This past Motzoei Shabbos Khal Torah Utefilla of New City celebrated the Hachtarah of their esteemed and beloved Mara D’asra, Harav Binyamin Steinberg Shlita.

The Shul was founded about seven years ago by a handful of Bnei Torah who moved out to New City, a few miles north of Monsey. As the Minyan grew to include many respected talmidei chachomim, magidei shiur, kollel yungerleit, and baalei batim bnei Torah, it became apparent that the Kehillah would require a true Gadol, a Muram Me’am, to serve as their Rav. After months of searching and researching, the tzibbur found what they were seeking; Harav Binyamin Steinberg Shlita of Besonhurst, a true talmud chacham who spent many decades toiling in the daled amos shel halacha.

Rav Binyamin grew up in a home of Torah and Rabbanus. His father, Harav Peretz Shlita served as Rav of Young Israel of Queens Valley for close to 50 years. Rav Peretz had a close kesher with Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky and many other Gedolim of the previous generation, a mesorah which he passed on to his mishpachah, mispallelim and talmidim. Harav Binyamin is a talmud muvhak of Rav Meir Stern Shlita and has been kavua in the koslei Bais Hamedrash of Yeshiva Bais Hatalmud for the past four decades. He is a true Gadol baTorah, Gadol B’midos tovos and beloved by all. His Rebbetzin is a daughter of Rav Avraham Glen of Far Rockaway, presently living in Eretz Yisroel. With the Rav at its helm, the Kehillah continues to grow b’ruchnius ub’gashmius and has b’ezras Hashem purchased a property and begun a building campaign.

On Motzei Shabbos, hundreds of Yidden joined the Kehillah members at Tiferes Elka Hall in Monsey in honor of the hachtarah. The event was graced by the participation of many Gedolei Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbanim. The overflow crowd included many members of Young Israel of Queens Valley. Many of them attend the Daf Yomi of Harav Binyamin which he has been giving for the past 35 years. Members of the Kollel Boker of Khal Tomchei Torah of Flatbush under the leadership of Harav Binyamin were also in attendance. A very large contingent of Bensonhurst Bais Hatalmud mishpachos braved the weather to participate in the celebration.

Rabbi Matis Stern, one of the founding members of the Kehillah, chaired the ma’amad. Divrei brachah on behalf of the Kehillah were offered by Rabbi Yossi Jakubovitz. He remarked about how much the tzibbur has gained from the Rav’s weekly original drashos and shiurim. He spoke about how the Rav and Rebbetzin are so personally involved in the community, sharing in simchos and comforting and being mechazek in times of tzaar.

The assembled were then zocheh to hear Divrei Brachah from the venerable Rav, Harav Peretz Steinberg Shlita. He recalled how he took his son Binyamin at the young age of seven to Harav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal. Rav Moshe asked him what he was learning. The boy responded, Parshas Lech Lecha. After asking him to say the Posuk, young Binyamin went on to recite the next 13 Pesukim by heart! Rav Peretz extolled his son’s virtue of nesius ol; how he goes to such great lengths to research an issue when someone turns to him for advice.

This was followed by an address by Harav Elya Chaim Swerdloff Shlita. The Rosh Yeshiva quoted the Chazon Ish who states that the greatest title someone can have is Talmid Chacham. A Talmid Chacham is, in the words of the Rema, someone who is knowledgeable and can be nosei venosen brov mekomos baTalmud. Rav Binyamin is one the true Talmidei Chachamim, and although until this point has been out of the limelight, the Ribono Shel Olam has seen fit that he now needed to serve the tzibbur. He compared this to the Chazon Ish who after many decades of being unknown to the public, was sent by Harav Chaim Ozer to go to serve the tzibbur in Eretz Yisroel.

A Ksav Hachtarah was then read by Rav David Steinberg on behalf of the Kehillah and presented to the Rav followed by joyous music and dancing.

Acharon acharon chaviv, The Rav addressed the crowd. He spoke about giving shirah and concluded by saying that the shirah which we sing to Hakadosh Baruch Hu is not mainly for our personal joy, but rather for the Kvod Malchuso which is generated by His yeshuah. May the Rav continue to lead the Kehillah to greater and greater heights together with the Rebbetzin for many years to come and bring about hisgalus kvod shamayim.

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