14 SHEVAT 5771 JANUARY 19, 2011 Community C16 HAMODIA BY RABBI ARYE D. GORDON On Monday evening, January 10, the second annual reception for the Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society in Los Angeles was hosted by Steve and Lorraine Spira. RCCS was founded by Reb Hershel Kohn, a successful busi- nessman, in response to the immediate needs of friends facing a diagnosis of cancer. Reb Hershel knew that a cancer patient’s best hope for survival was access to the best medical care available and a health insurance policy that would cover necessary treatment. In providing these basic needs, Reb Hershel was instrumental in saving the lives of his friends. Recognizing that many other Yidden required the same kind of assistance, Reb Hershel organized what became known as the Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society. The goals of RCCS are to help cancer patients get the best possi- ble health insurance policies, to provide the financial assistance necessary to maintain these poli- cies, to help patients gain access to the expertise of top doctors in the field, and to provide auxiliary services to patients and their fam- ilies. The guest speaker at the Los Angeles reception was Rabbi Eliezer Gross, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivah Gedolah of Los Angeles. Rabbi Gross spoke from the heart about his personal experience of RCCS’s lifesaving efforts on behalf of his granddaughter. Since it was founded fourteen years ago, RCCS has spent over $25 million for cancer patients. It has paid for over two thousand health insurance policies and is currently assisting with over four hundred policies. photo credits: Arye D. Gordon L-R: Rabbi Yosef C. Golding, executive director of RCCS; Mr. Steve Spira, recep- tion host, and Rabbi Boruch Feder, director of development, at the Los Angeles reception. LA Reception for RCCS BY RABBI ARYE D. GORDON On Sunday morning, January 15, a group of baalei batim gath- ered at the Los Angeles Kollel to hear about a novel Gemara pro- gram. For many who did not have the opportunity to acquire the skills to learn Gemara during their formative years, the answer seems to be the “Fundamentals of Talmud” program. Its goal is to provide the guidelines and struc- ture necessary for one to be able to learn Gemara independently. Rabbi Chanan Gordon, a prominent askan in kiruv rechokim and kiruv krovim who was responsible for bringing Partners in Torah to Los Angeles, galvanized a core group of twenty- five men to embark on the journey toward becoming “Shas Yidden.” Rabbi Gordon explained that “Fundamentals of Talmud” is the brainchild of Rabbi Ayson Englander, who spent a decade researching and developing it in consultation with Gedolim, and created material that would enable participants to learn any Gemara successfully. Rabbi Englander has taught Gemara and Chumash skills for over 20 years, teaching in San Diego, Memphis, and Baltimore, and has earned a reputation for excellence in teaching and methodology. His innovative materials and strategies earned him a Master Teacher Award from Torah Umesorah, and he was hon- ored with the Chair of Excellence in Jewish Studies by the Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, TN. Thanks to Rabbi Chaim Fasman, Rosh Kollel of the Los Angeles Kollel, the program will be held in the early morning and evening at the kollel. Rabbi Fasman has indicated his desire to be involved in the program, along with at least one of the avreichim in the kollel. B’ezras Hashem, bringing kollel members and baalei batim togeth- er with a tried and tested program will have a significant impact on the Los Angeles community. For further information on the pro- gram, email [email protected]. “Fundamentals of Talmud” Program in LA Los Angeles
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14 SHEVAT 5771 JANUARY 19, 2011 CommunityC16 HAMODIA
BY RABBI ARYE D. GORDON
On Monday evening, January10, the second annual receptionfor the Rofeh Cholim CancerSociety in Los Angeles was hostedby Steve and Lorraine Spira.
RCCS was founded by RebHershel Kohn, a successful busi-nessman, in response to theimmediate needs of friends facinga diagnosis of cancer. Reb Hershelknew that a cancer patient’s besthope for survival was access to thebest medical care available and ahealth insurance policy thatwould cover necessary treatment.
In providing these basic needs,Reb Hershel was instrumental insaving the lives of his friends.Recognizing that many otherYidden required the same kind ofassistance, Reb Hershel organizedwhat became known as the RofehCholim Cancer Society.
The goals of RCCS are to helpcancer patients get the best possi-ble health insurance policies, toprovide the financial assistancenecessary to maintain these poli-cies, to help patients gain access tothe expertise of top doctors in thefield, and to provide auxiliaryservices to patients and their fam-ilies.
The guest speaker at the LosAngeles reception was RabbiEliezer Gross, Rosh Yeshivah ofYeshivah Gedolah of Los Angeles.Rabbi Gross spoke from the heartabout his personal experience ofRCCS’s lifesaving efforts on behalfof his granddaughter.
Since it was founded fourteenyears ago, RCCS has spent over$25 million for cancer patients. Ithas paid for over two thousandhealth insurance policies and iscurrently assisting with over fourhundred policies.
photo credits: Arye D. Gordon
L-R: Rabbi Yosef C. Golding, executive director of RCCS; Mr. Steve Spira, recep-tion host, and Rabbi Boruch Feder, director of development, at the Los Angelesreception.
LA Reception for RCCS
BY RABBI ARYE D. GORDON
On Sunday morning, January15, a group of baalei batim gath-ered at the Los Angeles Kollel tohear about a novel Gemara pro-gram. For many who did not havethe opportunity to acquire theskills to learn Gemara during theirformative years, the answer seemsto be the “Fundamentals ofTalmud” program. Its goal is toprovide the guidelines and struc-ture necessary for one to be able tolearn Gemara independently.
Rabbi Chanan Gordon, aprominent askan in kiruvrechokim and kiruv krovim whowas responsible for bringingPartners in Torah to Los Angeles,galvanized a core group of twenty-five men to embark on the journeytoward becoming “Shas Yidden.”
Rabbi Gordon explained that“Fundamentals of Talmud” is thebrainchild of Rabbi AysonEnglander, who spent a decaderesearching and developing it inconsultation with Gedolim, andcreated material that wouldenable participants to learn any
Gemara successfully.Rabbi Englander has taught
Gemara and Chumash skills forover 20 years, teaching in SanDiego, Memphis, and Baltimore,and has earned a reputation forexcellence in teaching andmethodology. His innovativematerials and strategies earnedhim a Master Teacher Award fromTorah Umesorah, and he was hon-ored with the Chair of Excellencein Jewish Studies by the MargolinHebrew Academy in Memphis,TN.
Thanks to Rabbi ChaimFasman, Rosh Kollel of the LosAngeles Kollel, the program willbe held in the early morning andevening at the kollel. RabbiFasman has indicated his desire tobe involved in the program, alongwith at least one of the avreichimin the kollel.
B’ezras Hashem, bringing kollelmembers and baalei batim togeth-er with a tried and tested programwill have a significant impact onthe Los Angeles community. Forfurther information on the pro-gram, email [email protected].
“Fundamentals ofTalmud” Program in LA
Los Angeles
14 SHEVAT 5771 JANUARY 19, 2011 HAMODIA C17Community
On Sunday, January 9, thePhiladelphia Community Kollelheld its 10th anniversary dinner,celebrating a decade of harbotzasTorah. Emotions ran high amongthe crowd of 350 people who cameto celebrate this milestone.
Drs. Len and Gilya Freedman,the guests of honor, are longtimeparticipants of the men’s andwomen’s programs of the kollel,respectively; their children alsolearn there several times a week.
Rabbi Uri and Mrs. Sara LeahGreenspan received the HarbatzasHaTorah Award. Rabbi Greenspanis a veteran member of the kollel.He and his wife both teach in theTorah Academy Girls’ High Schoolin Wynnewood, Pa., and areregarded as superb mechanchim.Rabbi Greenspan also teaches inthe Hebrew Academy of CherryHill, tutors in the community, andhas given several popular, long-running classes at the kollel.
The dinner also paid tribute toDr. David Epstein, z”l. Dr. Epsteinwas a pillar of the community whoplayed a crucial role in the successof many of its institutions, and hewas a founder and friend of the kol-lel from the time it was estab-lished. He served as a physician tohundreds in the community,including many leaders and stu-dents of the PhiladelphiaYeshivah, and is remembered bythousands of talmidim for his careand patience during late-nightconsultations, some of which tookplace at his own home.
“Dr. Epstein was an incredible,unusual human being,” says RabbiYoel Zeffren of the kollel. “... one ofthe kindest, sweetest, and mostidealistic people I have ever met.”
The dinner program openedwith greetings from chairman Dr.Jack Abboudi. Mr. Ted Kosloff,president of the kollel, also spoke,commenting that just as the AronKodesh in the midbar carried itscarriers, those who support Torahlearning will be blessed in all theirenterprises.
In his address, Rabbi YechielBiberfeld, Rosh Kollel, discussedthe fiery angels that were placed infront of Gan Eden to stop AdamHarishon from eating from the EtzHachaim. These angels, RabbiBiberfeld explained, are the yetzerhara, which tries to stop us from“eating from the Etz Hachaim” —learning Torah. If we fight our yet-zer hara and learn Torah, we willbe zocheh to chayei olam.
“This concept was internalizedby Dr. David Epstein,” RabbiBiberfeld explained. “He drankTorah with thirst ... and his life andhis family’s life became richer andfuller… It is hard to keep up withDr. Epstein’s long strides, but wecan follow in his footsteps. May thechizuk we gain be an eternal zechusfor him.”
Participants viewed a videohighlighting the growth and devel-opment of the kollel over the pastdecade. Everyone left inspired bythe the impact the Kollel has hadon the Philadelphia community.
Phila. CommunityKollel Holds 10thAnniversary Dinner
Philadelphia
Rabbi Yechiel Biberfeld presenting an award to Dr. Len Friedman.
L-R: Rabbi Yoel Zeffren; Ted Kosloff, President; Rabbi Greenspan; and RabbiYechiel Biberfeld.
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