On Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha, the Coventry Kehilla of Lakewood held a melavamalka together with their Rosh Kollel, the well-known mekubal and gaon, Rav Shimon Galei, shlita, Rosh Kollel of Kollel Keser Torah of Kiryat Sefer.
The Coventry Kehilla, one of the first kehillos in Lakewood to join the Adopt-a-Kollel network, has since enjoyed a very fruitful partnership. Currently, the kehillah has some 250 members who are actively contributing to the partnership on a monthly basis.
On Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha, the two rabbanim of the Conventry Kehilla, Rav Menachem Mintz, Rov of the Ashkenaz shul and Rav Mordechai Horowitz, Rav of the Nusach Sefard shul, addressed their kehillos emphasizing the zechus they had in partnering with one of the distinguished kollelim in Kiryat Sefer.
The evening was opened by Rav Eliezer Gewirtzman, posek of the Nusach Ashkenaz shul. He related how he recently went to visit the kollel in Kiryat Sefer. Unsure of its exact location, he stopped a person in the street to ask for directions. “You want Kollel Kesser Torah? You will never get in. People are breaking the doors to get into the kollelim but enrollment is basically closed.” Rav Gewirtzman then made an announcement that electrified the entire assemblage. “Rabbosai! We can all get into the kollel and be part of the kollel. This winter we will be having a yarcheikallah at our kollel where members of our kehillah will have the opportunity to learn there together with the yungeleit for an entire week!”
The highlight of the evening was the animated drasha given by Rav Shimon Galei, shlita.
Rav Shimon was very emotional when depicting the special nature of the kollel. He related that his son-in-law, who learns in a distinguished kollel for older, advanced yungeleit, commented that anyone who joins his kollel from Kollel Kesser Torah does not even need to be tested. It is well known that all of the yungeleit in Kollel Kesser Torah reach very advanced levels of learning.
Rav Galei explained that the fact that the yungeleit engage in a taanisdibbur during seder ensures that every minute is utilized to the utmost to attain great madreigos in Torah.
He then lovingly told the Coventry Kehilla, “Your support is the ultimate manifestation of kovodhaTorah, of honoring the Torah. Hashem says, ‘I will honor those who honor me. Your zechus is that Hashem Himself will honor you.”
Captions:
- Rav Shimon Galei Addressing Melave Malka at Coventry Kehilla of Lakewood, celebrating 5 years of Adopt-a-Kollel partnership with his Kollel, Kollel Keser Torah of Kiryat Sefer
- Rav Eliezer Gewirtzman, Posek of Coventry shul addressing the Melave Malka
- Partial view of crowd during Rav Galei’s drasha.
Here is the Video that was shown at the event.
This is the video of speeches at the event.