History
In 1964, the Rosh HaYeshiva, zt”l, visited his father’s kever in Eretz Yisrael. After this visit, with much guidance and encouragement from his father-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Herman, zt”l, the Rosh HaYeshiva zt”l decided to move Yeshivas Torah Ore from Bensonhurst, New York, to Eretz Yisrael. As such, Yeshivas Torah Ore became the first ‘American’ Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael.
Rabbi Scheinberg, zt”l, had already established himself as a venerable Talmid Chacham and Gadol in America. Having received his smicha at the age of 19, and then traveling to the Mir in Europe, the Rosh HaYeshiva had the opportunity to learn under some of the greatest Torah Giants of the previous generation. From the Meitschter Ilyui, Rav Shimon Shkop, and Rav Moshe Soloveitchik, to Rav Lazer Yudel Finkel, Rav Yeruchom Levovitz and Rav Yechezkel Levenstien, Rabbi Scheinberg had the unique opportunity to learn under Gedolei Torah on two separate continents
When the Rosh HaYeshiva resolved to make this transition, he was not alone. Accompanying him and his Rebbitzin on their courageous and unique voyage were HaRav and Rebbitzin Chaim Dov Altusky and HaRav and Rebbitzin Simcha Scheinberg, seven families and twenty bochrim. The Yeshiva was housed temporarily in the Diskin Orphan Home, where it was to stay until the conclusion of the Six Day War. After the war, preparations got underway to construct a building for the yeshiva in the Mattersdorf section of Yerushalayim. In 1971, in recognition of the Rosh HaYeshiva’s status as a renowned posek, he was approached to become the Dayan and Morah Horaya of Kiryas Mattersdorf. Prior to his appointment, the installation of an American Rabbi as the posek of an Israeli neighborhood was never established. Nevertheless, Rabbi Scheinberg quickly became famous in Eretz Yisrael as a Gadol BeTorah. Whereby, his scholarly wisdom and clear p’sak was appreciated by past and present Gedolei Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael. He earned the respect and appreciation of all the other Gedolei Hador. Given his command of the English language and ability to relate to the average American the Rosh HaYeshiva was endeared to the many young Americans who were moving to Eretz Yisrael in the 1970’s. He was also sought after by the Yerushalmi and overall Israeli population who quickly found their way to his ever open door. In the same year that the Rosh HaYeshiva was made Dayan and Morah Horaya of Kiryas Mattersdorf, Gedolei Torah and important people were present at the ground breaking ceremony for the new, now famous location, on Rechov Sorotzkin. Among them was HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, with whom the Rosh HaYeshiva remained close until Rav Shlomo Zalman’s passing. The Rosh HaYeshiva gave a moving speech which he ended by saying ‘Nedari laHashem ashalem bisochachi Yerushalayim.’–‘His commitment to Hashem he will fulfill in the midst of Yerushalayim.’ This was the beginning of the fulfillment of his promise to build the yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael. Today we see the fulfillment of this promise, with the development of Yeshivas Torah Ore into a citadel of Torah.
However, the jewel of the Rosh HaYeshiva’s crown remained the Overseas Program. This program gave him the courage and wherewithal to start the Yeshiva and continues to fulfill the Rosh HaYeshiva’s legacy each and every day.