The responsibility and opportunities of bnei Torah to
reach out to their fellow Jews was the theme of a day-long
Seminar on Kiruv held in the Beis Medrash of Yeshivas Ohr
Somayach on Shiva Assar BeTammuz. Both the theme and the
impressive list of speakers attracted close to a thousand
bnei Torah from virtually all of the yeshivos in
Yerushalayim.
Following the tremendous success of last year's yom iyun
on kiruv which drew an overflow audience, the
Yeshiva's Ohr Lagolah Kiruv and Leadership Institute
organized this year's event with the same consideration for
making the taanis more meaningful and exposing bnei
yeshiva to the world class Ohr Somayach staff without
causing any interruption of yeshiva sedorim.
Beginning with a pre-mincha sicha on the significance
of the Fast Day at 1:00 p.m. and ending with ma'ariv,
the program included talks in English on kiruv as
the key to geula by the roshei yeshiva, HaRav
Nota Schiller and HaRav Mendel Weinbach, the menahel
ruchani HaRav Nachman Bulman and by HaRav Moshe Shapiro
in Hebrew.
A presentation on "Da Ma Shetoshiv" was given by Rabbi
Dovid Gottlieb and a panel discussion on the "Practical
Answers to the Problem of Kiruv" in halocho and
hashkofo featured Rabbi Zev Leff, Rabbi Yitzchok
Breitowitz and Rabbi Mordechai Becher.
This innovation gave an opportunity to the people in the
audience to present their questions in halocho and
hashkofo. This was done by writing their questions on
a slip of paper which they detached from the program sheet
each participant received, and handing it to one of the
ushers. The panelists then divided the questions amongst
themselves and, following their initial individual
presentations, attempted to answer as many of the questions
as time allowed.
Summing up the yom iyun was Rabbi Moshe Lazerus, the
director of the Ohr Lagolah Program which has trained and
placed hundreds of bnei yeshiva in positions of
kiruv, chinuch and rabbonus throughout the world. He
invited the avreichim in the audience to join the two-
year program which offers a substantial stipend along with
classes and workshops conducted by the educators they heard
throughout the day, and others of similar high caliber.
Avreichim who are interested in joining the program
for the coming year can receive more information by calling
Rabbi Lazerus at 02-581-0315 or sending email to
lazerus@ohr.israel.net.
