At a distinguished event attended by leading Torah figures
including the respective roshei yeshivos of Yeshivas Lakewood
in the US and Eretz Yisroel, Lakewood Yeshiva of Jerusalem
("Lakewood East") moved into an impressive new building in
Ramot.
The major event began with a procession in honor of sifrei
Torah at Beis Medrash Chanichei Hayeshivos, which housed
the yeshiva for the past several weeks, before moving into
the new building begun five years ago with the blessings of
Maran HaRav Shach and ylct"a Maran HaRav Eliashiv
shlita. The building had been complete just days
earlier. It was funded through the generosity of R' Hershey
Friedman of Montreal.
The sifrei Torah were carried by HaRav Dov
Schwartzman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Beis HaTalmud, the
roshei yeshiva, ramim and neighborhood rabbonim.
When HaRav Shmuel Auerbach arrived, the thousands of bnei
Torah on hand stood up and sang, "Yomim Al Yemei
Melech." He opened with words of praise for HaRav Isser
Zalman Meltzer, HaRav Aharon Kotler and HaRav M. M. Shach,
who had been in close contact with the rosh yeshiva and his
sons. "I have known the Rosh Yeshiva, shlita, for many
years and as such I can say his entire direction and labor is
to continue the chain of handing down the Torah in the proper
form and to build the holy yeshiva on these solid
foundations." The yeshiva traces its roots to the yeshiva in
Slutsk where HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer was rosh yeshiva and
his son-in-law HaRav Aharon Kotler was also a rosh yeshiva.
HaRav Kotler later moved part of the yeshiva to Kletsk and
then fled Europe for the USA where he opened a yeshiva in
Lakewood. Some years ago, a branch was opened in
Yerushalayim. When he stepped down, thousands filed by to
receive his brochoh for a good year.
Hundreds of talmidim, former talmidim,
avreichim and friends of the yeshiva then sat down for
a seudas mitzvah. The Mashgiach HaRav Shlomo Wolbe
spoke briefly, followed by the rosh yeshiva HaRav Yaakov
Eliezer Schwartzman, who offered thanks to R' Friedman--
though as an ovel he was unable to participate in the
seudah -- saying he has stood by the yeshiva for
years. Siyata deShmaya has been the yeshiva's lot, he
continued, and said its success has been in the merit of
Maran HaRav Kotler and Rabbenu Hagodol HaRav Shach,
zechuson yogen oleinu.
HaRav Yisroel Newman, one of the rosh yeshivas of Lakewood
Yeshiva in the USA, said Elul is indeed the most fitting time
for such an event, since the yeshiva itself, with over 200
talmidim, crowns the Name of Heaven.
Many guests from Eretz Yisroel and abroad arrived to take
part in the event, including alumni from as far back as
Kletsk and talmidim of HaRav Kotler from various
periods, who came to express their great esteem for the
roshei yeshiva and as a show of honor for the Torah.
