Pretoria Welcomes 10 Bochurim

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