More than 30 bochurim from the Antwerp Mesivta spent the past Shabbos Mevorchim in Crown Heights, culminating a monumental learning program that has been ongoing for the past few months.
Headed by Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Mendel Tvardovitz, together with the yeshiva’s mashpia, Rabbi Yehoshua Rabinowitz, the bochurim were guided in preparing for this special visit to the Rebbe. They spent the past months learning the entire Maseches Pesachim by heart, as well as numerous maamarim of the Rebbe that focus on hiskashrus.
Every moment of the trip to New York was utilized to give the bochurim a feeling of connection to the Rebbe. As one of the bochurim expressed, “We had been ‘to the Rebbe’ previously, but this experience was different. It made us feel that we were actually with the Rebbe, like the Rebbe belonged to us.”
Prior to departing to New York, Rabbi Shabtai Slavaticki, head shliach of Belgium, farbrenged for the bochurim, sharing words of inspiration and stories of his own experiences by the Rebbe.
In Crown Heights, a special program was organised, which included time learning in 770, and a visit to the Rebbe’s Ohel.
The bochurim farbrenged with many mashpiim and shluchim, including Rabbi Yossel Katzman, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor, and Rabbi Ephraim Mintz.
The trip concluded with a special farbrengen with Reb Berel Junik, during which every participant was presented with the newly printed Toras Menachem volume 64. The bochurim took upon themselves to learn the sefer upon returning to yeshiva in Antwerp.
The learning components of the trip were dedicated in memory of Uri Gurary A”H, a bochur from Belgium who suddenly passed away in 2015 while learning in Oholei Torah in Crown Heights.
The trip was made possible by the generosity of Mr. Oded Schapiro, a close friend and supporter of the yeshiva.
