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15 Av 5762 - July 24, 2002 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Maranan Verabonon Say: Save the Souls of French Immigrants
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

Concern over the spiritual fate of thousands of new immigrants from France expected to arrive in Eretz Hakodesh during the next several weeks drew hundreds of French- speaking bnei Torah to an urgent gathering organized by Lev L'Achim, where gedolei Yisroel issued a resolute declaration to do whatever necessary to ensure the full spiritual absorption of the newcomers--the vast majority of whom are young, Torah-faithful families.

The gathering followed an emergency meeting held last Thursday at Lev L'Achim's Bnei Brak office after maranan verabonon issued instructions to make every effort to facilitate the spiritual absorption of the new immigrants. The emergency meeting was attended by HaRav Yehuda Shmuel, rosh yeshivas Kesser Shlomo; HaRav Yosef Meir, spiritual director of Yeshivas Mishkon Hatorah; HaRav Yechezkel Landau, a rov in the city of Elad; HaRav Ron Shaya, rosh yeshivas Yeshuas Yosef; HaRav Moshe Kaufman; HaRav Doniel Dreyfus of Ashdod; and HaRav Shlomo Meir Ackerman of Kiryat Sefer.

On Sunday hundreds of French-speaking bnei Torah from chareidi population centers around Eretz Yisroel came to Beis Knesses Divrei Shir in Bnei Brak for an meeting led by gedolei Yisroel, including HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz and HaRav Nissim Karelitz.

Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv issued a special letter supporting the effort by leading rabbonim to organize French- speaking activists under the auspices of Lev L'Achim to work for the spiritual absorption of the new immigrants expected from France and to assist them in placing their children in suitable educational institutions as quickly as possible.

The gathering began with opening remarks by Lev L'Achim director-general Rabbi Eliezer Sorotzkin. He provided reports on the wave of aliya expected in the coming months, saying that according to his sources Jewish Agency representatives have opened aliya files for 8,000 families. He focused on the most pressing immediate need: to direct the immigrant children to Torah-based educational institutions.

The first speaker was HaRav Yehuda Shmuel, Rosh Yeshivas Kesser Shlomo. He began by citing Or Hachaim on the verse, "Ki sir'eh shor ochicho . . . ," saying, "The mitzvah of hashovas aveidoh applies to one's own brother himself, as well. The new immigrants coming from France are not `lost.' They observe Torah and mitzvos. The vast majority of their children receive a Torah education and we must save them from getting lost. We must inform them of the existing situation in Eretz Hakodesh clearly. Here there is a different reality. The education varies in different schools and the new immigrants must be told that here education is different and this is part of the major change they must make when immigrating to Eretz Hakodesh.

"Here there is no need for secular studies or matriculation exams for boys. This task falls on us, on the French-speaking Torah world. Each one of us must travel to wherever he is sent and to speak with the new immigrants and to explain things to them. We know of families that immigrated to Eretz Hakodesh and did not receive the appropriate guidance and, unfortunately, they declined in ruchniyus. All of us have an obligation to work and to act."

Rav Boruch Shapira spoke on behalf of the Lev L'Achim administration, explaining the urgency of the situation. "We have gathered here to save French Jewry," he said.

HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman said, "The very fact that we have convened to reinforce ideas that need reinforcement is a great kiddush sheim Shomayim and this in itself is a great merit that will undoubtedly stand by all those who work and act in this matter. All those who join forces in this will have great siyata deShmaya, for this is truly saving lives, for godol hamachti'o yoser mihorgo, and this great merit will accompany the entire world in this great mitzvah."

HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz said, "We live under persecutions from all sides, from both without and within, and [we know] the middos of HaKodosh Boruch Hu are all rachamim, and the purpose of all of the persecutions and killing is for each of us to contemplate what HaKodosh Boruch Hu wants of us, which is to draw closer to Him and to know that all of His actions are to bring us closer to His will. It is written, `Ya'ancho Hashem beyom tzoroh,' and the Midrash on Tehillim says, `A father and son were walking along the way . . . He said to him, "My son, this will be a sign for you: if you see a cemetery before you, know that the city is near." Thus said HaKodosh Boruch Hu to Yisroel, "When you are beset with woes, at that time you will be redeemed."'

"One of the following verses reads, `Yisagevcho sheim Elokei Yaakov,' as it says, the Keil who answers me in days of trouble and He Who answered Yaakov Ovinu during his time of trouble, He will answer you on your day of trouble. We have gathered here for the sake of Heaven and to increase the Torah of Jewish children immigrating from France. You are well aware that they have good middos and mesirus for Torah, as we have seen in those who have already arrived here, and each and every one of you is capable of joining in efforts to help educate and influence the families and the young people. HaKodosh Boruch Hu should help us to [merit] the full Geula speedily in our days, omen."

HaRav Nissim Karelitz said, "In the Torah there is a mitzvah of hashovas aveidoh. If a person loses something there is a mitzvah to help him recover his lost item, and even more so, a person in physical danger must help him. A doctor who can heal must help him. There is another level--returning the soul. Not just the body, which is in This World, but the soul.

"And there is a difference between returning one's assets and returning his body. In returning assets if there is someone who can save him, one is exempted from this. But in saving someone's body, in such a case, no one is exempt from this for not every man has the merit to help him recuperate and perhaps he will have the merit.

"We can learn something from this regarding the matter at hand. In the case of returning the soul, one cannot say others will do it. Every individual knows what he can do. HaKodosh Boruch Hu should help [us derive a boost from this gathering] and in this merit may we merit the Redemption."

Later Rav Yehoshua Barkhatz, rosh yeshivas Shaarei Rachamim, also called on French-speaking bnei Torah to avail themselves to the absorption campaign.

At the conclusion of the gathering dozens of forms were filled out by French-speaking women activists, who will also be integrated into immigrant absorption activities under the guidance of gedolei Yisroel.

Rabbi Sorotzkin said special coordinating centers will be designated this week and various means are being employed to locate the new immigrants immediately upon their arrival in Eretz Hakodesh. He announced the opening of a French- language consultation hotline at 1-800-360-000 to serve as a source of information and guidance for the new immigrants.

Sunday's urgent gathering was attended by numerous concerned French-speaking rabbonim, roshei yeshivos, roshei kollelim and educators who recalled past mistakes and the terrible tragedies associated with previous waves of aliya. This week's gathering, the first step in the large campaign the Torah world faces, ended with a determined decision to honor the call of maranan verabonon and to do everything possible to save these cherished immigrants for a life of Torah and mitzvos.

 

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