Reply To: Yeshiva Darchei Torah dinner

This letter was written by a friend of mine, another Darchei alumnus. It was submitted via email to YWN, but hasn’t yet been published. I agree with it wholeheartedly.

On Sunday night, I was among those who were amazed at the generosity of R’ Rechnitz, when he pledged to donate $1 million – provided, of course, that the yeshiva raise $3 million first. The purpose of the campaign is to help pay off the huge mortgage that Darchei Torah had taken out when they built their new campus, a necessary undertaking considering the expansion of the yeshiva.

Rabbi Bender shlita has undertaken the financial responsibility for the mortgage from the start. He travels all over the world, raising money so that the yeshiva can meet its payments. Sometimes he doesn’t know where the next payment will come from, but b’chasdei Hashem, it has always been met.

Rabbi Bender is not just a Rosh Yeshiva. He is someone who has always put Klal Yisrael first. In his early years, he was founding Hatzolah of Flatbush, then later Hatzolah of Far Rockaway. The fact that he never turned away a potential student due to a disability is well known. He takes care of those who nobody else will. His love and dedication to the orphans among us is legendary. But it isn’t only limited to his own community. His speeches at the Agudah Convention regarding chinuch, the articles he’s written, are all for the entire Jewish world. He is regarded as the foremost expert in chinuch today.

Now it’s our turn. Rabbi Bender has always put klal Yisrael on his back and carried us. Let us now do the same for him. Let’s remove the stress of paying for this mortgage by donating. There are only a few hours left, and the yeshiva is far from reaching the goal. We all need to step up, and help Rabbi Bender, the same way he always looks out for all of us.

Rabbi Bender is a mechanech. Let’s allow him to concentrate fully on that role, and not have to spend time raising funds. This is to our benefit, as he is the guide for ALL Jewish schools, not just his own.

Tizku l’mitzvos.