The Kindness of Hashem & Community
A New Year at a New Location
It was a bright, sunny day and the atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm, as the students of Yeshiva Ohr Boruch, the Veitzener Cheder, lined up by class in the front courtyard of the former Ida Crown Jewish Academy/Associated Talmud Talmud Torahs building for the first day of the new school year. They were accompanied by parents, grandparents and many members of the community, and warmly welcomed by Rabbi Moshe Yosef Unger, Founder and Nasi of the Cheder, and the Menahel, Rabbi Hillel Mandel. Rabbi Mandel declared that they were about to enter a building where Torah was learned for over sixty years, producing some of today’s renowned talmidei chachomim and luminaries of the American Jewish community. “Chazal, our Sages, call our young children “anointed ones” and “princes”, said Rabbi Mandel. “How befitting it is for them to enter such a virtual Palace! For nearly two years, the sounds of Torah and Tefillah were absent from the halls of this edifice; we can imagine how its walls have been yearning to resound with them again. We are here to revive the ruach of Torah at 2828 W. Pratt Boulevard!” Notable among the guests arriving to celebrate this special day in Cheder history was Mr. Naftoli Tessler, a Cheder founder and great-grandparent, who watched, beaming with pride, as each student was greeted personally at the entrance and given a bracha by Rabbi Unger. Immediately upon entry to their classrooms, limud Torah began in earnest; later, each class was given a tour of the all areas they will utilize during the course of each day.
The excitement was not yet over. An hour prior to dismissal, the talmidim were summoned to the courtyard again to welcome two special visitors from Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Uri Zohar and Rabbi Eliezer Sorotzkin, representatives of Lev L’Achim. Rabbi Unger opened the program by expressing that though located in the center of a busy neighborhood, one can feel the Divine Presence as young children learn Torah. The Rabbis from Israel each expressed how fortunate the students and their families are to have such a beautiful location filled with the spirit of Torah. They wished the Cheder and its families continued success. The students left for home filled with joy and duly impressed by the beauty of their new surroundings.
Later that week, an additional event further enhanced the students’ ruach of simcha. Accompanied by their rebbeim, the seventh and eighth graders returned to the old Cheder building on Touhy Ave. to transfer the sifrei Torah to the Cheder’s new home. With great simcha, they proceeded to the new building, where they were met by the rest of the Cheder and the famous Wi-Fi fire truck. With singing, dancing, and live music, the students escorted the Torahs into the Bais Medrash, where they were placed into the aron kodesh by the rebbeim and older students.
Renovations continue, further enhancing the esthetics as well as security at the new building. The rebbeim, teachers and students are reaping the benefits of spacious, well-lit and climate-controlled classrooms, wide halls, lockers, and generous space for bulletin boards. The Cheder is grateful to Hashem Yisborach and to His emissaries, the devoted baalei batim assisting it in building a beautiful mokom Torah that will be a pride to our community and our People.
