Students of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch, the Chabad day school in Montreal, Canada, gathered to celebrate the institution’s 75th anniversary with one of the pillars of the Yeshiva.
It was Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan and there was excitement in the air as the students received a special birthday invitation. Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim Montreal – established in 1941 – was inviting its students to celebrate its 75th birthday.
On Beis Cheshvan, the students were greeted by a huge, hand painted “Happy Birthday” sign. The principal, Rabbi Moshe Ezagui, opened with words of welcome and introduced the guest speaker – a most esteemed individual and former principal of the Yeshiva – Rabbi Hershel Feigelstock.
Rabbi Ezagui gave the students some background on Rabbi Feigelstock and explained that he is one of the pillars of the Yeshivah.
As this was a rare opportunity to interview Rabbi Feigelstock, some of the students prepared questions…
“Please tell us a little about where you are from and what led you to become a Lubavitcher Chassid?”
The students listened as Rabbi Feigelstock took them back to the very first time he met the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe (who was then the Frierdiker Rebbe’s secretary) in Vienna, Austria.
Later, during World War 2 he came to Montreal. He was one of the original bochurim in Montreal’s newly established branch of Tomchei T’mimim. Several years later he became a teacher in the same Yeshiva.
“How did you become the principal?” was the next question.
Rabbi Feigelstock explained that the position of principal became vacant after Rabbi Yosef Rodal (the first principal of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim Montreal) had left. The Rebbe instructed Rabbi Feigelstock to assume the position. He took over as principal in 1953 and held that position for 40 years!
Another story Rabbi Feigelstock shared. Once, Rabbi Feigelstock met a former talmid, the student shared a memory with his former principal. One time, Rabbi Feigelstock asked his class to line up. While the rest of the class was standing in line, he didn’t get into the line.
Rabbi Feigelstock pulled him aside and said, “It is important to always be in the proper line” He told his former principal, that although much time had passed since he had been in Yeshiva, this lesson stayed with him.
Often times, when confronted with a dilemma, the words of Rabbi Feigelstock rang in his ears – “one must always make sure to be in the proper line” – thus steering him to make the right decision. The lesson he had learned from a five second interaction helped him in his journey throughout life.
There were more questions than time allowed, but Rabbi Feigelstock answered many of them. He shared many interesting stories and lessons. The discussion, though short, gave the students an enhanced feeling of the rich history of their Yeshivah.
Rabbi Feigelstock concluded by emphasizing to the students that they should always be proud to have the zchus to learn in the Rebbe’s Yeshiva!
As the assembly came to a close, the students received a delicious cookie with a custom “75” written in chocolate icing.
Later, while speaking to one of the younger talmidim about the event, Vice Principal, Rabbi Yossi Evers asked, “what did you learn from the assembly with Rabbi Feigelstock?”
“There is no such thing as a bad boy, just sometimes he needs some help to overcome his Yetser Hora”, he responded with a big smile.
It surely was a day to remember.
Many thanks to the frierdike rebbe obm for sending his 9 bochurim to mtl. In 1941 amist w.w.11 to found and establish tomchei temmim! Horah yitschok hakohen hendel, rav yosef Menachem mendel tenenbaum, rav yoisef Rodal, rav yoouse weinberg, rav kotlarsky, rav leib Kramer, rav zev green glass,
The best principle!!bh yeshiva is in good hands.
Havent seen R feigelstock in many years..mazal tov! To many more years
The boys really enjoyed this!
Rabbi Feigelstock is a special person…. mamosh a tzadik!!
Lucky is montreal yeshiva for having such a dedicated principal. Finally, good change will come!