Dozens of Teaneck and Bergenfield youth along with their fathers attended the inaugural Hei-Chol program sponsored by Yeshiva Heichal HaTorah and hosted by Congregation Beth Abraham. The success of the program was measured by the kol Torah, the audible din of Torah study, emanating from the Beth Abraham beit midrash as fathers and sons studied Chumash, Mishnah and Talmud together.

For three nights of Chol Hamoed the program started with Mincha and ended with Maariv and the counting of the Omer. In between was over an hour of learning, followed by a short dvar Torah. Rav Yaakov Neuburger of Congregation Beth Abraham spoke on Monday night; Rav Elozor Priel on Tuesday night; and Rav Eliyahu Roberts, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Mordechai of Teaneck, on Wednesday night. Following the dvar Torah, a raffle was held each night to award gift card prizes to the Judaica House and Dave & Buster’s.

But the main attraction was the Torah study itself. Rav Roberts in his speech the final night defined “the mark of a Talmid chacham” as “his ability to carve out time for Torah study—as each of you has done tonight.”

Rav Aryeh Stechler, Rosh Yeshiva and Dean of Heichal, was especially proud that the evenings attracted current Heichal students, as well as other boys from around the community.