It took less than five hours.
Yeshiva Darchei Torah’s elementary school complex in Far Rockaway, New York was demolished last Thursday morning to allow for the construction of a new set of buildings in its place. While several groups of students and teachers stood and watched from a safe distance, a single bulldozer razed the one-story brick building and its adjoining prefabricated classrooms to the ground.
The onlookers’ emotions varied. One Mesivta student had tears in his eyes. “I learned in that building for eleven years,” he explained.
A younger boy put things into perspective when he exclaimed, “Look! They’re building us a new building!”
The Yeshiva, which is led by its rosh hayeshiva, the veteran mechanech Rabbi Yaakov Bender, serves over 1,300 students—from nursery through kollel. It is the largest boys yeshiva in the Far Rockaway/Five Towns community and is a magnet for talmidim from across the United States and around the world.
The structures, located on the Melohn Campus, had been home to the Yeshiva’s grades nursery thru eight and its famed Rabenstein Learning Center for over a quarter of a century. As the Yeshiva’s enrollment kept increasing, more prefabricated classrooms were added—until even those units became inadequate and a decision was made to build anew. After careful evaluation it was determined that the best location to build the new school was precisely where the old one stood. Last fall the Yeshiva moved its classes to temporary homes, both on campus and on Heyson Road, four blocks away.
Once the rubble is cleared the foundations for the Yeshiva’s new 150,000 square-foot complex of four interconnected buildings will be laid. The planned complex will cover both the footprint of the old buildings as well as most of the adjacent parking lot. The respective heights of the buildings will be three, three, four and two stories. Construction is expected to last 18 to 24 months.
The Yeshiva is already well into a fundraising campaign led by its executive board, a building committee, a parent committee and Director of Development Rabbi Zev Bald. The project has galvanized the Yeshiva’s parent body as well as the greater Jewish community. With a whole host of dedication opportunities available, many individuals have already reserved the privilege to name parts of the new complex in honor or memory of loved ones, while others have volunteered to assist in other ways.
Alex Edelman serves as the chairman of the building committee. He is a former Yeshiva parent and current grandparent with extensive experience in construction and development.
“Now that the building is down, we are prepared to move full steam ahead,” Mr. Edelman said. “With Hashem Yisbarach’s help, we will get started as soon as possible.”
For more information, including a complete list of available dedications, please contact Rabbi Bald at 718-868-2300 ext. 232.
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15 Responses
They should be matzliach as this is one of the finest yeshivas in NYC and is runned by many very dedicated staff lead by Rabbi Bender who works very hard with students of all type of backgrounds not just with the “cream of the crop” as many other yeshivas do. Rabbi Bender and his staff have a great track record for turning difficult students around and this goes way back when the yeshiva was a very small yeshiva with a handful of students and has NOT changed as the yeshiva grew to where it is today.
We need more yeshivas and mechanchim like this.
I was zoche to learn in the yeshiva and know Rav Bender, and some of the other Rebbeim, Shlit”a. My Bracha to this amazing Mosad and all those involved is that the constuction should go smoothly and the school should keep shteiging! Also Brocha v’Hatzlacha to the Melohn and Lowinger families, you should merit to keep up the good work and be mamshich lehagdil Torah!
As a proud former Darchei parent and future Darchei zeyde,I wish BROCHO V’HATZLOCHO to this great mosad and it’s wonderful rosh hayeshiva.
i work in ydt(dont try to figure out who i am lol) it was pretty cool to watch the building being knocked down
as someone by the dinner said ” the only yeshiva that challenges the gifted and gifts the challenged “
Yasher koach! – reading about the “bulldozer razing the building[s] to the ground” – triggered memories of razing other buildings and mekomos hakadashim also to the ground and ruble – around tisha b’av time 2 summers ago – GUSH KATIF – only then it wasn’t “al minas livnos” . let’s be mispallel that by the time of the 18 – 24 months of construction we can already see DARCHEI D’YERUSHALAYIM b’karov mamash!!!!!
Darchei Torah is a great Yeshiva. It produces ”Metzuyanim”, and takes care of the weak at the same time. Their alumni are going, and have gone on to the greatest Yeshivos in Eretz Yisroel and abroad.
They are sought after for Shidducim accross the country.
Rabbi Bender built this Yeshiva with sweat and tears.
Reb Elya Svei Shlita once said that Rav Bender also has tremendous Zechus Avos.
Rabbi Bender has consulted with Reb Moshe Feinstein and reb Yaakov Kamenetzky and many other great Gedolim of our times on pressing Chinuch issues.
We wish them all the hatzlocah and deserve every penny that is out there
Call Yeshiva offices for dedication 718 868 2300 x 232
I like that quote, Shuie.
Upon reading this I am forced to make mention of a person who’s dedication, sweat, kochos and sleepless nights are legedary. Zev Bald whos commitment to hachzakas hatorah is unparalleled. The new buildind to come is in large part due to his credit.May you continue to have the strength to do the hardest job in the world.
Rabbi Bender is a mechanech par excellence! He has 1,300 talmidim (and he knows EVERY SINGLE ONE’S NAME), yet he has time to come to my house to personally give me mazel tov and meet my kallah- 12 years after I left the Yeshiva.
cant wait to see the new building
Rabbi Bender is one of the great HIDDEN Tzadiekim of our generation.
May Hashem bless him and the people around him with long and healthy years and Hatzlocha on all of his Avodas Hakodesh that he so humbly does.
Rabbi Zev Bald keep up the good work, you are an asset to this great Bais Hamikdosh
The builders are Ray Builders from Lakewood. They have a sterling reputation, and are honest and are great to work with.
In the last five years all the nice buildings in the Ir hatorah they have put up.
Their names are Yanky Mermelstein and Richie Benedict.
We wish them much Hatzlocah in all theur future endeavors.
I heard in the coffeeroom that this building will be the largest Frum boys school in the Metroplitan area. It can hold up to 1800 children.
Also heard that despite a decline in young families moving in to Brooklyn many young families are still flocking to the Far Rockaway Five towns area
Rabbi Bender and Zev Bald Hatzlacha Rabah
Baruch Hashem the building is down and all I see is rubble being picked up and tossed around. I can’t wait for the new building to be up.
I am a bachur In MCS The High School of Darchei.