Merkaz Kollelim Gevuros Aharon is a pioneering project aimed at creating an all-encompassing infrastructure that provides a framework for in-depth Limud haTorah for every member of Klal Yisroel.
Located in Lakewood, New Jersey in the heart of the Raintree neighborhood, the Merkaz Hakollelm hopes to serve as a catalyst for the introduction of a new dynamic into kehillos across Klal Yisroel.
The premise behind Merkaz Hakollelim is that an in-depth study of Torah, one-on-one with a study partner, together with a group of like-minded individuals engaged in the same common pursuit, should be available to all members of Klal Yisroel, whether they are currently learning in Yeshiva or not. Furthermore, much like a shul serves as a Mokom Tefilah, providing all the requisite resources and amenities for its members, so too, must a Bais Medrash serving a kehilla of Bnei Torah, recognize its obligation to provide structured frameworks for Limud Hatorah to serve every demographic of the kehilla.
Kollel Boker
In the shadowy, pre-morning twilight, a mix of balebattim and avreichim make their way to the Kollel for an immersing seder before Shacharis. Side-by-side, this mix of Bnei Torah sits with their chavrusa. Their daily schedules might be diverse but they are united in the goal of starting their day with an invigorating dose of Limud HaTorah.
As children wait for the buses to pick them up in the morning, they witness the fathers in the neighborhood leaving Shacharis, together with their chavrusa, and the message is delivered without words. Torah study unites us all and sets the tone for how we live the rest of the day.
Breakfast-N-Learn
The Sunday Breakfast-N-Learn Kollel is a model of balei battim utilizing their leisurely Sunday mornings to hear a shiur on the practical halachos of everyday living. An unhurried Shacharis is followed by a lavish breakfast and seder in practical halacha, rejuvenating the spiritual batteries of the members to carry them through the week ahead.
Kollel Seder Rishon
Under the leaderships of Rosh Kollel, Harav Yehuda Teichman, a group of young avreichim carry over the dynamic yegias hatorah of their best Yeshiva years to form a nucleus of aspiring talmidei chachamim. Here, in the nurturing environment of the Kollel, the yungeleit develop their personal aspirations and broaden their ambitions to grow. Rotating chaburos are delivered by the avreichim, ensuring their mastery of the material and developing their ability to not just learn on their own but be able to give over Torah to others.
A unique writing initiative, with generous stipends, was recently initiated to incentivize the avreichim to discover and nurture the potential machber sefer in each of them. The week ends off with an in depth Chumash Shiur given each Friday on a rotating basis by Rabbi Yehuda Teichman & Rabbi Schneur Toporowitz.
Mechanchim Kollel
Perhaps, the crown jewel of the Merkaz’s initiatives is the Mechanchim Kollel. Each afternoon after a strenuous day of chinuch and harobtzas Torah, this select group, featuring some of Lakewood’s most senior mechanchim, come together for an afternoon of intense limud haTorah. Under the auspices of the esteemed Rosh Kollel, Harav Zev Reifman, a veteran mechanech himself, these rebbeim, each of them a distinguished talmid chacham in his own right, apply themselves to the sugyos with the dynamic vigor and hasmodah that comes from a life dedicated to Torah and to Harbotzas Torah.
Kollel Seder Sheini
The Kollel’s full-time yungeleit continue their day with an energetic Afternoon Seder, under the auspices of the Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Yossi Retter. With the very same demanding diligence as the Morning Seder, the yungeleit apply themselves to the goal of achieving proficient mastery of the sugyos. In the afternoon as well, the yungeleit deliver masterful chaburos on a rotating basis, sharing their own innovative chiddushim and building fundamental yesodos to shed new light on the sugya.
Kollel Erev
The Night Kollel at the Merkaz features a broad mix of bnei Torah, ranging from balei battim in the workforce to Kollel yungeleit, and everything in between. The vibrant, pulsating din of the Kol Torah that reverberates across the Bais Medrash belies the late hour of the day. Under the direction of the Rosh Kollel Harav Shlomo Frankel, regular chaburos are given by Rabbi Schneur Toporowitz & Rabbi Dovid Yackov Geller. The night Kollel serves as a paradigm for the koach of Torah to unite a diverse spectrum of lomdim into a cohesive and focused chaburah engaged in maximizing the final hours of their day with the fulfilling sense of achievement that comes from true ameilus b’Torah.
