Oholei Torah Remembers Gavriel

Educational Institute Oholei Torah dedicated this past Hey Teves as a day of learning and reflection for the Kedoshim Gavriel Noach and his wife Rivkah Holtzberg h”yd, who was a talmid of Oholei Torah. Rabbi Yosef Rosenfeld, Executive Director of Oholei Torah met with the families and told them of the many programs and Siyumei Mishnayus that are taking place, L’iluy Nishmosom.

The Programs began on Wednesday night, with a Siyum of Mishnayus in the Raitport Beis HaMedrash and concluded Friday morning with the elementary division. All the 1600 talmidim of all ages participated in the days events.

Beis Hamedrash Oholei Torah

The Kinus was opened by heartfelt words from Rabbi Yisroel Friedman, the Rosh HaYeshiva, who spoke of Chassidim being compared to one body, and in order to strengthen the tragic loss, each chossid, and bochurim in particular must bring more chayus to their specific role, whether a shliach on shlichus, a ba’al habos setting times for limud and tzedokah and of course bohcurim keeping seder and learning with a chayus. A siyum of mishnayos was made by HaBochur Yosef Telsner and Kaddish was said by Rabbi Nosson Blumes, Coordinator of Alumni Affairs.

Oholei Torah Mesifta

Rabbi Zusha Wilhelm, Menahel of the Mesifta organized a kinus Thursday afternoon. Rabbi Yossi Paltiel , a well known mashpia and lecturer spoke about mesirus nefesh in the light of the Rebbe’s sichas, and gave the talmidim a deeper understanding and appreciation for seeing these aspects in the light of chassidus. Rabbi Pinchas Korf, Mashpia, spoke about Gavriel as a talmid and R’ Shmuel N. Speilman, Gavriel’s brother-in-law, told the talmidim of his life on shlichus and what he saw during his recent visit during Chanuka to the Chabad House in Mumbai. HaBochur Mendy Levinson, Gavriel’s nephew made a Siyum Mishnayus. Rabbi Wilhelm presented to the family a picture of Gavriel’s class from Mesifta and concluded the event with a tefila for the kedoshim. There was a special atmosphere being that this Kinnus was held in the very same Zal that Gavriel learned in while in Oholei Torah.

Oholei Menachem Elementary Division

On Friday morning, all divisions of the Elementary School gathered for a massive Kinnus, of Torah, Avoda and Gemlus Chassodim. Rabbi Hershel Lustig, Dean of the Elementary Divisions, opened the rally with remembering the special connection Oholei Torah had with Gavriel when he was a talmid in Oholei Torah, and what we can learn from his chayus in learning, davening and in Inyonei Geulah and Moshiach according to the limud of V’haChai Yiten el Libo.

Talmid Moshe Sassonkin said Kapitol Chof for the matzav in Eretz Yisroel and then everyone said the 12 psukim. Menachem M. Schanowitz, grade 8 talmid, made a beautiful siyum mishnayos. Rabbi Chaim Zaklos , who helped Gavriel in Mumbai, told the talmidim of the Avahas Yisroel Gavriel had for all the yidden who came through the Chabad House, and of Gavriel’s special qualities he had as a chossid and as a shliach of the Rebbe.
Rabbis Pinchas Rappoport and Meir Shimshoni, principals, joined the rally, and organized events proceeding the Shloshim for their various divisions.

Oholei Menachem Kindergarten

Thursday Morning, Morah Faige Winner-Hertzel, Director of the Kindergartens, gathered all the children for a true spirited Farbrengen and Rally. Children said the 12 Pesukim, drank L’chaim and sang many songs. Gavriel Holtzberg’s sisters, Mrs. Shoshana Raizel Levinson and Mrs. Devorah Speilman joined this gathering and thanked Morah Faige and the entire yeshiva for marking this day with such uplifting events. Rabbi Sholom Rosenfeld, Administrator of Oholei Torah, met with the sisters to convey on behalf of the entire yeshiva their condolences and gave brochos to the families that they should only know of simchas. A similar Rally was held later that day for the East Flatbush division.

At the upcoming Annual Dinner, Oholei Torah plans to pay tribute to Gavriel Holtzber and honor his fellow classmates. Each student, talmid and bochur of the mossad was uplifted and took from these kinnusim Hachlotas Tovos, and was aroused with a deeper sense of achdus chasidim and commitment for the work and life values of Gavriel H”yd.