In 1914, the yeshiva was exiled to Smilavichy (Smilovichi near Minsk) and Wasserman was appointed its rosh yeshiva one year later when The Chofetz Chaim decided to relocate to Siemiatycze (Semiatitch), and together with Rabbi Yitzchok Hirshowitz (son-in-law of Rabbi Eliezer Gordon from Telz Yeshiva), was asked to keep Torah alive in Smilavichy.