Yeshiva Toras Chaim (East New York) Explained

Yeshiva Toras Chaim^{[1] [2]} was an American Haredi Lithuanian-type boys' and men's yeshiva in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn that was "established by the pioneering Rabbi Isaac Shmidman"^{[1] [3]} in 1927.^[4]

The full name of the Belmont Avenue location, reflecting both the lower grades and the high school, was Yeshiva and Mesivta Torahs Chaim of Greater New York.^[3]

South Shore

See main article: Yeshiva of South Shore. In 1956 Binyamin Kamenetsky, who had taught at the Brooklyn location in the 1940s,^[1] opened Yeshiva Toras Chaim of the South Shore,^[5] "the first yeshiva on Long Island"^{[4] [6]} with Kamenetsky as its dean.^{[5] [7]}

"Seven years later, the two Jewish schools merged and moved to a new campus on William Street in Hewlett."^[4] With the growth of the school came the need for another person to help run it; that person, Rabbi Chanina Herzberg, came with a unique approach to chinuch that was taught to him by his Rebbe, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld. It focused on the greatness of each individual child, and the unlimited potential that every neshama possesses. Rabbi Herzberg was a master at cultivating each Jewish neshama. Under his leadership, the Yeshiva continued to thrive for nearly four decades that he was at the helm. Rabbi Herzberg passed away in 2018.^[8]

Notable students

• Shlomo Freifeld^[9]
• Yaakov Perlow^[10]

References

• Book: A History of the Jewish East New York of Yeshiva Toras Chaim. Arnold J. Cohen . Max Cohen . 1989.

Notes and References

1. News: . Rav Binyamin Kamenetsky . serving in the 1940s as first-grade rebbe in the Yeshiva Toras Chaim in East New York, Brooklyn . May 3, 1917.
2. News: The Jewish Press. Head of Agudath Israel, the Novominsker Rebbe, Succumbs to the Coronavirus at 89. studied at Yeshiva Toras Chaim in East New York. April 7, 2020.
3. Web site: History of Jewish Brownsville . Under the guidance of Rabbi Isaac Shmidman, dean of Yeshiva and Mesivta Torahs Chaim .. 631 Belmont Avenue.
4. News: Long Island Herald. Lighting the way at Yeshiva of South Shore. Jeff Bessen . November 14, 2019.
5. News: . Long Island Journal . THE Yeshiva Toras Chaim of the South Shore marked its 25th anniversary week ... Rabbi Benjamin Kamenetzky . April 11, 1982.
6. News: New York Times. Hewlett Yeshiva Is Facing Closing. the 250-student Yeshiva Toras Chaim at South Shore closed down temporarily for two days. Phyllis Bernstein . December 21, 1975.
7. News: . Rental Rejection Annoys Yeshiva . Sharon Monahan . April 17, 1988.
8. News: Hamodia. Rabbi Chanina Herzberg, ZT"L. Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetzky . December 18, 2018.
9. Jewish Action (OU) . His Heart was The Heart of All Israel: Memories and Impressions of Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld . Matis Greenblatt . Spring 1991.
10. News: . Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, Head of Hasidic Dynasty in Brooklyn . He attended Yeshiva Toras Chaim and Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn and Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J. . April 16, 2020.