By COLlive reporter
Members of the Massachusetts Jewish community, alumni and Lubavitchers are responding to the appeal to save one of the first Chabad day schools established by the Previous Rebbe.
In fact, the Yeshiva Achei Tmimim synagogue and Yeshiva Academy day school in Worcester, which is now being seized by the IRS, was Chabad’s first in America.
The building at 22 Newton Avenue was the first building Chabad has built from scratch on American soil in 1959.
At the time, the founding Shliach Rabbi Hershel Fogelman has sent the Rebbe a photo of the construction site, to which the Rebbe responded that it made “a very strong impression” on him.
(The letter and the mentioned photo can be seen below)
“The school, thank G-d, is in good shape educationally and spiritually, but I can’t say that financially,” Rabbi Fogelman, 89, told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. “People give, but they don’t give anywhere what they used to give.”
The institution has launched this week a $500,000 fundraising campaign to cover its debt to the city and other agencies. Within 48 hours of being posted on COLlive.com, over $25,379 has been raised.
There is still a long way to go. The deadline to raise the full amount is next week when the Internal Revenue Service is scheduled to putting the building up for auction.
“We are in touch with alumni and philanthropists who might help with large gift, but we need every amount we can get,” said Fogelman’s son, Rabbi Mendel Fogelman, Director of Development of Achei Tmimim.
The institution reaches out to new unaffiliated families and is responsible for establishing 6 Chabad houses in Central Massachusetts, including a presence as Chabad on Campus at Clark and WPI.
Help them today at SaveTheYeshiva.com
I actually read the article because of the title ;).
I’m sure many people are interested in what impressed the Rebbe.
is non other then the beloved rabbi Gordon!!
You should change the title of the article to
” Worcester Yeshiva needs help”
That way more people will read the article.
(Second picture)
In addition to Rabbis Fogelman and Gordon are Rabbi Dr. Mifchael Schick, Mrs. Dora Silverstein, Mrs. Schick and Mrs. Marion Schloss (my mother, whose 2nd Yaartzeit has just passed), educators in the Yeshiva more than 50 years ago.
We all owe so much to so few who dedicated their lives so that each of us could become what we are today.
i lived in Worcester for about 13 years. what an extraordinary community. Rabbi and Mrs Fogelman created an envirment that is unparalleled. i hear the Rebbe answered some one who wasn’t sure if they should move there ” ah gutte shtut mit gutte menchen” a good city with good people. i haven’t printed their name but if they read this they can add it.
Rabbi Yisroel Gordon is on the left, was in Worcesster for many years and later in Morristown NJ. He now lives in NY. Zol er zein gezunt.
Im a little shy so I have been hesitating to ask two people I work with to donate. After two days one of them approached me and asked if I had donated to my old favorite school.I quickly found out that both my friends wanted to suprise me and each donated 50 dollars to Worcester. I would like to eish them that Hashem bless them eith all of their needs.
The Fogelmans are the best!!! Rabbi Hershel Fogelman, may he have many long and healthy years, is the kindest man I have ever met in my life. His chesed isn’t reserved only for nice people. It amazes me the kindness he has for every single person and he makes me want to be a better person as well.
Rabbi Fogelman did publish a book. It is a wonderful book. My father reads it all the time.
He did-ten l’chocham
Rabbi Fogelman should publish a book.