R' Yaakov Koppel Pasternak Zatzal was a Novardoker who was a Rav in Kensington. He was a Rav to many modern types of Americans, and his Levaya was packed with them. He was also very short and was also much loved, yet very strict.
When the boys would get out of hand, he would say: "Don't mess with me, I was in Siberia”. A typical fearless Novardoker, he was very smiley and friendly. He had loads of serious personal Yissurim, yet he was total Simcha, and would dance at Chasuna’s like a young Bachur.
He told me that the long hours of Limud HaMussar that he had, saved his life. He said to me: כָ ל זְ מַ ן שֶּ אַ תָ ה אוֹחֵׂ ז אַ תָ ה נִׁ יצָ ל (a person who is drowning in the ocean, while he holds on to the raft, he’s saved). While you keep learning Mussar you'll be okay. As soon you stop, you're in trouble, Chas V'shalom. Both these people were strong personalities; nice, but not pushovers.
Like Rebbetzin Bender once described Novardok: “energetic personalities”. They were doers, who did great Zikkui HaRabbim. When R' Gendel Zatzal tried to get his Talmidim to learn, he would say something very controversial, which would wake up the class, and even those who weren't into learning would join the lively: רִׁ יתְ חָ א דְ אוֹרַ ייתָ א Torah fever.
When they were learning Masechta Gittin 7A he told over the P’sak of R' Moshe Feinstein Zatzal not to listen to music since the Churban, and the Olam (boys) went crazy trying to understand this. There was a top Novardok Yeshiva in France that recently closed down. They learn loads of Mussar, and are known to turn around the worst addictive boys who belong in jail since they can be dangerous.
The Derech of Novardok turns them into sweet normal Yeshiva Bachurim. When they moved to Eretz Yisroel, they started a new Yeshiva, but they almost closed down. R' Shraga Steinman Shlita insisted that they make a big parlor meeting, and they raised over $100,000. He said that Klal Yisroel must have Novardok type Yeshivos.
It is known that his father, R' Ahron Leib Steinman Zatzal, liked Novardokers, and he appreciated how they all have so much Chi'yus (energy). These boys are not typical Yeshivish, and although they learn hours of Gemara, they still learn an unusual amount of Mussar.
