Parents and talmidim gathered at Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Antwerp for an end-of-year celebration marking a year of growth in learning, davening, and Chassidishe conduct.

The yeshiva, which serves primarily sons of shluchim and families of Anash across Europe, now has close to one hundred talmidim. Its bochurim come from communities across Europe and beyond, including Paris, London, Manchester, Milan, Frankfurt, Almere, Taipei and Miami.

Several parents traveled to Antwerp for the event, many of them shluchim serving in different countries. Their presence gave the gathering the feeling of a small Kinus Hashluchim, as families from across Europe came together to celebrate the accomplishments of their sons.

The event was chaired by Rabbi Shmuel Frankel, a maggid shiur and mashiv in the yeshiva. He spoke about the progress he has witnessed among the bochurim and praised the personal attention given by the hanhala and staff to each talmid.

The program opened with Dvar Malchus delivered by hatomim Hillel Pevzner of Paris, who reviewed a sicha of the Rebbe on the Beis Hamikdash and the need to await and ask for the coming of Moshiach. Having completed three years in the yeshiva, he also thanked the hanhala for the years of learning and growth.

Hatomim Shmuli Brackman of London then made a siyum on Maseches Sukkah, making the gathering a seudas mitzvah.

Speaking on behalf of the talmidim, hatomim Elimelech Raskin of Cyprus described the difficulties he faced when first entering yeshiva and adjusting to long hours of learning. He said that the hanhala supported him throughout the process and gave him the tools to grow as a Chassidishe bochur. He thanked the members of the hanhala for the care and effort they invest in every talmid.

The parents were represented by Rabbi Eliyahu Illouz, shliach in Paris, who thanked the yeshiva staff and spoke about the close, family-like atmosphere in the yeshiva, the unity among the bochurim and the devotion shown by the staff.

Rabbi Shabtai Slavaticki, head shliach and director of Chabad institutions in Antwerp, spoke about the importance of recognizing the individual strengths of every talmid and helping him develop them.

He told the bochurim that when they return home, they have a shlichus to share what they learned and experienced in yeshiva with their siblings and those around them.

Rabbi Yehoshua Rabinowitz, mashpia of Shiur Gimmel, spoke about the need in today’s chinuch to focus on each child as an individual. He said that one of the yeshiva’s strengths is the attention given to every talmid, rather than relying only on general rules and expectations. He encouraged parents to continue giving close attention to their children’s chinuch during bein hazmanim.

The rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Tvardovitz, thanked the hanhala, maggidei shiurim and mashpi’im for their dedication throughout the year.

He spoke about the teaching in Chassidus that every period and circumstance should be used for further growth, adding that bein hazmanim should also be used for renewal and continued progress.

The program continued with the presentation of awards for the yeshiva’s Mivtza Torah, directed by Rabbi Shlomo Koritz.

During the year, participating bochurim learned Maseches Bava Kama and were tested on the material. The outstanding talmidim were called forward to receive certificates and scholarships.

Rabbi Koritz also announced that next year’s program will focus on learning the entire Maseches Pesachim by heart.

The hanhala shared several plans for the coming year, including the addition of more mashpi’im to the staff and new programs for the bochurim.

The event concluded with the talmidim standing together with their certificates, as parents and staff celebrated their accomplishments and the growth they had made throughout the year.

The hanhala thanked Mr. Oded Shapiro for generously funding the Mivtza Torah each year, and R’ Bentzion Goldberger for his ongoing assistance to the yeshiva and concern for the wellbeing of its talmidim.

Photography by David Bernal of Antwerp