Congregation Bnai Yeshurun (CBY) is finishing up another successful summer kollel.

For 20 summers, CBY has been running a kollel for semicha students, aiming to support future leaders in Jewish education. Led by Rosh Kollel Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger and Sgan Rosh Kollel Rabbi Yaakov Werblowsky, learning takes place in the CBY beis medrash from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and then from 8 p.m.to 10 p.m. for night seder. Members, who generally hail from Yeshiva University’s RIETS semicha program, receive stipends sponsored by the community as well as food. The kollel also hears from gedolim like Rav Asher Weiss, Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon, Rav Mordechai Willig, Rav Michael Rosensweig, Rav Aryeh Lebowitz and Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of YU, and is backed by CBY’s Rabbi Elliot Schrier and Rabbi Ari Zahtz. Though the stipends are available only for semicha students, others are welcome to join in the learning. This summer saw around 32 full-time kollel members and about 10 who joined part-time.

“It’s a tight-knit and very warm group of guys,” said the kollel coordinator, Rabbi Josh Kaufman. “There’s a great level of camaraderie and excitement,” and the members are, in the words of Rabbi Neuburger, “some of the most accomplished and talented young talmidei chachamim that our neighborhood is growing.”

This summer, the kollel studied Masechet Mikvaot, the laws of the ritual bath. “We engage with it on a theoretical level and also a practical level,” Rabbi Kaufman said. “Mikvaot are a staple of every community, and we’re learning the theoretical underlying principles for the laws of mikvah, and also seeing, in the cases where it becomes relevant, how we apply them.”

As mentioned, the learning is not just restricted to kollel members; the community gets involved too. “[The kollel is] very much part of and connected with the entire community,” Rabbi Kaufman noted. “We have night seder chavrutas with members from the community—kids in middle school, high school and adults.”

Touching on how CBY’s summer kollel is special, a CBY Beis Medrash committee member added, “the kollel supports the children who have grown up in our communities and wish to dedicate their lives to chinuch. Our summer kollel gives them the ability to continue their learning throughout the summer, while at the same time enhancing the kol Torah in our community.” He explained why it is so important for the community to have this kollel: “It expresses the value our community places on the next generation of mechanchim (educators) and pulpit rabbis, who can only be great teachers and great leaders if they are able to devote themselves to learning. We took the lead in showing that commitment and support for the development of the next generation of Jewish Torah leaders.”

As Rabbi Kaufman explained, “The community is really investing in the contribution that the semicha students are going to make and the impact they’re going to have in their careers.”

Rabbi Neuburger commented, “The vibrant kol haTorah and the contagious, spirited Torah conversations are borne out of the pride that the community has in the preciousness that we accord to Torah study and an appreciation that only through diligent application can one master Hashem’s Torah.”

One advantage the kollel offers is a more personal setting than students are used to during the year. “I think it’s good for guys to be in a more informal environment in smaller groups,” Rabbi Kaufman noted. “Yeshiva University is very big; we don’t always get opportunities to connect with each other, to connect with our rebbeim, and the smaller group affords closer connections between the guys and between the guys and the roshei yeshiva, Rabbi Neuburger and Rabbi Werblowsky in particular, but also other rebbeim, Rabbi Willig, Rabbi Sobolofsky, Rabbi Lebowitz and the others.” Specifically, Rav Asher Weiss’ annual shiur klali has been an important staple of the kollel, and members have had a chance to build a connection with him.

The summer kollel can be summed up in the words of Rabbi Kaufman: “Semicha guys are encouraged to continue their learning throughout the summer in the environment of a community, to be connected to the community, and to be people who inspire the future of the Jewish people.”

The 20th Annual Bnai Yeshurun Beis Medrash Program’s Summer Kollel would not have been possible without this year’s generous supporters: Full Summer Sponsors: Rebecca & Sandy Fischman, Amy & Daniel Gibber, Esti & Benyamin Kaminetzky, Nechama & Danny Saks, Sari & Yaakov Sheinfeld, Gila & Dovid Weinstein; One Month Sponsors: Rena & Nahum Felman, Meryl & Gary Hoffman, Deena & Saul Kaszovitz, Becky & Avi Katz, Rifkie & Uri Lerner, Mindy & Henry Orlinsky, Elana & Marc Rothenberg; One Week Sponsors: Lani & Shimmy Tennenbaum, Aviva & Avi Vogel; Friends of Summer Kollel: Ayelet & Avrom Forman, Marcia & David Kreinberg, Sharon & David Rauch; Supporters: Rochel & Alan Feld, Rachelle & Steven Margulies.

The summer kollel is coordinated through Bnai Yeshurun’s Beis Medrash Program, which plans shiurim throughout the year given by prominent rabbis and roshei yeshiva, including the daily Yitzchak Yaakov Kollel Boker, weekly Senior Lunch and Learn, regularly scheduled weekly shiurim, the Legal Holiday Shiur Series and more. To learn more about the various learning opportunities at Bnai Yeshurun, please visit www.bnaiyeshurun.org/beis-medrash.

Daniel Brauner is a contributor to The Jewish Link. He is an incoming student at Yeshiva University and lives in Teaneck. Contact him at [email protected].