The remarkable legacy of achdus and Ahavas Yisroel that have permeated the Yesodey Hatorah schools since their establishment in North London over 60 years ago was celebrated at its inaugural Annual Dinner held this week.

The school’s Banqueting Suite in Egerton Road, Stamford Hill was filled to capacity with prominent local rabbonim, mechanchim, former pupils, parents, grandparents, friends and supporters of the mosod, eager to demonstrate their recognition for its achievements of the past and its ongoing success.

Chaired by Menahel of the Junior Boys School Rabbi Pinchos Rosenberg, the evening began with Divrei Brocho from Rav Efrayim Padwa Av Beis Din UOHC in which he referred to the mesirus nefesh of the school’s founders, who included three outstanding Torah figures, Rav Avrohom Yissochor Pardes, Rav Shmuel Yosef Rabinow and the Shotzer Rebbe ztl.   

The dinner was hosted by Mr & Mrs Yomtov Sanger and Mr & Mrs Moshe Sanger in memory of the 30th yohrzeit of their mother Mrs Reisel Sanger o”h. A pupil of the top class of the Senior School then made a siyum on Massechta Makkos followed by kaddish recited by Mr Yomtov Sanger and a presentation was made to the Sanger brothers by Rav Chayim Pinter, in recognition of their generous support.

Rav Ahron Dovid Dunner, Rov of Tottenham Adass Yisroel and Dayan UOHC, delivered the central address of the evening. As a YHS alumnus, the distinguished dayan enthralled the large gathering with his reminiscences of the genuine achdus and warm, caring, cheerful atmosphere that characterised his own schooldays and which is maintained there to this day. He referred to the fifty years that were devoted to Yesodey Hatorah by Rav Shmelka Pinter ztl, who heroically bore responsibility for the spiritual and financial aspects of the mosdos. He went on to refer to the courageous work of his sons to maintain this great legacy and emphasized the serious halachic responsibility of parents, grandparents and members of the community to share the school’s financial burden.

A presentation was then made by Rav Chayim Pinter to the evening’s Guest of Honour Reb Yossel Margulies in recognition of his ongoing support. Accepting the presentation, Reb Yossel referred to his late father, the distinguished askan and baal tzedoko Reb Zalman Margulies zl, in whose memory the honour was received. He pointed out that Yesodey Hatorah talmidim owe a tremendous debt of appreciation to the mosdos, which should be expressed both by financial support and through personal behaviour and lifestyle that will be a credit to the institution.

In an inspiring address, Guest Speaker, the Novominsker Rebbe who had come especially from New York for this event, referred to the life and remarkable achievements of Rav Shmelka Pinter and the way the Yesodey Hatorah had lived up to the meaning of its name – being the foundation of Torah education and of thousands of traditional Torah-true homes and families. He pointed out that the appreciation due to our mechanchim should include the recognition of their meritorious role as the transmitters of our messora from Sinai. There are two aspects of teaching Torah, the rebbe said. One is expressed in veshinantom and one in vedibarto bom. The fact that some pupils are unlikely to reach the level of veshinantem meaning that the words of Torah are perfectly clear in their mouths, does not exempt us from teaching them Torah. The Yesodey Hatorah and its distinguished leadership has always taken both these duties to heart, providing for the warm and caring education of all its talmidim and producing results that are a credit to the community. He concluded with the conviction that the pure Torah of these tinokos shel beis ribbon brings protection to Klal Yisroel from the spiritual dangers that face our youth, particularly those associated with the internet, mobile phones etc.

Rav Chayim Pinter thanked the Novominsker Rebbe for his warm words, as well as expressing thanks to the members of the Dinner Committee and other devoted askonim for organising the event and for their ongoing assistance in the maintenance of the Yesodey Hatorah as a centre of fine Torah-true education.

(Yaakov Morrison for Jewish Tribune / Photo Credits: Mendel Photography – UK)