Houston Shabbos of Chizuk

December 21, 2021

On Shabbos Parshas Toldos, Harav Hagaon Moshe Aaron Friedman Shlita visited the city of Houston, Texas – home to approximately fifty Mir alumni – for the Yeshiva’s third Shabbos of Chizuk in the city.

Upon his arrival on Thursday evening, Rav Friedman was hosted for dinner by Mr. and Mrs. Gavriel Berger, recent arrivals in Houston who take great pride in the close relationship Gavriel enjoyed with the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Nosson Tzvi zt”l.

Rav Moshe Aaron then delivered a captivating Chumash shiur at the Kollel; a crowd of close to one hundred people hung on to his every word, imbibing every nuance and subtle detail.

Friday morning began with a vasikin Shacharis. Rav Moshe Aaron shared divrei bracha and chizzuk, first at Torah Girls Academy, then at both the boys’ and the girls’ divisions of Yeshiva Torat Emet. He then visited Dr. Zev Munk, the founder and driving force behind the Kollel, schools as well as the overall growth of the Houston kehilla. At the end of first seder, Rav Friedman went to the Kollel to deliver a Sichas Mussar.

Rav Moshe Aaron davened Mincha and Kabbalas Shabbos at the Young Israel of Houston. A beautiful Friday night Oneg, hosted by Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Friedman, was a truly enjoyable experience for all, with spirited singing and inspiring divrei Torah.

On Shabbos morning, Rav Moshe Aaron davened at the 8:00 am Minyan at the Kollel of Houston, where he also said a shiur. He then went to Heimish for Musaf followed by a Kiddush, where he really connected to the crowd and shared Divrei Torah with them.

Mincha and Shalosh Seudos took place at the Young Israel, where Rav Moshe Aaron shared Divrei Torah as well. He took great pleasure in observing so many fathers and sons learning b’chavrusa with geshmak at the the Avos Ubanim program.

The home of R’ and Mrs. Yaakov Polatsek was overflowing with alumni and community members who came to join the Melave Malka. The excitement and camaraderie were palpable.

Rav Moshe Aaron was blown away by the extent of growth and expansion of the Shul and Kollel, and the city at large, since the previous Shabbos of Chizuk in January 2020, just before Covid. It is mind boggling what influence the Kollel, headed by Rabbi Shlomo Littman and run by Rabbi Moshe Friedman, has had and iy”h will continue to have on the city. In the past year, the city has welcomed twenty-five new families! Rav Moshe Aaron was so impressed by the level of chinuch and the vibrancy of Torah and ruchniyus, that he said he’s eagerly looking to visit whenever the next time is – even if it’s this coming Shabbos!

We thank all our hosts, talmidim and the community at large for a most memorable Shabbos.