Moving and naming the yeshiva. * From the life of R’ Yehoshua Shneur Zalman Serebryanski a”h.
Prepared for publication by Avrohom Rainitz
After Pesach 5711/1951, it was a difficult period for the yeshiva. The talmidim who came during their vacation returned to their regular schools and the yeshiva did not get any new students. The small number of students made for a depressing atmosphere in the yeshiva.
Anash in Melbourne were constantly on the lookout to move the yeshiva to Melbourne. They thought that the success of the yeshiva depended on its being centrally located and accessible to the Jewish population. The feeling was that the yeshiva would continue to go downhill in Shepparton and would only flourish if it moved to Melbourne.
Anash found a nine acre property in Burwood, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, with a large wooden building. In the large yard grew tall trees which shaded the building, and since the entire area was on a hill, there was excellent weather even during the hot summer months. The large concentrations of Jews at that time were in the northern suburb of Carlton and the southern suburb of Caulfield, both of which were about an hour’s drive to Burwood.
SHOULD A YESHIVA BE OPENED IN MELBOURNE?
R’ Zalman supported himself by working in R’ Moshe Zalman Feiglin’s fields. His work for the yeshiva was done only after his day job and he received no salary for it. The only one in the yeshiva from morning to night was R’ Abba Pliskin. This is why Anash wanted R’ Abba to be the one to write to the Rebbe about the idea of moving the yeshiva to Burwood.
At this same time, R’ Abba received another job offer from members of the Czechoslovakian immigrant community, some of whose children had learned in the yeshiva. They were aware of the difficult situation the yeshiva was in. They thought of opening their own yeshiva for the children of their community and they wanted R’ Abba to work for them.
R’ Abba wrote to the Rebbe about both matters, moving the yeshiva to Melbourne and the job offer. The Rebbe responded with a letter dated 23 Elul 5711. As far as moving the yeshiva, the Rebbe wrote:
As I understand the situation, there are not enough students to divide them among two places, but our sages say that we don’t close an old shul until the building of the new shul is completed, and this applies in this situation too.
As far as the job offer to teach in the Talmud Torah of the people from Czechoslovakia, I think you should apply your kochos to our yeshiva, and if this position is not a conflict to that, i.e. there will be no complaint later as to why you are being taken away from them for the sake of our mosad, then it’s fine.
From this letter, R’ Zalman understood that they had to start building the yeshiva in Burwood, and only after the yeshiva there was established, could they close the yeshiva in Shepparton and move the students to Burwood. However, most of Anash said that since the Rebbe said there were not enough students for two yeshivos, the Rebbe was saying to immediately open the yeshiva in Burwood and move the yeshiva from Shepparton there.
The majority opinion prevailed at a meeting and the decision was made to organize a campaign to raise money. R’ Asher Abramson, a rav in Sydney who was known as a talented askan and an excellent speaker, agreed to join the committee. He went to Melbourne and his outstanding speeches galvanized the Jews of the city, and a large amount of money was raised for the yeshiva.
THE REBBE NAMES THE YESHIVA
Things began moving quickly and they had to decide on a name for the yeshiva. R’ Zalman had already asked the Rebbe about this, but had not received a reply. At this point, they asked R’ Asher to write to the Rebbe.
In those days, and for many years afterward, there was no other yeshiva in Australia so that when you referred to “the yeshiva,” it was obvious that you were referring to the Lubavitch yeshiva. However, since they wanted to buy a building and do everything officially, they had to have an official name for the yeshiva.
The Rebbe responded in a letter dated 19 Elul 5711 that if they already had a name, they shouldn’t change it. However, if they hadn’t made a decision yet, his suggestion was Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch. The Rebbe went on to stress the importance of promoting proper chinuch that incorporates the teachings of Chassidus, along with prayers and wishes for success in a way that is above nature within nature and blessings for all those involved.
The members of the yeshiva committee reported to the Rebbe about the meeting of Anash and their decision, and on 7 Kislev 5712 the Rebbe sent them a letter. It is interesting to note that the Rebbe refers to the “committee involved in organizing the yeshivos in Shepparton and Melbourne,” from which it seems the Rebbe wanted them to continue maintaining the yeshiva in Shepparton until the yeshiva in Burwood was firmly established.
The Rebbe also acknowledged news of the Chanukas HaBayis of the yeshiva on 10 Kislev, the day marking the release of the Mitteler Rebbe from jail, and sent his blessings in the merit of the Rebbe, his father-in-law, for whom the yeshiva was named.
CHANUKAS HA’BAYIS
In the winter of 5712, Anash of Melbourne, together with the committee of balabatim, held a Chanukas HaBayis for the yeshiva.
The small number of students justified just one person at full salary. They decided that R’ Abba Pliskin, who had worked a full day until that time as a maggid shiur in Shepparton, would move to Melbourne and also be responsible for running the yeshiva.
R’ Abba asked the Rebbe some questions regarding the teaching of Chassidus in the yeshiva and he received a reply from the Rebbe in response. The Rebbe said not to overdo it so as not to chase students away. Rather, the goal was to be mekarev them as much as possible, and if it was possible, to learn Chassidus both in the morning and in the evening, especially on Shabbos and Thursday night.
After a few months in which R’ Abba ran the yeshiva, it turned out that he was a good mashpia but not an administrator. The rest of Anash in Melbourne were busy making a living and couldn’t devote themselves to the yeshiva.
On 15 Shevat 5712, the Rebbe sent a letter to R’ Isser Kluvgant, a Lubavitcher in Melbourne, in which he expressed his surprise that he was not receiving reports about the yeshiva.
R’ ZALMAN MOVES TO MELBOURNE
Throughout this time, R’ Zalman still lived in Shepparton where he worked in R’ Feiglin’s fields. He moved to Melbourne close to Pesach 5712. He was very disheartened to see the state of the yeshiva. Even the additional teacher who worked with R’ Abba had to leave since there wasn’t enough money to pay both of them.
R’ Zalman, who found a job in a factory, used his free time to teach Torah to Jewish children. He hoped that by becoming acquainted with students and their parents, he would be able to convince them to learn in the yeshiva. However, the financial situation of the yeshiva was terrible and they held onto the existing talmidim with difficulty.
R’ Zalman reported to the Rebbe about the state of affairs, but did not receive a response. On 3 Iyar he wrote another letter and he ended it by expressing his pain over not receiving a response to his letters. He wrote, “I beg the Rebbe to have compassion on me and my household that we be attached to the Rebbe and that you show us the path we should go on, materially and spiritually.”
He received a response dated 26 Iyar. The Rebbe did not respond directly to his questions but made it clear that every time he received a letter from R’ Zalman, he aroused mercies on his behalf, but due to his many responsibilities he could not always respond. Therefore, there was no basis for anguish over not receiving a response as it was not a deficiency in them but a matter of not having enough time to respond.
The Rebbe also sent his regards and blessings to R’ Zalman’s sons, Chaim and Aharon, and said that in time he would respond to the letters he received from them personally. This is followed by the Rebbe’s request that Anash of Australia utilize the local print media to publish Chassidic ideas and stories, particularly before the holidays since, “ultimately the time has come to push away the darkness in all ends of the globe and all of its corners, as this is the preparation and preface to that hoped for day when the night like the day will radiate.” The letter concludes with blessings for livelihood and success in his holy work, along with much Jewish and Chassidic nachas from his children.