Retirees’ Morning Kollel in Pittsburgh Celebrates Siyum

After nearly three years of dedicated study, on Monday morning, March 18, the 10 members of the retirees’ Morning Kollel of Pittsburgh, celebrated a siyum on Maseches Makkos. The Morning Kollel is a project of the Pittsburgh Kollel and was founded and is led by the Kollel’s educational director, Rabbi Avrohom Rodkin.

Rabbi Rodkin delivers the Gemara shiur Monday through Thursday and is available after the shiur to talk in learning with the participants. Friday mornings are dedicated to a shiur on the parashah. After the daily Gemara shiur, a chazarah session is led by founding member Mr. Shmuel Angel.

“This is a very unique group,” says Rabbi Rodkin. “Our members are always looking to extract practical Torah lessons from the sugyos we are are learning. We’ve had many interesting discussions about hashkafah and correct halachic procedures. Many times, any one of the men will share an insight that he heard from his Rav or Rebbi some 30, 40 or even 50 years earlier. I’ve personally gained so much insight from these discussions.”

Rabbi Shmuel Mandelbaum, one of the yungeleit of the Pittsburgh Kollel and an occasional Maggid Shiur for the Morning Kollel, noted that, “Rabbi Rodkin created an opportunity here in Pittsburgh which did not exist previously. It is clear that each participant feels that their life was changed by joining the Morning Kollel. The simchah that each participant felt with the completion of the mesechta was evident.”

The members of the Morning Kollel all echoed similar sentiments: “I set my entire daily schedule around this learning.” “Rabbi Rodkin has opened up the Gemara for me in a way that I never imagined before.” “My Yiddishkeit and connection to Torah have grown by having such a Rebbi and by being part of such a group.”

The Pittsburgh Roshei Kollel and other local Rabbanim joined in the simchah.