Manchester Yeshiva Hints at Reopening

Four years after the venerable Manchester Chabad Yeshiva closed its doors, it may be reopening them to welcome students for the upcoming Yeshiva year.

By Anash.org reporter

Four years after the venerable Manchester Chabad Yeshiva closed its doors, it may be reopening them to welcome students for the upcoming Yeshiva year.

The Manchester Yeshiva first opened for the Yeshiva year of 5743, after Reb Zalmon Jaffe asked the Rebbe regarding opening a branch of Tomchei Temimim in the city. the Rebbe supported the idea on condition that there would be a fitting Rosh Yeshiva put in place who would draw in the hearts of the students and inspire in them a chayus in learning Torah. The Rebbe also instructed to open only if there are already ten students signed up at the start of the year.

Indeed, the conditions were met and in Elul of 5742, Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester opened with Rabbi Yosef Akiva Cohen as the rosh yeshiva and Rabbi Yitzchak Klein as mashpia.

For the next quarter century, the yeshiva continued to grow, quickly establishing itself as a premier Yeshiva for bochurim from around the globe. The hanhala body also grew, attracting names such as Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Wolberg to serve as magid shiur and Rabbi Berel Korf as mashpia.

But then hardships arose, and the Yeshiva began struggling with registration. With student numbers dwindling, the Yeshiva was at risk of closing after the 5779 Yeshiva year. They then announced that for the upcoming year, the Yeshiva would take a “sabbatical”, originally intended to be a short-term plan.

As one year passed and then another, it seemed like the short-term plan had become a long-term reality. Rabbi Wolberg joined the staff of the Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Korf moved to New York and became a mashpia in Oholei Torah, and other hanahala members found other positions as well.

It seemed that Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester was history.

That changed just this week when alumni and parents of former students of the Yeshiva received a surprising email in their inboxes.

“I am writing to you on behalf of Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester, with some exciting news to share,” the email, obtained by Anash.org.

The email, dated July 11th, said that the Yeshiva would be reopening for this upcoming Elul, the Yeshiva year of 5784. It then asked for updated information on former students, seemingly to build an alumni database.

The email did not provide details about the reopening, including such pertinent ones such as where the Yeshiva would be located, who would serve as hanhala, magidei shiurim and mashpi’im and other such details.

Regardless, if accurate, the Yeshiva’s reopening would undoubtedly be a great asset to Lubavitch and a great relief to parents, especially those in the UK and neighboring countries, offering an additional option for their sons to learn in.

Anash.org reached out to the Manchester Yeshiva for comment and will publish their response if they send one.