Yeshivat Chovevei Torah

While in Israel, R' Jon Leener of the Prospect Heights shul in Brooklyn reconnects with his former congregants whom he inspired to pursue studies at YCT: Our first Jewel Certificate Grad Yonatan Rahmani who made aliyah this year, and YCT semikha student Aaron Wildavsky who is on the ground doing support work in Israel.

R’ Ari Weiss (‘07) of Cornell Hillel speaks to the antisemitism on his campus and what his team is doing about it.

Cornell Hillel Rabbi and CJL Co-President on CNN. October 30, 2023 Cornell Hillel Rabbi and CJL Co-President on CNN. October 30, 2023

In Case You Missed It:
R' Ari Hart of Skokie Valley Congregation on why he and his colleague R' Hody Nemes attended the funeral of a local Muslim boy who was murdered.

CNN News - Rabbis Attend Funeral for Muslim Boy in Illinois

APPLY TODAY & JOIN OUR RABBINIC NETWORK:
https://yctorah.org/rabbinic-and-educator-programs/semikha/
*Full scholarships and living stipends for qualified students.

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah The Spiritual Home for a Vibrant and Inclusive Orthodox Judaism.

R' Yerachmiel Shapiro ('08) leading a downtown Baltimore Israel rally.

"For the past nine years, the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto has proudly hosted the Z3 Conference, an annual event dedicated to exploring the dynamic relationship between diaspora Jews and Israel. The next one is set for Nov. 5.

However, as I write these words, it’s been just over two weeks since we witnessed the deadliest day for our people since the Holocaust. In the face of an impending larger-scale conflict and a substantial surge in global antisemitism and attacks targeting Jews, the notion of possessing a secure and thriving sovereign state and diaspora feels uncertain.."

Continue Reading:
https://jweekly.com/2023/10/25/talking-openly-about-israel-will-make-us-less-polarized-not-more/

R Amitai Fraiman, is director of the Z3 Project and founder of שזור/Interwoven, an organization specializing in telling the story of American Jewry to Israelis.

And he is ours too.

*Why we say Anneinu and Not Aveinu Malkeinu*

We encourage communities to consider reciting the Aneinu prayer daily, and even on Shabbat, as a lead-in to prayers for the wellbeing and protection of our IDF soldiers, and for the safety and speedy return of the captives. We have chosen to say this prayer at YCT, and not the Avinu Malkeinu, as it is our feeling that Avinu Malkeinu is overly focused on the theme of “because of our sins.”

While this is a classic Jewish response when tragedy strikes, it is not necessarily the right one at all times. The time will come when that inward-directed focus and accountability will have to take place, but now, as we are at war, and with so many enemies coming out from all quarters, this focus at this time is not helpful religiously, emotionally or from a morale perspective.

Aneinu, in contrast, focuses fully on our turning to God for help. It is our most fundamental religious response, to cry out to God be’eit tzarah, at a time of tragedy and suffering. When we recite it, we do so responsively, and encourage you and your communities to consider doing so as well. The experience of having the whole community proclaim “Aneinu,” “answer us!” over and over can powerful religiously and communally.

We use a more recent version of the second section, Mi She’anah, published 20 years ago by Julia Andelman and Lisa Exler, which includes the voices of our foremothers and Jewish women throughout history. At a time like this, with mothers and fathers sending their sons and daughters off to war, and with men, women, and children, young and old, murdered, violated and taken captive, we need all those voices to rise up to Heaven and to help bring us a salvation.
https://yctorah.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Aneinu-Prayer-with-intro-1.pdf

So what can we do now?

We invite you to explore the materials on our website as you look for ways to reflect, learn Torah, and support yourself and your loved ones through these difficult times.

YCT Israel Response We are all still reeling from the shock and trauma of the horrific invasion and mass terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas on October 7th, claiming the lives of over 1400 of our brothers and sisters, including over 300 chayalim and chayalot, and kidnapping over 200 men, women, children, infants,

We get so much nachas from the mentorship of our students by our musmakhim. Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz and 4th year student Eli Weinbach. What a shidduch!

https://library.yctorah.org/2010/01/kiddushin-as-a-speech-act/

The Rosh HaYeshiva spending time with and bringing chizuk to his beloved musmakhim in Baltimore. Hey there R' Eli Finkelstein, R' Jason Goldstein, R' Rabbi Elliot Kaplowitz, R' Yerachmiel Shapiro! He'll get you next time R' Chai Posner, R' Rabbi Eli Yoggev.


're ours too!

Our musmakh R' Mishael Zion writes:

"On the corner of Leib Yaffe Street in Jerusalem, in the quiet neighborhood of Talpiot, two houses stand across from each other. In one, Aner Shapiro is being mourned. My 23 year old neighbor who went to dance in the desert and instead found himself catching live gr***des and lobbing them back at terrorists, protecting his friend Hersh and many people he did not know, until one gr***de eventually took his life."



He's ours too.

The intersection of broken hearts From the blog of Mishael Zion at The Times of Israel

Holding our chayalim and chayalot close in our tefillot and in our limud.

A PRAYER FOR THOSE IN CAPTIVITY
As we enter in Shabbat, with our minds and hearts focused on the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters in Israel, and the safety and security of those serving in the IDF, risking their lives to protect our people, we cannot stop but thinking about those who are being held in captivity, what they must be enduring and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. The numbers are staggering, and yet it is critically important to not lose sight of each individual, a world unto themselves.

With that in mind, we share with you a list of the names of those being held captive, together with a mishebeirakh for their wellbeing and safe and speedy return. We encourage you to recite the mishebeirakh (page 525 in Koren siddur) and to recite the names of all those we are praying for in shul this Shabbat.

מי שברך אבותינו אברהם יצחק ויעקב, ואמותנו שרה רבקה רחל ולאה, הוא יברך וישמור וינצור את הנעדרים והנעדרות, החטופים והחטופות, ובתוכם:

[השמות]

בתוך שאר אחינו ואחיותנו בית ישראל הנתונים בצרה ובשביה. בעבור שהקהל וכל קהלות ישראל מתפלל בעבורם, הקדוש ברוך הוא ימלא רחמים עליהם, ויוציאם מחושך וצלמות, ומוסרותיהם ינתק, וממצוקותיהם יושיעם, וישיבם מהרה לחיק משפחותיהם. "יודו לה' חסדו ונפלאותיו לבני אדם". ויקוים בהם מקרא שכתוב: "ופדויי ה' ישובון ובאו ציון ברינה ושמחת עולם על ראשם. ששון ושמחה ישיגו ונסו יגון ואנחה" ונאמר אמן.

May the One who blessed our fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov and our mothers, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah, bless and keep and protect those who are missing and who have been seized captive, among them:

[List of names]

Together with all of our brothers and sisters who are in straits and captivity, for the sake that this community and all our communities are praying on their behalf. May the Holy One have compassion on them, bring them out from darkness and despair, break their chains, and from their depths redeem them. May God return them quickly to their families. Let them realize the fulfilment of the verse: “Those redeemed by God shall return and come to Zion in song, and anguish and moaning shall depart,” and let us say, Amen.

http://Www.yctorah.org/captives

We are so inspired by the many ways the entire Jewish community has come together to support our brothers and sisters in Israel.

With bulletproof vests, socks and soap, US Jews rush to aid Israel An hour after Rabbi Jonathan Leener put out a call for donations among his small Brooklyn synagogue community, he had raised $5,000. Soon he had taken in enough supplies to fill an SUV.

YCT stands with Israel, in NYC and around the world!

NYC folks: Please join us today.

A Message from YCT’s President and Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Dov Linzer:

Dear Friends,

We are all still reeling from the shock and trauma of the horrific invasion and mass terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas this last Shabbat, claiming the lives, as of now, of upwards of 900 of our brothers and sisters, including over 80 soldiers. More than 100 people–adults, children and elderly–have been taken from their homes and are being held captive by Hamas in Gaza. And Hamas’ actions have also brought about the death of over 500 Palestinian non-combatants. This has been the bloodiest day in the history of the State of Israel and the most deadly for world Jewry since the Shoah. We are devastated beyond words, but we are not defeated. As a people who believe in God, in Torah, in Jewish Peoplehood and in the State of Israel, we respond with faith, with courage and with sacrifice, with unity and with resolve.

“Beloved is the human being who was created in the Divine Image,” our Rabbis teach us in Pirkei Avot (3:14), “It is a sign of even greater love that it was made known to him that he was created in the Image, as it says, 'In the image of God, God created the human'.”

When people know that they are created in the image of God, they value and treasure life; when they choose to not know this, they slaughter innocent people, men and women, young and old, in their homes, at a music festival. This is what brought about the destruction of the world at the time of the Flood, “for the world was filled with hamas, violence, before them.” (Bereish*t 6:13).

Israel will defend herself and her people with all measures necessary. And we – wherever we are around the world – will respond to the enemy’s nihilism by coming together in an affirmation of everything we believe in: in community, in hope, in prayer and in support.

So what can we do now? Do mitzvot and acts of chesed. Reach out to your family and friends. Contact your elected officials to thank them and encourage them to stand up for Israel and for what is right. Stay informed and consume news from reputable news sources. Give tzedakah, help in material ways those who are grieving, who are displaced, who are pining after their loved ones being held captive, and those on the front lines. When the enemy chooses death, we choose life.

Our rabbis, in the United States, in Israel, and around the world, are bringing to their communities the religious leadership and spiritual and emotional support that we all so need at this time.

Our thoughts particularly go out to Rabbi Yonatan Cohen (‘06), rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel, Berkeley, whose nephew, Yoav Malayev, died heroically in defense of Medinat Yisrael in the opening hours of the war on Shabbat morning. And to our mumsakhim who are currently serving in Tzahal, including so many of our Israeli rabbis from Rikmah who have been called up or who have immediate family members serving in the front lines of this war. And to all of us who have children, friends and relatives in Israel, whether they are serving in the army, learning there for a gap year, or living there and trying to be strong, may God keep all of them safe and bring them all home b’Shalom.

We will get through this together, stronger than ever. Am Yisrael Chai. Medinat Yisrael Chai.

Rabbi Dov Linzer

YCT stands with our alumni and all those in uniform protecting and living in our homeland.
YCT stands against terrorism, the targeting of civilians by Hamas, and against anti-semitism throughout the world.
YCT stands with the People and State of Israel.

“Three simple words. SURE. WHY. NOT.”

Women dancing with the Torah during Hakafot? Meh! When a rabbi is asked about this or any matter of women's inclusion, the response should be just three simple words

R’ Dani Passow of Harvard Hillel catches up with former Harvard Hillel Rabbi (also our graduate) Akiva Herzfeld at an event in Israel.


YCT network strong
They’re ours too!

Our musmakh Rabbi Andrew Scheer, of the Tokyo Jewish community, was instrumental in putting up the first sukkah at the Israeli embassy in Tokyo. Enjoy this VIDEO!


He’s ours too!

イスラエル大使館 Israel in Japan on X スコット(仮庵の祭) 真っ只中🌿 アメリカ海軍 ラビ アレックス・ハミルトン中尉、日本ユダヤ教団 (JCC) ラビ アンドリュー・シェール氏をお迎えし、大使館にてレセプションを行いました。 ハッピー スコット！ We don't always...

"Rambam, in the beginning of his Laws of Marriage, emphasizes the distinctiveness of this institution, pointing out that prior to the Giving of the Torah, marriage was defined only through the act of s*x, without the prior stage of eirusin, whereas with the Giving of the Torah it is now defined by these two stages. "

Said a YCT Rabbi to the Yeshiva: "Thank you for the sweatshirt. And for GIVING ME PURPOSE in my life, and for RESCUING ME FROM A CORPORATE SERVITUDE, and for bringing me into the land of the living."
www.yctorah.org

Did you know that PHILLY is a hub for YCT rabbis? R' Daniel Levitt, R' Michael Gordan, R' Amir Zinkow and R' Ari Weiss got together last night to learn Torah in the sukkah of none other than Maharat grad Rabbanit Leah Sarna. (R' Gabe Greenberg, R' Josh Frankel, R' Eric Garfinkel were there in spirit.) Nice sweatshirt Daniel!



They're ours too!

Got a question about ADJUSTING your ELECTRIC BURNERS or KEYPAD OVENS on YOM TOV? Get Rabbi Dov Linzer's halakhic guidance here:
https://yctorah.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Sukkot-Reader.pdf

Rabbi Saul Strosberg hosted Akiva School students in his Nashville sukkah!



He’s ours too!

Chag Sukkot Sameach!

Our students had an amazing time on the first day of our Sukkah Hop! A huge thank you to our incredible families who generously opened their sukkot to welcome our students in!

Rabbi Michael Billet celebrating Sukkot with his Kinneret Day School students!



He’s ours too!!

https://library.yctorah.org/2016/08/kiddushin-ownership-or-partnership-part-5-kinyan-and-kiddushin-in-competition-gemara-and-rishonim/

Can I take down my Sukkah during chol hamoed if there are strong winds? What did Rav Kook say about moving from Yom Kippur to Sukkot? Enhance your experience of Sukkot with our Torah Resource Reader. yctorah.org/sukkot-5784-reader

Brandeis Senior Chaplain & Hillel Executive Director Rabbi Seth Winberg (YCT '11) responds to controversial Brandeis University advertisement. Forward article in comments.