About Our Yeshiva
Yeshivas Chosein Yehoshua, known informally as Bienstock's, was created for the bochur who is serious about his learning and wants a smaller, warmer program and the ability to make a kesher with choshuva rabbeim. The Yeshiva's theory is that an immersive Gemara-learning experience is the best cure, and in this way one who seeks to grow spiritually and emotionally will reap great dividends.
​
At the same time, our rabbeim do promote direct avodas hamiddos and are on hand to support, advise and encourage. The faculty list is a roster of incredibly caring individuals, and our talmidim take proper advantage of this opportunity. At Chosein Yehoshua, one will frequently encounter bochurim deep in conversation with rabbeim, and very many have regular chavrusashafts with them.
​
The Yeshiva also offers an unbelievable array of eighteen different chaburos and vaadim weekly to round out learning and perspective. Topics such as Mussar, Halacha and Machshava are covered, and many of the chaburos are small enough that conversation is stimulated and each bochur gets individual attention.
​
With about 70 bochurim and 30 avreichim, each one adds a facet to our Yeshiva family, and our ruach is a product of their diverse personalities. Our talmidim form life-long relationships with their rabbeim and friends, and the connections made in Yeshiva, as well as the connection made with the Yeshiva, remain in our talmidim's hearts as they move on to lives of Harbatzas Hatorah, Limud Hatorah and Kiddush Hashem.
Features of Our Yeshiva
Fully Equpped Diras
Rather than having to scrounge the neighborhood for modest living accommodations, bochurim in Chosein Yehoshua are provided with modern, fully equipped diras in the same building that houses the Beis Medrash. The Rosh Yeshiva oversees the room assignments to give every bochur the best opportunity to make healthy relationships.
Daily Meals
Five days a week, three quality meals are served by our beloved chef, Reb Ephraim Gottesman, in our large dining room. Fridays come with a special service of bagels for breakfast, and many Shabbosos have meals provided as well.
Chaburas
Each bochur at Chosein Yehoshua is expected to deliver a chabura on the current sugya approximately once per zman. This forces him to achieve a clarity he might not otherwise have gained, and gives him confidence in both his learning and public speaking skills.
Weekly Q-and-A
The Rosh Yeshiva's legendary hashkafa lessons, gleaned from his close relationships with gedolei Yisroel and over thirteen years in chinuch, are served over steaming cholent and potato kugel each Thursday night. Our talmidim submit written questions on a determined topic and are given unique guidance on intricate matters – a benefit they will keep as they move into adult life.
Guest Speakers
Each alternate Wednesday, a guest speaker is brought to share a new perspective and offer chizuk and hischadshus. Past speakers have included such luminaries as Rav Gamliel Rabinovich, Rav Gershon Ribner and Rav Shmuel Baron, and all are thought-provoking and contribute to a rich spectrum of ideas taught at Chosein Yehoshua.
Shabbos in Yeshiva
The beauty and serenity of Shabbos in Yerushalayim is felt poignantly in Yeshivas Chosein Yehoshua. Our Shabbos davening attracts a wide group of bochurim from local yeshivos. The Yeshiva offers an incentivized hachana program to encourage the talmidim to view over Shabbos the Gemara intended to be covered the following week, and there is a seder on Motzei Shabbos with Melaveh Malkah served.
The Yeshiva frequently offers Shabbos meals so that the talmidim can spend time with each other, creating beautiful Shabbos seudos, without having to leave Yeshiva. Otherwise, talmidim can have the meals at Rabbeims' homes or at other families in Yerushalayim or beyond.
In-Shabbosos
Roughly five times per year, the entire yeshiva will have an in-Shabbos to regroup, unite and connect, sing and hear divrei Torah. The Rosh Yeshiva and some of the Rabbeim will, with their families, stay locally and join for the seudos, sedarim and tefillos. Many times, relationships can be strengthened on Shabbos in a sense that is impossible during the week.
This is in addition to the memorable bi-annual away-Shabbos in which the Yeshiva and all of its Kollel, faculty and families have a retreat to join together while getting a change of scenery.
Bein Hazmanim Program
Seeing a need for inclusive programming so bochurim could fully utilize bein hazmanim, the Rosh Yeshiva introduced a yearly Yeshiva trip during Succos Bein Hazmanim free of charge so that bochurim could approach the following zman refreshed and ready to shteig. In 2022, the Yeshiva introduced comprehensive programming for summer bein hazmanim.