From Constantia and Muizenberg, from Tableview and Milnerton, from Claremont and Sea Point, the community flocked to bid farewell to the bachurim of the Chief Rabbi Cyril and Ann Harris Yeshiva of Cape Town last month.
Those present in the home of the Yeshiva, Beit Midrash Morasha loudly endorsed the well deserved tribute paid by the current chairman, Lance Katz.
He noted that the Yeshiva was the only Torah based learning facility which was community-based, and its success over the past 14 years was due in large measure to the ability of the bachurim to interact with all sections of the community, promoting their core values of Israel centred Torah Judaism.
He paid tribute to Selma Glass who had retired earlier in the year, after being involved with the Yeshiva since its inception.
Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe Ordman emphasised the role model provided by the bachurim — at Herzlia, at shabbatot in various communities and above all at one-on-one chevrutot. Over the years many hundreds of individuals had enhanced their Jewish knowledge via the Yeshiva. He referred to the fifth bachur, Meir ben Abu, who had returned to Israel in December and had become ill. He had seen him on a recent visit to Israel and was pleased to report that he was making an excellent recovery.
Speaking on behalf of the chevrutot, Jonathan Isaacs of Milnerton told of his fairly recent connection with the Yeshiva and what a huge difference this had made to his life.
Michael Steinmetz, Eliran Mazaltarim, Elad Alfassi and Tziwi Grunwald were each presented with a book on Cape Town as a memento of their year of service. Each responded briefly and Michael spoke on behalf of the group, whose exciting and innovative year in Cape Town was portrayed in a slide presentation.
Eliran closed the evening with a siyum on having completed a portion of Gmarra and this was followed by a seudah mitzvah at which refreshments were served.
