By COLlive reporter
The faculty and students of the Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in the French village of Brunoy recently gathered for a class photo for the year 5774 before summer season begins.
But they won’t be going anywhere.
Learning will be continuing as usual, with regular davening, shiurim and even farbrengens, over the next months at the Yeshiva, one of the largest and oldest in Lubavitch.
Founded in 5707 (1947) by the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Yeshiva has long held a tradition of not closing for the summer vacation, unlike most Chabad Yeshivas which close for at least 2 months and reopen for Elul.
“There will be a week’s break before the new term begins,” a staff member told COLlive.com.
The Rebbe himself has spoken out against the extended summer period. In one talk, on 12 Tammuz 5745, the Rebbe said the summer is “a time of year when for some reason schools are closed.”
“This is against the reality — Torah is our life — learning Torah is the life force of every child,” the Rebbe said.
“Who has the right to make a distinction, that for 9 and a half or 10 months when school is open the child has to get life — but when school closes he must rest from studying Torah?! Torah is his life! This fact is uncivilized!
“Close school for 2 months or 8 weeks or 6 weeks? For what reason? Actually the school should not even close! How can we close a “house of life” even for one day — let alone weeks or months.”
Click here for full size photo
kids look forward to the summer break it gives them energy to start the year fresh, maybe two months is long but at least one month is not a terrible thing to have fun and learn in a nature setting
If the Rebbe visited Parksville it means he approved having camp in the Summer.
Non american yeshivas don’t stop till at least rosh chodesh av!
But the idea of know vacation is extremely difficult, even working adults have allocated leave for a number of days per year.
Every Chabad yeshivah started in Russia and moves around till finally settling.
I don’t see brunoy being any diffrent then any Lubavitch yeshivah. Sorry for taking the air out
Yeshivas should not close for 2 months. Who gives the heter to close a Yeshivah? However, when gan Israel opened it was meant for non frum kids. The question right away was who is going to be the counselors? So the yeshivas decided to close and the students became the counselors. Of course the schools were thrilled. Parents are paying tuition and the school has no expenses. The teachers were thrilled, they Re getting paid and not working and/or can get a summer job if they want. The kids are thrilled, no school. The parents are unhappy because the kids… Read more »
And New Haven
Chaim Edery best shliach!
This Yeshiva arrived in Brunoy shortly after the war, but it was not founded there. It one of the Yeshivas from Russia that was able to get across the border, and then many other borders, and finally end up in Burnoy. My father ע”ה was in that Yeshiva during all those travels.
We too follow that system and Boruch Hashem , we are seeing our sons blossom for the 7 years it has been in existence. These boys are a sterling example of Chassidishe behavior and are super happy boys as well
And Toronto!
Montreal yeshiva was started 1942
Gan Yisroel accomplishes tremendous things for which the Rebbe strongly encouraged children to participate. However, the Rebbes support for Gan Yisroel grew out of the crisis of the summer vacation. Rather than allow children to do nothing at home for 2 months, send them to camp and inculcate within them Yiddishkeit 24/7. Understand that camp was the Rebbes response to a crisis that wasn’t being resolved properly (by having school throughout the summer.) In conclusion camp is great, and was the Rebbes baby, but all year school would be better, the notion of a summer vacation does not fit with… Read more »
The rebbe was very pro non-frum children going to gan Yisroel….
No need to be confused. That was for those that were out of yeshiva/cheder anyway. It was a bedieved situation. Also, it was for not-yet-frum kids without any jewish plans for the summer. Of course the Rebbe would prefer frum kids to stay in cheder.
Good for them for doing the right thing! This is the BEST gift they could have given the Rebbe. So many schools preach chassidishkeit and doing the right things to their students, but it only reaches “biz de aigene pupik”. It’s refreshing to see a school that is practicing what it preaches. Yasher Koach!
How dare the schools – especially mesivta close the whole summer long if the rebbe was againts ?!!!
Something HAS to be done! My mesivta boys are hanging around CH this summer because we can’t afford the enormous financial burdon of mesivta and the summer learning programs! I’m ill from worry and see huge decline in my sons over the summer time because we can’t afford to send them away!!!
Please rabbonim do something already!!!!
that one school gives the Rebbe Yiddishe Nachas. Our local school reduced down a month to give a full summer when people needed vacation and they also decided to save money. Chassidim of Convenience !
the Rebbe was very pro that children should go to gan yisroel—-
But Detroit and Chicago have been doing this for years….