By COLlive reporter
Photos: Levi Percia/COLlive
After 30 years of lavish birthday farbrengens, you would think that Rabbi Avrohom Gerlitzky would know what to expect.
But this year, the annual birthday bash orchestrated by the students of Oholei Torah shiur gimmel in Crown Heights was way beyond what even their beloved Magid Shiur could imagine.
A couple of weeks ago, bochurim Mendy Goldberg and Shaya Spielman got together to plan the farbrengen to mark Gerlitzky’s 65th birthday – and decided to do something bigger and better.
“Rabbi Gerlitzky had told us he was afraid to even drive to the Ohel in his car that he has, that’s how bad it was,” one of the organizers told COLlive. “So we decided to try and buy him a new car.”
After phone calls were made by the bochurim to raise the funds from alumni and friends, the boys decided to do even better.
At the suggestion of Mendy Gopin, whose family is on Shlichus in Hartford, CT, the group approached a friend of his father, Michael Black, who owns the U-Save car dealership nearby.
Black agreed to give the bochurim the car at cost price, after hearing about the recipient.
And so when Rabbi Gerlitzky drove up to school today in his shabby green Chrysler, he was met by the Twins From France and a nearly new 2012 White Chevy Impala driving behind them, wrapped in ribbons and balloons.
“He just couldn’t believe it was his,” the organizers said. “He thought it was a rental. We kept telling him that it was his new car. He was absolutely stunned.”
The boys led Rabbi Gerlitzky in a joyful dance, and then a lavish farbrengen continued upstairs, with his good friend, Rabbi Israel Shemtov.
Aside from COLlive, the party was sponsored by local vendors Sushi Spot, Table 1 Catering, Gombo’s, Sell-a-bration and the Printhouse. Spielman’s Carpet Cleaning sponsored the cleaning of the carpet in Rabbi Gerlitzky’s class. The bochurim also thanked all those who helped.
At the party, Rabbi Gerlitzky expressed his gratitude to his students again and again. “I can’t believe this is mine,” he said. “I don’t even know how to drive a new car,” he joked. “I haven’t been in a new car since 1995 when I bought my last one.”
Reb Avrohom with a b-day hat!
Happy Birthday!
Enjoy the car.
go chaim s
We love you uncle Avrum and you should be happy and healthy til 120!
I was in Reb Avrohoms Shiur the first year he became a Magid Shiur in Oholei Torah, i vividly remember his Koch inlearning he dedication and love to his Talmidim and Koch in the Rebbes Sichos what a genuine chasidishe Rosh Yeshivah.
May Hashem grant arichus yomim vishonim al mamlachto, together with his Mispaha.
Problem is that not all teachers “deserve” to be treated this way. Maybe if more teachers deserved such treatment, they would get it. The love that R’ Avrum has for his students is hard to find…May Hashem bless you to continue this great work. Our talmidim need you!
someone suggested reb avrohom sell his old car to which he comented “It’s les then a שווה פרוטה!”.
Did they at least give it to his wish GAS in it???
Thanks to Shimmy Gerlitzky for bringing the car from Conn.
Chaim awesome to Seeya brotha lookin good.
In my time if you brought a present to the Rosh Yeshiva (Reb Yosef Goldberg O”H) a קצות or even only a שב שמעתתא he would have been very happy, Todays R.Y. are much more Choshuv 🙂
Wow in my time we never toght about it, If we brought Reb Yosef Goldberg A ” קצות
Thanks to avremi Gerlitzky jr for all his hard work!! U made it happen! Supi
rabbi shemtov in a birthday hat – priceless!
what a beautiful tribute to a good teacher….how can we get more of those?
when i grow up-can i be a teacher there too ;)? thats amazing!!
looking great;)
Next year a corporate jet for the beloved Ra’m!
Wow! MENDY GOLDBERG you outdid yourself! What a huge undertaking!!! Kol Hakovod! Reb Avrohom deserves every bit of koach that you put in to this ammazing gift.!
Very cheap! only !0$
rabbi gerlitzky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well deserved!!! what devotion, brings tears to my eyes!!!!!!!!
kol hakovod to all the bochurim . the greatest magid shiur of all haapy birthday
Zalman M. Class of 98
He so deserves this, thank you to his shiur for doing this!
can the old jalipy be donated to my chabad house…
These boys are true menches. They have so much potential. To have such devotion and respect for their Maggid Shiur, and to give him so much Nachos on his birthday! WOW!!
Dont know the rabbi but i can tell he is someone very special that every year bochrim make a party for him and this year they got him a car! to all the mechanchim out there! need a new car?? give as much love to your talmidim as this man does and you will be shown kavod and they will make you proud and you will always have a special place in their hearts wherever they may be.
the license plate or reb avrohom’s old car is 770
yahrich yomim al mamlachtoy
these guys rock, they will be amazing shluchim. They know how to get big things done!
Mazal tov, Mazal tov, on the occasion of your birthday. May Hashem bless you to continue in good health, to do the most amazing work that you do for our boys. Nutzen di naye machinke gezunterheit and frailicheheit, Yasher Koach.
Well done to the organizers and sponsers of the farbrengen.
MOSHIACH NOW
May you continue to follow in the footsteps of your Uncle Avrum Gerlitzky and continue to make your entire family proud!
really know how to throw a party!! shkoyach!!
Beautiful!
כל טוב בגו”ר
great nephew, hatzlocho!!!!!!!!!
reb yisroel shemtov is not only his friend. he is married to reb avroms oldest sister. nice to see reb avoroms nephews and great nephews who love him dearly. the little guy playing the piano is his nephew. mazeltov reb avrom, nutzen di naye machinke gezunterheit and frailicheheit, Moshiach Now
bsd
it is his brother-in-law!
cool
Im so happy for the Bochurim and their Maggid Shiur. I don’t know who looks happier in these pictures. These bochurim are capable of big things. Az men vill, ken men. Our teachers all deserve to be treated this way.
….is not only a “good friend”, he is Reb Avrohom’s brother-in-law
rabbi shemtov is his brothernlow
🙂
Wow, you have truly outdone the previous years, kol,hakavod
Im amazed. You guys managed to show up 30 years of oholi torah bochurim.
You guys are really tremendous
Looking good boys Aron and yehuda Aussie pride!
WORKED SO HARD FUNDRAISING FOR THIS WHAT A CHOSSID!!!!!
thats speachless!!
Reb Yisrael Shemtov is acctually Reb avram’s brother in law
Mendy Goldberg & all the organizers! Job well done!!
Wow, this is amazing! Reb Avraham must be beyond if after 30 yrs. the students still make him such birthday bashes! He must be so kind and understanding to his bochrim to receive such kavod. Halivai all mechanchim should follow in his footsteps. What a human being, what a mentch!
Wow!
Now that is the way to treat a teacher!
The boys look so happy with their gift!! It’s amazing to see that it’s just as rewarding for those who “give” as it is to receive. What fun!
Happy Birthday!!!
Rabbi: you deserve the best car in the world!!!
Moshiach now!!!!
im the firs to comment
From his talmidim is a society’s greatest asset . Reb Avrum has a way of saying hEllo to a talmid that makes h I’m feel he counts. BH we have many, many such mechanchim. May they all feel the appreciation that Reb Avrum must feel today
thanks for sharing
ps nice job bartender 🙂