Birthday Marked of Beloved Rabbi

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Menachem Aron

The 67th birthday of Rabbi Avrohom Gerlitzky, a beloved maggid shiur in Beis Medrash Oholei Torah, was marked with a grand party on Sunday.

It has become a tradition among his students since 1981 to go all out in celebrating the day with a lavish farbrengen, fliers and gifts.

The students say they do it as a small token of their appreciation for his warmth, kindness and dedication to his students for over 40 years.

“His students are like his children,” they told COLlive.com. “He puts his heart and soul into teaching, and he has thousands of grateful students all over the world.”

When the Rabbi left his house Sunday, he was greeted by bouquets of festive red balloons, which continued up Kingston Avenue, along with birthday greetings on fliers on cars throughout the neighborhood.

Entering the school building, which was decorated with balloons as well, the Rabbi was surprised with a grand farbrengen party complete with pizza, sushi, salads, even a chocolate fountain, graciously sponsored by Menachem Sheinberger, a former student and owner of Sauce N Cheese, along with Sushi Spot and Kahan’s Superette, who were all thrilled to participate in the special day for the dedicated Rabbi.

The bochurim presented Rabbi Gerlitzky with a series of meaningful gifts, including an embroidered Tallis and Tefillin bag from Prestige Embroidery and a new Kapota fitted by the Rabbi’s brother in law, Rabbi Yisroel Shemtov.

A beautiful cake, sponsored by Glick’s Bakery of the Marketplace, was presented as well.

The farbrengen continued with surprise guests stopping by to give birthday wishes to the Rabbi, including his brother Rabbi Menachem Gerlitzky, Five Towns Shliach Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, former student Yossi Malamud and Rabbi Shimon Rivkin of CTeen.