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Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah’s Second Chag HaSmicha

Celebration Dinner Rabbi Shimon Green Rabbi Nissim Tagger Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit Reb Gershon Binyamin Burd Reb Reuvan Loewenstein

Dinner Chairman: Reb Leonard Miller

Smicha Graduates: Rabbi Pesach Allen

Rabbi Yehoshua Bloom Rabbi Jason Kanner Rabbi Ron Mandel

Rabbi Baruch Munic Rabbi Shimon Romain

Rabbi Dov Sendler

Senior Rosh HaYeshiva:Rosh HaYeshiva:

Mashgiach:Executive Director:

Administrator:

Program:

Opening Remarks: Reb Leonard MillerSiyum Meseches Gitten: Reb Daniel Rostenne

AppetizerRemarks: Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit, Mashgiach

Main CourseSmicha Presentation: Rosh HaYeshiva Shimon Green

Response: Rabbi Dov SendlerDesert

Introduction of Rav Zafrani: Rosh HaYeshiva Nissim TaggerMessage: Rav Zafrani

Benching: Rabbi Ron Mandel

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Sometimes, it is the teacher’s job to show the student that he does not know, and, sometimes, it is the teacher’s job to show the student that he does.In the case of this semicha program and this semicha group it is the latter that applies. A group of learned and talented students were placed on a rigorous course of study that, while giving them vast knowledge, would, more importantly, show them that they have the ability to learn, master, and conclude, at the highest level.It is the deepest wish of every parent to see their child able to stand on its own, and in exactly the same way, it is the deepest wish of every teacher to see their student

stand on his own.It is for this reason that we rejoice over the awarding of semicha to this group, because semicha represents our recognition of our students’ ability to stand on their own, and our knowledge that, with us or without us, they will seek and find the Torah pathway in all that they do, throughout all the days of their lives.With all my heart, I thank Hashem for allowing us to behold the words of His holy Torah, and pray that He bless the semicha group to grow ever greater in the levels of Torah for long and good years to come, in good health and happiness.

Rabbi Shimon GreenSenior Rosh Yeshiva

To our honorable new Rabbis and their Pious Leader.

In my hat as the Educational Director of Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah, I have had the privilege to enlist the services of countless students. Rabbi Green has established as a hidden prerequisite of every student who enters our Yeshiva that they must be willing to help others. If a person’s goal in learning in a Yeshiva is to advanced their learning skills, I have been taught that Bircas HaTorah is not the

place for them. Our Yeshiva is dedicated to helping people care about others and to advance themselves by expanding their definition of who they are to include their fellow Jews. That’s why it’s only a matter of time before a student of our Yeshiva is tapped on their shoulder and ask to help someone else in the building.

Not everyone has the same response to being tapped on the shoulder; to having their learning interrupted to help someone else.

Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit

Mashgiach

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I have tapped the shoulders of Rabbi Munic, Rabbi Bloom Rabbi Mandel Rabbi Allen Rabbi Romaine and Rabbi Kanner numerous times before they became Rabbis. I can share that they all had the same basic response: “Heneni” which literally translates, “Here I am! Rashi explains that this response is a sign of a pious person, an expression of humility and readiness to do the bidding of the one addressing them (Rashi Breishis 22:). They all expressed the strength of character to set aside their own interests for the interests of others.It’s know surprise that they have been elevated to the level of Rabbis because we know that Hashem raises high those who lower themselves (Brocha of Ezras Aveseinu please check that this is the correct source in the Birkas Krias Shema of the morning)..

It’s also know surprise that their leader was Rabbi Sendler. Rav Sendler is beyond “Heneni”. Rav Sendler volunteers for service, for care of others. Rav Sendler who treats his Torah learning with enormous reverence and care is the first to set it aside when he sees that Hashem wants something else from him.

I want to give a brocha to these Rabbis, their parents, and their families that give nachas to us all and most importantly to HaKodosh Baruch Hu

Congratulations and Mazel Tov to our beloved smicha group. To see their thousands of hours of incredibly focused Torah learning bear fruit is acause for celebration for our entire community.I was thinking about what this smicha represents. It dawned on me what a privilege it must be for a ben Torah to have his Rebbe give over his stamp of approval. This smicha says not only that these talmidim are capable of paskining shilas, but also that Rabbis Green and Zafrani put their names behind them. The biggest honor possible is having an adam gadol say, “I take achrayis for

you.” This, to me, is the definition of grabbing a branch of the tree of life, to achieve such a connection to Hashem.We feel grateful and blessed on this occasion to celebrate the achievements of these outstanding talmidei chachamim. They are role models whoseaccomplishments in Torah and midos embody the type Torah learning andliving that Bircas HaTorah aspires to produce.I pray with all my heart that they continue to grow and blossom with noend, and we all should be zoche to tremendous Torah and mitzvos together.

Reb Gershon Binyamin Burd

Executive Director

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Rabbi Dov Sendler

The Ramo [Yore Deah 242:14] writes that the purpose of Semicha is to inform people that:

(1) The מוסמך has reached the level of הוראה, and(2) That he has the permission of his Rebbe to issue .הוראה

That is, not only must the מוסמך have book knowledge, but he must also be certified to be part of the true מסורה from סיני.

Our ברכה to the new מוסמכים is that they transmit to their own תלמידים not only their own considerable volume of Torah learning, but that they also transmit the רתת and זיע, the אהבה and יראה, which accompanied the original transmission, and which has been part and parcel of the chain of Torah transmission, ever since.

Thank you HaKodesh Baruchu for bringing me to this occasion.

To the Rabbeim and students of Bircas HaTorah, thank you for providing such a loving atmosphere for growth. Thank you Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Shimon Green, for bringing Torah into my life.

To the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Nissim Tagger, thank you for your guidance & intuition. Your ability to nurture & push has helped me reach this milestone.

To HaRav Dov Sendler, your mesiras nefesh, warmth, and tremendous Torah knowledge has made this program the success it was. Thank you for caring so much.

To HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Zafrani, it was a wonderful experience and has been a zchus to learn from you .

To my fellow Rabbis of the chabura, this occasion is bittersweet to me - a goodbye after two years of tremendous growth together. May you all go l’chayil l’chayil.

Rabbi Pesach Allen

avjhhbu uehnbu uvdhgbu kzni vzv

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To my chevrusa, Rabbi Ron Mandel HaCohen, whose excellent midos are on par with his chachama. Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

To my family in Chicago... I feel blessed that you came into my life. I feel grateful for your confidence in my abilities and the warmth that you have given me. I especially want to thank my Mother in-law whose interest in my learning gives me tremendous joy.

To my family in South Africa and Australia ...I cherish your love and acceptance. I especially want thank my brother Michael whose financial support has been more than generous, and my brother Rabbi Yosef, who shared this program with me and started me on my path.

To my beloved parents who have encouraged and supported me in every possible way, I love you very much.

Last, but most important, to the one person without whom my life would be void of simcha and bracha, to my wife Tybee Shana, thank you for your unrelenting belief in me.

I am filled with humility and respect toward all the people that helped me reach this incredible milestone in my life.

Words really wouldn’t be sufficient to adequately express the gratitude I feel toward Hashem, first and foremost, and to the Yeshiva as a whole. The Rosh Yeshiva, my beloved and loyal wife, my parents and family, my Chavrusos and peers, and each and every individual who made this formidable enterprise from a dream, into a reality.

Thank you, and may we all merit to reach great heights together, from one peak to another.

Rabbi Yehoshua Bloom

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To my beloved Rebbe, Rabbi Shimon Green, who shows me what it means to

serve Hashem with LoveTo my cherished Rabbis, who show me what it means…

Rabbi Nissim Tagger…To serve Hashem with Wisdom…Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit…To serve Hashem

Completely…Rabbi Dov Sendler…To serve Hashem Constantly…Rabbi Zahavie Green…To serve Hashem in Truth…Rabbi Avraham Dov Beller…To serve Hashem with

Humility…Rabbi Moshe Krieger…To serve Hashem B’Simcha…

To my precious Chavrusas, who show me what it means…

Rabbi Baruch Munitz…To serve Hashem in Kindness…

Rabbi Yehoshua Bloom…To serve Hashem Honestly…To my dear Yeshiva, Bircas HaTorah, who gives me…

everything.

Rabbi Jason Kanner

nusv tbh kpbhl s’ ’tu” t aan, jkeh nhuach ch, vnsra ak hahc, crf, v,urv.

cacl kv’ h,crl, cngns zv ak xnhfv, gkh kvusu, kneuo.

vusu kv’ fh yuc fh kguko jxsu!cvfr, vyuc krtah vhahcv vrc angui hrujo drhi akhy” t, uvrc bhxo yd’ r akhy” t ufi krc aknv zgprtbh akhy” t gk vaeg, znbu vher cbu ukhcui

vvkfv cxprhu uhzrg hmje, ukfk rcbh vhahcv.krfz vxnhfv vrc sc xbskr akhy” t avaehg nznbu vher go vnui xckbu,,

kjcru,t vher akh vrc pxj tki akhy” t adrr tu,h srl ,grucu,, car ujkc unkhjv, ,usv ktuzi eac, uknuxr cgh,u. a,zfv kdsuk ngkv ngkv

c,urv.nzk yuc kfk vjcrho azfu kxnhfv!

cvnui ,usv kvurh adsku tu,h k,urv u,unfho ch unapj,h huo chunu cfk,ahzfu kvnui abho ak crhtu, tuar uguar go vrcv bj,.

ktjh vrc ah hartk nbsk akhy” t uknapj,u ahnahl kana kh sudnv ukdsuk c,urv.

ukrghh,h gshbv vherv ackgshv kt vhh,h ndhg gs vkuo, abzfv kdsk hkshbu k,urv nmuu, ungaho yucho!

Rabbi Ron Mandel

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Rabbi Baruch Munic

Your lovein the smiles Your care in the nourishment Your beingin the space for learningYour strengthin the walls of the homeYour perseverancein raising the childrenYour kindnessin the comfort is my refugeis my pillaris my homeis my joyis my NechamaThank YouLove,Barry

There is no way I can express the debt of gratitude that we owe to Rabbi Green, and there is no way to measure it. He has given us his wisdom and love for the Torah, and the love and comfort we always needed from his heart.

We will always be family with everyone in the Yeshiva.

A special thank you to Rav Sendler for your mesirus nefesh for our Torah.

Rabbi Shimon Romain

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Dedications...

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כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו' הודו לה

יתברך' ה להיבשבח והוד

אושרתמ גאה ומשפחת מנדל

להיות במעמד קבלת הסמיכה לרבנות

ואהובינושל יקירנו

רון דוד הכהן מנדל עושה שלום ורודף שלום

להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה בכל מעשיךעלה והצלח

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It is with great Joy, Love and Gratitude to Hashem that we are zoche to be here for our dear son,

Yehoshua ShalomYou are an inspiration to your Yeshiva and to your family.

May Hashem bless you and your wonderful support & Aishes Chayil, Elisheva

May Hashem bless you to continue your holy work and bring yiddishe nachas to your loving family.

May Hashem bless you to have numerous talmidim and be a beacon to Klal Yisroel.

Parents: Zev Ruven and Fay BloomAunt Beverly and Uncle Paul, Aunt Harriet

Brothers and Sister: Kivi and family, Zvi and Family, Nechama and Shalom, Steve and Family, Mark and Family

Cousins: Jenny and Family, Debbie and Family

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To our Darling

Pesach, Our Love for you, and the nachas you have given us, knows

no bounds.

Mazal Tov on your wonderful achievement.

May the light of Torah always flow into you and emanate from you.

With Hashem’s richest blessing!

Your proud parents, Albert and Myra Allen and family

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It is with great pride that we congratulate the

Honorees

on their momentous achievement.

May this stepping stone be the foundation for a future of powerful learning and d’vakus to Hashem.

May we be blessed to share our joyous moments together.

The Tagger family

Dear

Rabbis Allen, Bloom, Kanner, Mandel, Munic, and Romain

We are so proud of *EACH* of you. We are honored to be part of this occasion and part of the

Bircas HaTorah community.

We wish each of you

Lenny and Star Miller

vmkjv ucrfv

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Mazel Tov to

Rabbi Allen, Rabbi Bloom, Rabbi Kanner, Rabbi Mandel,

Rabbi Munic, and Rabbi Romain on the occasion of your receiving Semichah.

Each of you is an inspiration to me.May Hashem bless you and your respective families

with many years of good health, bracha and hatzlacha as you continue to serve, educate and elevate Klal

Yisroel.

Steven Arenson

Mazel Tov

Ron With great pride and much love,

From Savta, Shoshana Ehrlich and Dod Zvika &

Doda Shari & Family

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Jason, we are so proud of your accomplishments upon receiving

smicha! May you continue to be a light of Torah to your family

and students.

With Love, Aunt Patti, Uncle Les, Jeffrey, Aileen, Mark, and all

your cousins.

Mazel Tov to

Barry, Nechama and the whole Munic family,

and thank you to our Bircas family

for always bringing us closer to Torah.

Sarah Aliza, Chava Temimah, Ronit Tzipporah, Miera and Alan Rechtschaffen

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To Our Son (in law)

Barry עמו”ש

We love you so much.

May you continue to bring much nachas to our family, Klal Yisroel and HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

With much Love,Abba & Ima

We are so proud of the achievements of

Pesach Allan

in attaining full ordination as a Rabbi.We admire the dedication, devotion and commitment that make this

so deserved.

We are ever proud of this success and are sure that many will benefit from Pesach’s Torah knowledge and persona that will

ensure that Torah will live on.

Your friends,

The Sank Family Cape Town

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It is with abundant joy and gratitude that our son,

Shimon Romain receives his Smicha.

It is a tribute not only to him, but his wonderful family, Chava, Shmuel and Yitzchak.

May they all be blessed with a future of joy, health, happiness and success.

Our special thanks to Rosh Yeshiva Green, Rabbi Sendler, Rabbi Wegbreit & the other Rabbonim of Bircas HaTorah, for their

contribution to Shimon’s magnificent rich journey and growth to where he is today.

We are truly indebted to you all.Shimon, we are so very proud of you,

not only for your achievement but embodying for what it means to be a genuine Mensch in the way you have always conducted yourself.

You are an inspiration to us all. May you and your Family go from strength to strength in all your

endeavors. Fondest love from all your family

My heart is so full of love, respect and pride for you, my son,

Shimon, on this occasion of your Smicha.

You are a man of dignity, honour, class and holiness and you have taught me

everlasting life lessons on what honouring Hashem means, what honouring

humanity means. This you have shown me by your love of them.

You are a man among men and through your eyes shines a holiness, a special spiritual quality, a sense of comfort

that the world will be OK. This quality you blend with a combination of great

intelligence and spirituality. You are a shining example of a great

father, husband, friend and son. Nothing in the world could make me more proud than I am to be the one who was

chosen to be your mother.

With my everlasting love to you, Your Mom, Gilda

We would like to give a special heartfelt thanks to

Rabbi Wegbreit and the whole

Wegbreit mishpacha for being like a family to us.

We will always feel like your children and hope we will always be close to

you.

May HaShem grant you much bracha, hatzlacha and naches from

your children and talmidim.

Shimon Romain & Family

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Our family is so very proud and filled with elation for our brother inlaw

Peter, otherwise known as

Rabbi Pesach Allen Ra”m From the moment we met him, nearly 11 years ago, we knew he was very special.

My sister Tracy, otherwise known as Rebitzen Tybee Allen,

was blessed in meeting Pesach. Rabbi Allen has transformed our family

here in Chicago with graciousness and the brilliant aspect of teaching us the

foundations of Torah. The Allens have enriched our lives with the

greatest of blessings. We are so grateful for all the beautiful

Allens; Pesach, Tybee, Chaim, Nechama, Ora Brucha, Yehuda & Nissim.

With great love, Rachel, Moshe, Penina & Mikha’el

Faierstain (otherwise known as Robin, Marty, Tyler

& Cole Faierstain)

Warmest congratulations to

Rabbi Yohashua Bloom on this joyful achievement.

I know Joshua as a man of outreaching chesed and exceptional moral

steadfastness. Although we met quite shortly, you

made a deep positive influence on my life and became a benchmark of what

Jewishness is about. I thank you for this lasting inspiration. I wish you to become a rabbi beloved by all. You are certainly well on the way

there. May simcha be a companion for

you, your family and your future achievements.

Aurimas Guoga, Vilna

Mazel tov, and hatzlacha raba to our

son,

Jason,and all of these bnei torah

on this tremendous achievement.

May they all go from strength to strength.

Steve and Lynn Kanner

In honor of the Rabbinical ordination

of

Jason Kanner From his proud and loving

family,

Levine’s - Heyl’s - Triestman’s

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My heartiest Congratulations

and a big Mazal Tov

to

Barry’s great achievement,

and how very proud I am of his accomplishment.

John Munic

To the six Rabbis of Bircas HaTorah’s

second Smicha Group:

מזל טובRabbi Pesach Allen

Rabbi Yehoshua Bloom Rabbi Mendel Yosef Kanner

Rabbi Ron Mandel Rabbi Barry Munic

Rabbi Shimon Romain

May all of you continue to grow

מעלה, מעלהin Torah.

Rabbi and Mrs. Dov Sendler and Family

Mazel Tov to Rabbi Ron Mandel

and everyone else receiving smicha.

Pinchus & Charna Oppenheim & Family

Congratulations and Mazal TovTo Our Dear Nephew

Rabbi Roni MandelUpon Achieving SmichaYou have proven to be

Intelligent, Compassionate, Kind and Ethical

May your inner light continue to shine and

may happiness be yours alwaysLove

Debbie & Shlomo Mandel

To our Aba, Rabbi Mandel,

We love you very much and are extremely proud of your

accomplishment.!

Adina, Reut, Shlomtzion, Tamar and Yael

Mazel Tov Ron,

We are very proud of your achievement. עלה והצלח

David Lapian

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Mazel Tov!! Jason Kanner

Our family is very proud of you as you reach this milestone in your life.

We wish you continued love of Family & Torah.

We love you. Louis Altman, Michael Zoldan &

Families

Mazal Tov to Rabbi Mendel Yosef Kanner

and his devoted Rebbetzin

on this tremendous accomplishment. We give you a bracha that you should

continue in your learning until 120 and that each day should be sweeter

than the next.

Love, Allyson & Dov Perkal,

Steven, Eyliana, Kayla, Sara, Myah, Shoshana, & Batshevah

Mazel Tov Jason

on this great accomplishment. We are extremely proud of you.

With Love, The Mollens

Congratulations, Jason.

The Cabot Family

To our dear Rabbi Shua שליט”א,

We have always been proud of you. Now *we* are honored.

May Hashem guide you to spread His Torah and help klal Yisrael.

B’kavod U’vracha,באהבה רבה, אבא ואמא

and all of the Engels

Mazel Tov to

Yehoshua on this tremendous accomplishment.

Tzlotana

Mazal Tov to Rabbis Sendler and Bloom! Thank you for all your time, inspiration,

insight, and knowledge. May you always grow, and with this achievement may your efforts achieve

new heights. Richard, Batya, Rebecca,Joshua,

Raphael (South Africa)

In honor of my son, Dov Sendler

Sue Sendler

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Mazel Tov, to my wonderful Tzaddik son-in-law,

Rabbi Pesach Allen, I am so very proud of your

achievements. Baruch Hashem.

With deep affection, Safta

Mazel Tov, Rabbi Pesach Allen

We are so very proud of you and your accomplishment.

With all our Love, Mindy, Mark, Talia, Matthew

and Shayli

Shimon Romain is a wonderful scholar.

Even with 2 boys sitting on his lap, he studied diligently.

Blanche and Marjorie Schustack

Dearest Shimon,

Mazel Tov and loving wishes to a devoted scholar for continued success.

Grandma Grace

Greetings from......

Doris Jaffe

Moshe Zvi Berger

Anonymous

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