For Immediate Release: Written By Rachel Goldsmith
The Jewish community of North Miami Beach has a new institution on the block. Yeshiva Madreigas Ha’Adam of Miami opened in Cheshvan this year and recently moved to its new permanent home on December 21st, 2021. It was created as a satellite branch of a parent yeshiva, Yeshiva Madreigas Ha’Adam in Queens, NY, and the two institutions share a Rosh HaYeshiva, HoRav Moshe Faskowitz. In Miami, the yeshiva is led by Rabbi Binyamin Grossman, Menahel, and Rabbi Noach Peled, Maggid Shiur.
HoRav Moshe Faskowitz, the Rosh Yeshiva, explained that The Alter of Novardok, Rav Yosef Yozel Horowitz (Rabbi Faskowitz’s great-grandfather), believed, that the success of a yeshiva is in how many yeshivas the original yeshiva can create. The Alter of Novardok and his son-in-law, HaRov Avrohom Yoffen (Rabbi Faskowitz’s grandfather), both established many yeshivas in Europe, counting about 90 Novardok yeshivos before World War II. Unfortunately, they were decimated by the war, and it is our responsibility to continue that tradition of Harbazos Torah. And finally, here in America, we are zocheh to continue that tradition, to establish not just one yeshiva, but a second yeshiva in a thriving community, creating additional places of learning. “Baruch Hashem,” said Rabbi Faskowitz, “we have another Yeshiva Madreigras Ha’Adam as a staple, an integral part of the Torah learning in the halls of the mussar style yeshiva. Baruch Hashem, I’ve been zoche — that Hashem has given us the privilege to serve Him in this way, of expanding Torah to other communities.”
For those who are familiar with North Miami Beach, one noteworthy feature of the new yeshiva is its location: Whereas most of the Jewish community is settled on the Westside of the Royal Galdes Canal, there’s been a recent spread over to the Eastside, with 17 families recently moving in. The Yeshiva is uniquely situated “on the other side of the canal,” that is, on the Eastside, but very close to the Westside boundary, on the same block as the centralized Shabbos park that is used by all. They’re the first Torah institution to open up in that area, aiming to be conveniently located near and to attract people from both sides of the canal.
Rabbi Binyomin Grossman, originally from Miami, has been involved with the parent yeshiva in New York for 23 years. He received his smicha from Rabbi Faskowitz and taught there for several years before returning to Florida. Rabbi Grossman oversees all aspects of the yeshiva, from the learning to the davening, and is mashpia on the talmidim through Mussar Shmuzim and parsha shiur as well as mentoring and guiding buchrim and baal ha’batim alike. And of course, he is the visionary for establishing the new Novardok yeshiva in Miami. Rabbi Faskowitz described Rabbi Grossman as a “stellar talmid of the yeshiva for many years. He represents what we’ve tried to bring, and there’s nobody better to bring the mussar hashkafa to the Miami community.”
Rabbi Noach Peled spent his teen years in Miami, and returned to Florida after learning at Yeshiva Toras Moshe in Yerushalayim under Rabbi Moshe Meiselman and Rabbi Michel Shurkin Shlita, and heading and teaching at various yeshivos and seminaries there. Rabbi Peled is Mara dAsra of Kehillas Mikdash Melech of North Miami Beach, and teaches the morning gemara shiur in the Yeshiva. The shiur is interactive – full of give-and-take, questions, and answers. During the seder limud, Rabbi Peled checks in with each chavrusa, to be sure they’re learning and understanding correctly, with the goal that they understand the gemara and relevant mefarshim in a clear, accurate way. In the words of talmid Mutty Koot, “the yeshiva is truly a remarkable place of Torah, a beautiful place where we feel at home and connected and can really enjoy learning properly with each other. The shiur given by Harav Peled is one of a kind, a complex class requiring solid chavrusa preparation, yet refreshingly clear, interactive, and exciting, so that everyone can understand and have real enjoyment from it.” They dive into some depth, but aim primarily for clarity, and they continue to review until everyone is on the same page.
A night seder will iyH begin in January, to learn the conceptual and practical (lamdus and halacha l’maisa) aspects of bein adam l’chaiveiro mitzvos, based on the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Berkowitz of Aish HaTorah in Yerushalayim. As the yeshiva grows over the coming months and years, they plan to add more and more shiurim iyH.
Thus far, the group of talmidim has a small, friendly, tight-knit camaraderie, with men ages 21+ learning together in the morning. The goals are to make sure every individual understands the pshat, and with a smaller group setting, they can review each lesson with each student as many times as needed to be sure everyone gains clarity on the material and relevant commentaries. Rabbi Grossman explained, “Though North Miami Beach has illustrious Torah institutions like Toras Chaim and The NMB Kollel led by world-class Talmidei Chachamim, they cater more to the full-time learner. As a ben Torah who also works, I wanted a Makom Torah in which I could feel and be a full-fledged member while continuing my secular pursuits. I just came in to try to fill the same gap in the yeshiva system that my Rebbi, The Rosh HaYeshiva שליט״א, filled in Queens some 24 years ago.”
With the goal of addressing each learner as an individual, Rabbi Grossman and Rabbi Peled will customize each person’s learning schedule according to his availability. The yeshiva expects to continue attracting talmidim from a variety of backgrounds and ages, with the common desire to continue yeshiva-style learning while going to college, working full-time, or as part of their retirement.
Please join us in wishing Rabbi Faskowitz, Rabbi Grossman, Rabbi Peled, and all involved a hearty mazel tov and wishes for success in this newest endeavor.
For more information, or to donate, please visit www.miamiyeshiva.org.
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