It was, in a sense, both the culmination and beginning of a movement. What began as a dream by a group of baalei batim to restore the glory of the yungeleit, the first step in which was to ensure a more respectable sum for the kollel check. To that end, a group of baalei batim began a peer to peer campaign to raise a staggering budget of more than $60 million annually. The response from balei batim from across the spectrum was overwhelming- thousands of yungeleit started receiving kollel checks of $1,000 a month, and a $750 bonus an almost 300 percent increase from the kollel checks they had been getting until then.

The phenomenal amounts being raised showcased a shifting perspective. Yungeleit are  being placed on the pedestal that they so well deserve, and the honor restored to those who spend their days immersed in pure, unadulterated limud hatorah. As the Rosh HaYeshiva HaRav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler shlit”a said, “we’re living through a moment of great reawakening”.

With the Kollel checks  being dispersed every month, organizers behind the initiative felt the movement should be taken to the next level with an event for everyone to partake in honoring lomdei Torah.

And what an event it was! It was the joy of simchas torah, the jubilant achdus of Purim and the delight of Shavous all rolled into one incredible evening.  For the first time in a generation, the yungeleit- those immersed in pure torah learning for its own sake were honored by 25,000 participants.  It was a transformative night, as the thousands who came recognized  those that sit by the shtenders completely engrossed in learning and unbridled by the outside noise. It was an evening to laud the yungeleit- and the yungerman in all of us.

Rabbi Yosef Heineman serves as Executive Director of Beis Medrash Govoha

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 929)