Boca Honors 12 Ordained Rabbis

By COLlive reporter

Over 200 people attended a celebration at Machon Menachem – Boca Raton Rabbinical College in Florida, honoring newly ordained rabbis for their achievement and for their contribution to the community.

Attending the “Chag Hasmicha” graduation ceremony were parents and family members of the graduates as well as local Rabbonim, dignitaries and community members.

Having completed its third year, Machon Menachem is quickly gaining a reputation as a premiere Semicha program for Lubavitch bochurim.

The event was MC’d by the dean of Machon Menachem, Rabbi Ruvi New who is also the Director of Chabad of East Boca.

The impact of the newly minted rabbis on the Boca Raton community through their numerous outreach programs was on vivid display, as a wide spectrum of people came to celebrate with them.

“Our rabbinical students bring a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm, as well as providing valuable service to the community they interact with,” he told the Jewish Journal. “They are our ambassadors of spreading Judaism to the Boca community, helping with many programs for the youth and elderly especially.”

The newly ordained are, rabbis Zalman Abend (North Hollywood, Calif.), Yisroel Beenstock (Manchester, England), Baruch Dorfman (St. Paul, Minn.), Dovid Drodi (St. Paul, Minn.), Benny Druin (North Miami Beach), Mendel Edelman (Crown Heights), Levi Green (Hollywood, Fla.), Shmuel Kurtz (Chicago), Shmuel Lipszyz (Crimea, Ukraine), Levi Partouche (Montpellier, France), Yisroel Rendler (Crown Heights) and Yisroel Simpson (Crown Heights).

Addressing the ceremony were Rabbi Zalman Bukiet and Rabbi Moshe Denburg, co-directors of Chabad of Boca Raton, Yisroel Beenstok on behalf of the Bochurim and greetings from Matt Levin, CEO of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Berl Gurary, whose dedication and personal attention to the bochuim sets the high standard for Machon Menachem, delivered an inspiring farewell message to his students.

The keynote and commencement address was delivered by Rabbi Shalom Ber Lipskar, spiritual leader of The Shul of Bal Harbour, Florida, who wowed the crowd with his legendary oratory skills and passionate message in advance of Gimmel Tammuz.