The Cheder of Brooklyn and Yeshiva & Mesivta Shalom Shachna will be honoring an esteemed member of the community, Rabbi Yitzhak Yisraeli, on February 7th at their annual dinner. Rabbi Yisraeli will be presented with the Keter Torah Award in recognition of his many accomplishments.
Rabbi Michel Rosenberg, Executive Director of The Cheder, praised Rabbi Yisraeli, “He’s a prominent figure and an esteemed parent in our school. He is a popular lecturer as well. Rabbi Yisraeli is a really distinguished talmid hacham. We are very proud to honor this very illustrious person.”
Rabbi Yisraeli’s Background
Rabbi Yisraeli has been rabbi of Sha’arei Yeshuah MiTzion, also known as Sephardic Center of Mill Basin, since 2012. He is the Av Beit Din of Torah U’Mishpat in Brooklyn, and also serves as Rosh Kollel in Congregation Beth Gavriel in Queens.
Rabbi Yisraeli is a former talmid of Hacham HaRav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, and Hacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, zt”l. Soon after Rabbi Yisraeli received his smicha, he served as a dayan in the Bet Din headed by Hacham Ben Haim in Queens. In 2000, Rabbi Yisraeli was appointed Rabbi of Congregation Sha’are Emunah in Cedarhurst, where he stayed for eight years. Between 2008-2010, he served as a Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshiva Be’er Yitzhak in Beitar Illit, Israel.
In 2001 Rabbi Yisraeli established the Sephardic Beth Medrash and Congregation of Rockland County in Wesley Hills, New York, which he led until 2012.
In 2014 Rabbi Yisraeli published his first book, MeAvnei HaMakom, which deals with halachic questions including contemporary Shabbat issues, marriage, gittin, and agunot. His second book, Yode’ei Binah, was published in 2016 and deals with the determination of zmanim.
In 2016, he was appointed the Chief Rabbi of the Rabbinical Bukharian Association of the United States and Canada, a position he holds to this day.
Rabbi Yisraeli is a popular teacher and speaker. He has taught halacha and dayanut in several kollelim in Brooklyn and Queens. His recorded shiurim can be accessed at Torah Anytime and Hidabroot.
A Unique Institution
The Cheder was founded by Menahel Rabbi Meir Chaim Gutfreund, shlit”a, in consultation with Hagaon Harav Eliezer Menachem Schach, zt”l, Rosh Hayeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.
Located on Elmwood Avenue near McDonald Avenue, the Cheder opened in 1993 with just fifty students. Today, Rabbi Rosenberg proudly notes that the cheder, yeshiva, and mesivta student body includes over eight hundred boys and young men, ranging in age from three to twenty-one. He added that the Cheder takes great pride in guiding each student.
“The school’s success can be attributed to very individualized attention – a very strong ‘no child left behind’ mentality. Tremendous focus and effort is made regarding every boy in the yeshiva through meetings between the menahel, rabbeim, and the parents,” Rabbi Rosenberg says.
“The menahel, Rabbi Meir Chaim Gutfreund, is not just passing the boys from grade to grade. It’s a top-rate school where a tremendous amount of monitoring is taking place. There is a very extensive resource room for boys who need it. It blends timeless hinuch techniques with an understanding of today’s youth.”
Looking Towards the Future
Currently its three buildings, including several spacious batei medrash, a dormitory, dining rooms, and a gym, host the growing student body. The school is actively seeking sponsors and donations to accommodate their ever growing needs.
Currently there is a tremendous opportunity to honor and show appreciation to the esteemed Rabbi Yitzhak Yisraeli through ads and dedications for the dinner’s journal. For more information please contact the school at ads@thechederschool.com or call the office at 718-252-6333.