YMMLM Celebrates Their 2nd Annual Dinner

This past Sunday evening, the 17th of Adar, close to 100 men and women, members of the Monsey Chabad community, gathered together to honor Shimon and Devorah Kroll, Baruch Akiva and Rochel Hayman and Avraham and Devorah Hayman for their support of Yeshivas Menachem Mendel Lubavitch of Monsey.

The dinner was chaired by Yisroel and Rivkah Schulman and was choreographed down to the minutest detail by Rabbi Moshe and Rochie Liberow. Special thanks to Chaim Bloch for his help and participation in last nights dinner.

The dinner was highlighted by the inspiring acceptance speech of Shimon Kroll, who reminisced about the farbrengin that accompanied the opening of the Yeshiva, and who, with his Eshes Chayil, received the Eitz Chaim Award. Shimon Kroll was honored for his habits of constantly learning and giving shiurim in the community, as well as his staunch and generous support of the Yeshiva throughout the years since it was founded.

Baruch Akiva Hayman, who, with his Eshes Chayil, received the Amud HaChesed Award, gave one of the shortest, yet sweetest, acceptance speeches ever heard. Baruch Akiva was honored for being a alumni that the Yeshiva is proud to call its own as he exemplifies the traits of hakaras hatov, kindness, and generosity in support of the Yeshiva’s mission to provide a chinuch that is connected to our Rebbeim.

The dinner attendees were very fortunate to be addressed by Rabbi Leibel Groner, Mazkir of the Rebbe for over 40 years. Rabbi Groner spoke forcefully and poignantly about the purpose, the goal, and the meaning of chinuch, illustrating every point with stories and anecdotes that resonated to the core.

What is chinuch, Rabbi Groner asked. The sources he quoted said that chinuch is, for sure, giving over Torah knowledge. However, it is so much more. While giving over information, the mechanech must communicate to his talmidim, and inspire within them, yirah shamayim. The goal of chinuch is to create a person who stands strong; a person who is not influenced by either outside or inner voices that wish to deter his avodah. The goal of chinuch is to create a person who stands so strong that yirah shamayim and mesiras nefesh are part of who he is.

Rabbi Groner gave the example of Mordechai HaTzadik who taught 22,000 kinder certain chukim, even though they were of a tender age. While teaching them, Mordechai imparted to them the power of mesiras nefesh, which they displayed when they refused to escape the wrath of Ahashveros by running away when the King’s emissaries approached their massive yeshiva.

Rabbi Groner told the story of a parent who wrote to the Rebbe wanting to change their son from a Chabad yeshiva to a non-Chabad yeshiva. The Rebbe told the parent that they had no right to circumvent the funnel for brachas that was created for the boy when he learned in a yeshiva connected to the Rebbeim. Rabbi Groner told the attendees that the Rebbe explained that not only is a funnel for brachas opened up for the student in a yeshiva connected to one of the Rebbeim, that there is also a funnel for brachas that opens up for the parents of the student.

Rabbi Groner said that the Rebbe told him that it used to be that the Rebbeim waited until asked to give brachas. However, the Rebbe said, in these times the Rebbeim don’t wait; instead, they are pouring brachas out to the chassidim and he asks only one thing of the Chassidim: that they make a vessel for the brachos that are being poured out for their benefit!

Rabbi Groner said that sending a child to a yeshiva creates a new channel for the child and the parents, and giving support to the yeshiva creates the new channel for those that give their support.

At the conclusion of a very beautiful event, Avraham Hayman, whose birthday and anniversary coincided with the dinner, announced a Matching Grant for the Yeshiva that will enable each participant to TRIPLE HIS or HER DONATION. This exciting opportunity will be available for Anash through this Friday, 22nd of Adar – March 16th, during which time Mr. Hayman will triple the value of any contribution or pledge from $50 to $1,000.

Please go to www.ymml.org/donate, or mail your check made out to YMML to YMML, P.O. Box 1204, Monsey, NY 10952. You may also hand give your check or credit card information to Rabbi Moshe Liberow at 845-721-2947.