By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon – Rosh Yeshiva Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati
There are certain events that remain etched in a person’s memory. One of those events was a special Farbrengen that took place in Yeshivas Lubavitch Toronto (I do not remember the year), with “The Rosh” – Rabbi Ezra Schochet shlita.
Rabbi Akiva Wagner A”H was the nephew and talmid of Rabbi Schochet. Rabbi Schochet was raised in Toronto and this was a “home-coming” of sorts. The Farbrengen was actually in the afternoon (not in the evening) and during that farbrengen Rabbi Schochet became emotional and shared the following thought:
“As a Toronto boy, there was something that the Rebbe wrote about Toronto that always puzzled me. What is it? In the introduction to the Hayom Yom, it lists all the campaigns and institutions that the Rebbe founded. In the listings for 5717, it lists “the founding of Yeshivas Lubavitch in Toronto”. That “Yeshiva” was a very small institution that did not last very long. If so, why would the Rebbe want that this – seemingly failing institution – should be mentioned and published in the Hayom Yom for perpetuity?
Today, continued Rabbi Schochet, after walking into the Yeshiva that my nephew merited to establish – I finally think I understand! In 5717, the Rebbe was planting the seeds for the success of the future Yeshivah that will be re-established in Toronto! All the exceptional chinuch that is taking place today is the results of “the founding of Yeshivas Lubavitch in Toronto” by the Rebbe decades earlier. The Rebbe does not fail, he is planting seeds of growth!”
This Farbrengen took on more meaning to me when I merited – with my dedicated Chavrei Hanhalla – to (re)establish the Yeshiva in Cincinnati in 5766. Many people asked, why Cincinnati, Ohio? I had no family there and there was no local Chabad Cheder that necessitated a Mesivta?
While there are some technical answers to that question, there is an essential answer: Cincinnati is a city where the Rebbe established a Tomchei Temimim in 5736! In that year a small group a Talmidei hashluchim (and a few yungeleit) came to Cincinnati to establish a branch of Tomchei Temimim. The Rebbe had a Yechidus with the Talmidei Hashluchim (printed in Likkutei Sichos) and gave a bottle of Mashke to the Rosh Yeshivah – Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Lifshitz shlita.
[Enclosed is the picture of the “Bruchim Habaim” of those Talmidim. Can you recognise any of them? ]
That Yeshiva did not last long (a little over a year) and to most people it looked like a failed endeavor. Yet, now we see – like Rabbi Shochet explained – that the Rebbe does not fail, He is planting seeds of growth!
Those seeds have produced such wonderful trees and fruits. Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati has a reputation of being from the premier Yeshivos in Lubavitch. Due to such great demand, the Rebbe pushed the us (the Hanhalla) to expand the Yeshiva. We all now have the opportunity to be part of the growth that was envisioned and planted by the Rebbe in 5736!
Please generously partner: www.ylcbuilding.com
