On Shushan Purim, encouraging news emanated from the hospital and was widely embraced: The rosh yeshiva was “breathing more or less on his own with very limited use of the ventilator.” In addition, Rabbi Belsky was “also getting out of his bed, sitting in chair, and even starting to walk a little bit.”
On Sunday, March 11, Rabbi Belsky was breathing on his own and feeling stronger.
On Wednesday, March 11, the Torah world learned that the rosh yeshiva had been taken off a ventilator and was out of the bed for several hours at a time. Hospital visits to Rabbi Belsky were possible but had to be pre-approved and prearranged.
Two days later Rabbi Belsky was transferred out of the Intensive Care Unit and assigned a private room. The steady progress was heartening.
Improvement continued. Deluged by requests for visits, the family, on March 20, advised that those wishing to see the rosh yeshiva should wait until individually asked. The volume of calls was impossible to handle. Rabbi Belsky’s improving condition led to speculation of a release date. A need for a period of rehabilitation was anticipated.
On April 4, a slight fever interfered with a possible discharge to a rehabilitative facility.
Shortly afterward the rosh yeshiva was transferred to the Kessler Institute, a superlative health institute in West Orange, New Jersey. A minor setback forced Rabbi Belsky to return to an intensive care unit for observation. On Wednesday, April 25, the rosh yeshiva, carefully monitored, returned to the rehabilitation center.
At every step of recovery, Rabbi Yitzchok Gottdiener, executive director of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, shared news about Rabbi Belsky and his recuperation with Klal Yisrael.
In the weeks immediately prior to his discharge, though still weak, Rabbi Belsky resumed giving shiurim to a select small group. At the last shiur at the Kessler Institute he profusely thanked West Orange residents who walked almost an hour on Shabbos to ensure a minyan and to daven with him.
The news of Rabbi Belsky’s homecoming was celebrated by b’nei Torah throughout the world who had devoted so much prayer and performance of mitzvahson his behalf.
Torah Vodaath 93rd Annual Dinner
With the festive homecoming of Rabbi Belsky, this year’s annual dinner for the yeshiva becomes a really special event, to be attended by thousands who will come to share in the great joy.
An outstanding group of alumni, parents, and good friends of the yeshiva will be honored at the dinner, to be held June 17 at The Palace Hall in Brooklyn.
The theme of the evening, “Where Legendary Leadership Begins,” will feature awards to a select group of distinguished alumni who have made, and continue to make, a real difference in their communities.
The Kesser Torah Award will be bestowed on Rabbi Yitzchok Scheiner, one of the world’s leading Torah personalities, who will be coming from Israel specifically to grace the dinner.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Cywiak will be the Guests of Honor, having accepted the tribute in honor of their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Moshe Dovid Stahl will serve as Honorees.
Rabbi Zalman Leib Hollander will accept The 25 Year Tribute to The Class of 1987.
Sixty years of service to Klal Yisrael will be acknowledged as tribute is paid to the class of 1952, represented by Rabbi and Mrs. Yosef Feit, Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Rosenfeld and Rabbi and Mrs. Joel Skurnik.