Boca Ordains 14 New Rabbis

By COLlive staff

The Boca Raton Jewish community came together Thursday night to celebrate the second “Chag HaSemicah,” rabbinical ordination ceremony of Machon Menachem – Boca Raton Rabbinical College.

Fourteen newly minted Rabbonim received their smicha at the ceremony held at Chabad of Boca Raton on Military Trail and attended by their parents and family members who flew in for the occasion.

The evening was chaired by Machon Menachem Dean, Rabbi Ruvi New, who also acknowledge the generous support of the principal patrons of the Yeshiva, Ari and Gracia Kugler and Mendy and Leah Schurder.

Rabbi New pointed out how the institute has quickly gaining a reputation as a first rate smicha program, thanked to the dedication and guidance of the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Berel Gurary.

The bochurim who came from as far away as South Africa and England, spent the last year in an intensive and rigorous learning program and were tested throughout the year by Rabbi Dovid Schochet, Av Beis Din of Tornoto, member of Vaad Rabbonei Lubavitch and Rov of the Lubavitch community in Toronto Canada.

Rabbi Schochet also oversaw the curriculum with Rabbi Gurary for students of the program, now in its second year.

The new rabbis are: Yisroel Bronstein – Crown Heights NY; Yisroel Duchman – Crown Heights NY; Shmuel Chaikin – Johannesburg, South Africa; Boruch Shlomo Gluck – London, England; Feivel Clark – Atlanta, GA; Yosef Y Hershkop – Crown Heights, NY; Amir Kohen – Crown Heights NY; Motty Phshemesh – Boca Raton, FL; Mendel Shur – Ontario, Canada; Yisroel Raices – Postville, Iowa; Yitzchok Shubov – Crown Heights NY; Yehuda Rosenblum – Crown Heights NY; Levi Wilansky – Elisabeth, NJ; Diddy Waks – Palm Beach FL.

“Studying in an intimate setting gave us extraordinary personal attention from the Yeshiva staff and administration,” said Bronstein.

“In addition, as the Yeshiva is located within a community setting, I gained invaluable experience in outreach, through the various tutoring, mentoring and community outreach initiatives undertaken by the students.”

Blessings on behalf of Merkos Lubavitch of Florida was brought by Florida’s Head Shliach Rabbi Avrohom Korf, whose grandson Yisroel Raices is among the ordained.

Additional speakers were Rabbi Moshe Denburg, co-director of Chabad of Boca Raton; Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, senior Rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue; Rabbi Gurary and Yitzy Shubov who spoke on behalf of the students.

Rabbi Leibel Schapiro, Rosh Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Miami and Rov of Bais Menachem in Mimai Beach delivered the key note address.

Applications are being accepted for this coming year via email: MachonMenachem@gmail.com