Rabbis ordained at yeshiva

MANALAPAN — After learning at Yeshiva Bais Menachem of Chabad Lubavitch of Western Monmouth County, as well as serving the local Jewish community, 11 new rabbis were ordained on June 19.

According to a press release, Yisroel Brashevitzky, Shlomo Hertz, Levi Silman, and Hershel Skobla, all of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Menachem Mendel Cohen, from Manchester, now living in Leeds, England; Yehuda Dukes, from Montreal, Canada, now living in North Carolina; Sholom Ber Estrin, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Avraham Fischweicher, North Miami Beach, Fla.; Shneur Kramer, Manchester, England; Tzvi Schectman, from Milwaukee, Wisc., now living in Brooklyn; and Menachem Mendel Sirota, Morristown, received ordination during a program that was attended by local residents.

Many members of the local community have come to know the new rabbis through their participation in holiday, educational and children’s programs.

“The students take an active role in all programs, which benefits the community and also gives the students practical experience in being rabbis,” said Rabbi Levi Y. Schapiro, Rosh Yeshiva (director), Yeshiva Bais Menachem.

In his opening remarks to the new rabbis, Rabbi Boruch Chazanow, executive director of Chabad of Western Monmouth County, spoke about [a lesson] which told about the lighting of the menorah. He directed the new rabbis to go out to communities as spiritual lamplighters.

Manalapan resident Israel Rubin, who has been a strong supporter of the local yeshiva since its inception, said he was grateful for the opportunity to address the new rabbis.

Now that the new rabbis have been imbued with a love of learning and sharing that love with others, Rubin told them that whether they become Shluchim (emissaries), teachers, or just members of the larger Lubavitch community, their mission will be to help other Jews uncover their Jewish roots and forge a bond with Torah Judaism.

Harav Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazy Shlita, chief rabbi of Kfar Chabad, Israel, made the presentation of rabbinical ordination in Hebrew.

New rabbi Menachem Mendel Cohen represented all of the ordained students in his acceptance speech. He said they came here from all over the world for a dual purpose: not only to continue their rabbinical studies and become ordained rabbis, but to get on-the-job training. Rabbi Cohen thanked rabbis Schapiro and Chazanow, and added a special appreciation to Tova Chazanow for providing meals.

A new group of yeshiva students will arrive in September and anyone who is interested in learning with them should contact Rabbi Levi Schapiro at (732) 972-3687.