Forty-Seventh European Yarchei Kallah Held in Holland

The European Yarchei Kallah celebrated its 47th annual gathering this year in Garderen, Holland. Headed by the Ponevez Rosh Yeshivah, Hagaon Harav Boruch Dov Povarsky, shlita, it recreated the atmosphere of a yeshivah for a week. From very early morning until late at night, there was a kol Torah in the beis medrash.

The Mesechta D’Kallah was Maseches Brachos, with the Rosh Yeshivah giving a daily shiur klali, as well as a mussar shmuess. Daf shiurim were given twice a day by Harav Gavriel Knopfler and Harav Aryeh Dunner, both of whom also gave inspiring divrei chizuk. There was also designated time for learning b’chavrusa.

Harav Zvi Elimelech Padwa of Zurich, a son of Harav Ephraim Padwa, shlita, delivered an outstanding series of shiurim on hilchos borer. Harav Simche Bamberger of Manchester gave a daily Daf Hayomi shiur.

The Shabbos guest was Harav Dovid Leib Grunfeld of Vienna, who gave uplifting shiurim on halachah and aggadah.

The ladies also had a packed program, with shiurim from Harav Eliyahu Falk, Harav Avrohom Katz and Harav Yehoshua Aharon Sofer, as well as social activities.

The whole enterprise was, as usual, most ably run by Reb Michoel Lobenstein and his sons, who spend considerable time each year to ensure the Yarchei Kallah’s success.

The sight of all the maggidei shiur dancing together with the Rosh Yeshivah at the neilah, together with Reb Michoel, was uplifting. A participant said, “This is what Olam Haba will look like; where the great Torah scholars will dance together with those who facilitated such high-quality Torah learning.”

As the Rosh Yeshivah commented, “Yarchei Kallah is a yeshivah, except that there is a very long bein hazmanim!”