Beautiful evenings of achdus and learning were held at the Young Israel of Hillcrest on consecutive Motzaei Shabbosim last month. The sessions saw the greater Hillcrest Jewish community turn out in significant numbers for these events.
On December 23, close to 100 community members participated in a leil iyun on Pirkei Avos, culminating with a collective siyum made by all of those present. “We recognize the power of learning,” began Rabbi Etan Schnall, mara d’asrah of Young Israel of Hillcret. “We recognize that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is in control of all that happens in Eretz Yisrael.”
Learning for Our Land was a wonderful display of achdus, T’hilim, and Torah learning on behalf of our IDF soldiers. Sponsors and participants raised over $7,000 toward the purchase of winter gear requested by IDF units who require shell layers to protect against the cold when fighting in Gaza. Thermal underlayers, socks, and neck-warmers are some items necessary. Rabbi Asher Schechter opened the evening with words of chizuk, reflecting on the 10/7 massacre and how to react to the unfortunate loss of Jewish life. “If the Ribbono Shel Olam says that the way klal Yisrael is going to suffer is from friendly fire, maybe we need to improve in our ahavas Yisrael, our interpersonal relationships.” Rabbi Schechter called on the audience to find the antidote amongst the moments of friendly fire in their own lives when lashon hara and rechilus hurt another Jew even mistakenly, and instead respond with love to others. “Meseches Avos is something that helps you be a better friend, a better spouse, parents, child or human being. When you make yourself a better person, you are a better friend. Elevate yourself and make yourself more G-dly not focused on the trivialities of life.”
“A siyum is not an end; it is an indicator of the beginning,” orated Rabbi Yonoson Hirtz with his divrei Torah to the group at the evening’s culmination. Rabbi Hirtz noted the significance of learning Pirkei Avos in the merit of the IDF brigades. “We are living in very historical times. This is the most exciting time in Jewish history; it is scary, but it is exciting. All the promises made by the neveim, our chachamim, are literally coming true before our eyes. A person who is the middle of a miracle, something extraordinary, does not realize the importance of the moment.” Rabbi Hirtz continued with one of his well-used concepts. “Turn the clocks back to exactly 100 years ago. It is December 23, 1923.” The rav went on to detail how today more than 10 million Jews, over half of the world’s Jewish population, thrives in Israel, a nation most would have thought impossible. Rabbi Hirtz spoke of a time in Tanach when Jewish life was exiled from Eretz Yisrael and took the audience on a short biblical history of the Holy Land. “We have learned from October 7 how Am Yisrael is unique. Klal Yisrael is alone in the world. At the end of this war, Klal Yisrael will come out on top, because that is Hashem’s promise.”
Rabbi Schnall followed with the recitation of the hadran, as a celebration for a wonderful cause was realized. Pre-registered community members studied in small groups and collectively completed the entire Pirkei Avos. A delicious dairy melaveh malkah was enjoyed by all. Many thanks to Sima Anscelovics and Miriam Greenberg for their hard work in coordinating this very successful event.
The following Motzaei Shabbos, children of all ages came with their parents and grandparents for a beautiful evening of Torah study at the annual Hillcrest Community-Wide Avos U’Banim event. The learning brought together members of Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam, Kehillat Avodat Hashem, Young Israel of Hillcrest, and other local Torah institutions in a beautiful display of achdus. There was delicious fresh pizza, delightful ice cream, and a gigantic raffle with endless prizes. The program was organized by Chanan Gruzhev, and Heshy Pollack, who together ensured that a wonderful time was had by all.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
