American-Russian Jewish leadership and FREE officers are very proud by what they see developing in the second and third generation of Russian-Jewish immigrants: Torah education and a commitment to Yiddishkeit. As FREE marks its 36th anniversary, they are encouraged by the continued progress.Students at the FREE “Yeshiva Ohel Dovid” High School are literally transformed from the kind of Judaically empty life led by their grandparents in the former Soviet Union into one of studying Torah and observing the mitzvoth. They increasingly identify with Jewish history and Jewish values.
The students spend a good part of their days studying the Talmud, Jewish law, Jewish history and the weekly Torah portion. They also fortify themselves with the inner dimension of Judaism by studying the Tanya and Chabad Chasidus. Graduates of the yeshiva have testified about the profound effects their yeshiva education has had in their growth as human beings and as Jews.
Back in 1969 the Greenstein family began sending their boys to the FREE Yeshiva right after it was founded. At the time it was located in the famous Yankel’s Shul at 711 Eastern Parkway, lucky enough number. In the ensuing years both the Greenstein boys and the yeshiva grew by leaps and bounds.
The Greenstein boys grew into men and started their own families. David Greenstein, second generation immigrant, wanted to impart the same knowledge and experience he had so he sent his sons Rafi and Benni to FREE’s Yeshivah, where they study now. David Greenstein’s sister, who attended FREE’s women’s seminary, sends her sons to Camp FREE-Gan Israel. Many other FREE program alumni are enrolling their children in FREE Camps, Schools and After-School Programs.
“This is the greatest 36th birthday present we can get,” remarked Rabbi Mayer Okunov, Chairman of FREE, “to witness the next generation of Russian-American Jews learning and benefiting from our programs as children and now as parents. They are reaping much nachas as are we.”
