By COLlive reporter
Chabad’s prestigious rabbinical ordination institute, the Machon Chaim L’smicha L’rabbanus in Melbourne, Australia, will remain open, COLlive.com was told.
For 18 years, the high caliber smicha program taught rabbis-to-be how to bridge the gap between the halachos in Gemara and Shulchan Aruch and practical cases of the world today.
Their graduates left with intricate knowledge of the Laws of Issur V’heter [Kashrus], Smachos [the sick and mourning], Ishus [marriage] and sections of Hilchos Shabbos.
Even today, the standard of learning and testing is unparalleled; 18 years ago it was a complete novelty. Despite the Rebbe’s call for bochurim to complete smicha before marriage, there were few programs aside from 770.
Its founder was Rabbi Joseph Gutnick, the Lubavitcher mining magnate and known philanthropist. Thanks to his vision, initiative and generosity, a hanhala of the first order was formed.
Gutnick provided quality accommodations and food and a spacious and modern Beis Medrash so that there would be nothing interfering with fully-focused learning.
His revered father, Rabbi Chaim Gutnick was the original Rosh Yeshiva and and following his passing, the institute was renamed after him. Heading it of late is Rabbi Feitel Levin, renowned for his knowledge of halacha and the PowerPoint presentations he uses in shiurim.
He is ably assisted by Rabbi Dovid Leib Shmerling, a graduate of the program who has successfully served as meishiv for the last three years, teaching and guiding with proficiency and a smile.
The mashpia is Gutnick’s son, Rabbi Zalman Shimon Gutnick who ensures that together with intellectual growth, the bochrim grow spiritually and emotionally.
But Rabbi Joseph Gutnick’s recent move with his wife Shterna to Singapore, and the enormous undertaking of funding the program, has put its continuation in jeopardy.
A recent outpouring of thanks for supporting the institute and the encouragement to continue, had led Gutnick to decide to keep backing the program “for years to come,” according to someone involved.
“The hanhola thanks the many voices of support from a cross-section of the Torah community throughout the world,” they said in a statement.
And with that said, they are accepting applications for this coming year at [email protected].
U rock 🙂 awesome pic
B-H MANY HEALTHY SUCCESSFUL YEARS TO CARRIE ON THE WONDERFUL WORK YOU ARE DOING, HASHEM SHOULD BLESS YOU WITH MAZAL BROCHO
VHATZLOCHO IN EVERY THING BEGUR HE SHOULD GIVE YOU MUCH CHASIDISHEN NACHAS
YOU MAKE ME VERY PROUD LOVE MAMME
Harav Faitl Levin is an authority in nigleh, chassidus, nigunim, tfilo….
bochurim get the most out of him!
above all if you learn from him to be aidele, caring, carefull, and understanding Rabonim, the future has a lot to look forward to!
Yaarich yomim al mamlachtoi, with lots of naches from all your students the world over!
with respect….one of your siblings who would love to spend a year learning from you!
Thank you for all the support
To #35: might be time to brush up on the reading comprehension. I was not referring to getting a college degree or anything of the sort. A bochur aiming for shlichus and is not striving to become a posek should get his smicha in shiur daled and apprentice by a senior shliach during what is now called the “smicha year”. This offers the senior shliach a low cost alternative to hiring outside help and helps the bochur’s parents pay for their other kids tuitions. Same for the bochur that is aiming to become a shochet, mohel, sofer, etc. Your comment… Read more »
Kol Hakavod to Yossel and Harav Feitel Levin for the wonderful Smicha pogram
shlomog
Which conservative temple do you belong to? oris it a reform one? What happened with yiras shomayim and bitochon and hashgacha protis etc???? I know a lot of college grads with all kinds of decrees (woops, I think you’d call it degrees) that are walking around unemployed and unable to find jobs. At the same time I know a lot of guys with that piece of paper they call smicha and all have jobs as Rabbonim or shluchim and doing well. So let Hashem worry about that angle and you concentrate on having some bitochon and emunah in Hashem and… Read more »
The simcha program 🙂
Speak to your tax professional.
Thank you very much to Reb Yossel and Stera for being so kind to keep this wonderful Smicha Program going. May Hashem bentsch you with tremendous yiddishe nachas, excellent gezunt, panossah b’revach and all that you wish for !!!!
Presentation from Smicha 5771!!
Thanks Yossel
Reb Yossel Hakohen Gutnik, Thank you!!
I for one never believed it, I knew somehow some way it needed to continue and it would continue.
My year in Melbourne was so important for me and will always stay with me iy”h. Spending the year with such dedication to learning, being taught and mentored by such amazing people truly is precious.
May Hashem grant you only good and brochois!
Dear Rabbi Gutnick
Thank you for a year of personal Growth and incredible learning, it has impacted myself and all those i have come in touch with till today.
Thank you for continuing to give the Chabad Lubavitch community this program to help it grow as a whole and impact the world through the Limud Hatorah and Yiraas Shamayim.
Shmuly G. /Semicha 5766
It was whole sponsored by our dear Yossel and Stera that took care of us…
ok… besides the flight ticket;)
Thank you!
#2 SAID IT BEST
Thank you Yossel for continuing the Smicha Program. I am a Shliach/Rabbi today because of you. I am currently married with 4 children. The knowledge R Feitel Levin endowed me with will remain with me for all my years and I will surely pass it down to my children as well. I am forever grateful to you and Rabbi Feitel Levin. (I was in your program 15 yrs ago).
His son rabbi mordi gutnick is now rabbi together with rabbi yehuda hoch. Both very special people whom the community will benifit from.
Who will be the rabbi? Who will give the speeches?
The hero of Lubavitch off sets the costs so #21 we have our program. I bet if Reb Yossel finds diamonds he will solve the tuition crisis . What diamonds he has in Rabbi Levine and Rabbi Shmerling .
I think all the alumni should gather in melbourne and make a kinus to mechazeik this incredible program beroishum Rav Yossel Menahel Gashmi and Rav Faitel Menahel Ruchni.
why are also selling the heichel menachem buildings in yerushalayam so many people use that place for torah!!!!
Wholesale backing of higher education programs needs to stop. Lubavitch is buckeling under the weight of tuition bills that have become unaffordable. Smicha programs for a select few that will pasken dinim and persue dayonos and shimush should be encouraged (one comment here indicates this is such a program). For everyone else, smicha at the “associate” level should be institued. This would teach basic smicha at the shuir daled level which would need an additional year of smicha study if you want to pursue dayanos. It’s ridicules that parents are paying over $15k for 20+ year old sons for a… Read more »
Just couldn’t imagine Lubavitch and worldwide Jewry without it
I am sure that this was the test you needed to pass before the Rebbe’s brocho to you that you will find diamonds will became a reality. I have seen in my own life that when the Ruchnius side is going well so is the gashmius. May you go from strength to strength and keep smicha open for many years to come because that is the source of your brochos. Keep it up!!
Yossi, you deserve to be in that photo. what would smicha 5772 be without you!?
so happy to hear that Yossel has not tossed this GEM of a teacher and absolute BRILLIANCE of a man to the gutter.
Wow.now we can enjoy heshy great food for another.month
Just like you open your heart to the needs of Lubavitch so too Hashem will open the gates of Shamayim and shower you and your family with never ending berochas. You are the real DIAMOND of Lubavitch
I am a proud graduate of this wonderful program now on schlichus. I am respected in my community as a Rov because this program gave me the confidence to pasken well. Without the incredible countless hours of extra tutoring by Rabbi Dovid Leib Shmerling and the kind help of Rabbi Fatel Levine I wouldn’t of made it!!!!!Rabbi Gutnick you changed my life and you gave me the chance to succeed. Every single time I get a thankyou for paskening it really belongs to you!! Rabbi Gutnick you are the Chossid I want to become . I can’t thank you enough!!!
aye levi jurko long time no see! made it to 2 pics!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjNTBRqnnTg
There are lots of smicha programs in the world of Lubavitch today but everyone knows this one is unparalleled because it is the only one where you walk away with practical application. Also there is so much more covered including Shabbos, Yuchsin, Ishus, Avalius. And no one and nothing quite compares to shiurim from Rabbi F. Levin. Shkoiach Reb Yossel for keeping the program open. Besides your ma’aseh chesed, you have done a favor to the world of Lubavitch and to the world who will now be supported by real solid Lubavitch Rabbonim.
go heshy
Everyone knows that! Yossel keep it up these talmidim are your most precious diamonds!
For providing me with my best year of learning. Rabbi Levin and Dovid Leib – the dream team.
True Believe in the Idea and Power of “Keep the Good things Going and Growing” Kol Hakavod Rabbi Gutnick.
It’s connected to your Neshama obviously 😉
Is the best chef Smicha ever had
Yashar koach for ur decision.
May you receive lots of nachas from all your Rabbonim, and may all the rebbe’s brochos to you be fulfilled in the fullest!
he shows yet again what true generosity means…
Such wonderful news! I am so grateful that the program is continuing, giving so many more the opportunity to benefit from Rabbi Levin.
YOSSEL YOU ARE THE THE MAN
A REAL MENTCH – A MAN OF PRICIPLE
THIS WILL BRING YOU BROCHO HATZLACHA PARNASA AND GEZUNT MIT NACHAS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
AMEN.
A kimberely Mispalel
Mazal Tov