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It was a breathtaking day filled with inspiration and energy as over 200 people gathered at the Lederman shul in Bnei Brak in a prelude to the Agudath Israel of America’s 17th Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah.

The participants traveled directly from Ben Gurion airport to Malon Vizhnitz where they were hosted by the Municipality of Bnei Brak for a reception. They were warmly greeted by Bnei Brak Mayor Rabbi Chanoch Zeibert and Deputy Mayor Rabbi Avraham Rubinstein.

From there they traveled to the Lederman shul to have the incredible zchus of participating in an event graced by the presence of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlita.

HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rosh Kollel, Bais Dovid, Cholon and Rav, Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak, addressed the assembled with words of chizuk. He spoke movingly about the privilege to receive a bracha from a Gadol Hador upon whom the shechina rests, and concluded with a call for heartfelt tefilla and vitur bein adam l’chaveiro as a segulah for hatzlocho in life.

HaRav Kanievsky’s warm bracha for Hatzlocho and the chashivus of limud haTorah in Eretz Yisroel was delivered by HaRav Eliyahu Mann, M’Roshei Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ohr Yisroel.

The Agudah’s Yarchei Kallah has evolved significantly from its humble beginnings when fewer than 50 participants took part in the inaugural program. Each year more and more men from all over the world flock to Eretz Yisroel, eager to immerse themselves in four solid days of limud Torah. 2017 is already proving to be a historic year with the largest attendance ever.

This year’s Yarchei Kallah will delve into the third Perek of Maseches Sukkah, addressing the topics of lulav hagazul and hilchos arba minim. It will include daily Daf Yomi, lomdus shiurim, limud b’chavrusa and divrei machshava from more than two dozen prominent roshei yeshiva and magidei shiur. A truly international event, the Agudah Yarchei Kallah attracts participants from all over, including the greater New York area, as well as Lakewood, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto Montreal, England, Switzerland, Australia and Eretz Yisroel. While some are businessmen and professionals and others involved in klei kodesh, all are united in their quest to spend four days delving deeply into limud HaTorah. The group also includes fathers and sons who have come to learn together and several tri-generational groups of grandfathers, fathers and sons!

As in previous years, the Yarchei Kallah includes a parallel track offering shiurim and Daf Yomi in English. A sold out women’s program will take more than 100 participants on tours of Yerushalayim, Kever Rochel, Har Hamenuchos, Gush Etzion and Northern Israel and will feature shiurim by inspiring speakers including Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller, Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi and Rebbetzin Rina Tarshish.

“It was very gratifying to see so many new faces at this Agudah Yarchei Kallah and the obvious excitement that they bring to the table. Passing the 300 mark creates a Bais Medrash where the intensity of learning is greater than ever. We are confident that both seasoned and newcomers will spend a week that will resonate for a long time,” said Rabbi Avrohom Nisan Perl, director of Torah Projects for Agudath Israel, and one of the organizers of the event. The Yarchei Kallah is a project of Agudath Israel of America’s Torah Projects Commission.