New York, NY—More than 80 alumni returned to Lander College for Men-Beis Medrash L’Talmud (LCM) for its first-ever Back-to-Yeshiva Week, a four-day homecoming that included shiurim and opportunities to reconnect with rebbeim and former classmates.
“We wanted our former talmidim to have an opportunity to come back and learn Torah with their rebbeim, especially since Shavuot is coming up,” said Rabbi Aryeh Young, director of the LCM Alumni Association, who organized the event.
Each night consisted of a dinner catered by Carlos and Gabby’s Mexican Grill, opportunities for alumni to socialize with their classmates and a shiur by an LCM rabbi, some of which were in a question-and-answer format. Magid Shiur Rabbi Dovid Mirsky’s gave a sicha on “The Torah-Tefillah Combo”; Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik spoke about “Y’Mei HaSefira”; for his sicha, “Chavivus Eretz Yisrael,” Menahel and Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yehuda Shmulewitz discussed how and why Israel should hold a special place in our hearts and Magid Shiur Rabbi Ephraim Tanenbaum delivered a sicha titled, “Respect, to the 24,000th Power,” which examined the relationship between the two focuses during Sefirat HaOmer: counting the days to receiving the Torah, and the deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s students.
“It was very satisfying to see some of the talmidim at a more advanced stage in their lives, and hearing them talk about their careers and families gave me a sense of having contributed toward something special,” said Rabbi Tanenbaum. “And of course, seeing their interest in coming back to yeshiva showed me that the connection to Torah they made during their time here was meaningful and lasting.”
LCM holds several alumni events across the US and in Israel throughout the year, and many former students maintain close connections to their alma mater well after commencement. A year ago nearly 300 people came back to the Kew Gardens Hills campus for the annual LCM Alumni Shabbaton. In addition to those already living in the tristate area, alumni traveled from Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Memphis, Miami, Toronto and even Israel for the weekend.
“I was gratified to see so many of our talmidim participate in this wonderful initiative,” said HaRav Yonason Sacks shlita, esteemed Rosh HaYeshiva of the Beis Medrash L’Talmud. “When I meet our students for the first time, I tell them that as talmidim in our yeshiva, they will establish relationships with rabbeim and friends that will last a lifetime. Back-to-Yeshiva Week is one of many examples of this ongoing connection.”
The Lander College for Men is an undergraduate division of Touro College, in service to the Jewish community. Established in the fall of 2000 and located in Queens, NY, the Lander College for Men is grounded in a dual curriculum of intensive Torah study and a wide range of academic programs, and students major in professionally oriented disciplines. Lander College for Men provides students with an environment that produces ethical, mature and well-rounded professionals committed to scholarship and career growth. Dedicated to Touro’s mission of perpetuating the Jewish heritage, Lander College for Men prepares students to uphold the ideals of Torah and pursue positions of professional and communal leadership.
