Miami Yeshiva Alumni Reunite

On Thursday evening, at the start of the Kinus Hashluchim, an overflow crowd of close to 300 men filled The Beis Medrash at 580 Crown Street to celebrate 40 years since the opening of the Yeshiva Gedola of Miami Rabsi (Greater Miami), the first Yeshiva Gedola founded by the Rebbe in this country.

Many former talmidim and Shluchim of the yeshiva made it their business to come to the celebration, some flying in especially for it. Many saw people they hadn’t seen in decades. Enthusiastic, sometimes emotional, reunions were taking place throughout the celebration. Some talmidim and Shluchim who had spent years in the Yeshiva Gedola but had never taken the time (due to their youth) to thank the hanhalah, now did so. As one man in his 40s told COLlive, “I never realized how much the Yeshiva Gedola of Miami Rabsi gave me until I grew up, married, had a family, and had to run my business. Only then did I understand what a strong foundation the Yeshiva Gedola gave me, in limudim, in chassidus, and in yiras Shomayim.”

Another young man said he came to give special thanks to Rabbi Benji Korf who works very hard for the existence and growth of the Yeshiva Gedola and is always responsive to the needs of the bochurim.

Rabbi Hershy Minkowitz of Atlanta, GA, served as emcee. He was one of the Shluchim at the Yeshiva Gedola as a bochur.

Rabbi Avraham Korf, head Shliach of the state of Florida, was sent there by the Rebbe in the early 1960s. There are now nearly 200 Shluchim in the state, and countless Chabad Houses, schools and other mosdos, all beginning with the arrival of Rabbi Avraham Korf and his wife, Rebbetzin Rivkah Korf, over 50 years ago.

Rabbi Korf greatly encouraged the audience with his example and his message: “Work hard, and with the Rebbe’s brochos, you’ll be matzliach!”

Rabbi Sholom Ber Lipskar, who was deeply involved with the YG in its early years, told stories of the old days, remembering the great excitement in the Miami Jewish community when Rabbi Leib Schapiro and the first kvutzah of bochurim arrived in Miami. In those days, Mr. Mel Landau was the major supporter of the school. Rabbi Lipskar would take Mr. Landau to the Rebbe frequently, and the Rebbe showed great interest in the details of the Yeshiva. He often gave Rabbi Lipskar and Mr. Landau hora’os about how the school should be run.

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok (“Fitche”) Itkin of Pittsburgh, PA, was one of the first kvutzah of 11 bochurim, hand-picked by the Rebbe to form the Yeshiva Gedola in 5734 (1974). Rabbi Itkin made everyone laugh and cry with his extremely humorous and also deeply moving memories of the very first years in Miami.

Mr. Pinchos Walk of Miami said that when the bochurim first arrived in Miami, he was sitting and talking with one of them and he mentioned that the Super Bowl was coming soon.

“What’s that?” asked the bochur.

Mr. Walk recalls thinking, “Wow! An American-born-and-bred boy who doesn’t know what the Super Bowl is. I love this.”

He admired the fact that the bochurim were fully involved in limud ha Torah and hafotzas hama’ayonos and had no time or interest for organized sports. He described the good impact the Yeshiva Gedola has had on the community throughout the years.

Dovy Lesches, a former talmid and now a supporter of the Yeshiva Gedola, shared some memories and thanked the hanhalah for all they have given him.

Lastly, the beloved Rosh Yeshivah Harav Leib Schapiro farbrenged with the men until the wee hours of the morning, on many different topics. He gave over several crucial messages to those in attendance. One of them was that the Rebbe was always very strong about the need for focused limud haTorah at all ages and stages of life. In addition, he stressed that yeshivah bochurim must take their seder limudim very seriously; hafotzas hama’ayonos must be done but never in a way that interferes with limudim.

He also said that the existence of the Yeshiva Gedola and the consistent and enthusiastic learning taking place within its walls sustains the whole state including the many Shluchim who have been brought there by Rabbi Korf over the past 40 years.

The Yeshiva Gedola has only grown better and stronger over the past four decades. It is a mosad that we can all be proud of.

Many times when people would ask the Rebbe questions regarding policies for their schools, the Rebbe would say, “Find out how it’s done at the Yeshiva Gedola of Miami Rabsi, and do the same.”

The plentiful and delicious refreshments at the 40th anniversary celebration were provided by Itche Hildesheim.