Almost 25 years ago, Kollel Ateres Moshe was founded in Yerushalayim by Harav Zvi Goldblum, shlita, formerly of NW London and a talmid of Brisk under Reb Yoshe Ber, zt”l. The Kollel was established at the request of English yungeleit who wanted to have their very own makom Torah in Yerushalayim.
The concept proved very successful and the Kollel had tremendous hatzlachah under Reb Zvi. The Rosh Hakollel of many years, HaRav Shmuel Kaufman, shlita, took over the leadership of the Kollel some seven years ago. Harav Shmuel is the son of the late Manchester Rosh Kollel, Harav Vofsi Kaufman, zt”l. He learned in Gateshead Yeshiva, followed by Ponevezh under HaRav Shach, zt”l, and, lbc”l, Harav Dov Povarski, shlita. He is a renowned talmid chacham with a soft nature, caring for all the needs of the yungeleit.
Kollel Ateres Moshe have learnt through many masechtos, putting a stress on both sugyos b’iyun and halachah, together with a mussar seder, which in turn leads to a blend of Torah and yirah together. The yungeleit have also learnt and had bechinos on Yoreh Deah and received semichah from many of the outstanding Rabbanim in Eretz Yisrael. The current yungeleit are a select chaburah of serious talmidei chachamim with great cheshkas haTorah.
In the past four years, the Kollel, besides expanding in number have had the zechus of a Rosh Chabura in the afternoon. HaRav Dovid Kestenbaum, shlita, formerly from Manchester is an outstanding talmid chacham and brings his charisma and yedias haTorah to the Kollel, from which the yungeleit greatly benefit.
Dozens of marbitzei Torah across England are alumni including Rabbanim, roshei chaburah and maggidei shiur, as well as many mechanchim. They will attribute their shteigen and becoming talmidei chachamim to Kollel Ateres Moshe, which has been an example of hasmadah, liegen in lernen, together with yiras Shamayim.
For almost a year now, the Kollel have added a new dimension; an evening seder. The Kollel are a full day Kollel with all three full sedarim. During this last year Rosh Hakollel, HaRav Shmuel Kaufman now joins the Yungeleit for the evening also. The evening seder’s limmud is to do chazarah of the previous masechta learned by the Kollel and it is proving very beneficial to the yungeleit. They have been learning Meseches Bobbo Kamma, which was the previous Mesechta the Kollel learnt and will soon be undertaking learning the Halachic aspects of Eiruvin, following on from the morning and afternoon Sedorim which are tackling Meseches Eiruvin.
When the Kollel was first established, the funds were solely underwritten by Reb Zvi for many years; however, this changed after some time. Reb Shmuel Kaufman took on the burden of raising the necessary funds for the Kollel. This coincided with the first year after his illustrious father’s petirah so it was taken on as an aliyas nishmaso hatehorah.
Five years ago, the first campaign was launched and, baruch Hashem, it proved to be very successful. It provided a full year of support for the Kollel, enabling its continuation of yegiah baTorah. In addition to the hachazakas haTorah, a close connection was created between the current yungeleit, the alumni and close friends of the Kollel, helping the Kollel to thrive and flourish. So here we are again!
Baruch Hashem, a number of close friends of the Kollel have very generously agreed to be matchers. Many of them have increased their last year’s generosity and they are joined by a number of new matchers. We salute them, those that have taken pages, and all the donors for their munificence.
The Kaufman brothers, led by HaRav Yossi, are long standing friends of the Kollel and generous matchers to the campaign. The campaign is taking place on 27th Teves, which is the ninth yahrtzeit of their father, Reb Mendel, Harav Zechariah Menachem ben Reb Moshe, z”l. Reb Mendel was a very modest and refined individual who had an open and generous heart. May the family’s generosity be l’ilui nishmaso hatehorah.
Beis Hamedrash Ohr Chodosh of Golders Green, led by Dayan Menachem Gelley, shlita, adopted us as their Kollel and we value their friendship immensely. The Kollel has a lot of hakoras hatov to all members of the Shul. A special mention to the Gabboim and their families who have always been there for the Kollel and have spearheaded the Kollel-shul relationship. This year for the second time there are a number of “Anonymous Matchers” for the campaign from Beis Hamedrash Ohr Chodosh some whom have even increased their generous pledges from last year.
The aim is to raise £220,000 which is the total we hope to achieve, iy”H, from this fundraising effort. With the help of our good loyal friends, we will, b’ezras Hashem, succeed.
The Yerushalmi in Makkos asks what does the passuk in Tehillim mean when it says “Omdos hayu ragleinu b’shaarayich Yerushalayim.” עומדות היו רגלינו בשעריך ירושלם, What it is that causes our ‘feet’ to be able to withstand a war? It’s the city of Yerushalayim that is being osek baTorah. May the zechus of supporting this campaign, and the ensuing limmud haTorah, bring shalom in Eretz Yisrael.
May Hashem grant brachah v’hatzlachah together with siyatta diShmaya b’ruchnius u’v’gashmius, with nachas from children and grandchildren to all those involved with this campaign.
B’virchas u’tefillah l’hatzlachas kavod haTorah,
Hanhalas Kollel Ateres Moshe.
תרום!
