Rabbi Binyamin Grossman electrified the crowd at the Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam 23rd annual dinner with the announcement of their newest branch in the sixth borough of New York City. Yes, a new satellite yeshivah location recently opened in North Miami Beach, Florida. Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam of Miami opened in Cheshvan this year and recently moved to its new permanent home on December 21. It was created as a brand-new branch of its parent yeshivah, Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam in Hillcrest, Queens, and the two institutions share a Rosh HaYeshivah, HaRav Moshe Faskowitz. In Miami, the yeshivah is led by Rabbi Binyamin Grossman, Menahel, and Rabbi Noach Peled, Maggid Shiur.
HaRav Moshe Faskowitz, the Rosh HaYeshivah of both Madreigas HaAdam locations, explained at the dinner that in the Novardok tradition, The Alter of Novardok, Rav Yosef Yozel Horowitz (Rabbi Faskowitz’s great-grandfather), believed that the success of a yeshivah is in how many yeshivos the original yeshivah can establish, intending to further the spread of Torah learning as far and wide as possible. The Alter of Novardok and his son-in-law, HaRav Avrohom Yoffen (Rabbi Faskowitz’s grandfather), both established many yeshivos in Europe, counting around 90 Novardok yeshivos before World War II. Unfortunately, they were decimated by the war, and it is our responsibility to continue that tradition of harbatzas Torah.
And finally, here in America, we are zocheh to continue that tradition, to establish not just one yeshiva, but a second yeshivah in a thriving community, creating additional places of learning. “Baruch Hashem,” said Rabbi Faskowitz, “we have another Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam as a staple, an integral part of the Torah learning in the halls of the musar style yeshivah. Baruch Hashem, I’ve been zocheh that Hashem has given us the privilege to serve Him in this way, of expanding Torah to other communities.” In his speech at the dinner, Rabbi Grossman addressed the importance of bringing Torah to the towns “where there are no rebbeim, so that the Torah will not be forgotten b’Yisrael.” Of course, we know that Miami lacks neither Jews nor Torah institutions, but they’ve found where there’s a gap and have the alacrity to fill it. “All over the country,” he said, “there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of men looking to continue their Torah study and continue their learning, even after they leave full-time yeshivah or kollel. It is for this reason, continuing with our Novardok m’sorah, I’m proud to announce the opening of a new branch of Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam in North Miami Beach.” Like the Queens location, they will pioneer as the first yeshivah in the area that’s dedicated to men who are simultaneously involved in college or full-time jobs.
Rabbi Binyamin Grossman, Menahel, is a familiar name here in Queens, as he and his family lived in Queens for 23 years and recently relocated back to his home state of Florida. During their time in New York, they were involved in many areas of the community, including Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe, the Bais YaakovAcademy of Queens, and Central High school, where their children were educated, but especially at Madreigas HaAdam, where Rabbi Grossman was part of the original talmidim who started the yeshivah over two decades ago. He learned there as a talmid, continued to remain connected throughout his time in Queens, was part of the first cohort to receive s’michah from Rabbi Faskowitz, and he continued to learn, teach, and help with the running of the yeshivah as part of the executive board. Rabbi Faskowitz described Rabbi Grossman as a “stellar talmid of the yeshivah for many years. He represents what we’ve tried to bring, and there’s nobody better to bring the musar hashkafah to the Miami community.”
Rabbi Noach Peled, who came to Miami after learning at Yeshiva Toras Moshe in Yerushalayim and teaching at various yeshivos and seminaries there, serves as the Miami yeshivah’s maggid shiur, is currently teaching the morning Gemara shiur and has plans to add more classes over the coming months, including a night seder on conceptual and practical (lomdus and halachah l’maaseh) of “bein adam la’chaveiro” mitzvos, which is set to begin in January.
For those who are familiar with North Miami Beach, one noteworthy feature of the new yeshivah is its location: Whereas most of the Jewish community is settled on the west side of the Royal Galdes Canal, there’s been a recent spread over to the Eastside, where 17 families recently moved in. The Yeshiva is uniquely situated between both communities by being, “on the other side of the canal,” that is, on the east side, but very close to the west side boundary, on the same block as the centralized Shabbos park that is used by all. They’re the first Torah institution to open up in that area, aiming to be conveniently located near and to attract people from both sides of the canal.
Thus far, the group of talmidim has a small, tight-knit camaraderie, with men of ages 21+ learning together in the morning. The goals are to make sure every individual understands the p’shat, and with a smaller group setting, they can review each lesson with each student as many times as needed to be sure everyone gains clarity on the material and relevant commentaries. As Rabbi Grossman explained, “Though North Miami Beach has illustrious Torah institutions like Toras Chaim and The NMB Kollel, led by world-class talmidei chachamim, they cater more to the full-time learner. As a ben Torah who also works, I wanted a mekom Torah in which I could feel and be a full-fledged member while continuing in my secular pursuits. Really, I just came in to try to fill the same gap in the yeshivah system that my rebbe, HaRav Moshe Faskowitz shlita filled in Queens some 24 years ago.”
And according to the talmidim, it sounds like he’s doing just that: The yeshivah is truly a remarkable place of Torah, a beautiful place where we feel at home and connected and can enjoy learning properly with each other. The shiur given by HaRav Peled is one of a kind, a complex class requiring solid chavrusa preparation, yes refreshingly, clear, interactive, and exciting so that everyone can understand and have real enjoyment from it,” said Mutty Koot. The yeshivah would like to continue to attract talmidim from a variety of backgrounds and ages, but who want a venue to continue yeshivah-style learning alongside going to college, working full-time, or as part of their retirement.
As for the Rosh HaYeshivah, Rabbi Faskowitz, the occasion of the yeshivah’s expansion fills him with pure nachas. He described his happiness as that of a father’s pride in his child. “A man is never jealous of his son or his talmid; a talmid’s success is more important than one’s own. This is what makes a rebbe happy.”
For more information, you can visit www.miamiyeshiva.org.
By Rachel Goldsmith