25th Anniversary Dinner

Imagine the discussion around the Shabbas table. You and your parents discussing your Yeshiva options. Imagine your parents mention that there is a new Yeshiva, in Milwaukee Wisconsin, a city which opitimizes the "out of town" community, with only a small Frum community and a brutal climate. Imagine after all that, with so many more established Yeshiva options available nationwide, you decide to pursue the Milwaukee option. You discover that the Yeshiva has new Rebbeim, fresh from New York who have never run a Yeshiva before. You discover the Yeshiva is renting a few classrooms in a suburban Milwaukee Public School and is utilizing Townhouses over a mile away for a dormitory! But you still decide, WITS is the Yeshiva for you.
These very discussions took place 25 years ago, as WITS, The Wisconsin Institute for Torah Study prepared for its first year. The Yeshiva was untested, unproven, non –accredited, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with new Rebbeim and less then ideal classroom and dorming options, yet 11 boys decided to give WITS a chance that first year.

In spite of all it had working against it, or perhaps because of it, WITS began to develop a special reputation as a Yeshiva which engendered a close connection between its Rebbeim and Talmidim. The Rebbeim also lived in the townhouses, right next door to their Talmidim. Taking advantage of the physical proximity, the Rebbeim were able to become incredibly close with their Talmidim, forging relationships that have withstood the test of time.

Eleven brave souls took a chance on a fledgling institution, putting their trust in their new Rebbeim and the reputation on the Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva system. In the old days, transportation meant an old green van the Yeshiva purchased to ferry the boys around. Unlike many Yeshivas, WITS had little problem with boys attending Shacarais on time. The van left the same time every morning. If you missed it, you walked more than a mile to the Bais Medrash in the freezing cold or stifling heat of Milwaukee.

Walking, of course, was unavoidable on Shabbas. Boys and Rebbeim alike bundled up and trudged to the Bais Medrash on Shabbas morning and home on Friday night. There was plenty of warmth, however, when they got back to their townhouses on Friday night, as their Rebbeim hosted an Oneg Shabbas at their houses every week, a custom WITS maintains to this day.
Every third Shabbas was an "Out Shabbas" where local and Chicago boys could go home. Boys from further away were hosted by the incredibly warm Milwaukee community. Several WITS Talmidim have moved to Milwaukee after their Yeshiva years because of the warmth shown to them by the community. One of them, Rabbi Simcha Guttman, a Rebbe at the local Milwaukee Day School was a part of the original WITS group of 11 boys.

It is important to understand that it wasn’t just high school boys who braved the first years of WITS. Several Bais Medrash students came to learn based on the recommendation of their Rebbe, Harav Hagoan, Rav Henech Leibowitz, Shlita, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yehsivas Chofetz Chaim in Queens, New York. Those early Bais Medrash students set the precedence for the current WITS Bais Medrash, a Yeshiva program of both particular excellence in learning and concern for the wellbeing of the Yeshiva’s high school students. From the first day on, the Yeshiva’s Bais Medrash students have dedicated their free time, after a full 15 hour day of learning, to ensuring the high school students have role models and older friends, "big brothers" if you will they can rely on for help in their studies as well as emotional and haskafic support.

As the first years went by, WITS began to gain a reputation as an excellent Yeshiva both in learning, mussar and academics as well as Rebbe Talmid relationships. Baruch Hashem, as the yeshiva slowly grew in its first five years, WITS was able to purchase its current home, a mansion on Milwaukee’s East Side in 1984.

Since that purchase, WITS has grown precipitously. Having grown to 30 Talmidim by 1985, the Yeshiva grew to 80 Talmidim by 1990. By the mid 1990’s the Yeshiva expanded to it current number of over 125 Talmidm. To accommodate that growth, the Yeshiva added a new, state of the art Bais Medrash building in 2000.

This year, the Yeshiva celebrated its 25th Anniversary at its dinner on June 5th. Among the honorees were our alumni pioneers, many of whom were in the audience.
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation made by WITS alumni on behalf of the newly formed WITS Alumni Association. There are more then 550 WITS alumni across the United States and in four countries. WITS alumni include Roshei Yeshiva, Day School principals, Rebbeim and leaders of the Frum community.

Two of those leaders, Tzvi Ray of Chicago (Class of 1989) and Daniel Lefton (Class of 1991) addressed the community on the importance WITS Alumni see in maintaining a connection with their Yeshiva years after physically leaving.

That connection, however, is no surprise. The Yeshiva would not be here 25 years later and 125 Talmidim strong were it not for the bravery and dedication of its alumni pioneers. The Torah that is learned here today, the strong Kesher, Hashkafa and Piskei Halacha the Rebbeim offer their Talmidim and alumni today are a direct result of those conversations around the Shabbos table 25 years ago. In many ways, the story of WITS is the story of Yidishkeit over the course of our Galus. A few brave souls take a risk for Torah learning and open a path for other to follow. May we be Zoche in their Zechus to merit the Guala Shelamiah.