The bochurim of Tomchei Temimim Brunoy Shiur Aleph of the 5757-1997 class, came back to the original school grounds in France for a reunion three decades after they originally graced the building’s halls.
It’s been 26 years since the Shiur Aleph class of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in Brunoy, France sat together in a classroom and learned. All of that changed last Wednesday when the group joyfully gathered once again in their long-gone Yeshiva building with their beloved maggidei shiurim.
During this year’s Kinus Hashluchim, some of the students met in Crown Heights and had a mini Hakhel. At that event, the idea was born to unite the old classmates in a grand Hakhel back in their original school in Brunoy.
Twenty-six years ago, the bochurim were just young boys. Now, they are married and live all over the world and have sons who are already in Yeshiva. They planned a grand Hakhel reunion for the summer and all flew to Brunoy this past Wednesday, on Tes Tammuz.
Rabbi Shmuel Brodovitch was their mashgiach back in 1996 who was responsible for this class. He arranged the event and was there to greet his dear talmidim. What a joy it was for them to see each other! Many of the students hadn’t seen each other in 26 years- since they last were in class.
On Wednesday, Tammuz 9, at noon, they all gathered in the courtyard of the Yeshiva. They first attended a Chassidus class given by Rabbi Zalman Segal. The shiur was on the topic of “avodas habirurim” and “avodas hanisyonos” and the difference between them. The shiur, which was accompanied by many stories of chassidim, felt like a farbrengen.
In preparation for the evening, all sat in the hall of Shiur Aleph with the maggidei shiurim of the Yeshiva for a festive banquet. The joy and excitement were mutual. The joy of the maggidei shiurim of the Yeshiva to see and sit with their former students, and the joy of the students to see and hear the mashpiim and teachers. The mashpiim spoke of the students’ eternal bond with the Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim and the fact that each, in his field, continues to strive to carry out the will of our Rabbeim, the founders of the Yeshiva. The farbrengen continued until the wee hours of the night.
Participated in the event and gathered: Directors of the Yeshiva, Rabbi Yitzchak Nemenov and Rabbi Mendel Gurevich, Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yechiel Kalmenson, Directors of the Yeshiva Ketana, Rabbi Yoel Edelman and Rabbi Shmuel Brodovich, the mashpiim and the maggidei shiurim, Rabbi M. M. Abrams, Rav David Forst, Rabbi Nachum Pinson and Rabbi Shmuel Frankel.
As a souvenir, all participants received a magnificent book on the work of the Rebbe by the famous writer, Rabbi Shlomo Brodovich.
“Achas Sha’alti- One thing I ask…that I may dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of my life…If only we could stay within the four walls of the yeshiva,” said one wistful student. “But it is our privilege and our duty to prepare ourselves and the whole world to receive Moshiach, and we must go home to do our individual Shlichus.”
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