By Diane Wolfson
The Pretoria Hebrew Congregation held its 11th annual welcome event for the new students of the Machon L’hora’ah – the South African Institute for Rabbinical Training.
The well-attended event was more than an opportunity for the community and students to get acquainted: It was the seed for many forthcoming shiurim, chavrusas, and communal activities – all the kinds of interaction that characterize each group’s experience at the Machon.
Participants were hard-pressed to keep up with the variety of offerings: the many chavrusa sign-ups, the Tefillin booth, the delicious food, the lively entertainment and Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein’s stirring message.
For the Pretoria community it was an exciting day for another reason as well.
They were celebrating the reopening of the newly-renovated, state-of-the-art, uber-Kosher Mikvah. Mikva-waters and Torah-waters were drawn in joy together on this day.
But no time to luxuriate in meeting and greeting. The Shulchan Aruch awaits, an exacting taskmaster; and the bochrim plunged right back into the Yam HaTorah, learning assiduously towards their Smicha.
In the coming week they will face their first stimulating test by Rabbi Levy Wineberg. The 6-hour written test and 2 hour oral test would challenge them to find practical applications of the halachos that they had learnt on the first sections of Hilchos Ta’aruvos during their first month in the program.
The bochrim are not only unfazed by the challenging tests, they positively thrive on them. They feel a sense of real accomplishment and enjoyment of their learning. In the words of one of the students, “The test was very engaging; I felt properly challenged in respect of the material we learned.”
Past students testify that the Machon, now into its second decade under the leadership and tutelage of the acclaimed shliach and educator Rabbi Wineberg, successfully combines a high standard of learning with a strong shlichus – training component.
In honor of his recently departed father’s involvement with Shiurim B’Sefer HaTanya, Rabbi Wineberg is inviting all alumni of the Machon L’Hora’ah to a global farbrengen on Yud Tes Kislev.
It will be taking place Monday, 3:30 PM , Eastern Standard Time. To participate, click here
LYP rocks
Good luck from an old baltimore classmate
The pride of the whole Venezuelan community!
Estamos muy orgullosos de ti!
Bracha VeHatzlacha!
Cariños,
Usher
And the brightest
Go! Zelmen
Besuros tovos from Quincy, CA.
WE MISS YOU SO MUCH IN JOYSEY
OY! SHMAGEGI!
Go mendy boteach
Sending love from Hong Kong
nice to see you!
gskd
This is the 12th year of the Pretoria smicha; it began in 2001/5762. My year was privileged to be the 8th year of the program- l’maala min hateva!
from montreal 😛
Yay Mendy Boteach and Zalman Dubrawsky!
hi from postville!!! we miss u!!!!
Hatzlocho:)
Ashi, we are proud of you!
Good luck, you should all have an amazing and positive experience.
They dont tuck their shirts in
Moshe Rudd-definitely the best ever!!!!
pretoria was my best year in yeshiva!
dearest mendy,
AHHH YOU’RE ON COL! famous!
love from down under
the window of all these square, smiling, smaller windows of pictures is very cute! ..looks like the “Brady bunch”!