The Commentator

Back in 2005, several members of the Washington Heights community who had affiliations with Yeshiva University came together with the idea for a community synagogue. Led by recent YU graduates Jona Rechnitz and Hillel Kamionski, the group consisted primarily of YU alumni and their spouses. They had a joint desire to create a communal setting where residents living in Washington Heights would be able to daven together in an environment different than that already provided by the Main Beit Midrash.

The group approached Yeshiva University President Richard Joel and Dr. Hillel Davis, the Vice President of University Life, with their idea and were given full support for the formation of the communal synagogue. Dr. Davis recalls, "I thought it was an opportunity worth pursuing; I believe there is real educational and experiential value in enhancing the sense of community here in the Heights among students, rabbeim, faculty, alumni and friends."

The setting for the new synagogue was found in the Shenk Shul, which previously held the congregation of Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik for many years before it was eventually donated to the Yeshiva. The building lay dormant for a number of years, but was eventually renovated and used to house the students of the Irving I. Stone Beit Midrash Program. The Shenk Shul had not been in use on Shabbat, yet the convenience of its location and the esthetics of the synagogue’s architectural design made it the perfect choice as home for the new congregation. A weekly Shabbat morning service began under the title of Yeshiva Community Minyan and quickly became popular among its intended audience – YU alumni living in Washington Heights.

After a year of operation, the members of the community decided that it needed to have a formal Rav for their synagogue to properly oversee the growing congregation. To that end, various authorities were consulted regarding who the community Rav should be, and Rabbi Shmuel Maybruch was chosen. Rabbi Maybruch, who also serves as a sho’el u’meishiv of the Chullin Chaburah of the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel of RIETS and a S’gan Mashgiach at YU, formally assumed his position as congregational Rabbi in the beginning of February 2007.

Since his appointment, Rabbi Maybruch has seen an explosion of growth in the weekly attendance for the Shabbat morning services. He attributes the growth to three primary sources: the members of the Washington Heights community, which includes married couples and singles living in the area, most of whom are alumni of YU; students currently enrolled in YU who want an alternative to the beit midrash davening that is serious and uplifting; and people from the Bennett Avenue side of Washington Heights who have come to enjoy the particular style of the services.

Aryeh Mayefsky (YC ’06), the primary gabbai of the Yeshiva Community Minyan, added that he is not surprised by the success of the congregation. "The shul has grown so much because it features the community aspect of Mount Sinai and the yeshiva aspect of YU combined into one.  What surprises me is that only a few years ago the community existed without a community shul."  

Daniel Schreiber (YC '05), the secondary gabbai of the Yeshiva Community Minyan, agrees with Rabbi Maybruch, and adds that the most attractive features of the congregation include the lively and energetic davening, the beautiful sanctuary which features stained glass windows, as well as the balcony seating for the women attendees. In addition, he says some members of the extended YU/Washington Heights community may feel that they do not fit in with the style of the Main Beit Midrash. "There's a sense of youth and novelty that doesn't exist in the Main Beit Midrash," Schreiber noted.

Rabbi Maybruch added that the balcony setup allows the women in attendance to feel comfortable with their prayers. "The balcony adds to their feeling of grandeur and gives them the opportunity to daven and sing comfortably without the need to be overly concerned about the halakhik issues of kol isha since the men can’t hear them."

Rabbi Maybruch excitedly reported that during this past Yom Kippur the Yeshiva Community Minyan had over 400 people in attendance for services. He described it as a very emotional and uplifting tefillah which featured additional singing from both the Baal Tefillah and the congregation.  "People have said that it was the longest Yom Kippur davening they had ever experienced, but at the same time, despite the difficulties of fasting, it was theYom Kippur when they looked at their watch the least number of times." The packed Yom Kippur services consisted of many different sorts of worshippers, from Mechinah students through RIETS students and alumni.

Current plans for expansion include a Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat service, as well as Mincha on Shabbat afternoons, complete with Seuda Shelishit. Rabbi Maybruch feels that it has been essential to create a strong base within the weekly Shabbat morning services before an attempt is made to provide further events from the congregation.

"One of the important things we want to do is use this minyan to be mechazek the community. If our shul remains just a minyan, I would consider it to be a failure. We want a place where people can feel part of a community. We strive for balance between a yeshiva environment and that of a frum, shomer halakha shul," Rabbi Maybruch remarks.

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