Central Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim - 770

Located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn at 770 Eastern Parkway, Tomchei Temimim Central (United Lubavitcher Yeshiva - U.L.Y.) is the yeshiva operating in the Rebbe's courtyard. It serves students who have completed their studies in Yeshiva Gedolah and come to immerse themselves in Torah study in the Rebbe's presence. Nearly 90% of Chabad yeshiva students worldwide study at this yeshiva for at least several months before their wedding, with many completing their rabbinic ordination studies there (especially students from yeshivas outside Israel).

As of 2024, the yeshiva has approximately 500 students and is headed by Rabbi Shneur Zalman Labkowski.

HistoryEdit

The first Tomchei Temimim yeshiva in the United States was founded on 9 Adar II 1940, the day the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived in America.

Some of the first students were from "Achei Temimim" who had previously studied Chassidus with Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson. This is why during its early period, the yeshiva was called "Achei Temimim."

For about nine months, classes were held in one of the Chabad synagogues in Brooklyn. In Cheshvan 1941, the yeshiva moved to its new building - 770 Eastern Parkway. In Adar 1972, with the Rebbe's blessing, the yeshiva moved to the Chovevei Torah building. In 1993, it returned to 770 Eastern Parkway where it remains until today.

Throughout the years, the yeshiva students received special attention from the Rebbe, particularly during the years before his leadership and in the early years after accepting leadership. The Rebbe's door was open to students, providing personal guidance and showing them great affection and closeness.

The yeshiva operated under the Rebbe's presidency until 1957, when the Rebbe removed his presidency from the yeshiva.

DormitoryEdit

The students' living quarters have changed several times throughout the yeshiva's existence. When the yeshiva was established, a building was purchased for dormitory and dining room near Rogers and Atlantic Streets, against the Frierdiker Rebbe's wishes. In 1954, when the dormitory was at Troy and Lincoln Streets, the Rebbe visited and inquired about various halachic practices of the yeshiva students.

Many years later, the yeshiva acquired another building at 749 Eastern Parkway (located across and to the left of 770). With Chabad's growth, there was an urgent need to acquire another building to house many students. In 2001, with the help of Mr. Robert Beren, the construction of building 1414 (known in Chabad parlance as "fourteen fourteen") was completed, providing dormitory rooms for about 300 students.

Currently, Kvutza students from Israel and many international students reside in building 1414 on President Street, while Israeli yeshiva graduates staying for additional years of study live in 749 Eastern Parkway.

Dining HallEdit

Students in the yeshiva's dining hall when it was in Bedford. Like the dormitory building, the dining hall's location also moved several times. In the yeshiva's early years, the kitchen was located at 676 Eastern Parkway, and from there it moved several times until it reached its current location in the basement of the dormitory building at 1414 President Street.

Every year, the Temimim studying in the yeshiva merited the Rebbe's visit to the dining hall on the first night of Pesach during the Seder. On these occasions, the Rebbe would discuss various matters.

Yeshiva Staff Throughout the YearsEdit

Yeshiva Staff: Rabbis Yisroel Yitzchok Piekarski, Yitzchok Dov Ushpal, Yisroel Zev Gustman, Chaim Melikovsky, Mordechai Mentlick, Shmuel Levitin, Pinchas Korf, Yehoshua Korf, Shalom Marozov, Yitzchok Springer, Yekusiel Rapp, Yoel Cohen, Levi Yitzchok Kahana.
Administration: Rabbi Shmarya Gurary, Chairman.
Spiritual Committee: Rabbis Mordechai Mentlick, Shmuel Levitin, Shalom Marozov, Yisroel Shimon Kalmanson, Dovid Raskin, and Shneur Zalman Labkowski.
Physical Committee: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Weinberg, Tzvi Yosef Kotlarsky, Rabbi Avrohom Rosenfeld. Reb Yosef Yitchak Wilmowsky.

Following a financial dispute between the yeshiva and Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, in 1996 the court appointed as guarantors for the yeshiva's financial obligations the "Yeshiva Committee": Rabbi Shneur Zalman Gurary, Shalom Ber Gorodetzky, Mendel Dreisin, Shlomo Dreimer, Leibel Zisman, Eliyahu Cohen, Shmuel Melamed, Leibel Kimel, and Yosef Yitzchok Sternberg.

Current Yeshiva StaffEdit

Rosh Yeshiva: Rabbi Shneur Zalman Labkowski.
Roshei Mesivta: Rabbi Yekusiel Lippa Feldman, Rabbi Avrohom Azdaba, Rabbi Yaakov Kopel Goldberg, Rabbi Yisroel Labkowski, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Potash, Rabbi Gedaliah Rosenblum, Rabbi Shalom Dovber Gurary, Rabbi Mendel Wischetzky.
Mashpiim: Rabbi Shlomo Zarchi, Rabbi Michael Chanoch Golomb, Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kaplan, Rabbi Shmuel Avtzon, Rabbi Mordechai Sternberg, Rabbi Mendel Krasinsky, Rabbi Mendel Gurary, Rabbi Shneur Wilhelm, Rabbi Binyamin Wilhelm.
Mashgichim: Rabbi Gedaliah Bluming, Rabbi Yechimlek HaCohen Friedman, Rabbi Elchanan HaLevi Labkowski.
Kvutza Students Union Staff: Rabbi Yisroel Kaplan, Chanoch Cohen, Rabbi Shalom Dovid Geisinsky, Rabbi Pinchas Tzvi Margolis, Rabbi Shlomo Yaakov Wilhelm, Rabbi Chaim Meir Zalmanoff, Rabbi Hillel Raskin.
Semicha Studies Respondents: Rabbis Yaakov Gurevitch, Aharon Liberow.

Physical StaffEdit

Director: Rabbi Moshe Meir Gluchovsky
Dormitory Manager 1414 President: Rabbi Shalom Dovber Brod
Dining Hall Manager: Meir Zweibel
Office: Rabbi Shalom Spillman, Rabbi Mendel Yunik