Buffalo Welcomes Mesivta Students

Amherst, NY — On Shabbos Mevorchim Tishrei, anash of the Buffalo community welcomed the new shluchim and bachurim of Mesivta Menachem.

The bruchim habaim kiddush was a celebration of the tremendous influence the mesivta has had these past 13 years. “Despite its small size, the Mesivta has had a huge impact,” said Rabbi Heschel Greenberg. “The simple fact that bochurim sit and learn all day benefits all of us who live here. Buffalo has been called ‘b’afeilah’ – in darkness – but when the bochurim come it becomes ‘ba pela’- here are wonders.”

Rabbi Laizer Labkowsky inspired the bochurim, quoting the posuk “Ki Karov” in this weeks parsha explaining how it is the foundation of Tanya. He brought out the idea of derech arucha uktzara and how it applies to everyone, especially the bochurim, as we get ready for a new year.

Mr. Roy Glazer encouraged everyone to take advantage of the last Shabbos of the year. “Use it wisely and it will set the tone of the whole year!”

One of the new shluchim to the Mesivta, Issac Katzman, thanked the community. “It really is a friendly warm community here in Amherst [the suburb of Buffalo where the Mesivta is located]” he said. “We look forward to a successful year b’gashmiyus ub’ruchniyus.”

After the farbrengen in shul, the bochurim were invited to the Rosh Yeshiva’s house for the Shabbos meal. There, Rabbi Munitz farbrenged about how “Yidden in general are one family, Chassidim are ein mishpacha and in a small community like ours it is felt even more. More than that though – this Mesivta is a home away from home, and once you join you are forever considered family!”

Motzaei Shabbos the Mesivta joined the community for selichos with the bochurim inspiring the crowd into selichos mode. The heartfelt selichos were followed by joyous dancing in anticipation of the imminent geulah.