When I settled in Baltimore in 1979, it was understood that “learning in kollel” meant the kollel of Ner Israel, established just 20 years prior. Today, 250-plus kollel fellows learn at Ner Israel’s Kollel Avodas Levi, and dozens more learn in other local kollels, which seem to have sprung up overnight. In part two of this series, I highlight some additional kollels that contribute to Baltimore’s reputation as a makom Torah, a place that is conducive to growth in Torah.

The Baltimore Community Kollel

In March 2000, the Baltimore Community Kollel opened its doors as an early morning kollel with an inclusive mission to enhance the love of Jewish learning and practice for all Jews – young and old, learned and novice – regardless of background or level of observance. In Elul of 2003, the morning kollel was transformed into a full-time kollel. (It is the longest running full-time kollel within city limits.) The Kollel bought its current building on Labyrinth Road in 2005 and moved in almost 20 years ago.

When I settled in Baltimore in 1979, it was understood that “learning in kollel” meant the kollel of Ner Yisrael, established just 20 years prior. Today, 250-plus kollel fellows learn at Kollel Avodas Levi (subsequently named in memory of Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Yitzchak Ruderman, zt”l) in one of the five to seven chaburos (learning groups, see sidebar), with guidance from its Rosh Kollel, Harav Ezra Neuberger. Yet, dozens more men are learning in other local kollels, which seem to have sprung up overnight. Here are just some of them.

Kollel Nachlas Yosef

“There’s a real energy in the beis medrash, and everyone is shtieging,” says Rabbi Aron Tendler, rosh kollel of Kollel Nachlas Yosef. Named in memory of Rabbi Yosef Tendler, zt”l, longtime menahel of Ner Israel’s high school, the kollel was founded to ensure that young men entering the workforce or who are in school have a place to learn with the same intensity and enthusiasm they experienced during their yeshiva years. It is open to those who want to learn long term, short term, or even one seder (session, see sidebar) a day.

The kollel, under the guidance of seder rosh chabura, Rav Shimon Greenwald, started with 12 yungerleit (young married men); another seven, who are learning in Eretz Yisrael, joined for the month of Elul. To create an environment of intense and enthusiastic learning, the kollel yungerleit learn in one chabura (learning group) in one beis medrash, where they can take advantage of the great group dynamic and enjoy the ru’ach haTorah (the atmosphere of Torah) that comes from such an experience.

Morning and afternoon sedarim at Kollel Nachlas Yosef are held in its beis medrash on Smith Ave. For night seder, the kollel joins the many bnei Torah learning in Derech Chaim (Rav Pinchas Gross’ new shul). “Indeed, it is a wonderful testament to the amazing people of our kehilla that so much Torah is being supported throughout our community. And it is inspiring to see how many people come to learn after a long day at work,” says Rabbi Tendler.

One of the proudest, most memorable moments of my life occurred soon after I turned six years old, when my name appeared in our local paper, the New Haven Register. And, thanks to my mom, a”h, who was as sentimental as I am, I have it documented in the original yellowing clipping, headlined, “Register Fresh Air Fund Reaches Total of $18,637.”

The Register Fresh Air Fund was an initiative of our hometown paper to raise money to send local indigent children to camp. Together with my neighborhood friends, Beth, Lizzy, and Lynn, our Lemonade, Cookie, and Candy sale raised $21, a respectable donation, considering we charged a mere two cents per item!

This is the third and final installment of a multipart series for which I polled local shul-goers about their favorite shul. The truth is that Baltimore is blessed to have many favorite shuls.

New Home, New Shul

“My husband and I joined Ohel Moshe when we first moved to Baltimore, just a year or two after the shul started,” recalls Yael Friedman. “Like many shuls, it started in a house, and there has been so much change and expansion since then – both in the kehillah and in the building. Our main draw was the same as that of so many of the shul’s early members – Rabbi Teichman! My husband knew him as his principal in TA and loved the idea of joining his kehillah. Rabbi Teichman is still the heart of the shul. He really understands people and knows how to connect, and his drashos are straight from the heart. He even acts as the candy man, because he wants all of the children of the shul to feel comfortable with him.

When I moved to Baltimore in 1979, you could count the number of shuls on one or two hands. If a fellow congregant didn’t show up for a minyan, you worried. I venture to say the number of shuls have quadrupled, at least, are bursting at the seams. Many of them have expanded or are in the midst of expansion. Nowadays, there is no need to worry if Tom, Dick, Moshe, or Miriam are not in shul. No doubt, they are at another local shul enjoying a simcha!

In this multi-part series, I’ve polled local shul-goers and asked, “What is your favorite shul and why?” Here are some of their answers.

When Chaya* got back from seminary and started to explore career options, her priorities were that it should be family-friendly, something she enjoys, and that the schooling would not put her heavily in debt. She had worked in office management but wanted something more meaningful. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, she got a job teaching at Bnos Yisroel’s middle school.

“I decided to teach, having no idea if I would be successful or not,” recalls Chaya. “Teaching was very demanding with a lot of prep work to do at home, but I loved it and found it very fulfilling.”

Bnos Yisroel started raising teachers’ salaries while Chaya was teaching there. She says this made it more feasible for her to teach. But even more importantly, it was a very concrete statement about how the school values their teachers.