Staff Writers, with Pnina Souid

“Every student here knows that she is loved and valued. Our goal is to produce a true Bat Yisrael, and prepare her to fulfill her dreams….” Rabbi Raymond Beyda

“Every child that comes through these doors is valued. They become a part of the Ahi Ezer family.”

The Ahi Ezer Yeshiva is a striking landmark on Ocean Parkway and has been dear to our hearts for over 60 years. Approaching Avenue X on my way to visit, the fresh and modern structure immediately caught my eye. The beautifully renovated façade is only a hint of the major transformations taking place within the school.

The renewed, state-of-the-art facility does not only reflect a physical face-lift: the school has quietly been on a growth trajectory for the last half decade, resulting in what we can only call a new school. A dedicated and innovative administration, a top-notch curriculum, and the updated physical environment of the school all play a part in the transformation of this all-girls elementary school.

The administration and leadership of Ahi Ezer Yeshiva Girls’ School are truly visionary.

Enter Rabbi Raymond Beyda

Just over three years ago, Rabbi Raymond Beyda joined the faculty. As Rosh Yeshiva, he became part of the team guiding the school’s newest spiritual and academic journey. As part of this journey, the best members of the existing faculty were joined by skilled young teachers from the community, among them Ahi Ezer alumni returning to give back to their community.

Rabbi Beyda emphasizes, “Every student here knows that she is loved and valued. Our goal is to produce a true bat Yisrael and to prepare her to fulfill her dreams. For this to happen, the child must feel good about herself, excited about learning, and comfortable in her environment.”

Rabbi Beyda’s mission statement is not merely words: it is a guiding principle that is evident in the school’s atmosphere, from the preschool through eighth grade.

Early Childhood Division

The Early Childhood Department, under the direction of Mrs. Rose Lati, lays the foundation. Mrs. Lati describes the goals of her department: “We focus on middot and developmental growth. Our aim is to raise the expectations for students and staff, focusing on core life skills, professional development, and parent involvement.”

With consistent advancements, including additional classes and programs initiated each year to incorporate the input from our families, our early childhood division has been recognized as a first-rate preschool in the community.

For Ahi Ezer, making the students feel loved from the first moment is a goal on par with the educational experience. Morah Bimi, beloved kindergarten teacher, stresses, “Every child that comes through these doors is valued. They become a part of the Ahi Ezer family.”

As in all divisions, the Preschool Department is imbued with a spirit of growth and innovation. In addition to their regular classes, Ahi Ezer Yeshiva now has a toddler program and a weekly Sunday program for girls. And it does not end there! Mommy and Me classes will be starting this September, b’ezrat Hashem, led by Mimi Mizrahi, for children aged nine months to two years. Other plans for the preschool are in store as well, which reflect the forward-looking attitude that permeates this building.

Elementary Division

The Elementary Division is led by Mrs. Golda Winegarten, the Judaic Studies principal. Under her experienced guidance, the Judaic Studies Department has become a model for other schools. The school is recognized as being at the forefront of nation-wide educational ventures.

The school’s Yediot Klaliot, Halacha, and Parasha programs were developed by Mrs. Nina Hidary, after consulting extensively with the principals of leading high schools. Mrs. Winegarten explains, “We wanted to find out what their expectations are for a successful student.” Incorporating skills and general Judaic Studies knowledge, the cumulative curriculum has succeeded impressively. “This program has been sought after by other elementary schools,” Mrs. Winegarten notes.

Another marker of the school’s achievements is the J-SAT test, a placement test taken by hundreds of students from yeshivot and day schools in the New York area. “A significant majority of our students scored above-average in the J-Sat tests,” Mrs. Winegaten states proudly. As a result, she notes, “We have schools fighting over Ahi Ezer Yeshiva graduates!” Clearly, the school’s strong tradition of dedication to growth has led to impressive results.

Ivrit Programs

The rest of the curriculum is laudable, as well. Mrs. Paz, an acclaimed community educator, spearheads the school’s Ivrit program. In addition to teaching Ivrit B’Ivrit to all grades, Mrs. Paz has created an Honors class for seventh and eighth graders, using a high school curriculum.

Building on their success with the Yediot program, Ahi Ezer is continuing to integrate Lashon HaTorah and Dikduk skills on the demanding level of the COJDS curriculum. They are ahead of the curve, and it is clear that this is just the beginning.

Secular Studies

Mrs. Aliza Beyda is the principal of the Secular Studies Department. She works together with curriculum advisor Mrs. Matalon. Their goal is to prepare students for higher education in every possible way. Here, too, the mantra is to expand in new directions of growth. This includes implementing new courses and teaching methods and staying on the lookout for future additions to the curriculum.

Advanced students in the fifth through eighth grades take part in honors classes for Math and Language Arts. Mrs. Beyda noted, “Astoundingly, this year’s fifth grade honors have touched upon eighth grade-level statistics, while the eighth graders are preparing to ace the ninth grade Regents Exam.” Preparing students to be competitive in today’s world means including advanced computer skills. Beginning in fifth grade, students learn the basics of using a computer, typing skills, and essential programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Another program that is critical to helping students achieve future success is the STEM program, which integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through this stimulating curriculum, students develop scientific literacy and critical thinking skills. Ahi Ezer is preparing the next generation of innovators.

Supplemental courses include Sephardic History, which provides students with an understanding of their rich heritage and instills pride in their community, tracing 3,000 years of the Sephardic heritage through photos and artifacts. In another popular course, a teen-mentor visits the seventh and eighth grades to present classes in self-confidence, social skills, emuna, and Hashkafa/Torah outlook. These invaluable weekly lessons provide the almost-graduates with the self-esteem and skills vital to handling life’s challenges, readying them for their future roles as wives, mothers, and pillars of our community. New this year is a class called the Eternal City, during which eighth graders brush up on their skills by researching the history and archaeology of Jerusalem!

Lined up for Fall 2021 is a multi-faceted healthy living program, including nutrition education and physical education. To spice things up, each month the school will invite well-known Syrian chefs into their new state-of-the-art kitchen. These guests will demonstrate techniques for preparing healthy meals and desserts.

Ahi Ezer Weathers COVID

In March of 2020 Ahi Ezer’s combination of love and professionalism stood them in good stead when NYC shut down. The previous month, with COVID still distant on the horizon, the Ahi Ezer principals foresaw the possibility of a lockdown. They started preparing for remote schooling – just in case. As a result, the school was able to spring into action as soon as the pandemic struck. Distance learning began almost immediately, and teachers helped students fill the long hours after Zoom School with weekly art classes, voluntary Parasha and Tehillim time, and a nightly teacher-hosted program nicknamed “Ahi Ezer Live!”

There was more: drive-through events, packages full of toys and games, the annual bat mitzvah presentation, and a surprise graduation trip – think hand-delivered souvenirs. There was a café-style breakfast and barbeque dinner, a virtual DC tour, and a Zoom Escape Room game. Amazingly, even during a pandemic, Ahi Ezer was creating fond memories. By the time in-person learning resumed, it was clear the school had pulled off a virtual miracle.

Making Everyone Feel Comfortable

Sometimes it is the smallest things that make a difference, such as a principal greeting students as they walk into school, or on-site babysitting services for the faculty. This attention to detail is especially visible in every aspect of the building’s renovations.

Student comfort is paramount at Ahi Ezer. The brightly lit, color-coordinated classrooms feature brand-new furniture and colorful, self-healing cork boards. The cubbies and hooks take students’ ease into account, in different sizes and heights according to the needs of their littlest and biggest members. Teacher cabinets neatly line the tops of the cubbies, providing a spacious area for educational resources. The new student restrooms could rival those at a wedding hall. Walls and floors throughout the school provide various types of atmospheres: impressive marble walls and glass portraits of Sephardic rabbis grace the entrance; warm, trendy tones with a pop of color and textured wallpaper are just right for the elementary students; and exciting-colored tiles brighten up the preschool. Teachers and staff are getting used to the reactions: parents will routinely comment that they feel like they have walked into a new school. And they are right!

From the play-yard to doors to windows, the transformed building is beautiful. The visionary new Board of Directors – Mr. Bunny Escava, Mr. Joe Indibo Cohen, Mr. Harry Adjmi, Rabbi Raymond Azrak, Mr. Victor Bibi, Mr. Gabe Khezrie, Mr. Eddie Mizrahi, and Mr. Zuki Jradeh, as well as tireless administrator Rabbi Elly Dayan, take pride in the renovations they helped to facilitate. One board member explained his motivations behind the school’s changes: “When our little girls come into school, they are little princesses, when they graduate, they are queens.”

Board Members Speak Up

Board member Rabbi Raymond Azrak says, “We have tremendous hakarat hatov to Hakadosh Baruchu for the incredible siyata dishmaya, Divine assistance, in the growth of Ahi Ezer in recent years.”

Other board members weigh in on the conversation. “I’ve noticed the teachers and principals are stronger than ever and have more knowledge to make the school great,” says Mr. Bunny Escava, president of the school board for 40 years. “The love they have for the students is beyond belief.”

Mr. Harry Adjmi refers to the school as humble, explaining why the school’s transformation has taken place mostly behind the scenes, out of the limelight. He notes that the administration does not veer from its main focus: “To educate good, respectable girls in our community.”

Mr. Gabe Khezrie comments, “Being a graduate of Ahi Ezer myself, it warms my heart to see the school striving and succeeding in every aspect.” He credits the dedication of Mr. Joe Cohen and the new board members as the driving force behind the tremendous success each and every student is achieving.

“Ahi Ezer Yeshiva has come leaps and bounds in terms of academic excellence, cutting-edge extra-curricular programs, and student enrollment,” says Amy Setton, business office director. “I have seen firsthand the changes made at our school and I am truly proud to be part of the Ahi Ezer family. I call it a hidden gem in an ancient treasure known as Ahi Ezer Yeshiva.”

New Look, Same Values

While the building looks and feels new, Ahi Ezer’s trademark for decades has been its warmth. The school retains its signature family atmosphere, even as the staff and curriculum have grown. The new Ahi Ezer is a synthesis: the commitment to education with love has never wavered, it has just been combined with new creative and effective educational tools.

Rabbi Raymond Beyda reiterates the school’s objective. “We are an institution with a long history of tradition, perfecting the education of our children so that they can fulfill their dreams and become anything that they want to be.”

The Rabbi’s ambition is shared by the entirety of the school’s team, encompassing the Hebrew and English departments, administration, and board. Together, they are making it all happen.

Where is Ahi Ezer heading next? With the forward-thinking perspective that permeates the school nowadays, the sky is the limit.

For inquiries, or to tour the school, please call 718.648.6100. To stay updated you can also follow Ahi Ezer @ahiezerpreschool and @ahiezeryeshiva.

RABBI BINYOMIN ZEV KARMAN

Everyone loves a good story with a happy ending, especially if there is a little tension and resolved uncertainty. Here is part of our community’s history that will make some nostalgic, and will open others’ eyes to the breaking history that began back in the 1970s. Like much of Jewish history, our real stories are even better than fiction!

“I am not the type of Rabbi that your congregation wants,” was the Rabbi’s adamant response. The group awaiting the Rabbi’s answer was taken aback. Although he had been part of Young Shaarei Zion for the past decade, the Rabbi had just announced that he was heading back to Israel, dashing their hopes and aspirations.

Shaarei Zion is home to several minyanim each Shabbat. The Dome, as the main sanctuary is commonly called, is located on the ground floor of the building and seats 400 congregants, while Young Shaarei Zion was situated on the lower level in the social hall. Hacham Baruch, zt”l, officiated frequently at the Shabbat morning prayers, and Hacham Yosef Harari Raful led the minyan for the Yamim Nora’im and other times when Hacham Baruch was upstairs in The Dome.

Hacham Yosef Drops a Bombshell

In the summer of 1975, Hacham Yosef suddenly announced that he was ending his career in New York and was returning to Israel. He had set down roots in the Syrian community of Brooklyn, where he taught in a local high school and delivered a class on Shabbat afternoon, and his wife’s family, the Dayans, were prominent leaders in the neighborhood. Nevertheless, Hacham Yosef felt he was not accomplishing what he had set out to do, and he was determined to begin anew in Eretz Yisrael.

The announcement came as a surprise. Ezra Raful, Hacham Yosef’s son, was away in camp for the summer when he was told that he had to return home two weeks early because the family was moving to Israel. “I remember how disappointed he was,” says his cousin Rabbi Aharon Raful. “We were enjoying an exciting summer together, and suddenly he had to go home.” Back in Brooklyn, Ezra would cry on the stairs in front of his house, bemoaning his fate.

A Bold Request and a Bold Answer

Hacham Baruch notified his congregants that he was needed each week in The Dome and would no longer be able to join them Shabbat morning. At a seudat preidah for Harav Raful, the congregants decided to try one last time to convince him not to abandon them. “In hindsight, we were quite bold making such a request,” says Ezra Erani, one of the congregants who attended that goodbye party. “The Rabbi was all packed and ready to board the plane, and here we were, asking him to change his plans. Rabbi Raful did not seem interested in our proposal and basically rejected it out of hand. But as we persevered, he looked us in the eye and set down some difficult tena’im, conditions, under which he would reconsider.”

“If I am to stay, you must agree to accept my word as law, whatever it may be,” Hacham Yosef said forcefully. “You can decide what danishes to provide,” he quipped, “but everything else must be my decision, and you must abide by it. If you are ready to commit to that, I am ready to remain and serve you b’lev u’vanefesh, with my heart and soul.” After considering it overnight, the members of Young Shaarei Zion agreed, and they now had a new Rabbi and a watershed moment.

Whirlwind Changes

Changes followed almost immediately. “We cannot have a successful kehillah without a daily minyan,” Hacham Yosef said. Although the members felt it was impractical, they had given their word and they organized it. Two weeks later, another directive was given. “We must have a shiur before Shaharit,” he said. “We will quicken the pace of the prayers and spend 20 minutes learning.” This was in line with the passuk in Mishlei (28:9) that states, “One who turns away his ear from hearing Torah, his prayers are also an abomination.” The surprises did not end. “We will be learning gemara, starting with Masechet Berachot,” he said, overruling their protests that perhaps Chumash or halachah may be more appropriate. “My mission is to burn out the am haaratzut from the community. You are all capable of becoming talmidei chachamim, and we will reach this goal together!”

The early morning class began with just seven people. Shortly afterward, Hacham Yosef added a Wednesday evening class in which he taught another perek of the masechta. He would read, translate, and explain each word, patiently guiding his students on their path to becoming proficient. The shiur included active participation, where each member of the class got involved in the give-and-take of the learning. Before long, they were learning not just Rashi and Tosafot, but adding Rishonim such as the Rif, Rabbeinu Yonah, and the Rambam as well. The 20-minute shiur now spanned an hour, as the participants longed to absorb as much as they could.

After a year and a half, the shiur completed the entire Masechet Berachot. Rabbi Raful insisted they make it a communal celebration. “We had a gala meal with music and dancing, and all the Rabbanim and dignitaries of the community came,” Ezra Erani recalls. “They had never experienced such a joyous occasion, and neither had we. It made a tremendous impact, and as we began Masechet Shabbat, more classes led by more Rabbanim were added.” Harav Asher Hachuel, shlita, taught a class for beginners, which attracted an ever-growing group of newcomers.

Limud Torah Surges – Not Only for the Men

When Hacham Yosef felt the kehillah was ready for another innovation, he introduced Torah learning to the Shabbat morning minyan. His students, who were growing by leaps and bounds, were to become the teachers for the rest of the congregants as they learned hilchot tefillah. During the week, Hacham Yosef would make sure they knew the material, and after kriat haTorah, they would break up into small groups and teach the halachot to the others. Success breeds success, and before long the members began coming in to learn on Shabbat afternoon as well to increase their limud haTorah.

While Hacham Yosef was pleased with the growth in Torah of the men, he knew that this revolution must include the women of the community as well. Sparing no effort, he retained Rebbetzin Zahava Braunstein, a”h, to deliver classes for the women, and she became their role model. She taught a class every Monday night in Congregation Bnei Yosef, while Rabbi Raful taught the men in another room.

As the new minyan expanded to include 20 families and continued to attract new ones, they moved to new quarters, eventually renting their own building. The small group was now its own kehillah, and Hacham Yosef knew it was time to take it to a new level. True, learning Torah every morning and on Shabbat was impressive, but his goal was to create a kehillah of talmidei chachamim. The time was ripe to open a kollel, which would lay the groundwork for the crowning glory of their new community: the founding of Yeshiva Ateret Torah.

Enter Rabbi Chaim Aharon Weinberg

In preparation for its opening, Rabbi Raful searched for the right mechanech to lead the school. He zeroed in on Rabbi Chaim Aharon Weinberg, zt”l, a talmid of Yeshivas Telshe who was embarking on his career in chinuch. As a Vizhnitzer Chassid, Rabbi Weinberg would not make such a move without the consent of his Rebbe, and Rabbi Raful went along with him to Monsey to discuss his plans with Harav Mordechai Hager, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, zy”a. After hearing his plans and seeing his devotion, the Rebbe advised Rabbi Weinberg to accept the job and gave his berachah. Yeshiva Ateret Torah was now a reality.

In September 1980, the yeshiva opened with a pre-1A class of 22 boys, with Rabbi Weinberg serving as the Rebbi and Menahel. Nothing was beyond his purview as he provided the families with transportation, lunches, and of course a large dose of caring as the youngsters began their ascent. In 1982, Bet Yaakov Ateret Torah opened for the girls of the community. When the high school opened in September 1990, Rebbetzin Braunstein, who had taught the mothers of the girls for many years, became its principal. The administration sought the best Rebbeim and teachers, and the students performed beyond expectation.

Yeshiva Ateret Torah and Affiliated Institutions Find Permanent Homes

The school and the minyan were outgrowing their quarters, and a search began for a lot on which to build a permanent home for Yeshiva Ateret Torah. When a large parcel on Quentin Road and East 9th Street was put on the market, they hurried to put a down payment on it, generously provided by the philanthropist Mr. Ellis Safdeye, a”h. The deal was sealed, and plans were drawn to construct the building. Construction began in 1985 and was completed prior to the 1986-1987 school year. Bet Yaakov Ateret Torah occupied several locations, finally settling into their new campus on Coney Island Avenue in 2006.

Metivta Ateret Torah opened its doors in September 1989, and the Bet Medrash started in 1993. In order to maximize their growth, the metivta joined Camp Morris, the summer home of Yeshivas and Mesivta Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, where the talmidim had the opportunity to spend the summer months immersed in an atmosphere of Torah among bnei Torah. Eventually, several families of the Ateret

Torah community decided to spend their summers at Camp Morris, which prides itself as the host for these serious bnei Torah.

Appreciating the Transformation

The Ateret Torah community is flourishing, and its success has influenced the associated Syrian shuls to undertake similar upgrades in their programs. “Although I have been a member of Ateret Torah for 45 years, and I haven’t prayed in Shaarei Zion for some 30 years, I recently had an early morning meeting which brought me to Shaarei Zion one morning for Shacharit, and I couldn’t believe my eyes!” admits Ezra Erani. “Upstairs, downstairs, wherever you looked, there were people sitting and learning Torah before Shacharit. There wasn’t an empty seat to be found! If you enter Shaarei Zion in the evening, you will find hundreds of children participating in the ‘Bring a Buddy’ program, where young boys sit and learn Torah with a havruta. There are tables set up throughout the building, which is filled to capacity. And to think that when this all began, no one but Hacham Yosef believed that the community was capable of becoming lomdei Torah on a high level!”

In order to truly understand the transformation that took place, one must look back at the belief that was commonly held, even by those who championed the Syrian community a half century ago, that the Syrian community was not ripe for strict observance of Torah law and the creation of a core of talmidei chachamim.

Mr. Isaac Shalom was one of the laymen who worked tirelessly to build institutions for the Syrian community in Brooklyn and almost single-handedly created Magen David Yeshivah, the flagship school, which today boasts over 2,000 students. In 1945, when he became aware of the downward spiral of the Sephardic communities in Morocco, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern lands, he recruited Harav Avraham Kalmanowitz, zt”l, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mirrer Yeshiva, to travel to these countries and organize schools for the children.

Yet when Hacham Yosef discussed the prospect of raising the level of Torah scholarship in the Syrian community in Brooklyn, Mr. Shalom was pessimistic. “In a business-oriented community like ours,” he said, “I don’t think we can cultivate talmidei chachamim. We should look to Eretz Yisrael to provide us with Rabbis and teachers for our institutions.”

Even Harav Kalmanowitz, who worked tirelessly to provide authentic Torah education for the children and young prospects of the Sephardic communities in the Middle East, was doubtful that Rabbi Raful’s mission would succeed, despite his own burning desire to spread Torah worldwide.

Hacham Yosef’s Determination Bears Fruit

Yet, Hacham Yosef was not deterred. He was convinced that Hashem would never abandon His nation and believed the potential existed for every one of his community members to become a talmid hacham.

“If we do our own mesirut nefesh and we work l’shem Shamayim, Hashem will give us the siyatta diShmaya to raise generations of our own bnei Torah. We can do it,” he believed. “I am certain we can.”

Today, 46 years after that fateful day when the members of Young Shaarei Zion agreed to the conditions set down by Hacham Yosef Harari Raful, zt’l, his dream has come to fruition. The positions of Rabbanim, melamdim, and other klei kodesh of the Ateret Torah community are filled with graduates of Yeshiva Ateret Torah.

Adapted from an article that originally appeared in The Inyan – The Hamodia Weekly Magazine.

Photos – courtesy of Hamodia.

Rabbi David Zafrani

Rabbi Chaim Dahan’s passing created a deep void in the lives of many.

He befriended me when he joined the faculty at Yeshivat Shaare Torah, and he brought sunshine and light to my home whenever he visited. I and many others have lost a treasured best friend.

With Rabbi Chaim, all paths led to Telshe Yeshiva, in Cleveland, Ohio. Most people head to a vacation spot for the summer, but he and his wife chose to return to Telz. He treasured the years he spent learning there in yeshiva and kollel, under Rabbi Mordechai Gifter, zt”l, and Rabbi Chaim Stein, zt”l.

From Rabbi Chaim’s Youth

As a single boy, Rabbi Chaim would listen to the recorded weekly shiur of Rabbi Yitzchok Sorotzkin, his rebbe, and would transcribe the shiur into notes. Suddenly, the weekly shiur became scheduled for Thursday nights. The only time Chaim had to transcribe it was on Fridays, the day set aside for the boys to relax in a swimming pool or to play football. (Chaim was the best receiver in football.) One Friday, Chaim remained in the empty bet medrash and began writing the notes. Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder. Startled, Chaim looked up to see Rabbi Gifter, the rosh yeshiva, peering down at him.

“Why are you not relaxing like all the other boys? We want the boys to let out steam on Friday afternoons. Go join them!”

“Oh, Rosh Yeshiva, I need to write down last night’s shiur, before I forget it!” Chaim stammered, not sure what Rabbi Gifter would say.

Rabbi Gifter thought, then said, “Yes, you are right. From now on Rabbi Yitzchok will give his new gemara shiur on Wednesdays, not Thursday nights, so that you can write it on Thursdays!” With that, Rabbi Gifter sent him out to play to get a well-needed break.

Rabbi Yitzchok was notified of the change in schedule, and with his classic humor, sent young Chaim a gift, a helmet and football.

Rabbi Chaim’s Musical Connection

Both roshei yeshiva loved Rabbi Chaim’s singing and invited him many times to be the chazan. Following their advice, Rabbi Chaim began to pray with the Sephardic pronunciation during tefillot. He became close to Sephardic hazanim in order learn about the mesorah. Rabbi Chaim even invited Jo Amar to come to Telz. The roshei yeshiva used to call Rabbi Chaim “Jo Amar Ha-katan.”

I once told Rabbi Chaim that my aging father-in-law enjoyed Moroccan music. Immediately, he sent me music from Chaim Luk and Jo Amar, which I played for my father-in-law, bringing him much joy.

The Gift of Knowing What to Say

It was impossible to be upset, depressed, or despondent with Rabbi Chaim around. He always knew just the right joke or quip to say, and he was a wellspring of inspirational stories. Rabbi Chaim’s love of people flowed from his heart into his eloquent speeches and uplifting songs. The message of emunah resonated in the listeners’ ears. Rabbi Chaim intuitively knew who needed hizuk and he chose just the right words to say. Rabbi Chaim memorized the life stories of holy rabbis such as Rabbi Chaim Pinto, Rabbi Amram Diwan, Rabbi Yaakov Abuchatzera, and many more, inspiring his listeners with their holiness. After having observed his rebbes, Rabbi Mordechai Gifter and Rabbi Chaim Stein, Rabbi Chaim experienced true holiness. He had a gift for making the stories of great rabbis relatable to our own lives.

And Knowing What to Do

It was not only Rabbi Chaim’s gift of speech which endeared him to others, but his care and concern for them. One day I mentioned to Rabbi Chaim that I had bought a computer and wanted to understand some things. He came right over and patiently taught me many important aspects of computer use. When our twins were born, Rabbi Chaim and his wife called and visited often, making sure we had what we needed, even running to a gemach to get us an extra bassinet.

Many previously unknown deeds are coming to light, such as how he helped adolescents and teens to improve their strained relationships with their parents and how he helped others suffering from addictions. Rabbi Chaim lovingly gave strength to these teenagers and guided many to more healthy lives.

We recognize that although now Rabbi Chaim is not with us anymore, even in heaven, his pulsating concern and love for every Jew is still hard at work, and he continues to advocate for us. Rabbi Chaim, please rock the Heavens for us and beg Hashem to send us Mashiach!

Rabbi Eliyahu C. Aboud

It seems as though they just fell off the map! Since the exile of the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by the armies of the Assyrian King Sanheriv, the whereabouts of this illustrious people have remained a mystery. However, a number of isolated and ambiguous encounters with members of the ten lost tribes have been recorded over the centuries. Below are abstracts of some of the more famous such encounters.

Eldad Hadani

Around the year 880 CE (4640), a mysterious man named Rabbi Eldad Hadani – “Eldad from the Tribe of Dan” – came before the sages of the time, claiming to be a member of the lost tribe of Dan who had inadvertently made his way to the civilized world. He was found to be an erudite scholar with proficiency in all areas of the Torah, and he earned the admiration of all the hachamim of that time. The most famous of them was Rabbi Semah Gaon, head of the great Babylonian yeshiva of Masa Mahsia, who wrote a detailed letter validating many of Eldad’s claims. Eldad gave a detailed description of the ten tribes, their kings, the wars they waged, and their way of life, as well as their exact locations. He recorded his claims in a treatise which is still in circulation today. It is clear from his description that the ten tribes had remained faithful to the Torah traditions passed down to them from the days of the First Temple. Eldad Hadani’s accounts are the first, and assumed to be the most consistent and authentic, of all descriptions of the lost tribes.

For over half a millennia after Eldad Hadani, reliable news of the lost tribes remained sparse. The limited means of communication and travel made it exceedingly difficult to conduct a competent search or study of their whereabouts. However, in the late-15th century, when, with the invention of the compass and other advances, the civilized world began discovering new regions on the American continent and parts of Asia, renewed interest in locating the vanished Jewish kingdom was sparked. Many books written by Jews and gentiles alike were published at this time which attempted to piece together the tidbits of information and different reports that surfaced concerning the lost tribes.

Our sages tell us that the punishment of the ten tribes included being exiled from the land of Israel to a remote, uncharted land, isolated from the rest of the world, where they would remain until the end of days. At that point, according to the Midrash, the tribes of Yehuda and Binyamin will bring the ten lost tribes from their exile across the river Sambatyon, and return them to the land of Israel. Many scholars concluded on the basis of this Midrash that in our times, as the end of the exile draws near, we must make attempts to determine the whereabouts of the ten tribes and reunite them with the rest of the Jewish nation. Some even claimed that restoring the ten tribes will bring the redemption closer. This added to the newfound interest in searching for the ten tribes that arose in the 15th century, as many Jews, sensing that the final redemption would soon unfold, felt the urgent need to find the lost tribes.

David Hareuveni

In the year 1524 (5284 in the Jewish calendar), a man calling himself David Hareuveni – “David from the Tribe of Reuven” – appeared and claimed to be a messenger from the ten lost tribes. He said he lived in the desert of Havor – one of the places to which the prophets said the ten tribes were exiled – where the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe resided. David further claimed that his father, Shlomo, was the previous ruler and was succeeded by David’s older brother, Yosef, who appointed him military general. He had come on a mission ordered by his brother, the king, to convince the Archbishop in Rome and the Christian kings of Eastern Europe to join forces with his Jewish army and invade the Muslim-dominated Middle East, in order to liberate the Land of Israel from Islamic rule.

However, as noted by historians, David Hareuveni had no Torah knowledge, and he conducted himself in a manner which disturbed the hachamim of the time. Remarkably, his attempts at garnering support initially met with resounding success. He managed to meet several times with the Archbishop, who sent him with letters of recommendation to the kings of Portugal and Chavash (Ethiopia) asking them to help validate the claims of “The Reuveni” (as he was referred to by many) and assist him in his mission. However, after several years of diplomatic maneuvering, David was arrested in 1532 by King Karl V of France on charges that he was causing many recent Jewish converts to Christianity to return to Judaism. The French authorities handed him over to the inquisitors in Spain, where he eventually died in prison.

Generally, David’s claims about his origins and the mission he was sent to accomplish were met with considerable skepticism by Jews and gentiles alike. His support came mostly from ignorant Jews and, especially, the affluent anusim, Jews in Italy and Portugal who converted to Christianity under coercion and saw David as their potential savior.

The Jerusalem Scholar’s Letter

On several occasions over the last millennia, Jews living in the land of Israel dispatched messengers to distant countries such as India and Yemen for the purpose of meeting members of the ten tribes and delivering messages to them from the sages of Israel. One such emissary was Rabbi Baruch Gad, a prestigious scholar and dayan (rabbinical judge).

In the year 1646 (5406 in the Jewish calendar), Rabbi Baruch returned from his mission with an extraordinary account of his encounter in the middle of a desert with a certain Rabbi Malkiel, who claimed to be from the tribe of Naftali. Rabbi Malkiel showed the letter sent by the sages of Jerusalem to all the ten tribes, and also brought back to Rabbi Baruch a letter from the leaders of the ten tribes. The letter described the vast territories and wealth possessed by the ten tribes, the peaceful life they enjoy, and their faithful observance of all the Torah’s laws. The leaders also offered consolation to their brethren, the rest of the Jews in exile, adding that Hashem does not allow them to leave their countries and assist the rest of the Jewish people until the end of days.

Although there were those who doubted the authenticity of the letter, it was reprinted and circulated throughout the Jewish world, inspiring hope that we will one day be reunited with the lost tribes.

The Undiscovered Country

Long ago, there were vast regions, like the American continent, that were unknown to the civilized world, so the possibility of an undiscovered country was very much palatable. Today, with all the advances in science and technology, many of us may find it hard to believe that today there exists somewhere in the world an unknown place where millions of Jews from the ten tribes could reside with kings and armies. This question has been raised by many Jewish scholars and philosophers over the years.

Though the discovery of a small heretofore unknown aboriginal tribe does sometimes make news in our time, the generally accepted explanation for the continued concealment of the lost tribes is far more mystical. Since the beginning of time, Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden where Adam and his wife Hava lived right after creation) and Gehinom have existed somewhere in this world, but remained hidden from our view. Similarly, the location of the ten tribes is also concealed from us specifically because Hashem wishes it to remain this way until the end of days.

National Claims

There are also many legends and much speculation about nations or distinct tribes from around the world which claim, or are believed to be, descended from the ten tribes. These theories are not necessarily a direct contradiction to the aforementioned accounts of the ten tribes living in a remote, unknown region. Individual groups could have splintered off from the original ten tribes and settled just about anywhere on earth. Below are a number of the theories that have surfaced concerning discrete peoples who may have descended from the lost tribes of Israel.

Tribes in Afghanistan

There are many who say that certain tribes in Afghanistan descend from the ten lost tribes and practiced Judaism until the Moslems conquered the area and forced them to follow Islamic law. A number of different factors appear to support this claim. For one thing, Afghanistan is situated in the area of the ancient country of Madai, which is one of the destinations to which the ten tribes were exiled according to the Prophets. Secondly, there is an established tradition conveyed by many Afghan natives and officials that they descend from the tribes of Reuven, Shimon, Gad, and Efrayim. Additionally, some of the

Afghan tribes’ names – Afritim, Gadgim, Shinvarim, and Raavanim – clearly resemble the names of Efrayim, Gad, Shimon, and Reuven. Thirdly, these tribes observe customs that closely resemble Jewish practices. Many tribesmen grow beards and peot (side locks), and the wives immerse in water after their nida cycle. Some even light candles on Friday night. Moreover, members of one Afghan tribe carry around an amulet, which they consider a holy charm, containing the verse of “Shema Yisrael.” Finally, over the years, many travelers to Afghanistan recorded hearing older tribesmen state explicitly that they observed Judaism until the Muslim conquest. Unfortunately, all these tribes today consider themselves Moslems, pray in accordance with Moslem tradition, and make pilgrimages to Mecca.

American Indians?

Rabbi Menashe Ben Yisrael (1604-1657), in his book Mikveh Yisrael, brings dozens of proofs to an ancient Jewish presence in parts of the American continent. One piece of evidence is the report of a monument with a Hebrew inscription that was unearthed by the early European settlers in the 16th century. He shows how many of the Indian tribal customs resemble and seemingly originate from Jewish law, and that some tribes even practiced circumcision. There are reports that the Indians were familiar with the story of creation and the great flood in the time of Noah. Rabbi Menashe thus deduces that the Indians were definitely influenced by a Jewish presence in that part of the world. He also cites many eyewitness accounts from early settlers on the American continents, of large beautiful colonies inhabited by white, non-pagan people living in peaceful isolation. According to these reports, the inhabitants all appeared well dressed with beards, and their powerful sentries barred any outsiders from entering their territory. There can be no doubt, Rabbi Menashe concludes, that these people belong to the ten tribes and they have lived in isolation from the civilized world for centuries on the American continent. Eventually, as more European settlers arrived, these groups moved onward to another place in order to once again live in isolation and obscurity.

There are other speculations from various writers and historians regarding nations or parts of nations that may have originated from the ten lost tribes. Some say that the Jews of Yemen, or several groups of Yemenites Jews, descend from one of the lost tribes. Others speculate that the Ethiopian Jews originate from these tribes (and some claim that they came to Ethiopia during the time of Shelomo Hamelech). Other theories point to tribes in India, China, and Japan who, until recently, observed many Jewish customs and quite likely originate from the ten lost tribes.

Regardless of whether these groups are actually remnants of the lost tribes or if they were simply influenced by a Jewish presence, the Jewish belief remains strong that the full glory of the ten lost tribes continues to be hidden by Hashem in an unknown land, where they are fully committed to Torah tradition. This belief is coupled with the sincere hope and prayer that the world shall soon see the return of all segments of the Nation of Israel with the coming of Mashiah speedily in our days.1

Next Issue: Tehiyat Hametim (Resurrection of the Dead)

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1 The information citied within this article has been taken from the following sefarim: Mikveh Yisrael by Rabbi Menashe ben Yisrael Shenem Assar Shivte Yisrael by Rabbi Moshe Weinstock Sippur David Hareuveni Or Hadash Besion by Rabbi Avraham Zonenson