Issue #8; Shavuos 5756
Marc (Melech) Beningson.
I was raised in the same Conservative Synagogue in Stanford Connecticut that my grandparents joined in the 1930's and had my bar mitzvah on the same bimah as my father and uncle. For reasons not clear to me at the time, I asked for tefillin for my 13th birthday gift. Not all the older men at the daily minyan wore them, so I had little idea why tefillin should be important.A 'confirmation class' dropout, I held leadership positions in the USY youth group and spent a summer 'pilgrimage' in Israel. But Jewish activities in college were limited. I spent more time playing ice hockey and being a performing arts sound technician.
After graduation I joined a rapidly growing acoustical consulting practice which took me all over the country. I was very busy. After a tough three months on the road I said to myself, "I should really take one day a week and set it aside!" Suddenly I realized this was not a new idea! So I started to do something about Shabbos.
After starting my own company consulting in acoustics, sound systems, and control systems design, I started to work part time as Jewish youth director and Hebrew school teacher. I was considered a good role model, but I didn't think I was very knowledgeable.
So, I enrolled in the Master's program at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Then hashgacha pratis took me to Honolulu for a six-month job which turned into three years.
But there are better places than Hawaii for a Shomer Shabbos bachelor. I started 'commuting' to LA for Shabbatons and shidduchim. I davened to leave Hawaii.
In order to get me out, Hashem made an entire company go bankrupt, with my division sold to a company in San Diego! There I met JLE alum Todd Salovey, OS alum Mike Kalman, and Rabbi Jeff Wohlgelernter. I heard my first daf yomi shiur. From then on I was hooked on yeshiva-style learning.
I went to all the shiurim I could but needed more. Again my tefillos were heard: My new company floundered, permitting me to take a leave of absence. I was off to Ohr Somayach. I learned there for a total of six months, in two phases, from Aug. '92 -- March '93.
Less than a week after returning to California, I met my kallah! We've since moved to Baltimore and have two children, B'H. Ohr Somayach continues to play a very strong role in my life. I look forward to returning with my family, IY'H, to visit and learn much more.
[Melech, we all look forward to seeing you and your family
at Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem!]
Alumni Reunion Dinner
You're invited to the Ohr Somayach Alumni Reunion Dinner, Sunday 15 Sivan 5756 (June 2, 1996) at Yeshiva Toras Emes Kaminetz Hall, 1650-56th Street, Brooklyn, New York. The Reunion will feature the Roshei Yeshiva: Rav Nota Schiller and Rav Mendel Weinbach. Reception 4 PM, Dinner 5 PM.- Daniel Spekman, Chairman
- Betzalel Anflick, Yaakov Berman, Simcha Goldberg,
- Yosef Hyman, Dov Kagan, Chaim Kaplan, Shamai Linsky
- Lee Needleman, Dovid Speigel, Shmuel Steele
While in North America , Rav Mendel Weinbach will be visiting Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto, Miami, Detroit and Philadelphia, addressing alumni groups and meeting with individual alumni. For info and appointments, contact:
- Chicago: R. Yehuda Albin 312-761-1315
- Cleveland: R. Steven Abrams 216-591-1164
- Toronto: R. Avi Rothman 905-886-6065
- Miami: R. Shmuel Kalos 305-674-8535
- Detroit: R. Yechiel Krohner 810-352-4870
- Philadelphia: R. Avrohom Goldman 215-725-8625
- New York: 212-213-3100
Marvin Gruza
Write to Ohr Somayach for information on how to place your
ad here!
Certified Public Accountant
Accounting Tax Preparation and Planning
Business Consulting Financial Planning Computer Training
138-38 Jewel Ave. Flushing, NY 11367
Tel. 718-263-3025/ Fax 718-263-3361
ALUMNI SPEAK!
David Teten writes:
As an Ohr Somayach JLE graduate, I am very happy that you are continuing to sponsor quality kiruv like 'Ask the Rabbi' Please keep up the good work.
Lou Brifman alumnus 1974 <b24l8m8@bellatl.com> writes:
Liked your work on the Purim special. Keep it up!
Shmuel Davis, Baltimore MD USA writes:
Hello! This is Shmuel Davis from Baltimore. I was a bochur in the Yeshiva from 1980-81. I have just joined the modern world and now can access the Internet. It is a pleasure to see Ohr Somayach (even if it is only in cyberspace). If anyone there remembers me, please write back. Kol Tuv and keep up the great work!!
Garry A. Dinkin writes:
Greetings to Ohr Somayach! My Best wishes to all of the Rabbis, staff and families thereof for a rich and joyful year.
Bounce Us with your Best 'Pshat'!
Got something to say? Just bounce this message back to us with your comments, announcements, divrei Torah, or whatever! Thousands of Ohr Somayach Alumni are waiting to hear from you!Is your copy on paper rather than E-Mail? So use one of the following methods to 'bounce' us your reply:
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Simchas & Announcements
Mazel Tovs to:
- Rabbi and Mrs. Schiller on the engagement of their son Shlomo
- Rabbi and Mrs. Schoen on the engagement of their daughter
- Rabbi and Mrs. Pindrus on the engagement of their son Yaakov
- Rabbi and Mrs. Isbee on the marriage of one son and the bar mitzvah of another son
- Rabbi and Mrs. Zweig on the birth of a son
- Jonathan and Mrs. Altman on the birth of a boy, Yaakov Dovid
- Alan Cooper on his engagement
- Ilan and Mrs. Diamond on the birth of a girl
- David Jasse on his engagement
- Ze'ev and Hilary Kahn on the birth of a son
- Chaim and Mrs. Kaplan birth of daughter
- Avi Rothenberg on his marriage
- Steve and Mrs. Schaeffer on the birth of a girl
- Yossi Silberfarb on his engagement
- Gershon and Mrs. Tave on the birth of a girl
- Chaggai Veig on his engagement
- Rabbi Avraham Rockmill on the passing of his mother
- Mordechai Braka of the passing of his father
- Danny Lemberg on the passing of his father
Topic of the Month
'SEFIRAH'
Counting
Select quotations on this topic:
- It is a mitzvah to count days as well as to count weeks. (Chagigah 17b)
- "Seven complete weeks they shall be." When are they complete? When Israel does the will of the Creator. (Vayikra Rabba 28:3)
- For which particular merit was Israel worthy to inherit the Land of Israel? In merit of the mitzvah of the Omer. (Vayikra Rabba 28:4)
- The Omer offering teaches us that we should utilize our materialistic world as a means to serve Hashem since the whole world belongs to Him. Once we succeed in awakening in ourselves to this realization, we must check every ensuing day to make sure that our aspiration to serve Hashem with all our worldly belongings has not at all diminished. (Michtav Me'Eliyahu, vol.2, p.25)
Editor: Rabbi Reuven Subar
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
Production Design: Lev Seltzer
HTML Design: Michael Treblow
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Ohr Somayach Institutions is an international network of Yeshivot and outreach centers, with branches in North America, Europe, South Africa and South America. The Central Campus in Jerusalem provides a full range of educational services for over 685 full-time students. The Jewish Learning Exchange (JLE) of Ohr Somayach offers summer and winter programs in Israel that attract hundreds of university students from around the world for 3 to 8 weeks of study and touring.
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