Posted on 09/12/24
With the passing of Rav Aharon Schechter (1929-2023) on 8/24/23, I would like to share what impact Yeshiva Chaim Berlin had on our lives, as 2 of the Ner Yisroel Roshei HaYeshiva learned there.
I was zoche to meet the Rosh HaYeshiva (R’ Schechter) 3 times (and twice even asked him for a bracha.) When I saw him in 2018, I remember the zerizus he went into davening albeit using a walker. I was also zoche to meet the current Rosh HaYeshiva, Shlomo Halioua, (1959-), pronounced: Haliwa in 2006 and mentioned that it was so nice that such a prestigious and large Yeshiva embraces a practicing sefardi in a mechanech position and Baruch Hashem Ner Yisroel does as well.
The Rosh HaYeshiva of Ner Yisroel, R’ Yaakov Weinberg (1923-1999) learned in Chaim Berlin in the 40s, under R’ Yitzchak Hutner 1906-1980), the Pachad Yitzchak. In the same way that R’ Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) was the posek of Klal Yisrael, R’ Hutner was the Rosh HaYeshiva of Klal Yisrael at that time. R’ Hutner was maamid many talmidim including R’ Shlomo Freifeld, R Yaakov Perlow (Novominsker Rebbe), R’ Noach Weinberg (late Rosh Yeshiva of Aish HaTorah, brother of our Rosh HaYeshiva), Rav Aharon Schechter, and the Rosh HaYeshiva of Ner Yisroel, Rav Aharon Feldman. Rabbi Feldman learned in Chaim Berlin during the 50s.
Since the turn of the century, Yeshiva Chaim Berlin (they also have a nice High School Bais Medrash) has been my place to learn when I am in Brooklyn as was Camp Morris, Chaim Berlin’s camp. Even the camp of Chaim Berlin is an edifice of Torah and my son was BH zoche to last year in 2023. Every time I go, I see someone I know.
I am zoche to learn with R’ Shmuel (Stanley) Labovits who drove around R’ Hutner. (R’ Shmuel also went row boating with Rav Aharon Feldman)
R’ Shmuel drove R’ Hutner to famous meetings such as the meeting where he met with R’ Moshe where they declared that orthodox synagogues cannot belong to organizations that include reformed and conservative synagogues. R’ Shmuel told a story of how when he was driving R’ Hutner from a Purim Seudah, R’ Schechter was holding on to the car to symbolize the difficulty of his Rebbe leaving.
Our Rosh HaYeshiva (R’ Feldman) was maspid Rav Aharon. Rav Aharon Feldman testified that R’ Shachter is the talmid muvhak of R’ Hutner. R’ Feldman brought proof to this: R’ Hutner bypassed his son-in-law to ensure that the Yeshiva would be led by Rav Aharon Schechter.
Yehi Zichro Baruch