A Kollel for the Deaf: From Dream to Living Torah

Some people wait for change. Others make it happen.

At just 32 years old, Rabbi Yosef Toledano decided it was time to bring a lifelong dream to life. Instead of seeing deafness as a barrier, he used it as a bridge, founding a unique kollel (Torah learning center) in Jerusalem especially for deaf Jews. He named it Ma’aseh Nissim , “Acts of Miracles” in honor of his grandfather, the righteous Rabbi Nissim Toledano, who was the head of Be’er Yaakov Yeshiva.

“I started Ma’aseh Nissim about a year and a half ago,” Rabbi Toledano explains. “It’s in the Sanhedria neighborhood of Jerusalem. My grandfather’s legacy gave me the strength to move forward with it.”

Rabbi Toledano's own journey began in Bnei Brak, where he studied as a child at the Razi-Li Talmud Torah, and later at Ateret Yisrael Yeshiva under Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi. He also taught Torah to deaf students at the Nefesh David Yeshiva in Toronto for three years and later studied at Machon Lev (Jerusalem College of Technology).

So how did the idea for this kollel begin?

“It really came out of necessity,” he says. “Deaf people use sign language, and most hearing people don’t understand it. We started to see how many young deaf men, after getting married, tried to join regular kollels but it didn’t work out. They couldn’t communicate with their study partners. These were sincere learners, hungry for Torah, but they didn’t have the right setting.”

And what happened to those students?

“Many were only accepted into regular kollels out of pity, not because they fit in. So they struggled, became discouraged, and eventually left. Some were forced to take jobs just to support their families. But it came at the cost of their spiritual growth. Their homes lost the uplifting atmosphere that Torah brings.”

But at Ma’aseh Nissim?

“Everything changed,” Rabbi Toledano smiles. “When people can really communicate, when their study partner understands them, the learning becomes alive. The scholars here are thriving. They feel understood. They feel equal. When a deaf person learns with another deaf person, it’s a relationship of true respect and connection. They listen. They feel heard. They belong.”

What were some of the challenges you faced when starting this kollel?

“Starting something totally new was scary,” he admits. “At first, I was overwhelmed. Where would the money come from? What if it failed? But in the end, Hashem gave me the courage to take the leap.”

How does the kollel survive, especially with all the financial cuts affecting yeshivas today?

“These challenges are part of our test. We have to show our loyalty to Hashem and trust that He will provide. The yetzer hara (evil inclination) tries to discourage anything holy. But Hashem has endless ways to help us. We must do our part, try hard, believe in the mission, and the rest is in His hands. He’ll send the help through whatever channel is needed.”

What did others say when you started this project?

“Some people said it would never last more than a few months. Others said I should mix in hearing students to keep the deaf students more connected to the ‘regular’ world. They thought a deaf person couldn’t manage a kollel. But that just showed a lack of understanding and a lack of faith. Every person has their own way to communicate. No one is truly cut off from others. I believed that and thank God, the kollel is running beautifully.”

What kind of students learn in your kollel?

“We have a beautiful mix of Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Hasidic, Lithuanian, those raised in religious homes and those who returned to Judaism later in life. Each one has a powerful story. But they all share two things: they can’t hear and they deeply want to listen.”