Beis Hamedrash Beis Shmuel in Golders Green, fondly called Reb Chuna’s, is well known as a makom tefillah. It has always hosted shiurim and people who wanted to learn in a beis medrash rather than at home. But until eight years ago, it did not have a regular group of yungeleit who learned there together.
This changed after Sukkos 5776, when a group of around 20 avreichim joined together to add a new kollel dedicated to learning halachah. The kollel, named Kolel HaChodosh, is dedicated l’ilui nishmas Harav Elchanan Halpern, zt”l, former Rav of the shul.
Kollel Hachodosh is guided by Nasi Hakollel Rabbi Mordechai Eisner, and Rosh Chaburah Rabbi Avrohom Hecksher, the rav of Etz Chaim. Both Rabbanim are heavily involved in the kollel, giving regular chaburas.
In the eight years since the kollel’s founding, the avreichim have delved into hilchos Shabbos and hilchos eiruvin, sparing no effort to understand the words of the Rishonim and Acharonim, poskim and mefarshim. There is also great emphasis on the application of these principles to new and modern she’eilos that constantly arise with the development of new technologies and situations.
The atmosphere in the kollel from the first day has always pleasant and conducive to learning, with the avreichim learning b’achdus and with pilpul chaverim, thereby constantly attracting more and more avreichim who want to be part of this phenomenon. The numbers have now grown to over 40 members of the chaburah, with more who would like to join but unfortunately are turned away due to lack of funding.
It has also transformed the shul, which now has a vibrant beis medrash buzzing with the sweet sound of limud Torah. The Bude Family generously renovated the beis medrash, which has been named Heichal Mendel l’ilui nishmas Reb Mendy Bude, z”l, who gave a regular Daf Yomi shiur there. The beis medrash environment is so popular that it has attracted baalei batim from the shul and beyond to learn there, to the extent that it is often virtually impossible to find a spare seat.
The kollel is yet another jewel in the crown of mosdos haTorah of NW London – and is now looking for your support to keep the flame of Torah burning in NW London.
In addition to the morning kollel, the shul has a large group of bnei aliyah, utilising their evenings productively, al haTorah v’al haavodah, in Kollel Erev Aish Hachaim.
The kollel was established eight years ago in Cheshvan 5775, shortly after the petirah of Harav Elchonon, zt”l, and b’siyatta diShmaya it has flourished into a vibrant makom Torah.
The vision was initially set out by Rosh Kollel Harav Yacov Lewis to provide a makom Torah for baalei batim and bnei Torah alike to come and learn side by side and benefit from each other, in an amazing atmosphere with a real rischa d’Oraisa.
The kollel continues to grow, now numbering around 40 members, and has a truly positive impact on the wider community, with more and more people attending and even creating their own chaburas in the same beis medrash, such as the recent Daf Hayomi chaburah, which started in the shul.
