Kew Gardens Hills is a truly singular neighborhood. It is filled with shuls and chashuve rabbanim, a wide array of chesed organizations, and, above all, a spirit of genuine achdus. In honor of the upcoming 50th anniversary tribute dinner for Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita, I had the privilege of speaking with Rav and Rebbetzin Oelbaum about the beginnings, challenges, and growth of their k’hilah over the past half century.
Kehilas Nachlas Yitzchok, founded in 1975, was the seventh shul established in Kew Gardens Hills. At the time, the Rav and Rebbetzin were living in Kew Gardens. When they came to view the house and the shul next door, the real estate broker asked whether the Rav had a heimishe following that would be joining him. When the Rav replied that he did not, the broker doubted that the shul would succeed. The Rav answered simply, “It is up to Hashem,” and time proved him correct. In those early years, men would walk from Kew Gardens just to ensure that the minyan would hold.
Not everything was smooth at the outset. Rav Oelbaum shared that he was troubled by the amount of talking during davening. He spoke to the mispalelim many times and even suggested a trial month with no talking at all, but the atmosphere remained the same. At one point, the Rebbetzin even suggested that perhaps they should pack up and leave.
Instead, the Rav took a remarkably bold step. He announced that the shul would be closed the next Shabbos and would reopen only for those prepared to commit fully to kevod ha’t’filah and refrain from talking during davening. The reaction was immediate. Some mispalelim were upset, and the president of the shul threatened to resign. Rav Avigdor Miller strongly supported the decision, and a Flatbush gabbai encouraged the Rav not to back down, hoping the move would influence his own k’hilah as well.
The Rav and Rebbetzin spent that Shabbos in Brooklyn. The following week, an extraordinary 98 percent of the mispalelim returned, ready to embrace the higher standard. From that point forward, Nachlas Yitzchok became known for its decorum and seriousness in t’filah. To this day, no one speaks during davening, not even during the Mi SheBeirachs.
At a national conference addressing how to restore the stature of the rabbinate to what it once was, Rav Oelbaum expressed a core principle. “If rabbanim want respect, they should learn and become real talmidei chachamim. They will feel fulfilled and will do their jobs better.”
The Rav’s teaching schedule today is truly extraordinary. He is in his seventh Daf Yomi cycle and delivers the daf twice each day. On Monday nights, he teaches a hashkafah shiur for both men and women. Over the years, the class has studied Tanya, Shaarei T’shuvah, Nefesh HaChaim, Ruach Chaim, Pele Yo’eitz, and numerous other foundational works. He is currently teaching Zera Shimshon.
His well-known Shabbos morning parshah shiur, held from 8:10 until 9:15 a.m., draws attendees from many shuls across the neighborhood. The Rav focuses on offering meaningful insights that listeners can bring into their everyday lives, and he distributes written handouts each week. He also leads a seudah sh’lishis filled with divrei Torah and chasidus delivered in Yiddish.
There is also a shiur on the Thursday night before Shabbos M’varchim, which features singing and cholent. The Rav serves as a nasi for the Oraysa program, in which men learn an amud a day. He plans to participate in upcoming dinners for the program in Trenton and in Manchester, England, and another branch is underway in Eretz Yisrael.
Just this week, Rav Oelbaum returned from speaking at a business halachah conference attended by 350 participants.
The Rav is also a prolific author, with 20 s’farim to his name. His works include two chalakim of Minchas Chein on sugyos in Shas, as well as volumes on Hilchos T’shuvah of the Rambam and on the Haggadah Shel Pesach. He has also published two chalakim of Sh’eilos U’T’shuvos Minchas Chein, and a fourth cheilek is scheduled to be released shortly.
In addition, the Rav has accumulated he’aros on the entire Shas. He has published the he’aros on eight masechtos under the title Gilyonei Minchas Chein. Three additional works were published in the last five years: Chukas HaTaharah on Hilchos Niddah, now in its fourth printing; Chukei Chayim on Hilchos Aveilus; and Piskei Minchas Chein on the Shulchan Aruch, of which the first cheilek has already been released.
Beyond all this, Rav Oelbaum has over 3,500 shiurim available on Torah Anytime.
The Rav reflected on the privilege of watching generations grow within his shul. He described seeing a baby’s bris milah, later serving as that same man’s m’sader kiddushin, and now attending the bris milah of that man’s child. He takes deep pride in his balabatim and in their dedication to learning, spiritual growth, and refining their midos.
When asked what guidance he would offer to young rabbanim, the Rav shared the following:
“There is a perception that today’s balabatim are not the same m’vakshim they once were, that people are on a lower level and the rav has to adjust. It is not true. The rav should have expectations of them. He should raise their level of learning and challenge them to keep rising.
“Shul is not a service provider where the rav must focus on keeping everyone content. Every mispalel should feel that he is giving, that he has something important to contribute. Speaking honestly and making demands of one’s balabatim is not an insult. It is a compliment; it shows respect.”
He also shared an additional point quoted in Mishpacha Magazine, noting that a shul should feel like a family. The Rebbetzin echoed this sentiment and added that the members of the shul are true friends.
Rav Oelbaum was born in Teschen, Czechoslovakia, to HaRav Yitzchok Oelbaum zt”l, for whom Kehilas Nachlas Yitzchok is named. His father served as a rav in several cities before and after the Holocaust. After losing his wife and five children during the War, he later remarried, and Rav Oelbaum was born from that second marriage. In 1950, the family moved to Hamburg, Germany, where his father held a prominent rabbanus for one year. They later moved to Toronto, Canada, where he opened a shul and published Sh’eilos U’T’shuvos Sh’eilos Yitzchak.
Rabbi Marty Katz, a well-known community member, shared, “The Rav has an ability to draw the arba kanfos of Orthodoxy because he has a common language with each group. The s’farim he quotes and the messages he presents resonate with all of them.” (Mishpacha Magazine)
Mr. Bernie Shafran, president of Congregation Nachlas Yitzchok, added, “It is a large shul, baruch Hashem, but the Rav sees only individuals. He is a baal eitzah as well as a poseik. The light in his study is on late into the night, and he is available not only to his own k’hilah but to people outside it as well.” (Mishpacha Magazine)
The Rav’s study, filled from floor to ceiling with s’farim, reflects his lifelong devotion to Torah. His passion illuminates his home, his shul, and the entire community.
We are truly blessed to have such a distinguished rav and rebbetzin whose dedication enriches Kew Gardens Hills and all of klal Yisrael. May Hashem bless them and their family with good health and continued success.
*****
The 50th Anniversary Tribute Dinner honoring HaRav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita, marking more than 50 years of steadfast leadership and service to our community and klal Yisrael, will take place, b’ezras Hashem, at The Sands on Sunday night, December 7. For reservations and tribute submissions: RAYZE.IT/KNY
By Susie Garber
