Rabbi Zecharya Parmett of Passaic is actively engaged in the dissemination of Torah all day, every day. In the mornings he gives a shiur in Fairfield, New Jersey, to the employees of Prasco Medical Supplies. In the afternoons he serves as the PM rosh kollel at Yeshivas Bais Mordechai in Teaneck where he has overseen married kollel yungerleit for over six years.
Three years ago he established yet another kollel, Kollel Nachlas Dov, housed in Congregation Ohr Hatorah in Bergenfield whose mara d’asra Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky is very proud to be accommodating. As of this week, the Kollel will be including a new Dirshu Mishna Brurah chabura to coincide with the new cycle just beginning.
What is Rabbi Parmett’s motivation in establishing another kollel in the Bergen County area? “Teaneck is baruch Hashem blessed with many learning programs, including Daf Yomi and Halacha Yomi.
“Our goal through our Kollel Nachlas Dov is to include balebatim in interactive chavrusa learning with yungeleit. We believe that the ideal learning experience is through chavrusas selecting the material they are interested in learning and spending one full hour four nights per week studying together. Material can be specific issues in Shabbat observance, the teachings of the Chofetz Chaim, mussar, Halacha or parsha. Some chavrusas have been successfully following the calendar of the Daf Hashavua. Currently one of the chavrusas is learning Maseches Yevamos. We may have five to seven participants per night, and over the course of the week over 20 join in.”
Kollel Nachlas Dov is named for Rabbi Parmett’s grandfather, Phil Manischewitz, a prominent individual in the history of the Orthodox community in Teaneck. Phil and Esther Manischewitz were the grandchildren of the founders of the Manischewitz wine company in the 1800s. Established initially in Cincinnati, the company relocated to New York during the Depression. Phil moved his family to Teaneck where they were instrumental in founding the first Orthodox congregation in the area, Congregation Bnai Yeshurun, which grandmother Esther is credited with naming. Rabbi Parmett attended Yeshiva of North Jersey, Yeshivas Yesodei Yeshurun in Queens and then Yeshiva Gedola in Passaic. After studying for five years in Israel at the yeshiva of Rav Dovid Soloveichik, Parmett returned to the U.S. and has been residing in Passaic for the past 10 years with wife, Rochel Ora, and four children aged 12 to 1½.
Kollel Nachlas Dov meets Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights from 9-10 p.m. Tuesday nights are free as are Yomim Tovim, as well as two weeks in the summer. There are those who opt to come in even during Chol Hamoed. Rabbi Parmett is very proud of the continuous functioning of the kollel during COVID. “We initially managed to stay afloat during COVID through phone sessions and eventually on Zoom through which we were even able to celebrate siyumim with 30 participants. Slowly we moved outside to the backyard of our member Yaakov Zachter. One year ago we moved back to the shul, utilizing plexiglass barriers. This past summer we were back in person. We are proud that we were able to fill the void in learning opportunities during this challenging period.”
Among the original members of Kollel Nachlas Dov are Michael Frohlich of Bnai Yeshurun, Yaakov Zachter of Ohr Hatorah, and Dr. Jonathan Frohlich of Beth Abraham. Dr. Frohlich shared, “Rabbi Parmett has crafted together an incredible group of talmidei chachamim with outstanding personalities and dedication. It is a true merit to have them in the community.
You are cordially invited to join!”
Another member of the kollel, Doron Greenspan, offered, “Setting aside time to learn with baruch Hashem a busy career and family is not easy, but also not an excuse. The ability to learn b’chavrusa in a warm, close-knit environment makes learning feel like a precious opportunity versus an obligation to fulfill. Wednesday nights at 9:00 is a time I look forward to each week and is a major highlight for me.”
The learning sessions conclude with Maariv at 10 p.m. Rabbi Parmett feels that in addition to being an invaluable learning experience for the participants, setting aside time to learn in the evenings sets an exemplary model for children to admire and hopefully emulate.
To learn more about Kollel Nachlas Dov contact Rabbi Zecharya Parmett at [email protected].
By Pearl Markovitz
