[COMMUNICATED] Throughout the summer, Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel Waterbury has played host to numerous talmidim from various programs who have headed to Connecticut to take advantage of the yeshiva’s stunning new Durham campus. Several groups enjoyed the expansive facility during the first few weeks of the summer, with Camp Degel HaTorah of Lakewood the most recent camp to take advantage of the yeshiva’s rolling acreage, manicured sports fields and beautifully appointed beis medrash. Approximately 25 miles away at the yeshiva’s main campus in Waterbury, bochurim from a Satmar yeshiva have been soaking up the community’s unique ambiance while contributing a wonderful flavor of their own to the local area….
The bochurim are part of Shvil HaTorah L’Metzuyanim, a yeshiva for young men from the Satmar kehilla who are over 20 years old and have yet to find a shidduch. With many boys from the Satmar community marrying at a relatively young age, those who are unmarried by the age of 20 or 21 find themselves at a crossroads; while there is no yeshiva geared towards them, joining the workforce is unsound for today’s bochur.
Founded By the noted askan Rav Chaim Yidel Levinger, with just 30 young men, the yeshiva has soared in popularity, growing to an enrollment of over 100 and as spring evolved into summer, the hanhala found itself looking for a facility that would allow the yeshiva to continue into the warmer months. Renowned in all circles for his mission to keep all bochrim in the Yeshiva system, Rabbi Ahron Kaufman, Rosh HaYeshiva at Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel Waterbury was approched to open up his Yeshiva’s Beis Medrash and dormitory to Shvil HaTorah L’Metzuyanim
“Doing this is 100 percent part of our mission statement,” explained Rabbi Kaufman who has dedicated himself to establishing Waterbury as a hub for Bnei Torah. “It makes no difference if they are Chasidim, Sefardim or Litvish; these are boys who really need a place to be and we are honored to open the yeshiva up to them.”
Six Rabbeim from Yeshiva Shvil Hatorah are spending the summer months in Waterbury with their families. Having not just the bochurim of the Satmar kehilla in Waterbury, but also their Rebbeim and their families, has been an incredible experience, one that is adding an extra dimension to the the community, providing remarkable benefits to all. “The achdus has been incredible,” reported a community member
The first three weeks of July, the Satmar bochurim and the talmidim of YASW had a chance to spend time together, with both groups gaining tremendously from the experience.The Satmar bochrim heard shiurim from Rabbi Kaufman and from some other Rebbeim of Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel Waterbury. The Satmar hanhalla and bochrim are hoping that the Waterbury Yeshiva can figure out a way to be able to extend its stay in Waterbury until Rosh Hashana.
“It has been such a positive experience,” noted Rabbi Kaufman. “We have done everything we can to make them comfortable and it is beautiful to see what mekablim they are and how their Rabbeim work with them. We look forward to having more chances to open up our yeshiva and our community to others, so that Waterbury can continue to give all bochurim the opportunity to forge an everlasting commitment to life as Bnei Torah.”
