Ohel Yaacob Hacham Baruch Torah Center Groundbreaking Ceremony

Ladies and gentlemen, um we're going to start the program. So, if we could have your attention, appreciate it. Approximately not. >> Thank you very much. 10 years ago, almost to the date, we were standing on this exact spot, but it wasn't a ballroom. It was a dirt and we were doing the groundbreaking for this prestigious and something that's very dear to us, our yaov synagogue. 10 years ago, we were questioned of whether or not we should be doing this or building a shul. Would it be necessity when there's so many other shs? Should we build it with this size? We don't have such a big kahal. And today, as beautiful as a shul is, it's because of the great rabbis we have in our shul that we have had success. our rabbis led by Rabbi Eli Mansaw who God should bless him with long life, good health, and continue doing the great Torah teaching that he got from our chief rabbi shalom. But we're all here for that reason today. When we built the shul, we had intentions of making sure that it was a beacon of Torah learning. And Hashem's help and as I said with the rabbis teachings, we outgrew this shul. Just to give you a little bit of an understanding of what has happened in this shul, we have programs for every age group. We have kids programs from a very young age led by Rabbi Shelby. God bless him, long life, good health. His amazing work that he has 180 to 200 children, maybe I'm off, maybe it's more, is the beginning of the teachings of what we want our kids to evolve into. I'm going to say one other thing that I need to get out and get it out in the open because for the last 10 years everybody tells me that Jack Cassen says it's all like Franco. Now I'm going to say if it wasn't for Jackie Kassen I would not be able to do what I do. And I promise you this. He looked at me in the shul when we were deciding to build. He says you think we could do this? I said, "Jack, if you're behind me, we'll get it done." Remember that? >> And now I'm going to lean on him even more because of the he's the commissioner with the mayors and all these the we are going to build this building faster than we built this building. [Applause] I'm going to mention every rabbi in our shul because each and every one of them is special in their own way. And I will tell you that Rabbi Mala who's the hidden gem. He's he keeps the candle lit from the winter to the summer. He makes it all happen. Rabbi, we love you. God bless you and keep on doing everything you do for us. You can't say Rabbi Mala without mentioning Rabbi Elbaz. They go like a tandem. And Rabbi Elbaz, God bless him. The unsung hero. He reads the Torah in every minan. You need somebody to do this. He's there. He's he's teaching young boys. And I watch now. Rabbi, you won't have to do it in the lobby anymore. You won't have to do it in the mezzanine. We're going to have enough room to do all the Torah learning and teaching for every age group as in this new building. to my Midrash rabbis, the two rabbis that have done an amazing job. We have no more room in the midash because of these two rabbis, Rabbi Joey Mizrahi and Rabbi Eli Cohen. We're building this building because we need to continue growing. I see people doing classes in the hallway, in the back rooms, in the second floor. And you know what? It started to get to a point where I felt that we're not doing the right thing for our kahal if we don't have a system where they could have permanent learning programs. So today we're here to do the groundbreaking of something that I think is monumental in our community. There has never been a Torah center built with this plan that we're going to embark on. This Torah center will have a multifunctional building. There will be a permanent bed midrash there that will be able to house close to 300 people at one time. There will be bookcases and books that we have always been known for. In our library here, we have the number one book selection that in Torah learning. I know that people come from Lakewood to come to our library to find the books that they don't have. Well, our bet midrash which already we have a donor that dedicated the books of the bet midrash and this will be one of the most thorough book selection and one where we could build more Torah learning in our today is really special to me because I sat Many hours. With my rabbi in his house. My tears are tears of joy because the best thing that we could do for a man who basically devoted his entire life to our community. Putting a Torah center on the hollow grounds that he lived on to me is the biggest that we can have. I know that he's so happy with what we've done here in this shul, but I know he's going to be even more satisfied to the level of Torah that we're going to teach in that building. [Applause] So, we should all be very, very excited about what we're going to go now and do when we do this groundbreaking. But most importantly, I want you to hear from our head rabbi in this shul, Rabbi Eli Mansov, who without him, we none of us would be here celebrating. cry. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's a very emotional speech and you have to know Aiki when you're crying the the the happy tears about all of the students share those happy tears with you and we're all so excited about this groundbreaking ceremony that we're building a state-of-the-art Torah center that has not existed for sure in the Jersey Shore to this capacity. I believe that the day that we have come the 28th of Av is a very significant day for this dedication. I love to look at the days and look at the history of the day. It didn't start with it didn't start with it didn't start with Rabbi. It started with a great rabbi who was a Talmudist and he was born in Aram Soban Halab at the end of the 1800s. His name was Rabbi Abraham Ades Shalom the grandfather of Yehuda Adis. Today the Rosh called Yakov Hakab Abraham Ades was a student of Rabbi Murai Abadi in Halab and then he moved to Israel and when he moved to Israel he decided to devote his life to Kabala and he became the Shiv of the Mikubim. However, he took one student, actually two students. One, he taught the entire Talmud in depth. That was Rabbi. And the other student, he taught all the Kabala in depth. And that was Rabbi Jacob Escassen. and Rabbi Zatia would take the Talmud of Rabbi Adis and open up Purat Ysef and of course become the rabbi of our rabbi. I heard lessons from Akamaruk my whole life starting in eighth grade Magen David and on I did not leave his side as some of you read in the book and there was not a lesson that he did not quote his rabbi on some sort of teaching but he also would mention Rabbi Abraham because that was his grand rabbi. Rabbi Jacob Escasser would go on to become a great cabalist, although he would use his cabala in private and become the great leader of our community. I don't think it's a coincidence that on the day where the grand rabbi of those two greats, the 28th of A is the y site of Hakam Abraham Addis. This is the day that he passed away. So I have no doubt that all the stars are lining up perfectly that the Grand Rabbi is giving us a blessing from heaven and that we make this dedication on the ground where Rabbi Isra student Hakamaruk lived and on the street called Jacob Lane named after Rabbi Jacob Escassen. the Gdoleim are all coming together from heaven and earth in order to give their blessings to this monumental and historical project and I believe yes it deserves a the cabalist right that the month of Av which we're in now is actually divided into two parts well The first half of the month is unlucky. You might say it's even cursed. Destruction of the temples and all of our black history. It all happened in the first 15 days of the month. But our rabbis tell us the second half of the month is blessed. From t we celebrate and it's joyous. We have parties again. There's weddings every night. And the cabalists write that's why the month is called a is two letters. Alf represents the word arur is the first half of the month. However, the second half of the month is alfboo. We are now in the section of and therefore I think it's appropriate in this section of the month of a we dedicate the baramuk benim Torah center of our holy synagogue. [Applause] So all the signs are there but I want to tell you the real merit. Our rabbi amongst all the things that he did he was a teacher. That's the connection that drew all of us to him. He taught Torah but he taught it in a very unique way. He taught it with a lot of energy and passion. He taught it with love. He had a warmth and a humility. He taught it according to the tradition. He had a certain way where he wasn't too much this way or too much that way. It made sense to everybody. And thank God, I hope the rabbi would be proud of us because we learned from him the method, not only what to teach, but how to teach it. And I think that our great synagogue with all its rabbis without exception is continuing in that not only curriculum because curriculum is only half of it but it's the methodology of dispensing it of giving it over. Our shul is known for a shul of warmth a shul of love very little politics. People feel comfortable when they come to the shul. There's no pulling and tugging and all sorts of undercurrens. just a a fun place to be. That's the way the rabbi established it. I have no doubt that the rabbi is going to be exceptionally happy because now our synagogue has partnered with his yeshiva and Mag and David for 30 years and our synagogue has partnered with the yeshiva that all their boys come every night with the help of Rabbi Alex and Rabbi Baraja and all the rabbis that are working for the synagogue. that partnership with Mag and David. They don't know how lucky they are. We're spending all the money and they're getting all the benefits. We built them a $3 million midash of Brooklyn and now we're going to build them a $6 million project at least here in deal. And what are we doing it for? We're doing it for the kids, for the boys and girls. So they can come and study study the ways of the Torah according to our tradition according to Abra that taught Rabbi that taught and now landed on my lap as well. Well, it's a great day for the community. I have no doubt is very happy in Shamayim. I'm sure he's blessing the project. The fact that it's on his lot. Probably that was the that was the seeds that planted this project. All the years that he lived with Kadusha, with the Rebbits in Charlotte, may she live and be well. when we when we wanted to knock down the house. You can't just knock down a rabbi's house without asking somebody. Although I'm sure it's been done, but we went to the Rebbitson and we asked the Rebbitson, it's the Rebbitson's house, could you believe what a synagogue we have? They built a house. I remember the days of Lawrence Avenue, the old days before Torah Center. We didn't have a shas, you understand? We didn't have a shas until Jack Kassm came. I think it was Isaac's mitzvah and he said, "Rabbi, I'm inviting people. I'm inviting rabbis in the sh where's the books?" He loves the books like his grandfather. I said, "We don't have any books, Jack. We have we have Israel and in the rabbi's office that's locked." Isaac will tell you it's locked 98% of the time. There's a shining shas and 98% of it's missing. And guess what? Nobody cared because nobody ever asked for a shas. So Jack, God bless him, bought he said, "What's the best shas we can get for the sh get the shaenstein." He bought five sets of shas sha. That's the first time. But even then, we only bought it for decorative reasons. Nobody was learning anything. I remember at 7:00 when the minan was over, he would stand by the door with a key in his hand. When the last guy would leave, he would lock the door and the shool would not be opened until 5:00 the next morning when him and Dr. Ballas would come and learn. Those days are over. Our sh is open from 4:00 a.m. and it's open well past midnight. Nobody's locking the doors today. Today there's access to the synagogue 24 hours a day. And as our building chairman said, boys, girls, all ages, I will say publicly, there's no question we have the most robust ladies program in the community. Every single day, not one class, three classes. We are the industry leader. Thank God because of all the talent that we have. And to the credit of Mr. Jack A and Ike, we said we got lucky. So many things have to come about. Our leadership, Mr. Cassid, Mr. Franco, they loved Rabbi Baruk. So without that ingredient of people that are loyal to Rabbi Baruk and doesn't work Jack is following his father who also was a loyal brother-in-law to and following his father that was a loyal Shabel Franco before he passed away told a take care of my children like they're yours and that's why they're so emotional. So we all share the love of our rabbi and we share this perpetuation of his values and his so congratulations to the to the congregation is a beautiful place not only aesthetically the talks about however sometimes you have glorious but in not such a nice vessel. However in our synagogue it's It's glorious wisdom in a glorious vessel. And now that vessel is only going to become even bigger and more beautiful and more special. So again, what is the obligation of the congregation? Easy. I'm doing all the work. I got to open the books. I have to teach. I have to come here 4 in the morning. I accept the job. Rabbi Mala and all the rabbis here, they accept. They're all workaholics. You think Jack A and Ike are going to hire anybody that's not a workaholic like them in their prime doesn't have a work ethic that's cares about the community. We were hired not because of our good looks. We were hired because we're committed to work and we follow the tradition. So we're committed the staff to do our job. Now we're asking the congregation, you got to do the easy job. How long does it take to write a check for a million dollars? Takes a second to write the check and just give it over. But it's a good investment. Buy now when it's still cheap. Everything's going up. This Torah center when it's finally built, people going to become running. I want to buy something. What can I buy? I know it from Brooklyn. When we're building this, we're pulling a guy. Give us money. N Safra Safra. You don't need the money. It's not. Now they're coming. Give me something. I want the rabbi's office. We sold the rabbi. I'll give sell me the rabbi the doorork knob. Okay. Well, we put a a plaque on the doororknob because the guy wants to be part of it. People like success, but they don't understand success until it's materialized. We have proven, our board of directors has proven we know how to succeed with the help of Hashem. We built this place, but okay, look how beautiful it is. Now people are coming. We want dedications. Same thing's going to happen there. So don't wait until it's put up and then what you wanted is going to be sold. We're going to have to give you some uh some, you know, secondary item. Please support the project. You're supporting the community and you're supporting the future of our boys and girls education and it's what Hakamaruk would like and I have no doubt he'll give you his blessings from the upper worlds him his rabbi rabbi and the grand rabbi Rabbi Adis that's your site is today may the blessings of this be upon us and may our board of directors committee succeed like Edmund Safra would say before every meeting he went to amen Amen. [Applause] >> Thank you, Rabbi. Uh, I'm just going to before we do the groundbreaking, uh, I'd like to ask if any one of our other rabbis would like to say a few words. Rabbi Mala, would you like to say a few words? No pressure. As a rabb as the rabbi just said, our rabbis are tirelessly working with the permission of my rabbi. I consider myself the luckiest rabbi on the Jersey Shore to be under Rabbi Mansau. I learned so much from you, Rabbi. There isn't a class that we don't have. And therefore, with your permission and everyone here today, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that we have all the money we need for the project. The bad news is the money is still in your pocket. And how does someone access millions of dollars? Jewish people are very different than the world outside. We are not a people of worry and of numbers. We are beyond logic. When he offered a gift to said, "No, no. I I have a lot." Implying there's room for more. Take it. Yakov said, "No. I have means I'm complete. I have everything." A Jew vibrates on the frequency of the creator. Hashem has call. The minute a person feels I have call, I'm complete. Hashem says we we're together. We're in the same ideology. And then much blessing comes to us. The great Rabbi Nakman wrote in the moan if you have coal and you're the child of Hashem and God is infinite for everyone abundance. So why is it we have call? He says three things block the call. Three things block the from coming down. The first is the day you start worrying. Too much anxiety. A little caution is healthy. Like a little black pepper in the salad, but that's it. After that, you leave it up to Hashem in your business, Jack. Don't you see? It's Hashem's hands. It takes the older ones to understand to teach the younger ones. The anxiety and the fear is what causes the influence to block. Contracting in your mind. The minute you're fearful, you contract. When you trust, you let go. Let Hashem take over. You expand. The second thing that blocks the is when someone is too obsessed with something, too needy and too wanting the lack. You stepped out of the cult businessman, you know, if you have a product and you call the buyer and you show him and he says, "I like what I see. I'll get back to you in two weeks." And now every minute you can't. So you start texting him, you start emailing him and you call him 50 times a day. What happens after three days? Cut. Right? He cuts. Why? Someone calls you a h 100 times, you block. The lack shows you're desperate. Nobody wants to do business. When you're desperate, but the wholesomeness, the completeness, the feeling of fullness, everyone's attracted to. There was a woman in our community years ago had a lot of needs from her youth. She was suffered trauma. And as she got married, she said, "I just needed so many things." And her husband's like, "I can't." She had the need to be heard, the need to be seen, the need to be noticed, the need to be apologized to. Then she started learning. She started coming to the rabbi's class, learning, the whole she started learning how to become a bigger person, how to dress majestic. And she became a different person after 10 years. She said, "I feel whole and complete. I feel she deleted her Instagram. She felt great. And on her 20th anniversary, her husband asked her, "So tell me, what do you want for your anniversary?" She said, "This year, I don't want anything. I have the best husband, the best home, the best clothes, the best kids. I'm complete." He said, "Stop. Tell me, really, what do you want?" She said, "Really? I don't want anything." She came to me. He said, "Rabbi, it really works. He really wants to give me." I said, "Hold out until he offers you 10 times and then take." You see the man is attracted to the wholesomeness. That's that's Hashem. A man who's in business and his feeling of giving wholesome. What's the third thing? So again the first is the worry. The second obsession. The third one is after you have the blessing you withhold. Somebody who withholds implodes inside. The blessing dissipates. But somebody who shares, who's large, who gives like in this synagogue, there's no end to the giving of how much? And baraka keeps coming. Withholding is the third thing that cuts the bara. So what are the three? We call it the negative wow. Wow is w worry, obsessive, and withholding. The opposite is the TLC, the trusting, living large, and feeling complete. Few weeks ago, I took my children upstate New York to visit my son in camp. We stopped off at a large eery area. We wanted to get some drinks. Thousands of Goyima coming. There's every type of food place. I hear a woman behind me saying, "Why is my favorite place in the whole world closed?" I turn around. I see Goya. She looks up Chick-fil-A. Closed on Sunday. I see a big sign. It says, "We the founders from 1956, the Troy UT family have firm belief in the creator of the world that Sunday is a day to rest, a day to worship, a day our employees should spend with their families. We'll see you all on Monday." I told my kids, you see, this rule is not just Jewish. It's a universal rule. They don't suffer the wow. Are they worried about their money? Not at all. They be open Sundays. They're closed. Are they obsessed and needy? Not at all. They shut down. They don't withhold. Look at the baraka. They're the number one tenants. They're the number one ery around teaching us that everything in the world is ready for you, but on one condition, says Ran. You want to be in the Yeseshi call. You got to step up. It's like somebody has a billion dollar trust fund for their 18-year-old. If they give it to them, they'll ruin. You have the trust fund. It's all upstairs. How do you access it when you don't worry, you don't obsess, you don't withhold. [Applause] Thank you, Rabbi. So, um the next we're going to go outside and uh have the groundbreaking for the Torah center that God willing will be completed in the next 12 months. Isashm Here's the build. [Music] Can I just have everybody's attention for one second? One second. I just want to say something that I'm remissed. I left out one very, very important rabbi in our shul. And the only reason why I left him out because he doesn't call himself a rabbi, but he's a rabbi. Rabbi Isaac Ydid, who is number one to me. He's my neighbor. Not only he's my neighbor, he's he's the one who told me when we built this shul. Don't worry, it's going to be filled. Well, Isaac Bazatashem, you're going to help me fill this building, right? I love you.