A rebbi’s care, and a boy who can now enjoy the chill of a cool drink while discovering the warmth of Torah
Rabbi Moshe Dov Heber, a sixth-grade rebbi in Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury, is one of the many devoted rebbeim who has adopted Rabbi Dovid Newman’s Torascha B’Finu program, which encourages constant chazarah for middle-school boys. The program has seen monumental success, sweeping hundreds of boys into the movement as they endeavor to imbue the words of Torah in their hearts and minds.
One evening, Rabbi Heber received a message from one his student’s parents, with a picture of their son learning even as he prepared for bed. Rabbi Heber, in turn, shared this picture with Rabbi Newman — the man who really gets the credit. Rabbi Newman responded, “I see there’s a small fridge next to his bed. Can I Zelle you money and you’ll pick up drinks to fill it up? This way, he’ll have something to drink as he chazers!”
The picture says it all: a rebbi’s care, and a boy who can now enjoy the chill of a cool, refrigerated drink while discovering the warmth of Torah.
We’re in the beginning of Chodesh Nissan, which means the tefillah of Tachanun will not be recited for an entire month. For the bochurim in Yeshiva Darchei Torah of Far Rockaway, this carries particular poignance. Earlier this year, the rosh yeshivah, Rav Shlomo Avigdor Altusky, instituted the yeshivah’s first schedule change in 25 years: Shacharis would begin five minutes earlier on Mondays and Thursdays.
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