Yeshiva Gedola of Carteret

(L-R) Rabbi Yaakov Mayer and Rabbi Azriel Brown with Rabbi Aharon Feldman.

The yeshiva was founded in 2006 by Rabbi Azriel Brown and Rabbi Yaakov Mayer, both graduates of Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, the Mir yeshiva in Jerusalem, and Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore.[1][2] With the backing of Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, and Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky, among numerous others, Rabbis Brown and Mayer decided to open a yeshiva in the suburban north Jersey town of Carteret. Carteret had previously boasted a Jewish community with two synagogues in the 1950s but its Jewish presence had dwindled since then, to the point that it was no longer able to support the remaining synagogue, a Jewish community center, which closed in 2002. Garson Gruhin and Lou Raiman, remaining board members of the Jewish community center who worked hard to preserve Jewish life in Carteret. Garson Gruhin along with his son Mark I. Gruhin, Esq., arranged to transfer the former synagogue and community center building and an adjoining five-bedroom rabbi's residence to the yeshiva.[2]

Exterior view of main building – formerly a Jewish community center

The yeshiva opened in September 2006 with 14 students. Initially, Donya Brown and Chani Mayer, wives of the founders, handled the food preparation and bookkeeping for the fledgling institution, and each family hosted all the students in their home for one Shabbos meal. As enrollment grew and the students began staying in the Yeshiva full-time, the Browns and Mayers took an active role in each student's education, personal growth, helped them with shidduchim (marriage proposals), and even hosted their sheva brachos (festive meals held during the week after the wedding).[2]

In 2014 Rabbi Heshy Fireworker became the Mashgiach of the yeshiva.

In 2015 Rabbi Yaakov T. Biderman, became the executive director of the yeshiva. Biderman is an alumnus of the Yeshiva, who was intimately involved in its operations as student and remained involved throughout the years in between. He also founded the Alumni Association in August 2013, with the help of Zecharya Michelsohn.

In 2017 the Roshei Yeshiva founded the Mesivta of Carteret, placing Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Roth in the Rosh Mesivta role, after several years as the Night Seder Shoel U'meishiv. The Mesivta started with a ninth grade for the 2017–2018 school year, with Rabbi Chaim Motechin being the Ninth Grade Maggid Shiur. Later they brought in Rabbi Yisroel Daskal to be the Tenth Grade Maggid Shiur, Rabbi Roth is the Eleventh Grade Maggid Shiur and Rabbi Brown is the Maggid Shiur for the twelfth grade. Rabbi Reuven Pelberg is serving as the director and principal of the General Studies department.

Program

Partial view of the beis medrash (study hall) during seder

The yeshiva is an all-male Lithuanian (Litvish)-style Talmudic college. Currently, it consists of a mesivta (high school) program.

The Mesivta's studies are broken into two halves. The first half of the day is focused on Talmudic texts and rabbinic literature, mussar (Jewish ethical literature) and practical halacha (Jewish law). The second half of the day is focused on general studies, including math, history, science, language arts, computers, business economics, public speaking and more.

Rabbi Mayer answering a student's question.

• Rabbi Azriel Brown, Rosh Yeshiva
• Rabbi Yaakov B. Mayer, Rosh Yeshiva and Twelfth Grade Second-Seder Rebbi
• Rabbi Heshy (Yisroel Tzvi) Fireworker, Mashgiach and Eleventh Grade Bekius Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Roth, Rosh Mesivta and Eleventh Grade Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Chaim Motechin, Ninth Grade Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Yisroel Daskal, Tenth Grade Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Simcha Hollander, Ninth Grade Navi and Mussar Rebbi
• Rabbi Avrohom Ribiat, Eleventh Grade Navi and Halacha Rebbi and Tenth Grade Mussar Rebbi
• Rabbi Trenk, Twelfth Grade Bekius Maggid Shiur
• Rabbi Yaakov T. Biderman, Executive Director

• Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky
• Harav Reuven Feinstein
• Harav Aharon Feldman
• Harav Eliyahu (Elya) Brudny

In December 2008, the yeshiva celebrated a Hachnasas Sefer Torah, the traditional festivity upon the completion of a new Torah scroll. Several hundred guests came to Carteret for the procession, including several eminent Torah figures. Noe Street was barricaded off to outside traffic as the crowd wound its way to the yeshiva building accompanied by live music and dancing.[1]

In September 2011, the yeshiva held a kesivas osios (Torah scroll-writing ceremony) in Lakewood for another new Torah scroll, that was to be dedicated after Sukkos 2011. The Hachnosas Sefer Torah took place in Carteret.[3]

In August 2013, an alumni association was formed by a group of yeshiva alumni, spearheaded by Rabbi Yaakov T. Biderman (now executive director of the yeshiva), with the involvement and backing of the Roshei Yeshiva. Their motto is "By the alumni, for the alumni". The alumni association's primary goal is to keep the alumni united as a group, in order to network and support each other in both personal life and beyond. They arrange get-togethers, share simchas, and keep the alumni connected with their rebbeim.

In October 2012 the yeshiva building experienced substantial damage from Hurricane Sandy. The flooding reached nearly 2 feet (0.61 m) above the main floor, as well as damaged dormitory houses. One dormitory, hit by the flood and by an explosion from a neighboring building, was condemned by the township. Total damage was estimated at close to $200,000.[4]

• Home page
• Alumni association page and form