On Wednesday evening, 24 Iyar, parents and bochurim from throughout New York gathered in the Oholei Torah Mechina Zal at 417 Troy Avenue to partake in the Shone Halachos Annual Competition and Prize Distribution Ceremony, a project of the Igud Menahalei Yeshivos, run by the principals of the Yeshivos with Rabbi Hershel Lustig at their head.
It was a beautifully prepared ceremony with ka”h 35 participants from four Yeshivas sitting on the stage. Rabbi Chaim Yisroel Wilhelm of Mechina Oholei Torah was the Master of Ceremony and Rabbi Mendel Yusewitz of Ohr Menachem, as well as each Menahel that was there, addressed the students and guests. Rabbi Yosef Simpson and Rabbi Yosef Wolf of Lubavitcher Yeshiva read the questions to each of the bochurim and Rabbi Sholom Zirkind and Rabbi Yosef Zirkind were the judges of how they excelled.
Bochurim from many Yeshivas learned the first thirty Simanim of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch throughout the school year, including many details from the Alter Rebbe. They took tests on it, but only bochurim who excelled with top marks were able to be part of the contest and prize distribution ceremony. There was one test on the first 10 simanim after Chanuka, another test on the next 20 simanim before Purim, and a test on all 30 simanim after Pesach.
The 35 winners who learned, got the top marks and were part of this competition were bochurim from Mechina Oholei Torah, United Lubavitcher Yeshiva of Crown Street, Yeshiva of Cheder Chabad of Monsey and Yeshiva of Ohr Menachem of Queens. Five talmidim came in third place, four talmidim came in second place and two talmidim came out in first place, and each and everyone who participated came out with excelling marks, b”H. They each got a special monetary gift of $118 for joining in and doing well in their learning, and they each received the Sefer Halichos Olam, questions and answers on the whole Kitzur Shulchan Aruch.
A special thanks to Rabbi Hershel Lustig who initiated this program and keeps it going every single year. This program is in memory of Harav Yehuda Kalman Marlow a”h the Rav of Crown Heights, and is sponsored l’iluy nishmas Reb Zalman Gurary a”h of Crown Heights. B”H, this beautiful program is blossoming and growing every year and we have more and more talmidim joining in.
In this contest, everyone is a winner. Whether a talmid gets the highest marks or not, each one learns, each one gains, and each one is a winner!
