A very active program in the New Jersey/New York area that provides a mix of learning opportunities, guest speakers and farbrengen for young men has found its new home base in Bergenfield. And it’s slated to impact the sense of achdut, lomdus (learning), and enthusiasm for yiddishkeit in communities across the region.
Netzach Yisroel got its initial start in Israel, when Rabbi Baruch Nisson Perl and others involved in kiruv work partnered with rebbeim at Aish HaTorah to create an initiative to engage young men who need personable support and a vibrant connection with the frum Jewish community. The new organization provided an active support network, which participants could connect to by participating in an informal beit midrash program along with weekly farbrengen.
The idea took off and led to the establishment of an U.S. wing of Netzach Yisroel over a year ago, led by Rabbi Perl. His efforts drew a following and many young men, who had experienced intensive Torah study in Israel then returned to the U.S., came out for learning opportunities, and the well regarded farbrengen, in meeting spaces in New York City, Englewood, Teaneck, Monsey, Long Island, Baltimore and other locations. A growing WhatsApp group for the initiative has over 100 members.
Rabbi Perl and a core group of participants committed to helping grow the program decided to find a more permanent home for Netzach Yisroel. They embarked on a weeks-long search and located a very inviting venue—a building in Bergenfield that houses the Lev V’Nefesh shtiebel, which meets for Shabbat minyanim. The Netzach Yisroel group approached the owner of the building, located at 8 Sunrise Terrace, and suggested a shidduch, with Netzach Yisroel renting the building on weekday nights. The owner accepted the offer and an exciting partnership got underway.
Jack Katz, a member of the Netzach Yisroel core group who works at Cross River Bank’s charitable organization, Foundation@ Cross River, told The Jewish Link that Netzach Yisroel will offer young men ages 18-30-plus regular weeknight learning opportunities that include a Gemara shiur, a chasidut shiur, an open beit midrash, a monthly guest speaker, a twice-a-month mishmar, and a twice-a-month farbrengen. The programs start at 8:15 p.m. each night, Sunday-Thursday, and conclude with Maariv at 10 p.m. Avreichim (established learners) will be available in the beit midrash to learn with men seeking a chavruta.
Ariel Chechik, another member of the Netzach Yisroel core group, stated that the group is made up of young Jewish men from a mix of backgrounds in the frum community. The group has begun a grassroots fundraising campaign to continue to expand the program. They invite contributions from community members to support this much-needed initiative.
Netzach Yisroel held a kickoff farbrengen on Sunday, December 1, to celebrate their new Bergen County home, which attracted over five dozen young men for a spirited evening of singing, noshing, learning and inspiration.
Katz added that Netzach Yisroel plans to open their beit midrash to men in the community of all ages who can relocate their current chavruta learning to the building and join the young men for Maariv.
For more information on Netzach Yisroel, please visit netzachyisroelbsd.com
Harry Glazer is The Middlesex community editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes reader feedback. When he’s really fortunate, he gets to report on some of the exciting activities in Bergenfield.
