sukkos 5771

How great a pleasure it is for me to write some of my thoughts in our Yeshiva’s very first newsletter! Our hope is that a newsletter will enforce the Kesher our alumni have between themselves and inform them of the great things happening in Mosdos Zichron Erez Bsy”D. Most of us know the famous Medrash in Parshas Emor that teaches us that the four minim correspond to the four types of Jews. The esrog having a smell and taste represents Yidden with Torah and Mitzvos. The lulav, with no smell but produces nourishing food, symbolizes the Yid with knowledge of Torah but lacking in Mitzvos. The fragrant but tasteless Hadassim represent simple Jews doing Mitzvos but deficient in Torah. Finally, the tasteless, odorless Aravava symbolizes the poor Yidden bereft of both Torah and Mitzvos. Thus, the mitzvah of “VILOKACHTEM LOCHEM” of all four minim speaks to the fact that Yidden of all stripes need to be held together. So too, on Kol Nidrei night we declare our intention to daven, together, even with sinners. The power of a Tefillah davened with a Minyan far exceeds the power of the individuals that compose it. A Tzibbur B’achdus assumes great strengths in many ways. The four minim are the whole spectrum of Jews and our holding them together symbolizes our commitment to cherish every single Yid regardless of their scholarship or piety.Meforshim take note of another lesson that we may not overlook. The learned, observant Jew that the Esrog represents is still held in the left hand while the other Minim are held together in the right hand. The message here is that despite our commitment to care and concern for other Yidden, we must remain wary of negative influences that are easily and sometimes unwittingly transferred to us from such closeness. We are such creatures of our environment that the wise man chooses his friends and associates with wisdom.A final thought. The empty, lowly Aravah that represents the bottom of Klal Yisroel, is taken on Hashana Rabbah and beaten to the ground. You probably remember when you thought it was a Mitzvah to rip off every single leaf off all the branches- (not only from yours but from everyone else’s in Shul…). But why? I once saw an answer that inspired me. If a Yid can remain unmoved after Elul, after Rosh Hashana, after Aseres Yemai Teshuva, after Yom Kippur and after the whole Succos and he is still without “reyach” and without “taam” then he truly deserves “PETSCH!” My Tefillah for all of us is to find the strength of being a “Tzibbur” with “Chaverim” helping each other- B’RUCHNIUS AND GASHMIUS- to be careful of undesirable influences and to allow ourselves to be inspired to greater heights. Maybe this newsletter will help. I hope so.With best wishes for a good “G’BENTSHTEH YOHR” with great SIMCHA and NACHAS!

M’MENI B’AHAVA, C.Z.L

UPCOMING EVENTSWe are all looking forward to our annual Chanuka alumni Mesiba. Last years Grab bag was a blast and who can forget Mutty Friedmans specially wrapped gift. We heard warm words from the Rosh and sang some of our favorite songs. We thank the Mandel family for opening their home and hosting us. And a special thanks to the organizers, who are always there for us, Ari (Steveo) Mandel and Ushi Schwartz for the professional coordination.

Harav C. Z. LevitanRosh Yeshiva

RabbiDovid Rube

RabbiYehuda Russak

RabbiAri Levitan

10 Golar Drive Monsey, NY 10952 • P: (800) 636-6776 F: (845) 406-9191 • [email protected]

Keep us connectedPlease keep us connected with your simchas etc. so that we can include them in future newsletters. In the unfortunate event of a Levaya or shiva please notify us so that we can inform the oilam.

Message from the Rosh Hayeshiva

NewsletterVolume I

Succos 5771

Recent NewsMAZEL TOV

Mr. & Mrs. Shummy Reichmanupon the birth of a boy.Mr. & Mrs. Dovy Feder

upon the birth of a boy.Mr. & Mrs. Motti Dahan

upon the birth of a boy.Mr. & Mrs.Yakov Safer

on their recent marriage. Yossi (Jo Mo) Rosenbergupon his engagement.

Yitzi Rosenbaumupon his engagement.

Ike for getting his license.

TANCHUMINWe send our sincerest and deepest Berochos of Nechomo to Mr. Yaakov Kressner on the loss of his father. May the Ribono Shel Oilam, be Menachem him and his family and they should only share in simchos together.

The zman Baruch Hashem began and ended successfully. Our new recruits have joined with our veterans and together the sounds of Torah and tefila reverberated through the bais medrash. Combined with the Kollel that we now share the bais medrash with, we have created a beautiful Makom Torah. A few days before Rosh Hashono, the Yeshiva was privileged to hear words of musar and chizuk from Hagoan Rav Koppel Paretzky, the rosh kollel of our partnered kollel. It was very inspiring to see how he was in a trance as he spoke of the severity of the din on Rosh Hashono and never to forget what’s at stake as we stand at our judgment. Then the animals came. Given that we learned the third perek of rosh hashono during second seder, which discusses the various shofars that are kosher, the Yeshiva was treated to a special production. We were fascinated by a shofar presentation

by the known expert and researcher of zoology, Rabbi Dr. Ami Kohn. His informative, interactive and educational production of the various types of animals, horns and antlers that can and cannot be used for shofar, had the oilam spellbound. With his demonstration of the fact that the shofar is actually the hollow covering of the horn, along with various other technical aspects of the shofar, many of the sugyas that were learnt were illuminated and brought to life. During aseres yemai teshuva, the bochurim were privileged to hear inspiring words by the renowned author of the touched by a story series, Rabbi Yechiel Spero. Rabbi Spero, in classic fashion, brought home the message of “Atta lo mugbal” our abilities are not limited, with an array of beautiful stories and divrei Torah.

Alumni Shiurim Brooklyn BS’D this Yomim Noraim season marked the renewal of our alumni Shiurim. We heard inspiring words about feeling the need to do teshuva from Reb Ari, a few days prior to Rosh Hashono. We thank the ever helpful Mr. & Mrs. Didi Levitan for hosting the shiur in their home and for the first class spread they provided.We heard the Rosh during the aseres yemai teshuva encourage us to believe we can change ourselves for the better. We thank Mr. & Mrs. Dovid Feiner for the delicious homemade spread they put out and hosting the shiur in their home.

Monsey We offered a special Thursday night shiur with cholent for our Monsey alumni along with our present bochurim a few days prior to Rosh Hashono downstairs in Yeshiva. BH it was attended by over 30 talmidim who heard the Rosh speak of Rosh Hashono having the segula of being a time for recreation.

Anyone interested in attending or ever hosting a future shiur please inform us via email at

[email protected] or phone.These are great opportunities-use them.

2. Anyone with knowledge of today’s business environment understands and recognizes the value of QuickBooks fluency. Nearly every job opportunity begins with the requirement of being QuickBooks knowledgeable. It is for this reason we have contacted Mr. Nachum Frankel of Park Avenue Computer Consultants, and he has agreed to form a special class for our guys. The classes will be held in his Computer center at 6 Burris Court in Monsey on Sundays from 1:00-3:30 pm. Whoever is interested should please contact us. If there is an interest from our alumni in forming a group in Brooklyn please notify us as well.

While we all agree that knowledge is important, and pursuing a college degree is a commonly taken step to live and lead a productive life. However, there are some basic practical skills that are needed to succeed in the business world that may not be addressed in college. In an effort to give our guys the best chances of success, we are in the process of coordinating two separate courses that will hopefully assist you.1. Mr. Mark Horowitz, an executive member of the AllianceBernstien Investments Firm, and Vice President of their Private Client

Group, has agreed to share his knowledge and business skills with us. As a friend of the Rosh Yeshiva, he has offered to come to Monsey on Thursday nights for a series of classes from 8:00-9:30 pm. He will share his insights in sales trading; tactics, presentation and his personal ascent of the financial market ladder. Please look out for future details. He has also offered to address our alumni in Brooklyn. If there is an interest, please email us so we can form a group and coordinate a time and place. There is no charge for this class.

*Important*Great Opportunity


news from around yeshiva

As we launch this new project of the Connections Newsletter, our goals are more than simply keeping our alumni up to date with news and events. We are hoping to use this newsletter as a forum where our alumni can post the jobs and or services they are able to provide. We strongly encourage anyone knowing of any of these services, to reach out and attempt to support our own. Anyone who would like to submit their services to be listed, please email [email protected] with your name, number, email address and services you are able to provide.


business connections

You can access many of the weekly Parsha Shmuezen of the Rosh online at www.torahanytime.com and search Rabbi Levitan. Keep your connection to the Yeshiva, the Rosh and the Parsha and enjoy his weekly pearls of Torah, Chizuk and Levitan’s golden rules.One of our esteemed alumni has created a website to share Torah with the world. www.vertluch.com is a site that was created to allow readers the opportunity to gain some insight

and Divrei Torah on the weekly Parsha and other Torah topics. Whether speaking at a family Simcha, a friends Aufruf or at the Shabbos table Vertluch.com is sure to have a nice vort which will enhance the atmosphere and will ALWAYS have a meaningful and valuable lesson to learn from it. If you would like to subscribe to their weekly Dvar Torah Email List simply send an email to: [email protected]

M.Z.E ON THE WEB

NURTURING GROWTH IN DIFFICULT TIMES“What now?” is a question that haunts a bochur returning to America after two or three years of optimum learning in Eretz Yisroel. He has chosen to pursue the path of Zevulon but knows and feels the need to be rooted in the tents of Yissochor. Where is the Makom Torah that will allow me to pursue my academic goals and yet help me remain focused on my primary goal? Where will I still feel so connected to Hashem, His Torah and Klal Yisroel to be able to stand proudly as an “Eved Hashem” for the rest of my life? Will I be able to find a Rebbe that understands me, inspires me and respects me because he genuinely cares? Or am I on my own? And that’s frightening.

Since its inception in 2005, Zichron Erez has been the answer to those questions. Rav Chaim Zev Levitan, a veteran mechanech, saw the need and answered the call of the many wonderful bochurim who felt unprepared to continue their quest to sustain and continue their aliya “Al Admas Naychar” - on the foreign soil they spent their youth in.B”SD, the Yeshiva and its exceptional Rabbeim have created a lifeline for those bochurim that has endured the test of time. The transition, even partially, between the Yeshiva world and the increasingly dangerous outside world, has felled many fine young men. Our focus is to train, to fortify our bochurim, to enable them to endure the nisyonos that a Torah-true Baal Habayis will have to triumph over in the future.


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