Tomchei Tmimim Brunoy

Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch Yeshiva in Brunoy, under the Rebbe's leadership, was founded in 5707 (1947) by the instruction of the Frierdiker Rebbe. Today, the yeshiva is considered one of the largest and most famous Chabad yeshivas, including both a small yeshiva (yeshiva ketana) and large yeshiva (yeshiva gedola) with approximately 380 bochurim. The yeshiva is located in Brunoy, in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, 20 kilometers from central Paris.

The yeshiva was established in the summer of 5707 (1947), shortly after dozens of Anash families escaped from Soviet Russia in the famous escape. Most of the departing chassidim settled in refugee camps in Germany and Austria.

The Frierdiker Rebbe invested tremendous efforts, and through his representative in Europe, Rabbi Binyamin Eliyahu Gorodetsky, succeeded in transferring the first group of Anash from Austria to Paris, France on the 12th of Iyar 5707 (1947). Among the chassidim in that group were: Rabbi Betzalel Wilshansky, Rabbi Nachum Shmaryahu Sassonkin, and Rabbi Isser Kluvgant.

Initial Location and Move to Brunoy

Immediately upon the group's arrival, they began searching for a suitable place for educating the youth. The boys were sent to study in the Rothschild synagogue in "Bois de Boulogne". They were divided into two classes: one studied with Rabbi Nachum Trabnik, and the second with Reb Mordechai (Mottel) Lokshin. Thus, Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim was established in France.

Not long after, another group from the refugee camps in Austria came to France. At the end of Menachem Av 5707 (1947), several Anash arrived, led by the chassidim: Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, Rabbi Yosef Goldberg, and Rabbi Nachum Lebkovsky, and were housed with the help of the Joint in the town of Brunoy, in the suburbs of Paris.

The Brunoy Campus

The building provided to the refugees by the Joint was particularly suitable for the yeshiva's needs. It was a large, old palace with two floors, formerly belonging to the French government, called "The Small Palace" (in French: "Petit Château"). The ground floor contained two large rooms and about eight smaller ones. The second floor had about thirteen small rooms, which housed the yeshiva bochurim and Anash families who lived there.

The palace was surrounded by a huge courtyard with many fruit trees and pools. One large pool was used for swimming during the summer months. There was also a small, square pool fed by a spring with clear, pure water, which was sometimes used for morning tevila when the mikvah was closed.

Excellence in Yeshiva Leadership

Beyond all the aforementioned qualities, the Yeshiva's administration was outstanding. The members of the administration were great Chassidim, among the lions of the group, who were already famous in Russia as individuals of exceptional stature: HaRav HaGaon Rav Yosef Goldberg served as Rosh Yeshiva, the renowned Rav Shlomo Chaim Keselman served as Mashpia, HaGaon HaChassid Rav Nachum Labkowski served as Mashgiach, and HaGaon HaChassid Rav Nachum Trebnik and HaGaon HaChassid Moshe Robinson (Karalevitcher) served as Ramim. In addition to the spiritual staff, the famous Chassid Rav Yisroel Noach Blinitzky was appointed as the physical administrator.

Above the active administration team, the Frierdiker Rebbe established a spiritual and physical committee for the Yeshiva, personally selecting its members, as detailed in his aforementioned letter to the Yeshiva administration: "...Hereby I appoint as the spiritual management committee for Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Paris, my distinguished friends, Rav Avraham Elya [Shai] Plotkin, chairman Rav Nachum Shmarya [Shai] Sassonkin, Rav Yisroel Noach Shai Blinitzky, Rav Shlomo Chaim [Shai] Keselman and Rav Betzalel Shai Wilshansky, as vice-chairmen.

And for the financial management committee and physical arrangements, I hereby appoint my distinguished friends Rav Yisroel Noach Shai Belinitzky as chairman, Rav Peretz Shai Matzkin, Rav Isser Klubgant, Rav Chaikel Shai Chanin, Rav Yisroel [Shai] Leibov, Rav Chaim Shai Minkovitch, Rav Shmuel Betzalel [Shai] Althoiz, and Rav Shai Budnevitz, as vice-chairmen."

To assist the Yeshiva administration, who were not sufficiently fluent in the country's language, there was also a Jew named Shachtov who knew French well and served as the Yeshiva's liaison with the outside world. After some time, he was replaced by another Jewish young man named Meir Fidelis.

1948 - Arrival of Additional Group with Rav Nissan Nemenov to the Yeshiva

A new phase in the Yeshiva's development began when groups of Anash started arriving from German camps like Pocking, along with the students of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Pocking who later formed the majority of students in Brunoy. Additionally, their leader, the famous Mashpia Rav Nissan Nemenov, brought a new spirit to the entire Yeshiva and shaped its unique character.

Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur of 1948, the first group from Camp Pocking arrived at the Yeshiva. This group consisted only of bochurim, unlike other groups that arrived mainly with families.

With the arrival of this group, the crowding in the Yeshiva reached an unbearable state. To solve this problem, several apartments were rented in a place called the "Pyramid" (named after a column that stood there) about a kilometer from the Yeshiva. The more veteran students were sent to sleep there while the new ones remained sleeping in the Yeshiva itself. Until this solution was implemented, beds were arranged in the zal itself where some of the bochurim slept.

The Frierdiker Rebbe made great efforts and invested much energy in the immigration of the groups from Pocking. The Rebbe's efforts bore fruit and at the beginning of 1948, groups began arriving from Pocking and other camps in Germany.

In Kislev 1948, another group arrived from Pocking led by the famous Mashpia Rav Nissan Nemenov and HaGaon HaChassid Rav Zalman Shimon Dvorkin with their families.

Rav Nissan Nemenov was appointed as the chief Mashpia and Yeshiva manager, and Rav Zalman Shimon as the chief Mashgiach in Nigleh.

Development of the Yeshiva

According to the Rebbe's instructions, over the years the yeshiva absorbed Chabad students from Morocco and Tunisia. Their studies at the yeshiva helped bring them closer to the path of Chassidus.

Throughout the years, the yeshiva and its head Rabbi Nissan Nemenov received hundreds of different instructions from the Rebbe. Among other things, the yeshiva would receive a telegram from the Rebbe before each holiday, like all major Anash centers.

There are several special expressions from the Rebbe about the yeshiva. Once the Rebbe said: "Brunoy dos iz a vinkel fun yiras shamayim" (Brunoy is a corner of fear of Heaven).

In winter 1962, the Rebbe sent the first group of shluchim students to the yeshiva in Brunoy, France.

The Yeshiva in Recent Years

In 1992, in the Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach sicha, the Rebbe mentioned, following his discussion about the French Revolution, that today there are yeshivas in France "similar to Lubavitch." Since then, the phrase "similar to Lubavitch" became the yeshiva's motto.

In 1997, a new building was inaugurated in the yeshiva with a large and spacious zal, an elegant dining room, mikvah, and dormitory rooms. When the yeshiva administration showed the planned building model during dollars distribution, the Rebbe instructed that at least 121 bochurim should sleep in the dormitory rooms, an instruction that was of course fulfilled.

In Adar 2010, comprehensive renovations began in the old palace building, which culminated in 2013 with an elegant three-story building containing a large and spacious zal for the yeshiva ketana, additional classrooms, yeshiva offices, and a sophisticated laundry room.

The yeshiva complex has two mikvahs - one old (in which the Baba Sali immersed during his stay at the yeshiva in Brunoy) and one in the new buildings. As part of the renovations in the old building, the mikvah was also renovated, completed in 2015. The yeshiva complex also has a synagogue where the local Anash community prays. During the week, they pray in a caravan that was brought to the site at the beginning of the renovations. On Shabbos, they pray in the yeshiva ketana's zal. After the renovation, they will pray there permanently.

Today (as of 2023) about 380 students study in the yeshiva.

In the yeshiva ketana, students are mainly from France and Europe, but in the yeshiva gedolah, bochurim study from all over the world - from the United States, France, Eretz Yisrael, Australia, and many other places.

Publications

France - Paratzta

The yeshiva regularly publishes (starting from Yud Shevat 5752) a weekly internal Torah novellae collection called "France - Paratzta", and occasionally publishes collections distributed worldwide. The yeshiva has also published the book "Ner LeMeah" containing one hundred pilpulim from European rabbonim in honor of the Rebbe.

Additionally, an annual collection (starting from 5764) of notes and pilpulim from French rabbonim, yeshiva rabbonim, and students is published.

The publications and editing are done by the notes committee, consisting mainly of senior bochurim of the yeshiva and usually under the shluchim talmidim.

Yeshiva Staff

General Administration

• Rabbi Yechiel Menachem Mendel Kalmenson - Rosh Yeshiva and Ram for Shiur Gimmel
• Rabbi Yitzchak Nemenov - Spiritual Director
• Rabbi Shneur Zalman Segal - Spiritual Director for Shiur Alef and Beis
• Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurevitch - Physical Director
• R' Shmarya Brook - Physical Director
• R' Shimon Lasry, R' Herschel Drukman - Secretary

Yeshiva Gedolah Staff

Mashpiim:

• Rabbi Yisroel Segal - Mashpia for Shiur Beis
• Rabbi Avraham Wolf bar Nachman - Mashpia for Shiur Alef
• Rabbi Nechemia Bluming - Mashpia for Shiur Gimmel
• Rabbi Yeshaya [son of R' Yitzchak] Nemenov - Learns and teaches Chassidus and Shulchan Aruch

Ramim:

• Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Friedland - Ram in Nigleh for Shiur Beis
• Rabbi Yekusiel Kalmenson bar Yechiel Menachem - Ram in Nigleh for Shiur Alef
• Rabbi Shmuel Morozov - Ram in Nigleh for Shiur Beis
• Rabbi Elchanan Dov Morozov - Ram in Nigleh for Shiur Alef
• Rabbi Menachem Mendel Ozen - Ram in Nigleh and Mashpia for Tiferes Menachem

The position of learning and teaching is regularly filled by several shluchim talmidim who are sent to the yeshiva each year.

Current Yeshiva Ketana Staff

• Rabbi Yoel Eidelman - Spiritual Director of grades 2 and 3 Yeshiva Ketana
• Rabbi Shmuel Brodovitch - Spiritual Director of grade 1 Yeshiva Ketana
• Rabbi David Furst - Mashpia of grade 3 - Born in Holland to Rabbi Yitzchak Paarst, the Rebbe's shliach to Amstelveen, Holland. Studied and was educated in Brunoy and later at the Central Tomchei Tmimim 770. In 1993 he married his wife from the Lipsker family.
• Rabbi Elchanan Wilhelm - Rosh Mesivta in Nigleh grade 3
• Rabbi Shimon Eisenbach - Rosh Mesivta in Nigleh grade 3
• Rabbi Mendel Abrams - Mashpia grade 2
• Rabbi Mendel Edelman - Rosh Mesivta in Nigleh grade 2
• Rabbi Shmuel Lebkowski - Rosh Mesivta in Nigleh grade 2
• Rabbi Yirmiyahu Nathan - Mashpia grade 1
• Rabbi Nachum Pinsan - Mashpia grade 1
• Rabbi Shalom DovBer Lasry - Rosh Mesivta in Nigleh grade 1
• Rabbi Shmuel Frankel - Rosh Mesivta in Nigleh grade 1

Founding Staff of the Yeshiva

• Rabbi Yosef Goldberg - Served as Rosh Yeshiva for thirty-seven years
• Rabbi Zalman Shimon Dvorkin (later Rav of Crown Heights) - Served as head Mashgiach in Nigleh studies
• Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman (later Mashpia in Tomchei Tmimim Kfar Chabad) - Served as Mashpia for about a year until he moved to Eretz HaKodesh
• Rabbi Nissan Nemenov - Served as Yeshiva Mashpia until his passing in 1984
• Rabbi Nachum Lebkowski - Served as Mashgiach until his passing
• Rabbi Hillel Pevzner (later served as Rav and Av Beis Din of Vaad Rabonei Lubavitch France) - Served as Maggid Shiur and Mashgiach
• Rabbi Nachum Trebnik - Served as Maggid Shiur for about a year until he moved to Eretz HaKodesh
• Rabbi Moshe Robinson - Served as Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Yisroel Noach Blinitzky - Served as Physical and Spiritual Director, also managed the Yeshiva's accounts
• Rabbi Zalman Levitin - Served as Mashgiach for Chassidus
• Rabbi Aharon Yosef Blinitzky - Served as Mashpia
• Rabbi Yisroel Lebkowski - Served as Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Shalom DovBer Nemenov - Served as Maggid Shiur
• Meir Fidelis - A French bachur who assisted the Yeshiva administration who were not fluent in French

Former Yeshiva Staff

• Rabbi Shmarya Matusov - Mashpia in the Yeshiva, currently serves as Head Mashpia in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Poconos
• Rabbi Yehuda Lipsker - Mashpia grade 1 Yeshiva Gedola, currently serves as Mashpia in grade 2 of Yeshivas Chassidei Chabad Lubavitch - Tzfat (Gedola)
• Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Meir Teichtel - Rosh Mesivta grade 2 Yeshiva Gedola
• Rabbi Emanuel Chaviv - Rosh Mesivta in the Mechina for Yeshiva
• Rabbi Yosef Cohen - Rosh Mesivta grade 3 Yeshiva Ketana

See Also

• France

Further Reading

• HaTamim issues 15, 16, 17
• Beis Moshiach issue number 130 (Adar 1997), pages 53-74. Special article marking 50 years since the Yeshiva's establishment (1947-1997)