Reb Dovid Dryan z”l’s name remains largely unknown

Living Higher

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his week, a ceremony was held in Gateshead, England, to dedicate 20 new homes, primarily for kollel avreichim, in memory of Rabbi Dovid Dryan z”l. While Gateshead itself enjoys widespread fame in today’s Torah landscape — with thousands of talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah crediting their accomplishments to the years they spent in the legendary Gateshead Yeshivah — Reb Dovid Dryan’s name remains largely unknown. Yet those who know Gateshead’s history are aware that its success is in large part due to his efforts.

Some 100 years ago, Reb Dovid, a child of Radin, arrived in Gateshead to take up a position as the shochet. Soon afterward, he and a core group of talmidim established a small yeshivah, in defiance of all opposition. It was this small chaburah that ultimately blossomed into the Gateshead Yeshivah.

Reb Dovid himself was not blessed with children, but generations of yeshivah students are all, in a sense, his spiritual children.

The Real Winners

When a student in the middle school of Far Rockaway’s Darchei Torah lost his father, all his classmates and peers felt the loss. Many of the boys went to be menachem avel, and the rebbeim discussed an appropriate initiative l’illui nishmas their beloved talmid’s father.

They decided to use Asarah B’Teves — a day that is often difficult for students, particularly those fasting for the first time — as an opportunity for focused learning. A special program was arranged in which the entire student body would learn Mishnayos throughout the day, dividing the perakim among themselves, with the goal of completing a siyum together. To encourage participation, the boys were told they would be entered into a raffle drawing where three winners would receive the dollar amount of the minutes they had learned.

On Asarah B’Teves morning, the program was scheduled to begin at 9:40 a.m. By 9:25, dozens of boys were already seated and learning. Ultimately, about 400 boys participated.

The follow-up siyum was scheduled for the shloshim. The program included 20 minutes of learning followed by the siyum, light refreshments, and the raffle drawing. The boy who had lost his father was asked to draw the tickets. The first two winners had learned 20 minutes each, and the third ticket listed 16 minutes of learning — and it bore the name of the bereaved boy.

The students broke into spirited applause, but later, it became clear that this had been more than just a serendipitous pick. Numerous boys had individually decided to write the name of their friend on their raffle tickets instead of their own. And at that moment it became clear that the true winners were a People in whom care, kindness, and compassion are embedded from the youngest age.

Overheard

“Rav Shlomo Kluger writes that just as there are a certain number of neshamos that need to be born before Mashiach comes, so too there is a certain amount of Torah that needs to be brought forth and published in the world. Talmudo B’Yado is bringing Mashiach ever closer.”

—Rav Reuven Hechster, Mashgiach of Beth Medrash Govoha

The new mashgiach shared this thought at the yeshivah’s annual Talmudo B’Yado Melaveh Malkah, celebrating the publishing of 63 new kuntresim.

Majesty at the Mir

Photos: Daniel Nefoussi Photography

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n Rosh Chodesh Adar, an event hosted by the Mir Yerushalayim underscored the singular value placed upon dedication to Torah. Under the banner of Malkei Rabbanan — literally translated “The Kingly Rabbis,” thousands converged upon Yerushalyim’s Pais Arena to join in song and inspiration as a unified force, rejoicing in the treasure they committed to upholding so many centuries ago.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1101)