Around the Community YKLI Talmidim Visit New Square

This past week, the 7th grade talmidim at Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island had the unique opportunity to spend the day a little further upstate, near Monsey, in the distinctive community of New Square.

After davening Shacharis and eating breakfast in yeshiva, the boys took a private bus directly to the Skverer Bais Medrash, where they were greeted warmly by the various gabbaim and members of the Skverer kehillah. Our YKLI Manhig Ruchni, Rabbi Eliezer Feuer, prepared the boys before they entered a special session with the Skverer Rebbe, shlit”a. The Skverer Rebbe gave the boys guidance, preparing them in the short term for the yom tov of Shavuos and in the long term for life as Bnei Torah.

After the zechus of the audience with the Skverer Rebbe, both of our 7 th grade Rabbeim, Rabbi Eisikovic and Rabbi Sherman, led their talmidim on foot through the quaint streets of New Square. As the boys were walking, a local Skverer chassid invited the Rabbeim and the boys into his home, so that he could be mekayem the mitzvah of hachnasas orchim with cold drinks and warm, welcoming words. What a beautiful, spontaneous experience!

The boys then continued on for a brief stop at the famous creek where the Skverer Chassidim recite Tashlich every year. After that, the boys went to the Bais Hachaim where they were able to daven at the kever of the previous Skverer Rebbe, the very founder of New Square, the first shtetl in the United States!

A beautiful highlight of the trip was the boys’ visit to the Tzitzis Maacher. The talmidim listened closely as the Tzitzis

Maacher carefully explained the halachos and kavanos necessary to produce tzitzis in the most mehudar fashion. The entire process of tzitzis was brought to life as the boys witnessed the full progression of a bundle of dirty sheep wool getting transformed into the davar she’b’kedusha of clean, fine, white tzitzis!

As a special treat, the boys were given a thoroughly enjoyable tour of Ostreicher’s bakery. The talmidim followed the detailed bakery process and enjoyed the delicious end-product as well through Mr. Ostericher’s famous generosity as he handed out freshly baked cookies, along with his trademark smile and warmth! Of course, no visit to Monsey would be complete without a special lunch at Chai Pizza, a staple of the Monsey community for years!

The boys settled back into their seats on the bus to head to daven by more kivrei tzadikim, as Rabbi Feuer shared inspiring stories of the Ribnitzer Rebbe, the Skulener Rebbe, the Vizhnitz Rebbe, and Rav Mordechai Schwab, detailing the selfless lives these gedolim lived, as they spent each and every moment helping others at any cost.

As the boys headed back to yeshiva for Mincha, they reflected on both the wondrous simplicity and the intense complexity of Skver. After spending the day in the presence of such kedusha, the boys ended their trip with a wonderful display of good middos, leaving a clean bus, and thanking the bus driver. Shkoiach to the talmidim for finding every opportunity to be mekadesh shem Shamayim!