Pretoria Yeshiva celebrates its barmitzvah

DIANE WOLFSON

Pictured: New Rabbis: Yossi Overlander (London); Mendy Wilansky (New York); Motti Groner (Johannesburg); and Hillel Sperlin (Montreal), handing flowers to Rebbetzens Shterne Wineberg and Aviva Fox. PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED

In keeping with tradition, Rabbi Wineberg gave a brief, humorous description of each new rabbi before calling them up to receive their certificate.

This yeshiva is now well and truly entrenched in the community, with an exciting programme where the bochurim get deeply involved in the community and all its members, young and old. 

Saying goodbye each year does not get any easier, he says.. While bochurim come from all over the world, it was good to see siblings of previous years’ bochurim this year as well as the sons of Rabbi Wineberg and Rabbi Sholem Ber Groner graduating. Two bochurs from overseas, Yoni Lewkowicz from Arizona is the product of former Pretorian, Rabbi Billy Lewkowicz and Avi Junik (from London) is the son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Junik who attended Torah Academy Yeshiva 27 years ago.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Junik from London spoke on behalf of all the parents in thanking the Pretoria Jewish community for opening their homes and their hearts to the bochurim over the year(s) and giving them a home-from-home experience.

Rabbi Wineberg made special mention of Rabbi Mendel Goldman, the shadchan “who took a programme without a home to a home without a programme” which has now come of age and is celebrating its barmitzva.

Former graduates, Rabbis Dovid Rabin, Mottie Hadar, Yisroel Stein, Moshe Medalie and Yosef Chaim Barber, travelled from as far as Mauritius to attend the eventful evening.