The recently renovated Shenk Shul in the Schottenstein Student Center, home to so many of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik's shiurim, but left idle as a storage facility for years by Yeshiva administrators, now hosts the burgeoning Stone Bais Medrash Program roster for its daily morning seder. With the assistance of Yeshiva's Director of Supporting Services Jeffrey Rosengarten, Steve Frucht of Yeshiva Housekeeping, and Jewish Studies Dean Michael Shmidman, the Shenk Shul once again pulsates with penetrating Talmudic discussion.

Shmidman explained that the move was necessary because the program simply outgrew its facilities in the basement bais medrash of Morgenstern Hall. This past year alone, SBMP enrollment increased by more than 20%, rendering it the fastest-growing Jewish studies program at Yeshiva. Shmidman further noted that if SBMP continues to grow as expected, Yeshiva would need to allocate more space for the program, possibly from what is currently the Schottenstein balcony. Presently, the university is also renovating a nearby room in the building for the program's rebbeim.

Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, an SBMP founder and rebbi, exuberantly related that the move underscores the program's mounting popularity. He added that the most important issue regarding the relocation of BMP seder is that the room remain full. So far, he has yet to be disappointed.

Logistics did not prove a major obstacle for the move. Despite the shul's prolonged vacancy, the structure has remained mostly intact. Housekeeping did, however, need to set up newly purchased tables and chairs, as well as repaint the walls, replace the windows, install central air conditioning, and lay down carpeting. The BMP seforim were moved from the Morgenstern bais medrash, where the program's morning seder has convened since its inception more than six years ago.

SBMP student Aryeh Hoenig, was initially upset over the shift of venue, since it was easier to "take the elevator down to morning seder, instead of walking a block and a half away." He has since begun to appreciate the new bais medrash, however, and admits that it is "certainly much nicer than Morg."

Asked to explain SBMP's unprecedented growth over the years - an estimated tenfold increase in students from its first year - Rabbi Shmidman responded that many rebbeim in Israel encourage their students to enroll in SBMP instead of JSS and IBC. Elaborating, Shmidman mentioned that SBMP has historically hired rabbis who have connections with rebbeim in Israel in order to ease the transitory phase that confronts Israel returnees. As a result of this policy, Israeli rebbeim possess a high level of confidence in the ability of BMP rebbeim to foster meaningful relationships with incoming students and direct their talmidim accordingly.

Although SBMP boasts such able teachers, and Shmidman has no immediate plans to hire a new SBMP rebbe, the possibility always exists. But if the program surpasses three hundred students next year, as many predict it will, finding a new rebbe and making space for the program should figure high on the list of Shmidman's concerns.

Whatever the future brings, Shmidman thinks that the move will be beneficial for all the students, especially since "Shenk Shul, with its stained glass windows, looks magnificent."