Donor Helps Rebuild Fire Ravaged Kindergarten

East Flatbush [CHI] — In less than a year since a fire destroyed the East Flatbush Oholei Torah Kindergarten campus, the building is now near completion.

Oholei Torah’s dear friend, Yosef Yitzchok Popack was the first person Rabbi Joseph Rosenfeld, executive Director, met with. A major philanthropist and real estate mogul, who has dedicated himself to Oholei Torah time and time again Mr. Popack was ready to help out with this venture as well.

With Mr. Popack’s commitment to the re-building of the Kindergarten Campus, Rabbi Rosenfeld set out to make it one of the most modern state of the art kindergarten campuses in the area.

Rabbi Sholom Rosenfeld, Director of Oholei Torah, who was on the scene that tragic day when the two alarm fire broke out, has taken upon himself to personally oversee the construction and improvements to the building. “As the plans were being prepared, our dedication to the rich heritage of the shul, and our commitment to give the young students the very best was our first and most important goal. ”

Sholom Rosenfeld explains how the insurance money only covered the damage to what was in the building before, but Oholei Torah undertook to enhance and improve the building much more than that, and at a great cost.

Central air and heat unites were installed for the entire building, a high level security and camera system, and a steel roof was added so that a new playground area and equipment can be placed on the rooftop, giving the children much needed exercise and play area. A professional designer was hired to make sure that the whole interior would be bright, enjoyable and welcoming to the young children. Three new classrooms were added to the existing ones, in addition to new bathroom and kitchen facilities. Yanky Sufrin, of YHS Construction Corp, has been hired to do the construction.

The end result will be nine classrooms with close to 200 children, a lunch room, recreation area and large rooftop playground, new bright restrooms, plus much more. The total amount for this project is well over one million dollars.

The dedicated Kindergarten staff are anxiously awaiting to return to their beloved building, which hopefully will be in the coming months.

Mr. Popack, who has been following the progress, has made himself and his devoted staff readily available to see that everything is built in a sturdy and safe way so that it will last for years to come.

Mr. Popack has been quoted saying “We need to give our children the very best, give them the opportunities and comforts that they will succeed in their education, and life. I am proud to associate myself with Oholei Torah, and my dear friend Rabbi Rosenfeld.”

9 Comments

  • Friends of East Flatbush ,

    Dear Yossi
    Can you please take back from nisht unzere the Reb Michoel’s Teitelbaum Mikvah and home
    this will give Reb Michoel much nachas , this Mikvah was serving hundreds of bochurim and youngerleit till reb Michoel was called to Gan Eden
    Give him the proper respect , fix up the mikvah he put his life for this mikvah to continue in Jewish hands , Rabbi Bukiet also was Moser nefesh for this Mikvah on E 52nd st in East flatbush , now a Nisht Unzere lives there ,Reb michoel desurves better
    Please save Reb Michoels Mikvah Today

  • whatever

    iheard that its was the head-start program that sponsored most of the state-of-the-art building anyhow good way to fundraise

  • amazing

    amazing how much kovod they give to someone who gave only 10%
    more then half came from insurance and from the other half most came from people donating right after the fire.
    it would be nice if OT gave thanks to all those people who gave most of the money that was collected

  • Only 10 percent??!!

    Hey 10percent is 100’000.00
    In my books that’s a lot of money, and a very generous donation!

  • to # 7

    you are obviously missing the point

    A – thank the people who give small amounts since that is the 90% if not you wont have that 90% next time

    B – it does not cost 1mil to put this up. there is no lot to buy its just construction, popak gave 10-20k which really is not that much