The Miami Beach Community Lollel has recently moved back to its restored and enhanced Bais Medrash building. After suffering a devastating arson attack just after sukkos (as reported HERE on YWN), the Kollel had been relocated to the social hall of a shul next door. Much effort has been put into beautifying the Kollel Bais Medrash to make it both practical and attractive to fulfill the mitzvah of Zeh Keili Vanvahu. The Kollel is also planning to continue its renovations and enhance the rest of the Kollel’s building that wasn’t damaged in the fires.
The Kollel had been holding all its learning, shiurim, and davening in the Beth Israel shul. Many members of Beth Israel believe that the hosting of the Miami Beach Community Kollel in their shul was a great zechus and tribute to their late Rav, Rav Mordechai Shapiro Zt”l.
Rav Shapiro was a talmud of Rav Aaron Kotler Zt”l and an early supporter of bringing the ‘Lakewood Kollel’ to Miami Beach. The Shul’s current Rov, Rav Niel Turk and its board of directors are the ones who truly deserve credit for the Kiddush Hashem of one institution hosting another for so many months. Despite obvious differences in schedules, and many inconveniences, the shul has graciously provided for the Kollel’s extensive daily schedules and Shabbos needs. The members and supporters of both the Miami Beach Community Kollel and Congregation Beth Israel hope that this partnerships, friendship and spirit of cooperation will continue to grow and strengthen even after the Kollel has moved back to its own facilities. In appreciation to its former hosts the Kollel will continue to join Beth Israel for davening Friday nights and Shabbos afternoons and for Seudas Shlishis. Friends of the Kollel have also renovated Beth Israel’s library as to commemorate their Hakoras Hatov.
These events and their reactions hopefully will serve as a model for all other frum institutions to follow. That despite our differences in haskofos(t), and observances and what seems like external and even fundamental differences in Yiddishkeit we can all cooperate, and support each other.
Click HERE to see photos.
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5 Responses
When I was in Miami Beach, I learned in the Kollel and met Rabbi Shapiro’s son, whose Shul is in North Miami Beach.
Wonderful Makom Torah and a terrific Rov.
whats a lollel?
Amazing Pictures. The new front hallway looks especially nice! Can’t wait to go back to MB and visit!
It was really nice of the folks at Beth Israel to let the Kollel use their facilities extensively. I noticed that they removed the benches from the weekday shul, presumably so the Kollel could put the tables in…
Could the writer of the article or somebody else explain “The differences….in observances and…..fundamental differences in yiddishkeit”
Arn’t we talking Achdus(t)and Ahava,not sinaas(t)chinam, especially these days?
To: one people one faith August 10, 2008 @ 6:31 pm
Its easy to have achdus with others that seem to be the same as you are. Real achdus is accepting our differences! And the more fundamental the difference, the greater the Achdus.
Some people believe everything in life is politics that CV”SH everything is fake but that is not true! We have our differences and yes they do “seems like … fundamental differences in Yiddishkeit” and until we come to terms with our differences we won’t be able to respect each other! The situation at hand is just such an example. One group excepting another, despite knowing their differences.
Just one example of the differences between a Shul whose Rav is a student of Kerem Biyavneh and a Kollel of students from Lakewood: This past Hey Iyar, yom Hatmiot, the Shul saw no problem allowing the Kollel to daven and say Tachnun in the very same room the they used to host Israel’s sixtieth’s year celebration.
The Lakewood Kollel says tachnun on Yom Hatzmiot because they believe the State of Israel is a political entity and has absolutely no religious meaning. Beth Israel on the other had says Hallel on Yom Hatzmiot with a brachah not because it’s fashionable or stylish Chv”sh but because they believe there is significance in the state of Israel being the aschalta digulah! Neither of these institutions were offended by the other’s belief and neither tried to persuade the other to change.
There are numerous other “differences in haskofos(t), and observances and what seems like external and even fundamental differences in Yiddishkeit” that could easily have ‘ruffled some feathers’ and rocked the boat’ but due to the Hahavas Yisroel of the people involved these issues were all worked out without hurting anyone.
Recognizing our differences is not sinaas(t) chinam but rather it is the first step to true achdus!!!!