Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah’s Second

Chag HaSmicha
Celebration Dinner
Senior Rosh HaYeshiva: Rabbi Shimon Green
Rosh HaYeshiva: Rabbi Nissim Tagger
Mashgiach: Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit
Executive Director: Reb Gershon Binyamin Burd
Administrator: 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
1
Rabbi Shimon Romain
Rabbi Dov Sendler
 Program:
Opening Remarks: Reb Leonard Miller
Siyum Meseches Gitten: Reb Daniel Rostenne
Appetizer
Remarks: Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit, Mashgiach
Main Course
Smicha Presentation: Rosh HaYeshiva Shimon Green
Response: Rabbi Dov Sendler
Desert
Introduction of Rav Zafrani: Rosh HaYeshiva Nissim Tagger
Message: Rav Zafrani
Benching: Rabbi Ron Mandel

2
 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.
Rabbi Shimon Green It is the deepest wish of every parent to see their child
Senior Rosh Yeshiva 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 3
greater in the levels of Torah for long and good years to come, in good health
and happiness.
 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
Rabbi Asher Baruch our Yeshiva that they must be willing to help
Wegbreit others. If a person’s goal in learning in a
Mashgiach 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
4 having their learning interrupted to help someone else.
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 5
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 a
cause 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
Reb Gershon Binyamin talmidim are capable of paskining shilas, but
Burd also that Rabbis Green and Zafrani put their
Executive Director
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 whose
accomplishments in Torah and midos embody the type Torah learning and
living that Bircas HaTorah aspires to produce.
6 I pray with all my heart that they continue to grow and blossom with no
end, and we all should be zoche to tremendous Torah and mitzvos together.
The Ramo [Yore Deah 242:14] writes that the
purpose of Semicha is to inform people that:

(1) The ‫ מוסמך‬has reached the level of ‫הוראה‬, and

(2) That he has the permission of his Rebbe to issue
‫הוראה‬.

That is, not only must the ‫ מוסמך‬have book Rabbi Dov Sendler
knowledge, but he must also be certified to be part of
the true ‫ מסורה‬from ‫סיני‬.

Our ‫ ברכה‬to the new ‫ מוסמכים‬is that they transmit to their own ‫תלמידים‬
not only their own considerable volume of Torah learning, but that they
also transmit the ‫ רתת‬and ‫זיע‬, the ‫ אהבה‬and ‫יראה‬, which accompanied the
original transmission, and which has been part and parcel of the chain of
Torah transmission, ever since.

7
 vzv inzk ubghdvu ubnheu ubhhjva
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.
Rabbi Pesach Allen 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
8
goodbye after two years of tremendous growth together. May you all go
l’chayil l’chayil.
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.
9
 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
Rabbi Yehoshua family, my Chavrusos and peers, and each and every
Bloom 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.

10
 To my beloved Rebbe,
Rabbi Shimon Green, who shows me what it means to
serve Hashem with Love
To 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 Jason Rabbi Dov Sendler…To serve Hashem Constantly…
Kanner 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… 11
everything.
 ,hc hcauhn hekj ,naa t ”ut’ ’s lhbpk hbt vsun
.vru,v ,frc ,chah ka arsnv
,usuvk hkg ,vfhnx ka vz sngnc ,lrc,h ’vk lcac
.ouenk
!usxj okugk hf cuy hf ’vk usuv
ihrd ojurh iugna crv vchahv hatrk cuyv ,rfvc
vnka crk ifu t ”yhka r ’dy oxhb crvu ,t ”yhka
Rabbi Ron Mandel iuchku ubc rehv ubnz ,geav kg t ”yhka hbtrpgz
.vchahv hbcr kfku ,ejmh grzhu uhrpxc vfkvv
,,ubkcx iunv og rehv ubnzn gheava t ”yhka rksbx cs crv vfhnxv zfrk
rac ,,ucurg, lrs h,ut rrda t ”yhka ikt jxp crv hka rehv t,urcjk
vkgn vkgn kusdk vfz,a .u,hgc rxunku ,cae izutk vsu, ,vjhknu ckju
.vru,c
!vfhnxk ufza ohrcjv kfk cuy kzn
,kfc unuhc ouh h,jpanu hc ohfnu,u vru,k h,ut uksda hruvk vsu, iunvc
.,jb vcrv og raugu raut ,uthrc ka ohba iunvk ufzha
kusdku vndus hk anak lhanha u,jpanku t ”yhka ksbn ktrah ha crv hjtk
.vru,c
ubhskh ksdk vfzba ,oukv sg ghdn h,hhv tk vhsgkca vrehv vbhsg h,hhgrku
12
!ohcuy ohagnu ,uumn vru,k
 Your love
in the smiles
Your care
in the nourishment
Your being
in the space for learning
Your strength
Rabbi Baruch in the walls of the home
Munic Your perseverance
in raising the children
Your kindness
in the comfort
is my refuge
is my pillar
is my home
is my joy
is my Nechama
Thank You
13
Love,
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.

Rabbi Shimon We will always be family with everyone in the

Romain Yeshiva.

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

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Dedications...
15
 ‫הודו לה' כי טוב כי לעולם חסדו‬

‫בשבח והודיה לה' יתברך‬

‫משפחת מנדל גאה ומאושרת‬
‫להיות במעמד קבלת הסמיכה לרבנות‬
‫של יקירנו ואהובינו‬

‫רון דוד הכהן מנדל‬

‫עושה שלום ורודף שלום‬

‫עלה והצלח בכל מעשיך להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה‬

‫‪17‬‬
It is with great Joy, Love and Gratitude to Hashem that we are zoche to
be here for our dear son,
Yehoshua Shalom
You 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 Bloom
Aunt 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

19
 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

21
 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

23
 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
vfrcu vjkmv

Lenny and Star Miller

24
 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

25
 Mazel Tov
Ron
With great pride and much love,
From Savta, Shoshana Ehrlich and Dod Zvika
&
Doda Shari & Family

26
 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.

27
 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

28
 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

29
 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

30
 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 31
endeavors.
Fondest love from all your family
 My heart is so full of love, respect
and pride for you, my son,
We would like to give a special
Shimon, heartfelt thanks to
on this occasion of your Smicha. Rabbi Wegbreit
You are a man of dignity, honour, class
and holiness and you have taught me and the whole
everlasting life lessons on what honouring Wegbreit mishpacha
Hashem means, what honouring for being like a family to us.
humanity means. This you have shown me
by your love of them. We will always feel like your children
You are a man among men and through and hope we will always be close to
your eyes shines a holiness, a special you.
spiritual quality, a sense of comfort May HaShem grant you much
that the world will be OK. This quality bracha, hatzlacha and naches from
you blend with a combination of great
your children and talmidim.
intelligence and spirituality.
You are a shining example of a great
Shimon Romain & Family
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.
32
With my everlasting love to you,
Your Mom, Gilda
 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
33
 Mazel tov,
In honor of the and hatzlacha raba to our
Rabbinical ordination son,
of Jason,
Jason Kanner and all of these bnei torah
From his proud and loving on this tremendous
family, achievement.
May they all go from
Levine’s - Heyl’s - Triestman’s strength to strength.
Steve and Lynn Kanner

34
 To the six Rabbis of
Bircas HaTorah’s
second My heartiest
Smicha Group: Congratulations
‫מזל טוב‬ and a big
Rabbi Pesach Allen Mazal Tov
Rabbi Yehoshua Bloom to
Rabbi Mendel Yosef Kanner Barry’s
Rabbi Ron Mandel
great achievement,
Rabbi Barry Munic and how very proud I am
Rabbi Shimon Romain of his accomplishment.
May all of you continue to grow John Munic
‫ מעלה‬,‫מעלה‬
in Torah.
35
Rabbi and Mrs. Dov Sendler and
Family
 Mazel Tov
Mazel Tov to Ron,
Rabbi Ron Mandel We are very proud of your
and everyone else receiving smicha. achievement.
‫עלה והצלח‬
Pinchus & Charna Oppenheim
& Family David Lapian

Congratulations and Mazal Tov

To our Aba, To Our Dear Nephew
Rabbi Mandel, Rabbi Roni Mandel
We love you very much and are Upon Achieving Smicha
extremely proud of your You have proven to be
accomplishment.! Intelligent, Compassionate, Kind
and Ethical
Adina, Reut, Shlomtzion, Tamar May your inner light continue to
and Yael shine and
may happiness be yours always
36 Love
Debbie & Shlomo Mandel
 Mazel Tov
Jason
Congratulations,
on this great accomplishment.
Jason. We are extremely proud of you.
The Cabot Family With Love,
The Mollens

Mazal Tov to
Rabbi Mendel Yosef Kanner
and his devoted Mazel Tov!!
Rebbetzin Jason Kanner
on this tremendous accomplishment. Our family is very proud of you as
We give you a bracha that you should you reach this milestone in your life.
continue in your learning until 120 We wish you continued love of Family
and that each day should be sweeter & Torah.
than the next. We love you.
Louis Altman, Michael Zoldan &
Love, Families
Allyson & Dov Perkal, 37
Steven, Eyliana, Kayla, Sara, Myah,
Shoshana, & Batshevah
 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
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)

Mazel Tov to
In honor of my son,
Yehoshua Dov Sendler
on this tremendous
accomplishment. Sue Sendler

Tzlotana
38

Dearest
Shimon,
Mazel Tov and loving wishes to a
devoted scholar for continued success.
Grandma Grace
Shimon Romain
is a wonderful scholar.
Even with 2 boys sitting on his lap, he
studied diligently.
Blanche and Marjorie Schustack
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
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 39
 Greetings from......
Doris Jaffe

Moshe Zvi Berger

Anonymous

40