Our Mission:

Originally housed in the Whitefield Hebrew Congregation, the Whitefield Community Kollel (WCK), was founded in 1990 to be an in-house Jewish learning academy acting as an educational dynamo and resource for the community. Providing over 50 man hours per week of Jewish education for Whitefield, WCK offers sophisticated and attractive Jewish education programming for the community.

The Kollel sees itself as a bridge between Torah learning and the world of the Anglo-Jewish community, bringing harmony by a shared commitment to Jewish growth through Torah.

Our History

The Kollel functions as two independently run kollelim; at first, the morning Kollel (Nachlas Dovid) - established by Mr Elchonon Cohen and Mr Dov Schwarz at the request of Dayan Osher Westheim זצ"ל learnt in Salford, and the afternoon Kollel in Whitefield.

Later, in a move which cemented the powerful presence of Torah learning in Whitefield Shul, the morning Kollel moved its operation to Whitefield. In the last year the Kollel relocated into the Shomrai Hadas Shul. The high level of learning is currently ably led by the outstanding Roshai Chabura, Rabbi Moshe Heiman שליט’’א in the morning and Rabbi Elchonon Mannes שליט"א . Previous Roshei Chabura include: Rabbi Aryeh Masher, Rabbi Shlomie Reich, Rabbi Yochonon Goldblatt, Rabbi Yaakov Wreschner and Rabbi Elozor Stefansky.

Our Daily Schedule.

The avreichim - (Kollel fellows) pursue their focused learning programme in advanced rabbinics for two sedarim (sessions of learning), in the morning and afternoon.

Later in the day, they provide their expertise and commitment as in-house community educators; every evening between 6.45pm and 7.30pm, the Beis Hamedrash is open to members of the wider community. Young and old are invited to partake in learning sessions - either one-to-one, or in small groups.

WCK/KND provides opportunities for developing Rabbis and educators to prepare themselves for a role in the wider Jewish community, providing an in-house insight into the challenges and issues confronting Anglo-Jewry. The Kollel has proven itself to be a training ground for well recognised and renowned educators throughout the Manchester community and beyond.

Our Alumnae:

Among the most prominent of the graduates of the Kollel and our other programs:

Rabbinate:

Rabbi Danny Bergson- Rav, Pinner Synagogue

Rabbi Dovid Eisenberg - Rav, Prestwich Hebrew Congregation “Shrubberies”

Rabbi Amir Ellituv - Rav, Shaarei Hayim, Hale

Rabbi Boruch Krasner - Rav, Ner Chodosh Manchester; Rebbe, Yavneh Boys School

Rabbi Yanky Prijs - Rav, Meade Hill Shul, Manchester

Rabbi Elozor Stefansky - Rav, Vine Street, Manchester (Former Rosh Chabutra WCK)

Dayan Yehudo Osher Steiner - Dayan, Manchester Beis Din; Rav, Chanichei Hayeshivos, Prestwich

Rabbi Yaakov Wreschner - Rav, Beis Mordechai, Prestwich (Former Rosh Chabura KND)

Senior Educators:

Rabbi Pinny Cohen - Head of Kodesh, Yavneh Boys

Rabbi Yitzi David - Founder, Chazak UK

Rabbi Yechiel Emanuel - Menahel, Beis HaTalmud, Manchester

Rabbi Yochonon Goldblatt - Newly appointed Menahel, Yesoidey HaTorah School, Melbourne (Formerly Principal

Beis Yaakov Manchester); Formerly Rosh Chabura, Whitefield Community Kollel

Rabbi Moishe Harris - Assistant Vice Principal, Yesodei HaTorah Manchester

Mr Sammy Morhaim - Formerly Head of Jewish Studies, King David Primary School

Rabbi Yohonoson Reif - Assistant Menahel, Manchester Mesivta

Rabbi Yisroel Aaron Schwalbe - Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ohr Chodosh

Rabbi Binyomin Sulzbacher - Menahel, Manchester Mesivta

Kiruv Informal Education:

Reb Mychiel Balshine - Director Youth and Young Families, Whitefield Shul

Rabbi Aviv Bar Ilan - Former Director, SEED Manchester

Rabbi Shaya Grunfeld - Director of SEED Manchester

Rabbi Malcolm Herman - Associate National Director, SEED UK

Rabbi Nick Kett - Director of H.Y.P.E. (Hale Youth Programmes & Events)

Rabbi Simon Taylor - Regional Director NCSY, Boston

Reb Ilan Weinstein - National Administrator, Seed UK