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Nov. 25, 2005
Bringing more Judaism
New rabbis mean more programs for PTI, city.
KYLE BERGER
If the saying “two is company and three is a crowd” is
true, the Pacific Torah Institute – Yeshivah Tifferes Moshe
Aharon (PTI) finally has the crowd it had been waiting for.
This fall, Rabbi Aaron Kamin joined rabbis Noam Abramchik and Dovid
Davidowitz to become the third dean of the yeshivah.
Yeshivah Chofetz Chaim, the New York-based parent organization of
PTI, has a model based on the idea that each school needs three
deans in order to reach its highest potential.
“Having [Kamin] as staff here is revolutionary for us because
we are now able to do things and expand the way we weren’t
able to before,” said Davidowitz. “Having a third partner
now gives us a lot more flexibility and now everything we do will
be even better.”
Although PTI has operated successfully under the guidance of only
two deans until this year, Abramchik and Davidowitz had Kamin in
their sights all along.
The three studied together in New York and Israel for many years
before Abramchik and Davidowitz came to Vancouver. Kamin, however,
was the head of the yeshivah of Roslyn, N.Y., at the time and couldn’t
make the move until his contract expired.
“The first person in our minds [to be the third PTI dean] was
Rabbi Kamin,” Abramchik explained. “By the end of our
first year, it was very evident that he would be able to come out
here. So we got exactly who we wanted.”
For Kamin, the chance to move so far away from life in New York
is actually what he is most excited about.
“Our vision all along was that after studying in a yeshivah
for many years, we would then go out and spread our knowledge,”
he said. “The further from New York you are, the fewer Jews
there are and the greater [the] sanctification of God’s name.
If there wasn’t some culture shock, it wouldn’t be the
right place.”
Some of the programs that will grow with the addition of Kamin include
a joint program for King David High School students and another
that has brought four post-high school yeshivah students from New
York. The older students study with and mentor the younger ones.
Kamin, his wife Rochel and their five daughters will officially
be welcomed to Vancouver in an open house on Nov. 26 at the home
of Sid and Ruth Erlichman. The open house, which will run from 7:30
to 10 p.m., will also kick off PTI’s annual raffle draw, which
features prizes such as a diamond ring and a trip to New York.
For more information, call 604-261-1502.
Lubavitch grows into the downtown core
There is finally a centre for Judaism in the downtown core of greater
Vancouver. It is at the home of Rabbi Binyomin Bitton and his wife,
Malky.
Bitton, who came to Vancouver to join forces with Lubavitch B.C.
last year, moved downtown this summer and began setting up multiple
programs to bring Judaism to Jews living in, working in or even
visiting Vancouver.
“A study has shown that there are about 2,000 Jews living downtown,”
said Bitton, who is based in Yaletown. “But since we have moved
here, we have found more who have recently moved here. There’s
no synagogue here, so we are working on building a community here.”
Bitton has initiated a variety of programs for the downtown Jews,
including kaballah classes, Shabbat dinners and services, which
have attracted more than 30 people, and a roving team of yeshivah
students who wander from building to building getting as many as
possible to put on tefillin each day.
“One person came to me after one of the services and he was
crying,” Bitton said of the support he has received from the
community. “He said that this was the first religious service
he had ever been to.”
Bitton led High Holy Day services at the B’nai B’rith
Manor and even held a Tashlich service at David Lam Park.
His goal is to bring as much Judaism to any Jew as he possibly can.
“The Lubavitcher rebbe taught us that we are to look upon every
single Jew as being a diamond,” he said. “A diamond can
have a little bit more or a little less, but a diamond is still
a diamond and is still precious.”
Bitton has also fielded a lot of calls from Jewish visitors looking
for information on local candle- lighting times, where to get kosher
food or just looking for a place to pray.
For more information about Bitton and his services, call 604-266-1313.
Kyle Berger is a freelance journalist and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
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