Yeshiva Gedola of Carteret
Yeshiva Gedola and Mesivta of Carteret (Hebrew: ישיבה תפארת יהודה אריה) informally, "YGOC", also called Yeshiva Tiferes Yehuda Aryeh, is a yeshiva and non-profit organization located in Carteret in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. History. The yeshiva was founded in 2006 by Rabbi Azriel Brown and Rabbi Yaakov Mayer, both graduates of the Mir yeshiva in Jerusalem, and Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore, talmidim of Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg the son-in-law of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, and of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky, a very close Student of Reb Shlomo Heiman. With the  backing of Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky, and Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, 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. The yeshiva opened in September 2006, starting with a small group of 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). In 2014 Rabbi Heshy Fireworker a Brother-In-Law of the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mayer, 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 Yeshiva restarted with a new chapter. Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Roth a close Talmid of the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum ZT"L, and [Lihavdil Bein Chaim Lechaim] Reb Elya Brudny Shlit"a, together with the Roshei Yeshiva, founded Mesivta of Carteret. Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Roth is The Rosh Mesivta. The Mesivta started with 12 student in the new Ninth Grade for the 2017–2018 school year. Rabbi Chaim Motechin was brought in to be the Ninth Grade Maggid Shiur. For the Tenth Grade, they brought in Rabbi Yisroel Daskal to be the Tenth Grade Maggid Shiur. Rabbi Roth is the Eleventh  Grade Maggid Shiur. Rabbi Fireworker is the Twelfth Grade First-Seder Maggid Shiur. For the Second-Seder they brought in Rabbi Yaakov Cyperstein to be the Twelfth Grade Second-Seder Maggid Shiur. The year prior, The Two Roshei Yeshiva did the Twelfth Grade. Rabbi Brown First-Seder, and Rabbi Mayer Second-Seder. In 2021, the Roshei Yeshiva started their new Yeshiva Gedola, with a First-Year Beis-Medrash from the graduating Twelfth Grade class. Rabbi Brown is giving Shiur to the First-Year Beis-Medrash First-Seder & Rabbi Mayer is giving the Bais-Medrash Shiurim Second-Seder. The Yeshiva currently  has close to 70 Students. Program. The yeshiva is an all-male Lithuanian (Litvish)-style Talmudic college. Currently, it consists of a mesivta (high school) program. Curriculum. 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. Hachnasas Sifrei Torah. 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. 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. Alumni association. 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. Hurricane Sandy. In October 2012 the yeshiva building experienced substantial damage from Hurricane Sandy. The flooding reached nearly 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.