His dream was to build a living monument to the litvish Torah world decimated in the Holocaust
Title: “The Greatest Yeshivah Faculty of All Time?”
Location: Ponevezh Yeshivah, Bnei Brak, Israel
Document: Ponevezh Yeshivah Fundraising Brochure
Time: 1957
The vision of the great Ponevezher Rav, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, was to rebuild a lost world. He assembled an unparalleled staff of Torah greats under one roof: Rav Shmuel Rozovsky brought the distinct learning style of Rav Shimon Shkop; Rav Dovid Povarsky came with the legacy of the Mir in Poland; Rav Chatzkel Levenstein supplied the towering mussar of Kelm; and Rav Shach added his experience from Kletzk. And that’s just the senior staff! The junior rebbeim could hold their own, with Rav Chaim Friedlander eventually becoming mashgiach , and the Steipler’s promising young son-in-law Rav Shlomo Berman already making an impact in the yeshivah. Rav Berel Povarsky and Rav Gershon Edelstein carry on the tradition at the helm of Ponevezh today.
Did You Know
The Mashgiach Rav Chatzkel had sojourned far and wide prior to his appointment at Ponevezh, having served as a mashgiach in Kletzk, Lomza–Petach Tikvah, and in the Mir in its various incarnations in Poland, Shanghai, New York, and Yerushalayim. Rav Shach reached Ponevezh in 1952 after a similarly lengthy itinerary: Kletzk, Stolin-Luninitz, the Yishuv Hachadash in Tel Aviv, Novardok, Lomza-Petach Tikvah, and Kletzk-Rechovot.
Did You Know
As a young talmid in Telshe, the Ponevezher Rav had been opposed to the mussar movement. Despite his previous position, he hired some of the greatest mussar giants as mashgichim in Ponevezh in Bnei Brak. As his dream was to build a living monument to the litvish Torah world decimated in the Holocaust, he felt that the talmud Torah of Kelm should be immortalized through the likes of Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler and Rav Chatzkel Levenstein as successive mashgichim.
(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 817)
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Orioles, After 115 Losses, Part Ways With Showalter and Duquette
Baltimore Manager Buck Showalter, right, with shortstop Jonathan Villar after the team's final game of the season on Sunday. Showalter was fired Wednesday.Credit...Patrick Semansky/Associated Press
By The Associated Press
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles will continue their rebuilding project without Manager Buck Showalter and the executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, who were fired Wednesday after the team finished with the worst record in the major leagues.
With Duquette procuring the talent and Showalter making it work on the field, Baltimore snapped a run of 14 straight losing seasons and made the playoffs in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
But the Orioles finished 75-87 in 2017 — losing 19 of their final 23 games — and this year staggered through a 47-115 season, the worst since the team moved to Baltimore in 1954.
The club issued a statement Wednesday night that read, in part: “We thank Dan and Buck for their many contributions over the past several years. Under their leadership, prior to the 2018 season and for six consecutive years, the club delivered competitive teams playing meaningful baseball into September.”
Showalter and Duquette have contracts that expire at the end of October.
A three-time A.L. Manager of the Year, Showalter ranks second on the Orioles’ career list with 669 victories, trailing Earl Weaver. He took over in August 2010 and orchestrated the resurgence of a floundering franchise.
Once hailed for making baseball in Baltimore relevant again, Showalter, 62, is out of a job after a season in which the Orioles finished 61 games behind Boston in the A.L. East.
Before opening day, Duquette signed the free-agent pitchers Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner. He also spurned trade offers for the pending free agent Manny Machado with hopes that the Oriolescould be a contender in 2018.
It never happened. Baltimore went 8-20 in April and owned a 19-50 record on June 16. Just over a month later, before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline, Duquette tore apart the roster by swapping Machado, Zach Britton, Jonathan Schoop and several other veterans for 15 minor league prospects and international signing bonus slot money.
He won’t be around to see this rebuild to the finish. Brian Graham, the director of player development, will handle day-to-day oversight of baseball operations while the Orioles search for Duquette’s successor.
Showalter earned A.L. Manager of the Year honors in 2014 after taking the Orioles to the division title and a berth in the Championship Series. He was also chosen Manager of Year with the Yankees in 1994 and Texas in 2004. His career record is 1,551-1,517, including 669-684 with Baltimore.
“I just think ever since he came here, the franchise just gained a little more accountability, gained an edge for some time,” Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said before the final game of the season. “It’s the end of an era. A great manager, a great tenure. I don’t know if he’s going to coach or manage again, but he’s got grandchildren. Go golf. Relax and go sit on the golf course.”
Duquette joined the Orioles in November 2011. Baltimore reached the postseason in 2012, the first of five successive seasons in which Baltimore finished at least .500.
Duquette’s tenure in Baltimore featured the crafty signing of the free agents Nelson Cruz and Mark Trumbo, both of whom led the majors in home runs with the Orioles. But Duquette also signed the right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who went 32-42 over the length of a four-year, $50 million contract, and Baltimore is still paying the price for the seven-year, $161 million deal offered to slugger Chris Davis before the 2016 season.
Davis batted .168 this season, the lowest batting average by a qualifier in major league history, and he struck out 192 times over 128 games.
Duquette, 60, replaced Andy MacPhail as Baltimore’s overseer of baseball operations. Before that, Duquette enjoyed successful tenures with the Boston Red Sox from 1994 to 2001 and the Montreal Expos from 1987 to 93. The Red Sox reached the playoffs three times under his guidance.
The Orioles say they will hire an executive from outside of the organization to lead the baseball operations department. That person will be in charge of choosing a new manager.
All credit goes to The Associated Press and The New York Times
