Certificates Given Over Weekend

By COLlive staff

A concentrated Torah study program held at Lubavitch House in West S. Paul, Minnesota, was organized by the Online Smicha virtual rabbinical institute over the weekend of March 7-10.

“Yarchei Kallah-Chag HaSmicha” was attended by some 70 members of the Twin Cities Jewish community who were joined by 40 students of the Online Smicha’s ordination track.

Delivering Torah lectures on Friday were Rabbi Nachman Wilhelm, Rosh Yeshiva and Dean of Online Smicha; Rabbi Moshe Kasowitz, Director of Inward Bound Jewish Tours; Rabbi Yechiel Gertner of Chicago; Rabbi Eliyahu Stern, Rosh Kollel of Minneapolis; and Rabbi Chaim Goldberger, Rav of Knesseth Israel Synagogue in Minneapolis.

Speaking on Shabbos were Professor David Starer of Hoboken, NJ; Rabbi Moshe Feller, Director of Upper Midwest Merkos/Lubavitch; Rabbi Dr. Elie Gertner, Head of Internal Medicine at Regions Hospital and Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School; Dr. Berel Kremer, Montreal, Canada; Rabbi Mendel Feller, Rabbi of Lubavitch Congregation, W. S. Paul, and Rabbi Yechiel Gertner.

A highlight of the weekend program was a full-course Melave Malka-Chag HaSmicha dinner celebration and program which took place at Sholom Home East on Motzoei Shabbos Parshas Vayakel-Pekudei.

Participants witnessed as rabbinical ordination certificates were presented by Rabbi Wilhelm, Rabbi Moshe Feller and Rabbi Asher Zeilengold to students who have been studying in the online program, led by Rabbi Wilhelm’s live, interactive, daily lessons on the Code of Jewish law.

The new rabbis are Peretz Mockin – Montreal, Dr. Berel Kremer – Montreal, Boruch Noam Dubrow – Los Angeles, Dr. Hananya Dahan – Long Beach, Yoel Adelson – Los Angeles, Psachyah Lichtenstein – Katzrin, Israel, Moishe Waisberg – Panama, and Yitzchok Hecht – Kingston, NY.

A special live video hookup to Israel, Los Angeles, Montreal, and Korea allowed family members and colleagues to greet the new rabbis. Rabbi Ahron Fishbein, an attorney from Five Towns, New York, who was ordained last year through his study with Online Smicha, emceed the Melave Malka-Chag HaSmicha program. Dr. Michael Wexler greeted the new rabbis on behalf of the Twin Cities Jewish community.

The Melave Malka dinner speaker was Online Smicha program student, Dr. Gill Heart of Atlanta, who offered a “Mind in Control” presentation how Israel’s Special Ops operate under pressure.

Rabbi Dr. Dovid Browstein led the grace after meals.

Classes were given on Sunday by Rabbi Dr. Yosef Shagalow, Rabbi Meilech Leib Dubrow of Los Angeles, Founder of the College of Torahpractic Medicine and father of one of the Rabbinical graduates, and Rabbi Sholom Gershon Grossbaum, world renowned Mikvah expert, and Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin of “Ask the Rabbi.”

All participants in the Yarchei Kallah-Chag HaSmicha weekend will attest to its powerful and lasting contribution to their Torah knowledge.

For more info, visit onlinesmicha.com