We Decided to Establish a Kollel in the Garage, and It's Gained Momentum

If you live in Jerusalem and own a car, you may very well have found yourself at the 'Radio Tzil Center' garage at some point. It is one of the well-known garages in the city, with many customers coming in for car repairs, as well as various upgrades, paint, and bodywork jobs. However, recently they have been surprised when visiting the garage to discover that in one of its inner rooms, not far from the rumbling machines and devices, 12 young men are sitting and studying Torah. Yes, a kollel has been established within the garage, and it is fully operational every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

From Two Students to 12

One of the partners responsible for this exciting initiative emphasizes that initially, he wasn't keen to talk about it. "I always knew that blessings rest where things are hidden from the eye, and when we established the kollel, we did it truly for the sake of heaven, not for publicity. But after consulting with my mentor, he told me that it could lead to a sanctification of God's name, so I am being interviewed."

He explains what led to the establishment of the kollel: "It all started when we moved the garage to a new location. While working on establishing and designing the garage, I told my partner that I had a dream – to have a special room in the garage for two scholars to sit and study, in the spirit of the Issachar and Zebulun agreement. We would provide them with a regular stipend, similar to what is given in a kollel. The idea also appealed to my partner, so we began to promote it.

"We quickly discovered that it wasn't easy to find two scholars who would seriously sit and study in a garage. Some were concerned that the noise from the machines would hinder their learning, and others explained that they wanted the atmosphere of a kollel, with other scholars, exams, and a head of kollel. There things stalled, as I didn't know how to progress. Then, one Shabbat, I happened to speak with Rabbi Shimon Muallam – a dear Jew who runs many kollels. I told him about my idea, and he immediately asked if I thought there would be room in the garage for more than two scholars. I replied that I didn't know, and he promised to come and check it out.

"The very next day, Sunday, he arrived at the garage, looked at the room we thought of allocating for the kollel, and told me: 'I will bring in eight scholars here.' We, of course, were very happy about it but clarified that we could only fund two of them. The Rabbi promised he would manage to secure funding for additional scholars. However, we were both surprised when, instead of securing funding for eight more, he brought ten more, so today we have a very large kollel with 12 dedicated and persistent scholars."

"We also had great divine assistance, because just before we started the 'winter time' in the month of Cheshvan, we did renovations and suddenly discovered that a level had been created in the place, which had no official use in the garage itself. It is a very large level, and we quickly realized that providence had caused us to be blessed with it, so it became our kollel."

Investing in Torah and Work

In fact, for several months already, the scholars have been regularly attending the kollel. "We never cease to be excited," the partner says with great satisfaction, "because the atmosphere here has changed. Although we continue to work as usual every day, with about 15 staff members and very intensive work, in between, when I want to take a break and breathe a different atmosphere, I peek into the kollel and enjoy a moment of sanctity. At lunchtime, the kollel door opens, and then we and the customers who want to join participate in the Mincha prayer."

Isn't it difficult for you with this contrast – on one hand, dealing with luxury SUVs and shiny vehicles, and on the other, running a kollel where the essence is Torah?

"I'll tell you the truth – I think that, in the end, even a secular person and even an atheist knows deep down that what truly matters in life is Torah. Work and luxury are fleeting things, and that's not what we'll take with us at the end of the day. Just this week, I heard a beautiful saying about Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt"l – 'He did not have Instagram or TikTok, but he had more than a million followers.' I think that exactly reflects the truth. Therefore, I don't see any problem in the contrast that exists here, nor in the difficulty that arises from time to time, because, in the end, when you are busy with work and customer demands, it is not easy to take responsibility for such a kollel. But for me, it's an immense privilege, and I'm happy every moment the kollel exists here."

"Both my partner and I are sure we have a great privilege in the study of Torah. It is written that a person should invest in 'Torah and work,' not 'work and Torah.' This means that Torah is the most important thing. Unfortunately, I wasn't fortunate to study in a kollel or yeshiva. I'm a technical person, and working in the garage is the only thing I do in my life. But knowing that in the place where I work, there are people whose whole life is the Torah gives me great joy and a lot of strength."

A Study that is a Privilege

What are the reactions of customers who come and discover the kollel?

"There are many interesting reactions. Not long ago, a known public figure visited here, asking to replace windows in his car. Meanwhile, he peeked into the kollel, and when he came out, I saw him with tears in his eyes. He said to me: 'I peeked and was moved. I felt disconnected from the world when I heard their study.' And not only him. There are also customers who have no connection to observing mitzvot, yet they peek into the kollel, and it touches their heart so deeply. There was someone who wanted to donate money for their studies in memory of his father, another customer heard they were having a siyum and wanted to buy them all the refreshments – from start to finish. Even an air conditioner installer came to us, promising to install their air conditioners for free and didn't agree to take any payment for it. He said: 'This is my privilege.' It was evident he was really moved by the idea."

In conclusion, he wishes to note something personal: "Since the kollel was established, I've discovered something interesting – if in the past I thought that studying in a kollel was simple and enjoyable, while we, the working people, toil hard to make a living, I discovered that's not at all the case. The more I experience the daily routine of the scholars, the more I see that being a kollel scholar is not easy at all. They have exams and curriculum they must cover, and generally, it's hard to study all day long. It's an effort and requires a lot. The more I see them, the more I feel I truly admire them. Blessed are they who have been privileged."