2008 Woodie Awards
YU Kollelim: Inspiring Torah u-Madda, One Community at a Time
New YU Sponsored Kollelim Thrive Around the Country
Isaac Silverstein
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Features
In late summer of 2008, a new Yeshiva University Kollel will begin servicing the city of Chicago, Illinois. Following in the footsteps of successful YU Kollelim located in Dallas, Texas, and Boca Raton, Florida, the Chicago Kollel plans to help enrich what is already a strong Jewish community while also raising the level of awareness around the greater Chicago area. Additionally, the Kollel will present an opportunity for its members to further develop their teaching, learning, and leadership skills.
The Yeshiva University - Torah Mitzion Chicago Community Kollel will be headed by Rabbi Reuven Brand, a current member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon and Interim Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He will be joined by seven other families, single Kollel Fellows, and an administrative staff. This team will form the Chicago Kollel, wherein they will create an institution "of outstanding Jewish learning which will be warm, inspiring and welcoming - a beacon of light of which our community can be proud," Rabbi Brand remarked.
Rabbi Brand continued by noting that his two main goals were to both "enrich" and "engage" the Chicago community. "Enrichment means that we will help enrich an already flourishing community, by offering learning opportunities for both adults and teens. Engagement means that we will work with the broader Jewish community to raise the levels of both Jewish involvement and awareness." The Kollel will be comprised of individuals who are both budding Torah scholars and very community oriented individuals. During the day they will learn in the Ida Crown Jewish Academy Beit Midrash. In the evenings and on Shabbat, the members will branch out to other areas and locations throughout the Chicago community to offer shiurim, chaburot and one-on-one chavruta learning.
Having a Yeshiva University - Torah Mitzion kollel in Chicago is not an entirely new idea, as Chicago has been home to YU summer Kollelim in the past. In fact, the success of the summer Kollel has helped bring the year round Kollel to Chicago. "The Chicago summer Kollel has been instrumental for the development of a full time Kollel," said Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, who works in the community development branch of the CJF. Besides support from the Chicago community, support for the Chicago Kollel has come from many different parts of the University, including administrators in the CJF, RIETS, and YU. "It has been a real team effort," commented Rabbi Brand.
The Yeshiva University - Torah Mitzion Chicago Community Kollel will be headed by Rabbi Reuven Brand, a current member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon and Interim Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He will be joined by seven other families, single Kollel Fellows, and an administrative staff. This team will form the Chicago Kollel, wherein they will create an institution "of outstanding Jewish learning which will be warm, inspiring and welcoming - a beacon of light of which our community can be proud," Rabbi Brand remarked.
Rabbi Brand continued by noting that his two main goals were to both "enrich" and "engage" the Chicago community. "Enrichment means that we will help enrich an already flourishing community, by offering learning opportunities for both adults and teens. Engagement means that we will work with the broader Jewish community to raise the levels of both Jewish involvement and awareness." The Kollel will be comprised of individuals who are both budding Torah scholars and very community oriented individuals. During the day they will learn in the Ida Crown Jewish Academy Beit Midrash. In the evenings and on Shabbat, the members will branch out to other areas and locations throughout the Chicago community to offer shiurim, chaburot and one-on-one chavruta learning.
Having a Yeshiva University - Torah Mitzion kollel in Chicago is not an entirely new idea, as Chicago has been home to YU summer Kollelim in the past. In fact, the success of the summer Kollel has helped bring the year round Kollel to Chicago. "The Chicago summer Kollel has been instrumental for the development of a full time Kollel," said Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz, who works in the community development branch of the CJF. Besides support from the Chicago community, support for the Chicago Kollel has come from many different parts of the University, including administrators in the CJF, RIETS, and YU. "It has been a real team effort," commented Rabbi Brand.
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 10
Moshe Klein
posted 2/12/08 @ 4:02 PM EST
WE need one in toronto, fast!!!!
YU Student
posted 2/12/08 @ 4:58 PM EST
Baloney-How in the world is this "Inspiring Torah Umadda"?? Torah, yes, but why does YU have to stamp its empty slogan on everything?
WWRAS?
posted 2/13/08 @ 3:39 PM EST
WWRAS?
(What Would Rav Ahron Say?)
Shlomo
posted 2/14/08 @ 2:22 PM EST
YU Student: The donors expect it, perhaps?
benshaul
posted 2/14/08 @ 6:34 PM EST
"We do not view the Kollelim as a stopping ground, rather, as the next stage in one's professional development,"
As someone involved in the community kollel movement, but not the YU kollelim, this qoute along with the implication of some of the article is disingenuous, and somewhat insulting. (Continued…)
eliyohu gurstein
posted 2/14/08 @ 8:00 PM EST
As a former executive director of a Lakewood Kollel, I find the article very disturbing. The kollel movement (at least the ones i am familiar with) ALL see their roles as developing the future leaders, teachers, rabbis, and communal activists. (Continued…)
YU Student
posted 2/14/08 @ 9:44 PM EST
I second the previous two comments. YU views itself as G-d's gift to the world, spreading the 'correct' Torah U'Maddah hashkafa to all onlookers. This imposing of hashkafa is happening with the Israeli Yeshiva review as well. (Continued…)
Avraham
posted 2/15/08 @ 1:55 AM EST
That is funny!
If you look at the Kollel Movment history in america YOU will see what Lakewood and Ner Israel of baltimore did for the Jews!
Lakwood and Ner Israel Kollel movment was not just a Kollel movment rather was a Kiruv movment too. (Continued…)
EliL
ill be modeh
posted 2/17/08 @ 3:41 PM EST
I agree lakewood did a lot for the Jews. But seriosly you actually read the commentator? Thats a little bit strange. Isn't it like asoor to read anything in Lakewood? Kenzine that is not asoor, does a YU newspaper have to acknowledge the ganza oylam if it was only intended for YU people to read. (Continued…)
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