In many ways it was a very different Agudath Israel of
America convention. In others, it was a very familiar one.
The location was new: the Stamford Westin Hotel in Stamford,
Connecticut. And the timing, too: As the result of Chanukah
falling at the end of November this year, the convention took
place several weeks later in the Gregorian calendar than
usual.
But what was important hadn't changed at all: the camaraderie
of chareidim ledvar Hashem, the hadrochoh of
gedolim, the wide scope of interesting offerings and
the professionalism of Agudath Israel of America -- all of
which combined as usual to make the convention over the last
weekend in December, the organization's 80th, a truly
inspiring, edifying event, particularly so at a time of
crisis in Eretz Yisroel. The convention's theme alluded to
current events, and to the believing Jew's trust in Hashem's
delivery: "Umimenoh Yivoshei'ah: From Adversity,
Strength."
"We're in a city of Torah," observed Chaim Dovid Zwiebel,
Agudath Israel of America's executive vice president for
government and public affairs, at the start of the
convention, its Thursday night session. He was alluding to
the celebrated Yeshivas Bais Binyomin, in Stamford. Bais
Binyomin's renowned Rosh Hayeshiva, Rabbi Simcha Schustal,
delivered opening remarks.
Torah and True Jewish Pride
The Rosh Hayeshiva addressed the concept of Golus Mitzrayim,
basing his remarks on Chazal's observation that when Yaakov
died "the eyes and hearts of the Jewish people were blocked."
That, Rabbi Schustal explained, marked the beginning of the
golus of Mitzrayim. While Yaakov was still alive, the
sensitivity of the Jewish people to its mission, and the
essence of its aspirations to holiness, remained intact. They
were thus immune to the ill effects of their surroundings.
When Yaakov was no longer alive, however, the culture of
Mitzrayim began to have an impact on Klal Yisroel.
The Stamford Rosh Hayeshiva went on to describe the current
travails of Klal Yisroel as a combination of the powers of
both Yishmoel and Esav, the former characterized by its base
dedication to the physical; the latter, by its idolatry and
haughtiness. The proper response must be to counter those
dark powers. Baseness is undermined by limud haTorah,
and improper haughtiness, is countered by the proper
pride of a Jew in the holiness of his essence, his deep
gratitude for the Divine gift of a Jewish soul.
Perceiving the Hidden Hand
The first of the speakers featured in the evening's
symposium, which was entitled "What in the World is Going
On?: Searching for Meaning in the Maelstrom," was Rabbi Chaim
Dov Keller, rosh hayeshiva, Telshe Yeshiva, Chicago.
Rabbi Keller's theme was how, while it is impossible to
achieve true perspective while in the throes of a historical
maelstrom, a Jew must never lose sight of the fact that there
is a Divine plan, and that "the Ribono Shel Olom is
always in charge."
The Telshe-Chicago Rosh Hayeshiva then expounded on Churban
Europe and the powerful hashgochas Hashem that is
today -- in hindsight -- evident in its fulfillment of not
only terrible nevuos of destruction but also of
Hashem's assurance, as in the Tochacha and the words
of the Nevi'im, that He will never abandon His
people.
What Yosef told his brothers about their sale of him -- that
it was all part of Hashem's plan -- was the hashkofoh
that allowed them to persevere for hundreds of years in
Egypt, and to leave their bondage, finally, with deep and
unwavering trust in Hashem.
Many who ponder Churban Europe, Rabbi Keller went on, may
attribute to mere chance the survival of the great
individuals who later brought Torah to other shores. But seen
with true perspective, explained the Rosh Hayeshiva, the
hashgochas Hashem is undeniably manifest.
And, the Rosh Hayeshiva said, we must realize that in the
midst of the maelstrom of our own days no less, that
hashgacha is directing all.
Embracing the Incomprehensible
Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, menahel, Mosdos Yad Yisroel of
Karlin-Stolin, was the next. He said that as faithful
descendants of Yaakov Ovinu, we need to react to challenges
by strengthening our emunah in Hashem.
The well known Midrash, he continued, describes Yaakov, upon
being greeted by Yosef, whom he thought had been killed, as
reciting Krias Shema as he was embraced by his long-lost son.
Confronted with the return of Yosef, and the realization that
all that seemed so harsh and incomprehensible had turned out
to be part of Hashem's rachamim for His people, he was
moved most poignantly to declare the Jewish credo that
"Hashem" - middas horachamim -- and "Elokeinu" -
middas hadin - are parts of an ultimate, perfect oneness -
- "Echod."
Rabbi Dishon concluded by saying that we are indeed, he
punned, "the `me' generation": "Mi ke'amcho
Yisroel!"
Focusing Our Hearts on Our Brothers
A special guest from Eretz Yisroel, the rav of Moshav
Matisyahu, Rabbi Zev Leff, was the final speaker of the
evening.
Quoting Rav Shach, zt"l, Rabbi Leff declared that the
halacha lema'aseh of ikvesa demeshicha concerns
not what will happen but rather what we must do to prepare
for Moshiach. As the Rambam says in Hilchos Taanis,
trying events should be regarded as paths to
teshuvoh.
When we see how ultimately impotent are culture and science
and all the `isms' of our world, said Rabbi Leff, we should
recognize: "We have nothing on which to rely other than our
Father in heaven."
Rabbi Leff went on to charge his listeners with rebelling
against the self-centeredness and gratification-seeking that
are the hallmarks of contemporary society. For the larger
world, life is an opportunity to amass things, its attitude
aptly captured by the bumper sticker declaring that "The one
who dies with the most toys wins." For us, however, life is
not even bounded by birth and death; and thus our living days
are something truly meaningful: opportunities for doing
Hashem's will. And every second thereby is a potential
eternity. When one lives only for physical things, life is a
process of dying; only those who live for things that
transcend this world are truly alive.
Rabbi Leff concluded his remarks with an exhortation that all
Jews recognize the legitimacy of differences of approach
within the context of Torah-dedicated Jews. This unity of
ultimate purpose if not immediate expression, is true
achdus and, he added, in fact the essence of Agudas
Yisroel.
Greetings were extended at the start of the Thursday evening
session by convention chairman Shlomo Werdiger, and the
session chairman was Rabbi Yosef Viener, Rav, Agudath Israel
of Flatbush.
A Panoply of Perspectives
Friday morning at the convention was, as in past years, the
time for "roundtable discussion" groups, where prominent
members of the community present thoughts on contemporary
issues.
This year roundtable topics included issues like helping Jews
in Eretz Yisroel, interaction with non- Jewish neighbors in
communities with large Orthodox Jewish populations,
government aid to religious schools, true integration of
baalei teshuva into established Orthodox communities,
assistance for Holocaust survivors and the aged in general
and the effective teaching of civility. Two women only
roundtables focused on knowing how and when to help the sick
or bereaved and raising responsible children in challenging
times, respectively.
The Melaveh Malka
The highlight of Agudath Israel conventions over the years
has always been the motzei Shabbos keynote session.
The highlight at this year's convention may also have been
the motzei Shabbos session, but this time its format
was changed from that of past such gatherings. With the
gathering coming mere weeks after a special and well-attended
keynote- style Leil His'orerus in Brooklyn, it was
decided that the hours after the departure of Shabbos would
be dedicated to a Melaveh Malka elevated by words of
Torah, hashkofo and chizuk.
The evening's chairman was Agudath Israel vice president for
finance and administration Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin, and
opening remarks were offered by the respected and beloved
Agudah askan Rabbi Chaskel Besser, a member of Agudath
Israel of America's Nesius.
With the Shabbos-eve terrorist attack in Eretz Yisroel
opening up fresh wounds on Klal Yisroel's collective body,
Tehillim on behalf of Acheinu Bnei Yisroel in
Eretz Yisroel were recited. The Tehillim were led by
Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh Hayeshiva, Ner Yisroel.
From Unity to Salvation
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah member Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky,
rosh hayeshiva, Yeshiva of Philadelphia, then
delivered greetings to the large gathering. He focused on the
Bircas Hachodesh that had been said that morning -- led, at
the convention, by Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Horowitz, the Bostoner
Rebbe.
The Maharal, he related, was once asked why there is so much
machlokes within Klal Yisroel. His response was that
the Jewish people are mind-oriented, hence they are
thoughtful and opinionated, leading to different
perspectives. And that is why, for the establishment of Rosh
Chodesh -- which requires and empowers the unity of the
people through their calendar -- a central, unifying
authority, the Sanhedrin, is needed.
That is why, he added, "Hachodesh hazeh lochem,"
bespeaking that essential achdus of Klal Yisroel, is
the nation's first mitzvah -- and why there is such stress on
achdus of the Klal in Bircas Hachodesh. When Klal
Yisroel is indeed me'uchad, Rabbi Kamenetsky declared,
our yeshu'oh is assured.
Treating Limited Emotional Attention Spans
Rabbi Uren Reich, Rosh Hayeshiva, Yeshiva of Perth Amboy, was
next to address the Melaveh Malka.
Rabbi Reich asked his listeners why we find it so hard to
maintain the fervor that inspired our tefillos and
actions during the Gulf War a mere decade ago?
Tefilloh, he said, is clearly the key to our
yeshu'oh, but "if our emotional attention span is so
limited, what can we do?"
His answer, carefully pulled from an intricate tapestry woven
from the thoughts and words of Chazal, was: empathize, feel
hishtatfus bitza'aron shel Yisroel.
We must, he asserted, go beyond mere recognition and
acceptance of our brotherhood with other Jews; we must
embrace it entirely, make it, as it should be, an essential
part of our essence.
"Every Yid is our brother!" he declared. "And when we see
things that way, the world is different."
Changed Times, Unchanged Mission
Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, executive vice president of Agudath
Israel of America, then delivered his message to the
gathering.
Rabbi Bloom focused on the convention's marking of eighty
years since the founding of Agudath Israel of America and
ninety years since the inception of the World Agudah
movement. So very much has changed, though, since then, he
observed.
He recalled the words of the Chofetz Chaim that had been
quoted by Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon at the Leil His'orerus,
to the effect that the time for Moshiach's arrival has
already come and he tarries only so that we can adequately
prepare for that event.
What steps, Rabbi Bloom asked, did the Chofetz Chaim himself
take to prepare Klal Yisroel for Moshiach? He launched a
campaign for the study of Kodoshim, Rabbi Bloom said,
and one for shemiras haloshon. But another thing he
did, together with other Gedolei Yisroel, was to found
Agudath Israel, a movement dedicated to paving the way for
Moshiach's arrival by recreating the true image of the
nation.
Eighty years ago, he continued, the vision of the Chofetz
Chaim and the other Gedolim who had founded Agudath Israel
inspired a small group of young men on New York's Lower East
Side. And the rest, thanks to the efforts of people like Reb
Elimelech Tress and Rabbi Moshe Sherer, zichronom
livrocho, is history.
Being Who We Are
The final speaker at the Melaveh Malka was Rabbi Ephraim
Wachsman, rosh hayeshiva, Yeshiva Maor Yitzchok,
Monsey.
Rabbi Wachsman began by characterizing the "blow after bloody
blow" that Klal Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel has suffered
in recent years and the frightening events unfolding in the
world arena as further evidence that we are living in the
ikvesa demeshicha that the Chofetz Chaim taught had
already begun in his day. Rabbi Wachsman noted, the world is
as quiet at attacks on Jews today as it was in the years
following the Chofetz Chaim's petiroh, the years of
the Holocaust.
HaRav Chaim Volozhin related a parable, Rabbi Wachsman
recounted, involving a hen who sees many roosters approaching
her and fears for her life. But the roosters begin to fight
with one another, pecking one another until not one of them
remains standing. So, Rav Chaim explained, will Klal Yisroel
see her enemies utterly destroyed "and Am Yisroel will remain
chai vekayom!"
Our recognition that we are entirely vulnerable and have only
Hashem in Whom to trust, Rabbi Wachsman continued,
constitutes our greatest strength.
We mustn't allow others, Rabbi Wachsman declared, to tell us
what sort of houses, cars or chasunos to have. And, he
added, citing examples from the contemporary world, we
mustn't absorb others' points of view about life. "Fame does
not equal success" and fanciness is not synonymous with
simcha.
After the Melaveh Malka had concluded, those in attendance
were presented with two options: a "Midnight Session with the
Maggid" -- the words and wisdom of Rabbi Paysach Krohn
(though it was considerably later than midnight), or
inspiring zemiros with Reb Abish Brodt. It was a hard
decision for many, but a canvassing of those in attendance at
each event revealed no regrets; people at each were
enthralled and inspired until the early morning hours.
It was a truly fitting, if late, end to an inspiring
evening.
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Meetings, Meetings, Everywhere
Although the Agudath Israel convention this year officially
began with the Thursday night plenary session, Agudath
Israel's staff and Agudath Israel activists from across the
country were busy with meetings and seminars hours before the
opening session.
A meeting of regional vice presidents and national
representatives took place on Thursday afternoon, and reports
were heard from Agudath Israel executives and representatives
about a number of important developments and efforts in the
Midwest and Florida. Updates were provided as well on next
month's Agudath Israel Yarchei Kallah in Eretz Yisroel, plans
for a national membership campaign, the status of rescue and
aid activities in Iran, Argentina and Israel, Agudath
Israel's Washington Office's recent activities, defense of
marriage initiatives and special education aid.
A seminar for administrators and mechanchim on federal
education programs was also held on Thursday, with Agudath
Israel Washington Office director Abba Cohen providing
important information and updates to the attendees, who came
from far and wide.
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