By Adam Suionov
“Then the spirit of Hashem began to beat…in the camp…” (Judges 13:25)
On Wednesday morning, June 14, I attended a siyum maseches celebrating the completion of the first year of an intensive beis midrash program taking place in our very own Flushing, Queens. The program is one of Chazaq’s latest accomplishments and is under the direction of its rosh yeshivah, Rav Aharon Walkin shlita, who, I learned, makes his way from Lakewood several times a week to teach the talmidim. After witnessing, or rather experiencing, the siyum, I can honestly say that Rabbi Ilan and Yaniv Meirov of Chazaq have managed to give additional stylistic application to the pasuk, “his hand will be everywhere, and everyone’s hand will be with him” (Genesis 16:12). How Chazaq manages to successfully juggle so many community functions and also operate a beis midrash of this caliber remains beyond me, but as I sat there and looked around at all the participants, I felt a surge of pride for our people who toil earnestly for the sake of the Torah.
Here I saw faces glowing with what must surely be happiness for a year’s accomplishments. To me it was evident that a year along with its seasons had passed and in its wake materialized the dream of a community long hoping, waiting for the chance to plant a majestic garden of Torah. I felt a healthy pride and also sensed a strong desire for dedicated occupation in a manner surely welcome in the community. I would also remark that the event’s panoply of speakers, all from diverse backgrounds, echoed the wonderfully unifying power of the Torah; their words infused the air with a palpable sense of harmony and brotherhood.
Chazaq’s very own Rabbi Ilan Meirov introduced the event by welcoming all the students and guests. He artistically explained that the yeshivah followed the theme in the Pesach Haggadah of four types of children who stand to learn the Torah, however with a particular nuance. He described how he beheld talmidim initiate their studies as t’mimim (innocents) and yet concluded the year as chachamim (wise ones) in their particular areas of study. Fortunate is the one who plants a vineyard and also partakes of its sweet wine.
The next speaker was Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita of Congregation Nachlas Yitzchok. I observed as he brilliantly presented the plight of the entire Jewish nation throughout history and underscored its survival as based on an unwavering attachment to the wellspring of life, the Torah. He weaved past and present to depict the road towards a future where the Torah’s flaming torch would surely guide our people towards an eternal destiny. He also implicitly praised Chazaq for its great efforts in spreading the light of the Torah across the nation’s “tapestry” and gave his blessing for further success.
The Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Aharon Walkin, followed suit with a heartwarming rendition of what clearly makes the yeshivah so successful. I can without exaggeration testify that I felt waves of love and reverence for the Torah spread throughout the room with his every word. As he continued speaking, my mind wandered off to imagine what it must be like basking in such lyrical joy four days a week. I have this conception that someone who enjoys his craft so much must be quite infectious, and so I feel the students here have been very, very fortunate.
The next rav to speak deserves special praise since he is also the rav who unconditionally opened up the doors of his shul for Chazaq’s beis midrash program. Rabbi Yigal Haimoff of Yeshivat Ohel Simcha brought sharp relief to the plight of this particular community. He spoke of how a people had survived suffocating darkness, intense oppression, and religious persecution. The Bukharian Jews had nearly been swallowed whole by the ferocious Communist winter that sapped all the warmth out of a once-flourishing Jewish enclave at the heart of central Asia. Yet here were the children of that unyielding and resolute generation, holding a banner up high and with noble conviction. To Rav Haimoff and by extension everyone in that room, it became clear that the high-level beis midrash was the very representation of a people’s indomitable spirit. Rav Haimoff concluded by thanking a very special man who joined the event from his home country of Australia.
At this point, I became aware that the discreet gentlemen sitting at the front table was actually a key sponsor of the beis midrash program. The how, why, what, and where of him coming from across the globe to create this program was never answered, but he did give a few words of his own. Reb Noach Deutsch spoke with a seemingly characteristic humility of a wonderful program he was happy to help. He wished the program much success and achievement to the sound of loud applause; he really looked happy about the year’s fruit. Regarding him I also say: Fortunate is the one who plants a vineyard and also partakes of its sweet wine.
By the end of the event I understood something profound: Chazaq’s efforts will travel far beyond the events of that Wednesday morning. Their celebration is actually a link in an ancient chain, the next in a series of cobblestones set from one generation to the next upon a path our nation has walked for millennia. Chazaq has actually once again pioneered the future, this time with an advanced beis midrash and talmidim to promote Torah for ensuing generations.
That morning I saw a torch being held high, and I heard an echo of the timeless words, “All who are hungry, come and partake.” In my heart and soul I respond and hope: “This year here; next year in the land of Israel.”
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One Response
A big Yasher Koach to Chazaq who have accomplished so much in a very short time. Founded by the Meirov brothers when they were barely out of their teens, it teaches us what people can accomplish when they are truly motivated and driven. At first it was after school programs in Forest Hills and sponsorship of shiurim. Rapidly, they have become a major influence in all of Queens. They are the future of kiruv.