By COLlive reporter
Over this past month, a sweet young boy has been among the bochurim who receive their daily meals at 1414 President Street, the dormitory, kitchen and dining room of the Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim at 770 Eastern Parkway.
The Yeshiva’s new administrator Rabbi Benjy Stock took notice of him.
“I knew he was stranded in Crown Heights and that his parents worked it out with the Yeshiva that he would eat his meals with us,” Rabbi Stock says in reference to Israel’s Covid lockdown and the shutting of its borders.
Many Israeli Lubavitchers – like this young boy – who traveled to New York to mark Yud Shvat and the day the Rebbe accepted leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch remained stuck in Crown Heights.
This boy was one of them. “He was shy at first,” Rabbi Stock told COLlive.com. “But he got more comfortable and would sometimes ask for a second helping or that his food be warmed up when he came late to a meal.”
Last week, Rabbi Stock struck up a conversation with the boy and learned that his name is Aharon Elias and that he is a student at the Chabad Cheder in Petach Tikvah, a city in central Israel.
In fact, the boy commented matter-of-factly, “I’m turning 13 on Monday.”
Rabbi Stock says he was shocked to hear that the boy was to be in Crown Heights alone and unable to celebrate this important day in his life at home with his family and friends.
“I first invited him to eat at our house for Shabbos and then learned that he has 2 brothers at 770, so I invited them as well,” he says.
The next step was surprising the boy with a large birthday cake during dinner one night to uplift his spirits.
What happened next on Monday evening was beyond the boy’s imagination.
The Tashkent Room in the basement of 770 Eastern Parkway was transformed into an event hall with music, flowers and a full meal on set tables arranged by Rabbi Stock. The food was donated by Elchanan Deitsch of Dovid Malka Catering and decor by Debby Jerufi Events.
Bochurim filled the room to hear Aharon Elias recite the Bar Mitzvah maamar “Issa B’midrash Tilim” and then make a siyum on Gemara Megillah. Participants danced and rejoiced with the Bar Mitzvah boy throughout the evening.
The boy’s parents called Rabbi Stock the next day to thank him and all those who were involved in making their stranded son’s special day be so incredible despite the difficulties. “It was very emotional,” Rabbi Stock says.
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What a beautiful story! This is very typical of Benjy Stock, to notice those who are alone and may be needing a little encouragement or those who have been forgotten, and to make them feel special and know that people care. He is a true man of chessed!
Benjy Stock is a tzadik. That is all there is to say.
Omian vOmain!!!
The silver lining of covid!
This story represents vintage Benjy Stick…. a man with an amazing heart and neshama .. a man of chesed and compassion. The world needs more Benjy Stocks.
A heartfelt Yasher Koach to this great man…. a true Chosid (in every way)
“The Doctor” ( from Florida)
May Almighty G-D bless Rabbi Benjy sheyichye Stock! You are truly a “Mechanech Bar Poal” as the best way to educate Temimim to be kind, caring and sensitive to others is by personal living example and indeed you are the “Dugma Chayah” of a chassid oon der Rebbe’s a mentch! The Rebbe said Purim 5747: “It would be appropriate that at every gathering of Jews, it should be announced: ‘Jews, attention! A single additional good act from one of you could be the final act which brings the redemption!’” No doubt that Rabbi Stock has brought the Geula so much… Read more »
this is really hash-ga-cha pra-tis… huh!?
I forget if this is from Hand in Hand or I Am a Chassid, but it’s classic! 😂
Only Benjy would see this need, get all his friends involved to make the boys day so special.
Thank you All for caring about this boy!
This is so beautiful and heartwarming !!
really brings out the love yidden have for ane another
chassim ain mishpacha
We as a community are so fortunate to have Reb Benjy Stock, Reb Elchanan Deitsch and Mrs Debby Jerufi living among us, they do so much Chesed (without peoples knowledge, expecting nothing in return) I for one am thankful to have them living amongst us, May Hashem bless them and their families with an abundance of bliss, and Chasidisha Nachas from their children.
From a proud community member.
This is so beautiful! Benjy Stock- Kol Hakavod!!
Sat here watching this with tears running down my cheeks!
Absolutely no words to say enough about Benjy Stock!
May he live and be well till 120 years iyH,
Goodness and kindness and sincerity all rolled into one!!
To be “stranded” in the Rebbe;s Daled Amos – is not so bad……!!
B”SD
Nuff said
This is the best story!!
This is Benjy, such a huge heart. We are feeling the void in BR. The boys are so lucky to have him there!!
…is, was, and always will be my hero! This is such a touching story!
Mi kiamcha yisrael
What a heartwarming story!
support all the good work Benjy does
cssy.org
Mimenu yiru lchein yilmdu laasos!!
So beautiful
Tremendous thoughtfulness on Rabbi Benji’s part and on the part of Malka Catering and Debbi Jeruffi Events To Benji I say ” Der epple fahlt niht veit fuhn baim.” You’re a chip off the old block – the unforgettable Shimshon and Martha Stock. They taught you well and are still with us through you.
Was happy to see that the bochurim appreciated it all and did their part to make the chassan ha’bar mitzvah feel special. Benji, may you continue to be the ish chessed that you are ’til Moshiach, v’ad be’chlal.
While I was reading this moving story, I thought the same thing. Rabbi Benjy Stock is following in the footsteps of his parents. I also was moved to tears by the efforts of so many to make this once-in-a-lifetime occasion a memorable one.
This is how you transform the vibe in a mossad. This is how you teach young people to stay the track. We often wonder, “How can we use limited resources (time, funds, staff, etc.) on those that ‘don’t fit in’? How can we deny the ‘majority’ a learning environment that is ‘perfectly’ catered to them?” This is the answer. This is how you reach the majority. This is how they know that they, too, will be taken care of if needed. If they can trust the environment, they can relax and learn and will stick with it for the long… Read more »
such beautiful sensitivity
Benjy was raised in a home of chesed so this isn’t surprising to many of us.
His father Shimshon’s yartzheit is Purim – I can’t think of Purim without remembering Shimshon and his aishet chayil Martha, who passed away a few weeks after him. Shimshon’s relationship with the Rebbe was legendary and I’m sure the Rebbe and his devoted Chasid are sitting and learning together. Benjy, your parents are shepping nachas!
אשריכם תלמודי 770 שבנג׳י נמצא ביניכם ממנו ילמדו וכן יעשו
A dugmah chayah b’etzem we should all learn from him
Here is a similar very interesting hashgacha pratis. There was a singer in Israel who has quite a name, and charges a decent amount for his services. He was asked if he would sing free at the bar mitzvah of a yasom. He said he needs the money, it is hard for him. But they said that the boy likes his singing very much, and it would make a big difference to him. He agreed, and came, and sat down next to the boy, and got to know him a bit, and he sang and sang, and even spoke, and the boy was very happy. Two days later, he… Read more »