Moshe Cohen, Los Angeles native now residing in Ramat Eshkol, is spending the summer in Englewood where he and his wife, Sara, just welcomed their second child. In addition to learning at the Mir Yeshiva, Cohen gives shiurim at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim in Beit Shemesh. Through forging close relationships with the students, young men spending one or two gap years at the yeshiva, Cohen realized that often the few weeks that they spend during the summer back home in the States is often non-productive in terms of their learning goals and as such, even frustrating.
Knowing that he would be spending the summer months with his in-laws Elana and Jeff Gdanski, active members of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, Cohen came up with the idea of a summer kollel in the evenings that would provide a setting for these young men to continue their learning as they were approaching the Yomim Noraim and their return to Israel and local yeshivas. Ahavath Yisrael graciously offered Cohen space in a downstairs room adjacent to their own Englewood Torah Center learning program.
For three weeks, from July 23 through August 14, from 7:45 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., Ahavath Torah was and will be “abuzz” with the sweet sounds of learning by over 30 young men, ages 18-25, who are delighted to add an evening of learning to their daily summer activities. The young men, mainly from Teaneck and Bergenfield, are joined by others from West Orange, Scarsdale, Monsey and even the Five Towns who heard about the opportunity. In addition to Cohen’s students from Reishit, the participants hail from Israeli yeshivas including Mevaseret, Netiv Aryeh, Torat Shraga, Shaalvim, Mir and Aish as well as U.S. yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Sha’ar Yashuv and Yeshiva Gedola of the Five Towns.
The participants’ learning is structured according to their preference, some one-on-one and some in small groups of five to six. Cohen called upon friends who are preparing for careers in chinuch to lead the chaburot, which they are delighted to do.
The evenings are sponsored by generous members of the community, some of whom are participants in the learning as well. Refreshments shared with the Englewood Torah Center are offered, which further “sweetens“ the evenings.
Cohen is hoping to invite noted Torah scholars to address the students during the remaining two weeks. The program ends on August 14, after which the students will resume their studies in Israel and the U.S. Based upon the feedback he has received, Cohen hopes to offer the Englewood Summer Kollel in coming years, as it provides a welcome opportunity to yeshiva students to keep up the spirit and momentum of their learning.
Noam Kinderlehrer, son of Jewish Link Co-Publisher Moshe Kinderlehrer, is learning at Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. Commenting about the Englewood Summer Kollel, which he attended, he shared: “I really enjoyed the amazing opportunity to continue in my learning this summer during Bein Hazmanim. It was very gratifying to come every night, knowing that an amazing night seder as well as tasty food would be provided. This learning program filled a true need in giving us yeshiva bochurim a beautiful environment in which to hang out and grow together when we could have been spending our time otherwise. I truly looked forward to attending every night, and would recommend the opportunity to anyone who is interested.”
For more details about the remaining sessions of the Englewood Summer Kollel, contact Moshe Cohen by email at [email protected] or call 818-458-2998.
