Community Magazine November 2012

O n the corner of Ocean Parkway and Avenue R in Brooklyn, stands a commanding brick-and-glass edifice, a fixture of the neighborhood’s landscape for over six decades. From within, one can hear the crash and roar of a mighty sea, voices rising and falling, hundreds of men debating and clarifying, pushing their minds to the limit in order to understand the intricacies of the Gemara. This is the world of the Mirrer Yeshivah, an institution that is almost as deeply rooted in recent Sephardic history as it is in Torah. As any old-timer from Brooklyn’s Sephardic community will attest, “the Mir” has played an integral role in the development of the Sephardic community here in Brooklyn, besides the incalculable impact it has had throughout the world, where its alumni are at the forefront of advanced Torah study, education and outreach. The Shanghai Surprise The storied yeshivah was founded in 1815 in the village of Mir, Poland (today Belarus), and quickly grew into one of the premier destinations for students seeking first rate Torah scholarship and devotion to learning. The Mirrer Yeshivah reached its zenith in the early part of the 20 th century, under the leadership of Rosh Yeshivah Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel z.s.l. (1879-1965) and the mashgiah (spiritual guide), Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz z.s.l. (ca. 1873-1936). Young men from across Europe and from around the globe, attracted by the glow emanating from this small Polish town, came to bask in its warmth. But like for all European Jewry, the situation of the Mirrer Yeshivah changed drastically in 1939 as the Nazis rose to power. The Russians and Germans divided Poland between them, and amid the great peril posed by both armies, the yeshivah was forced to go on the run. Through a series of miracles, they managed to escape intact, making the 6000-mile eastward trek to the shores of the Sea of Japan. A rickety ship transported them to Kobe, Japan, where they remained for a few weeks, before finally being resettled in Shanghai, in Japanese-occupied China. It was there, in the Sephardic shul (which, amazingly, was built – years before – with the exact number of seats required by the yeshivah), that the students and rabbis would continue their holy work in relative peace for the next five years. After the war, one division of the yeshiva moved on to America, settling in Brooklyn, with a separate division relocating to Jerusalem in the newly formed State of Israel. The leader of the American branch of the yeshivah was the dynamic Rabbi Avraham Kalmanowitz z.s.l. (1891-1964). It was he who raised the necessary funds to acquire visas and provide transportation for the faculty and students. After searching for a permanent home for the yeshivah in Brooklyn, he ultimately decided to bring the renowned institution to its present location on Ocean Parkway, in the heart of a predominantly Sephardic enclave. He explained his seemingly curious decision by noting, “The Sephardic community is a new one here, as is the yeshivah. We will grow together.” RABBI YEHUDA BEYDA Sephardic Essence Yeshivah to honor and Mr. David Heskiel at 63rd Annual Dinner. 44 Community magazine