A festive event was held on Wednesday to mark the completion of the first year of the “Rani Vesimchi” Kolel in Petach Tikvah, led by community Rav Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin, with the participation of the Bishtena Rebbe, Petach Tikvah’s Chief Rabbi Rabbi Micha Halevi, and other distinguished rabbonim.

By Anash.org reporter

On Wednesday, a festive event was held in Petach Tikvah to mark the completion of the first year of the “Rani Vesimchi” Kollel, a kollel dedicated to preparing avreichim for future rabbinic and halachic leadership, and led by Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin, rav of the Chabad community in the city.

Petach Tikvah’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Micha Halevi, addressed the crowd with warm words of praise for the kollel and its avreichim and spoke of his close and productive collaboration with Rabbi Raskin.

One of the kollel’s founders, Mr. Oz Avrahami, reflected on the long journey that led to the kollel’s establishment, highlighting the challenges faced and the clear hashgacha pratis felt throughout the process.

Rabbi Zev Steinmetz, a well-known maggid shiur in Petach Tikvah and a regular participant in the kollel’s learning, summed up his emotions with one simple sentence: “All I can say is – thank you.”

Rosh Kollel Rabbi Raskin, spoke about the kollel’s mission – to fulfill the Rebbe’s vision of raising a new generation of rabbanim and dayanim who will use their knowledge to strengthen communities. He also shared plans to double the kollel’s enrollment in the coming year.

A siyum on Maseches Beitzah was made by Rabbi Yisrael HaKohen Lezel, followed by a sicha of the Rebbe delivered by Rabbi Yosef HaKohen Hendel.

Certificates of recognition were presented to the avreichim in appreciation of their dedication over the past year. A raffle for a round-trip ticket to the Rebbe was held, with the prize awarded to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Tzirkus.

The event concluded with an uplifting farbrengen led by the Bishtena Rebbe, who, together with Rabbi Yaakov Katan, mashpia at the Chabad yeshiva in Elad, shared stories and words of inspiration that continued well into the afternoon.

The event was dedicated in memory of Mrs. Dina Rina bas R’ Tzion, a”h, the late wife of Harav Yaakov Moshe Chanzin, a”h.

The Kolel is preparing for the next year and has some open spots.

Simultaneously, a new and unique semicha program for English-speaking bochurim is being launched under Rabbi Raskin. The program will provide full accommodation and learns to receive Heichal Shlomo semicha. For information and registration, email [email protected]