After two successful years of the Machon Smicha directed by Rabbi Mendel Raijer the Chag Hasmicha and completion for its third group of students at Colel Ohel Yosef Moshe was held during the eve of Vov Teves, this time honoring 7 newly ordained rabbis for their achievement.
Despite the difficulties and uncertainty throughout this pandemic year, the students demonstrated that the will to study transcends and overcomes all barriers, even in a country that was locked down for more than 8 months due to the CoronaVirus.
Many distinguished Rabbonim were present for the ceremony, and addressed the crowd with Divrei Torah, bringing out, among other things, a nice connection to the event with Channukah and with the weekly Parsha, about Yaakov Avinu sending Yehuda to establish a Beis Midrash LeHoraa in Mitzrayim (לתקן לו בית תלמוד שמשם שמשם תצא הוראה).
The Rabbonim highlighted the hard work of the musmachim, especially this year, and their achievement in successfully attaining Semicha. They encouraged the bochurim to use the knowledge and wisdom gained in learning Semicha to empower them in all their future life achievements. Among the Rabbonim were present the Shliach HaRoshi in Argentina Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt, Rabbi Efraim Halperin, Rabbi Osher Farkash and Rabbi Shmuel Schtroks.
Rabbi Zalman Yaruslavsky, Rav of the Lubavitch community in Elad, Israel, tested the Bochurim, and shared a message to the graduates and to all those presents via Zoom Conference.
Rabbi Y. Y. Feigelstock, Moro DeAsro of Buenos Aires, shared a message to participants as well.
The pioneer Smicha graduates are rabbis Menajem Mendel Mizraji, Isroel Libman, Menajem Mendel Chocron, Arie Leib Farkash, Moishe Winer, Dan Kordon and Abraham Chama.
