpleasant, he would have been forbidden from thinking divrei Torah. Therefore Hashem orchestrated events such that Yosef would be able to continue delving in Torah also during his trip to Egypt.

I don’t know who the “Briskers” are in this case, but this doesn’t make sense to me.

If all naturally malodorous substances, including even paraffin and tar, are equivalent to tzo’ah, the Gemara should have mentioned the greater chiddush! How can a shochet recite בא”י אמ”ה אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו על השחיטה\על כיסוי הדם while surrounded by his labors? How can an unwashed mourner (or during Bein Hametzarim) or those next to him say berachos?! And so on.