"Rejoice and sing, O dweller of Lakewood, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Yisroel" — Report of the visit of the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a yesterday in Lakewood for the benefit of our great new and magnificent beis medrash.

"And you shall draw water with joy from the wellsprings of salvation"

At around 4:15 the Rebbe arrived in Lakewood, where the Rebbe traveled to the home of the host, R' Yaakov Tzvi Tov. From there the Rebbe traveled to the home of the distinguished philanthropist R' Shmuel Bender, who pledged a generous sum for the great new beis medrash.
"Mah mikveh metaher": Afterward, the great ceremony of "pouring the foundations" for the mikveh in the new beis medrash took place, where the Rebbe poured in the foundation. Also participating in the ceremony was the Sokolow Rebbe of Lakewood shlit"a. The Rebbe honored him with pouring the foundation for the mikveh, and afterward honored the rabbonim of Lakewood. Then a lechayim gathering took place in the beis medrash with the participation of the rabbonim of Lakewood and a huge crowd of chassidim. At the lechayim gathering, HaGaon Rabbi Mordechai Betzalel Klein shlit"a, Av Beis Din and Dayan of our kehilla in Lakewood, spoke first. Then the Rebbe delivered words of Torah and spoke about the greatness of the sanctity of the mikveh, and bestowed his holy blessings. Afterward the Rebbe davened Mincha in the sanctuary of our new beis medrash.

At around 7:00 the Rebbe arrived at the home of the distinguished philanthropist R' Sander Markowitz, the donor of the mikveh, for a banquet and seudah in honor of Rosh Chodesh together with the benefactors and supporters. At the banquet, the chairman of the event, R' Yaakov Hersh Teitelbaum, R' Yoel Reisman of Eretz Yisroel, and R' Yaakov Yosef Spitzer spoke, expressing the dear affection of the chassidim and residents of Lakewood for our great new beis medrash. Then HaGaon Rabbi Moshe Panet, the Dayan of Lakewood, the Spinka Rebbe of Lakewood shlit"a, and HaGaon Rabbi Malkiel Kotler, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, spoke. Then the Rebbe delivered words of Torah and spoke about the importance of having a place for Torah and tefilla, and at length praised the benefactors and the leaders of the kehilla, especially the donor of the mikveh, the distinguished philanthropist R' Sander Markowitz. After the words of the Rebbe, the Rebbe distributed to the benefactors a "Haggadah Lev Aharon" and inscribed it with his holy signature.

During the banquet, esteemed singers presented songs and praises, among them the singer of Rabbi Yisroel Adler of Eretz Yisroel.
"At the lavish banquet, an astronomical sum of over two million dollars was raised for the completion of the building of the great, new and magnificent beis medrash." "The glory of this house shall be great!"

After the banquet the Rebbe went into the library of R' Sander's home, where the signing of the pledge documents took place for the distinguished philanthropist R' Sander, donor of the mikveh; the distinguished philanthropist R' Yechezkel Leider, who purchased the merit of the name of the second room; and the distinguished philanthropist R' Eliyahu Klein, who purchased the merit of the name "Ner LaMaor" for the entire beis medrash. Then the Rebbe davened Maariv and inspected the mikveh in the home of R' Sander.

Afterward the Rebbe paid a visit to HaGaon Rabbi Moshe Panet shlit"a, Dayan of Lakewood, in which the Rav and Dayan of our kehilla in Lakewood shlit"a participated. Then he paid a visit to HaGaon Rabbi Malkiel Kotler shlit"a, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, where a pleasant conversation took place. From there the Rebbe set out to return to his holy residence in Kiryas Joel.

"When the tzaddik is in the city, he is its splendor, its radiance and its glory."

"Mikveh Yisroel moshiyo besles tzara"


▫️ Satmar News 🌴 ▫️