LINK Kollel Finds a Place for Everyone in New Space

One of the best-known Torah learning centers in Los Angeles, the LINK Kollel, has moved into new, more spacious—and more visible—quarters in the heart of the Pico-Robertson neighborhood.

“Everything is still unfinished,” says Rabbi Asher Brander, founding dean of the 19-year-old Los Angeles Intercommunity Kollel.

The new setting, with tall, white walls and spacious rooms, is still a work in progress, but the Torah learning is uninterrupted. Hundreds of students and aspiring scholars form the heart of LINK, ranging from those who attend the 10 daily services (morning, afternoon and evening prayers between 5:20 a.m. and 11:15 p.m.) to those who engage daily in deep Torah study classes.

“The story of LINK is the story of connection by the Los Angeles Intercommunity Kollel,” said Rabbi Brander. “There will be somebody learning here at 5 in the morning, and somebody at 12:30 at night.”

LINK offers organized programs for women as well, including TLC (Torah Learning for Collegiates), led by Sara Fisgus.

Six years ago, Jill Kahn, mother of a recent yeshiva graduate eager for college, sought a learning outlet to keep her son closely connected to Torah. She reached out to Rabbi Brander, and YPLA (Yeshiva Program of Los Angeles), was born. Since 2015, more than 200 young men, learning five days a week, have participated in YPLA.

“We try to cater to every sector, to [those in] the gaps and holes in the community, people who are not necessarily attended to,” said Rabbi Brander. “LINK seeks to showcase the relevance of Torah to them.

“A major focus for us is the new ba’alei teshuvah [returnees to Judaism] and the not-yet ba’alei teshuvah. We have Partners in Torah for new ba’alei teshuvahmen, run by Rabbi Mordechai Teller. We bring them into the beis medrash [study hall], and for many it’s the first time they have been in such a place. Some are not yet frum [observant], and we hook them up with ba’alei batim, [people who have been frum for years]. We even have 70-year-old men who have become ba’alei teshuvahs.”

Learning Torah works in both directions, since some once-dedicated students occasionally drift away from study. “What makes us proud,” said Rabbi Brander, “is that there are kids here who went to yeshiva, took a break for 10 years, and now they have come back.”

Standing nearby was Rabbi Brander’s fellow Rosh Kollel [head of Kollel], Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar, leader of the Sephardic dimension of LINK and Rabbi of the Sephardic shul Magen Avot.

Together with Rabbi Eli Stern, Director of Outreach, they form the triumvirate of LINK leadership.

“It is important to emphasize we welcome everyone here,” said Rabbi Lebhar. “We are non-denominational. We are a Torah center, not a synagogue. We are open for everyone, whether you keep Shabbat or not.”

But it was difficult to accommodate all who wanted to learn at the former Robertson Boulevard site before they moved around the corner to 8666 W. Pico.

“People enjoy this new place because it is so aesthetically beautiful,” said Rabbi Lebhar, “and there is so much more room. On Robertson, people who wanted to learn when others were davening had to find their own space. Here they can learn privately.

“Another advantage is we have extended our library. Now we have a large Sephardic, particularly Moroccan, library. We have separate Ashkenazic and Sephardic Moroccan libraries. We also have a data base of over 100,000 Sephardim [sources] digitally. All of that is very attractive to people. It also helps now to be on Pico Boulevard.”

“Another advantage is we have extended our library. Now we have a large Sephardic, particularly Moroccan, library.” Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar

“Many shuls in the community offer tremendous value,” said Rabbi Brander. “LINK’s special nature is that you can come from unaffiliated or from a yeshivish place and there will be something here for you, something for any kind of Jew.

“People can come here and ask any question they want, provided it ends with a question mark.”