By Shaul Berlowitz
Over the past week, a series of meaningful meetings took place at the home of Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoah. These gatherings brought together rabbonim from kehillos across Lakewood in preparation for the upcoming fourth Ma’amad Adirei HaTorah. The meetings reflected the community’s unified commitment to supporting Torah learning, with participation from rabbonim representing all segments of Lakewood’s Torah world.
Unlike previous years, which featured one central asifas rabbonim, this year’s meetings adopted a more focused format. Smaller, more intimate settings allowed for practical discussions about advancing the Adirei HaTorah initiative throughout the community. What was particularly noteworthy was the sense of shared purpose that permeated these gatherings, as rabbonim from different backgrounds came together with a single goal: strengthening support for Torah learning in Lakewood.
“These asifos demonstrated how our community—though we may differ in nusach or havara—is fundamentally united in our commitment to Torah,” noted one participating rov. “In Lakewood, we’re fortunate that our differences are nuanced—we’re really variations of the same commitment to Torah and lomdei Torah.”
Another rov added, “Whether a family davens in a Litvishe shul, a Chassidishe shtiebel, or a Sephardic minyan, we all share the same fundamental values. Adirei HaTorah gives expression to this unity of purpose.”
Rabbonim as Community Connectors
A central theme of these meetings was the recognition that Adirei HaTorah represents more than just an organization. It embodies the deep connection between the families of greater Lakewood and the bnei Torah learning in the yeshiva. This connection is guided by the community’s rabbonim, who understand both the challenges faced by baalei batim and the needs of those dedicated to full-time learning.
“A rov today serves as an important bridge,” explained one of the rabbonim present. “He understands the baalei batim’s concerns about balancing parnassah and time for learning, while also appreciating the dedication of kollel families who make the greatest sacrifices to devote their lives to limud haTorah.”
This perspective enables rabbonim to foster authentic connections between these two vital parts of the community. Under their guidance, baalei batim and kollel yungeleit increasingly recognize their shared mission and mutual support in building Lakewood as a makom Torah.
Elevating Torah Throughout the Community
Rav Kotler spoke about the positive impact Adirei HaTorah has had on respect for Torah learning throughout Lakewood. What began primarily as a financial support initiative has evolved into something far more significant—an elevation of Torah’s place in the community’s consciousness.
“When a person who isn’t sitting and learning in yeshiva develops a kesher with lomdei Torah through supporting them, something remarkable happens,” Rav Kotler explained. “The entire family begins to view Torah learning differently. Children see their parents’ respect for Torah and talmidei chachomim. The home atmosphere changes. Family conversations revolve around Torah. The wife and children respect their father’s commitment to Torah and hachzokas haTorah. This is the true achievement that Adirei HaTorah has brought to the world.”
Many rabbonim shared inspiring stories from their kehillos, accounts of families who, through their connection to Adirei HaTorah, discovered new depths in their own learning and a greater appreciation for Torah. Homes where discussions about yeshiva learning have become commonplace. Children aspiring to greater heights in their own Torah studies after seeing their parents’ enthusiasm for supporting talmidei chachomim.
“We’re witnessing an increased respect for Torah that goes well beyond financial support,” noted one rov. “People mamish gained a renewed connection to Torah. They feel part of it. They see themselves as partners with the Adirei HaTorah, the yungeleit sitting and learning. This, in turn, makes them seek ways to be more connected with Torah in their own lives.”
The Upcoming Ma’amad: A Celebration of Unity
The upcoming fourth Ma’amad Adirei HaTorah, scheduled for Sunday, the 16th of Sivan, at Wells Fargo Arena, promises to be a powerful demonstration of community-wide unity and commitment. This gathering will showcase how Lakewood’s kehillos, with their shared values and dedication to Torah, come together in support of Torah learning.
“What makes Adirei HaTorah special is that it’s not simply about fundraising,” explained one of the organizers. “It’s about raising awareness. It’s about reinforcing how we view our collective responsibility for supporting Torah study. When our various kehillos come together for this purpose, we demonstrate that Torah truly is what unifies us. And the conduit is through supporting lomdei Torah, those who dedicate their lives to learning.”
The Ma’amad will feature inspiring words from rabbonim representing different parts of the community, highlighting how the partnership between working families and yungeleit has strengthened the entire kehillah. Special emphasis will be placed on how this partnership has enhanced family life, chinuch habonim, and the overall ruach of Lakewood’s kehillos.
A Community of Shared Purpose
As the meetings concluded, Rav Kotler emphasized that the upcoming Ma’amad represents more than just an organizational milestone. It embodies a kiddush Hashem that reinforces the very foundations of our community.
Rav Kotler shared how the Adirei HaTorah initiative has begun to resonate far beyond Lakewood, spreading to frum communities worldwide. “What began here in Lakewood has become a model for communities across the globe,” he explained. “Just last month, I was invited to address an event in Mexico City called Amudei HaOlam, which was directly inspired by our Ma’amad Adirei HaTorah.”
He recounted how several members of the Mexican kehillah had attended last year’s Ma’amad at Wells Fargo and were so deeply inspired that they decided to create a similar framework in their own community. “They told me how seeing the partnership between baalei batim and kollel yungeleit in Lakewood opened their eyes to what was possible in their own kehillah,” Rav Kotler said. “They were particularly moved by how the Adirei HaTorah event conveyed the powerful message that lomdei Torah truly uphold the world. After witnessing this, they created their own event, Amudei HaOlam, specifically to honor their yungeleit and express this.”
Rav Kotler explained how the Mexican community recognized the importance of publicly expressing this message and the profound impact it has on everyone involved. “They understood that such an event benefits their entire community—the baalei batim who gain appreciation for the Torah being learned, the yungeleit who feel valued for their dedication, and perhaps most importantly, the children who see this respect demonstrated in such a tangible way.”
As preparations continue in the coming weeks, rabbonim will encourage their kehillos to participate in this important event. The fourth Ma’amad Adirei HaTorah aims to further elevate Torah learning in Lakewood, strengthening the partnership between the community and the yeshiva that continues to be its spiritual center.
In the words of one participating rov, shared as the final meeting concluded, “When our community unites around Torah, there is no limit to what we can achieve together. This Ma’amad is about ensuring that Torah remains central to our lives and to the lives of future generations.”

{Matzav.com}