For Roz and Ira Friedman, the launching of Lamdeinu two and a half years ago was a “win-win” type of occurrence. Long-time friends of Dean Rachel Friedman (no relation) and family as well as followers and fans of Friedman from her years as Associate Dean and lecturer at Drisha, the Friedmans were delighted to come on board at the outset. The housing of Lamdeinu at their shul, Congregation Beth Aaron, was an added bonus.
For Roz Friedman, who attends Lamdeinu Monday through Wednesday, “The level of learning is serious, the people drawn to the program are varied and enthusiastic, and the atmosphere of the classes is special.” Roz attends Dean Friedman’s Parshanut HaMikra class on Mondays, which is an ongoing class offered in the fall and spring. The attendees come from heterogeneous educational backgrounds as well as far-flung communities including New Rochelle, Monsey, West Orange and even a mother-daughter duo from Brooklyn. “We have all bonded as friends and learning partners through the material and through the interactive exchange in the classes.”
Tuesday’s Talmud class is geared to women with Yeshiva backgrounds who have not learned Talmud formally. This year Rabbi Daniel Fridman is conducting the class in Masechet Kiddushin. For Roz Friedman, “After a full year of Masechet Brachot and currently learning Kiddushin, I actually feel that I have progressed and grown in my understanding of Talmudic thinking. Through a combination of chevruta preparation and frontal teaching, we all feel a sense of accomplishment and gratification.”
Wednesday’s “How Bible Becomes Prayer” is described by Dean Friedman “as a different approach to tefillah which looks at how the siddur re-arranges passages from the Tanakh to create a personal and national narrative.” This course is open to men and women. Among the attendees is a Judaic studies teacher from a neighboring community who attends class with her mother and was joined this past week by her husband and sister from the Ukraine.
For Ira Friedman, who as a recent retiree has the luxury of attending both a morning and evening class on Tuesdays at Lamdeinu, “the program offers high-quality and interactive learning. The courses are taught by true scholars who share their expertise with us in a clear and comprehensive teaching style. The course entitled ‘Why Are We Here? The Purpose of Creation,’ taught by Rabbi Dr. Yitzhak Berger, has re-ignited my interest in the Rambam’s view of the world and creation. Dr. Jonathan Dauber’s course in ‘What Is Kabbalah Really About?’ has filled in many holes in my knowledge of Jewish history and philosophy. It is additionally meaningful that I am studying with a member of the Dauber family with whom I was very close growing up in Boro Park.”
From these testimonies and many others from new students as well as those who followed Dean Friedman from Drisha, Lamdeinu is living up to its motto of “Study in Depth. Be Inspired.”
According to Friedman, “Our mission is to create a program of learning, through different styles of teaching and an array of topics, that will create a true Beit Midrash atmosphere which will enhance our daily lives and deepen our religious practice. We encourage students from all backgrounds not to hesitate to join us and become part of our community of learners.”
One such member of this community of learners is Ruth Hartstein, who began as a student at Lamdeinu and soon found herself fully engaged by becoming Lamdeinu’s program coordinator. Under her able organizational skills, Lamdeinu is now able to best highlight and market its experiential programs as well as a full schedule of weekly classes, Monday through Thursday. Experiential programs include Rosh Chodesh gatherings, open to all women in the community, at which women will daven Shacharit, including lively recitations of Hallel, and then share a congenial breakfast accompanied by Divrei Torah. Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations at Lamdeinu mark this yearly anniversary with special singing, Divrei Torah and meaningful presentations. In the past, the film “Beneath the Helmet” celebrating young IDF soldiers was shown. Another year, Pearl Berger, former Dean of Libraries at Yeshiva University, shared her early memories of visiting Israel.
Recently, a lunch was held by members of the Lamdeinu community to honor the memory of a beloved student. The family of Mady Kra, a”h, gathered at a lunch tribute to attest to the meaning Lamdeinu held for her and the wonderful chevra she formed while studying there.
As co-chair of the upcoming Chanukah breakfast along with Arlene Eis, Patty Borodach offers her own testimony to Lamdeinu. “I went from feeling that I didn’t have time in my life to make a commitment to learning to wondering how I ever lived without Lamdeinu. The program has brought tremendous meaning to my life as well as to my fellow students. We started off a individuals and through time have become a community of learners who even share life-cycle events with each other.”
According to Borodach, “The breakfast is our one major yearly fundraiser. Its proceeds help us cover the many expenses that are not covered by tuition alone. We decided upon a breakfast format so that more people would be available to attend. Spouses are cordially welcome as are past students and friends.” The program will include a shiur by Dean Friedman entitled “Learning to Build and Building to Learn,” testimonials to the honorees Roz and Ira Friedman and a musical presentation by Mark Infield.
The couvert for the breakfast to be held at Congregation Beth Aaron on Sunday, December 18, at 9:15 a.m. is $54. Scroll of Honor opportunities are available from $180 to $18,000.
Please RSVP online at www.lamdeinu.org/breakfast or by mail to Lamdeinu Breakfast ℅ Patty Borodach, 322 Vandelinda Avenue, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
By Pearl Markovitz
