The Agudah convention's Motzei Shabbos session held the
attention of the more than 1000 people in attendance. As
people filed out of the large hall at the Stamford Hilton
after midnight, "historic" was just one of the comments
heard, but it captured the gist of all the others.
A Pall Cast by Tragic News
The session began on a sad note. A pall had been cast over
the convention since Thursday by the events that were
transpiring in India. Every Agudas Yisroel plenary session
opens with the recitation of Tehillim on behalf of
Jews endangered around the world. At the Motzei Shabbos
session, the words of Dovid Hamelech were said with
particular feeling — led by Rabbi Hillel David —
as a zichron kedoshim as well as a zchus for
the families of the murdered.
A Special Baal Achshanya
Then, the session's chairman, Dr. David (Dudi) Diamond, in
something of a departure from the tradition of presenting
only rabbinic speakers at the Motzei Shabbos session,
introduced Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman. The
Senator's message was in fact anything but political.
He said that his role was the "baal achsanya" of the
convention delegates, very few of whom, after all, hailed
from his home state. And he expressed his gratitude at being
able to offer his blessings at the transition at the Agudah
from the executive vice presidency of Rabbi Bloom to that of
Rabbi Zwiebel.
Although humbled by the thought of offering a Torah thought
in the presence of so many Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivos and
Admorim, he wanted to simply note the significance of
something in that morning's Krias HaTorah: Rivka's going to
"seek out Hashem" — which he said, quoting Rashi, meant
going to consult with Shem and Eiver.
Senator Lieberman recounted how his daughter, at the Shabbos
table that day, had accurately perceived the message in that
fact: that when one has problems or challenges, they need to
be brought "to the beis medrash" — in other words, to
those most imbued with the mesorah of our heritage.
With an unsettled economy, a popular culture that offers
decadence to young people and Islamist extremism, he averred,
"the wisdom of the beis medrash" is what we must seek. And it
is supplied, he said, by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and
Agudath Israel.
The Senator also reflected on the phenomenal growth of
Yiddishkeit on American shores, and offered personal
reminiscences of Rabbi Sherer, z"l, and praise for current
Agudath Israel leaders like Rabbi Bloom, Rabbi Zwiebel and
Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudas Yisroel's Washington Office director
and counsel, with whom Mr. Lieberman has often worked and
consulted.
A Beloved Agudah Leader Remembered
It was at that point that the actual session was opened, and
it was dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Boruch Borchardt z"l,
who served Agudas Yisroel for over 50 years, many of them as
the organization's executive director, and is remembered with
love and appreciation by all who benefited from his concern,
advice and work. A Siyum Mishnayos lezeicher nishmaso
was celebrated, as his son, Rabbi Yitzchok Borchardt, learned
the final mishnah and said Kaddish.
Recognizing a Faithful Shaliach
Greetings from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah were then offered
by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Levin, Rosh Hayeshiva, Telshe Yeshiva,
Chicago, who recalled how, when Rabbi Sherer was niftar,
prophets of doom and gloom foretold disaster, cholila, for
Agudas Yisroel. What came, though, said the Rosh Hayeshiva,
was renewed strength. And, in that vein, he proceeded to
offer hakoras hatov to Rabbi Bloom for his 34 years of
service to Agudas Yisroel, the last ten of which —
since Rabbi Sherer's petiroh — as the organization's
executive vice-president.
Quoting his father, Rav Leizer Levin, the Rosh Hayeshiva
suggested that the reason so many pesukim are expended
in the Torah on Eliezer's words — why, as Chazal say,
the "conversation of the mere servants of the avos" is so
dear — is to teach us the importance of a true
shaliach, or appointed messenger. Paraphrasing Eliezer's self-
introduction in the posuk, Rabbi Levin suggested that
Rabbi Bloom could well have announced himself over the years
as "eved Agudas Yisroel onochi."
The Rosh Hayeshiva went on to note one particular
accomplishment of Rabbi Bloom in recent years, his expansion
of Agudas Yisroel of America to a truly national
organization, with presences in numerous cities in numerous
states. Rabbi Levin had warm words as well for Rabbi Bloom's
successor, extolling Rabbi Zwiebel's "dedication to Klal
Yisroel, legal acumen, friendliness and total subordination
to the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah," which make him a truly ideal
person to stand at the helm of the Agudas Yisroel ship. He
also offered words of praise for Agudas Yisroel's executive
vice president for finance and administration, Rabbi Shlomo
Gertzulin; and for Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger, the
organization's chairman of the board.
Greetings - From and To - and a Very Special Guest
Heartfelt greetings from the Bostoner Rebbe in Eretz Yisroel
to the convention were read and the arrival of long-time
Agudas Yisroel activist and Nesius member Rabbi Chaskel
Besser was acknowledged, to great applause. Convention
Chairman Jacob (Yati) Weinreb then introduced the
convention's special guest from Eretz Yisroel, the Admor
MiBoyan.
The Boyaner Rebbe characterized Agudas Yisroel as the conduit
of the Yahadus HaTorah of the past, and said that the
presence of the previous generation's gedolim, who had the
foresight to establish and strengthen Agudas Yisroel, was
palpable. The Rebbe recalled that his grandfather, the
previous Boyaner Rebbe, was among them, as well as the
Kopishnitzer Rebbe and Rav Aharon Kotler, who empowered limud
haTorah in America. He marveled at the incredible growth of
the American kehilla since the hester ponim of Churban
Europe, its yeshivos, chatzrei Chassidus and botei medrash
— the "kol kol Yaakov" that resounds throughout
the land.
And that success, the Boyaner Rebbe continued, obligates us
to go further, as we are not meant to be stagnant in avodas
Hashem. In particular, he explained, we need — just as
Elisha asked for "double" the ruach hakodesh of his rebbe
Eliyohu Hanovi, since he knew that the future would require
more kedusha than the present — to intensify our own
state of holiness as we head into the future.
Toward that end, he stressed the importance of helping our
children feel the chashivus of avodas Hashem, of Torah, of
middos tovos. We must grow, the Boyaner Rebbe asserted, not
only in kamus but in eichus, not only in the
amount of the good we do, but in its quality - "more kavana,
more simcha, more hislahavus."
A Mandate for Our Times
An area of turning from evil that the Rebbe focused on was
the proliferation of communications devices. Gedolim, he
reminded his listeners, have spoken about the dangers
inherent in new communications technology and the need for
effective controls. "Dor dor vidorshov," he explained,
can also mean that each generation has its own drishos, its
own special responsibilities. Previous generations may have
had to demonstrate mesiras nefesh for the great challenge
that observing Shabbos was in their day; our dedication is
sought in the realm of rejecting devices that can endanger
our neshomos.
Olos Temimim and a Gacheles Hanish'eres
Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Agudas
Yisroel of America, then came to the podium to deliver his
address to the convention. Before sharing the thoughts he had
prepared, he told the assemblage that he felt a chiyuv to
express his, and all Klal Yisrael's, pain and empathy for the
families of those who had been murdered in India. May the
kedoshim of the previous week, he said, be a mizbeiach
kappara for Klal Yisroel, and may the aveilim have nechama
and no future such pain.
The Rambam, the Rebbe noted, refers to Gedaliah ben Achikam
as having been the "gacheles hanish'eres," the "remaining
ember," in Eretz Yisroel. Our community today too, he
averred, are the remaining ember of the Eastern European
Jewish world that once was. Referring to the convention's
theme, "Ve'emunoscho Baleilos: Maintaining Simchas
HaChaim in Challenging Times," the Rebbe stressed our
obligation — "in thought, word and deed" — to
recognize the chesed Elyon of all that we have managed to
build on new shores since. Filled with that gratitude and
praise, he said, we will be able to properly meet the
challenges before us.
Agudas Yisroel, too, said the Rebbe, is a remaining ember.
Just as the men of the mishmoros in the time of the Beis
Hamikdosh stood over the avodoh, representing all of Klal
Yisroel, so are those who gather under the Agudah's banner
"standing by the avodoh of Agudas Yisroel."
Referring to the words, mere hours earlier at one of the
Sholosh Seudas droshos, of Lakewood Rosh Hayeshiva Rabbi
Dovid Schustal, the Rebbe reminded his listeners about how,
when the Twin Towers fell, many thought about the
insubstantiality of physical prowess; now we are having the
same thoughts about economic strength, about the
vulnerability of "the twin towers of Bear Stearns and Lehman
Brothers," whose "own greed and neglect" undermined the power
they had. A believing Jew, though, understands that our trust
can only be in Hashem. And so, today, Jews must embrace
chesed and help one another more than ever, and reject the
"cochi ve'otzem yodi" philosophy of the "giants of the
economy and industry."
Individual Jews and vital Jewish institutions, the Rebbe
explained, "yeshivos and Bais Yaakovs" are acutely affected
by the economic downturn. "I would like to declare here that,
after feeding our children, our first priority must be
hachzokas haTorah," ensuring the well-being of mosdos Torah.
Ensuring "that mechanchim don't suffer" and recognizing that
"if parents cannot pay tuition, it becomes the responsibility
of the tzibbur" to see to it that every Jewish child receives
a Torah education.
Rabbi Perlow then turned his attention to the importance of
derech eretz and kovod haTorah in our "hefker-world." A new
word many have learned of late, he said, is "blog," the
progeny of the blight that is the Internet. Such "weblogs,"
or personal soapboxes, are seized by some "publicity seekers
and unscrupulous" Jews who, instead of recognizing all that
has been done to address problems in the frum community,
choose instead to insult and mock, to "revel in zilzul
haTorah."
The Changing of the Mishmoros
And then the Rebbe turned to the transition taking place at
Agudas Yisroel, lauding Rabbi Bloom — and as the name
was mentioned, the crowd stood up as one in a long ovation,
born of hakoras hatov — as "a talmid chochom, a man of
sterling character and commitment to Klal Yisroel" who
faithfully advanced the mission of Rabbi Sherer, z"l and who
is retiring only "to spend more time in learning and helping
others learn." And, moving from the "mishmar hayotzei to the
mishmar hanichnas," Rabbi Perlow offered words of praise for
Rabbi Zwiebel, "for whose virtues, skills, ahavas haTorah and
yir'as Shomayim I have no words." The Rebbe also warmly
acknowledged the efforts and mesiras nefesh of Rabbi
Weinberger, who "spends most of his day attending to tzorchei
tzibbur, and is an invaluable asset" to Agudas Yisroel.
A surprise followed the Novominsker Rebbe's address: a video
presentation in honor of Rabbi Bloom, featuring clips from
addresses of his own, as well as words of recognition and
good wishes from a host of respected colleagues and askonim.
And then Rabbi Bloom was presented with a beautiful large
silver menorah, whose eloquent inscription recognized his
long years of service to Agudas Yisroel. Before he was
allowed to take his seat, Rabbi Bloom received another
standing ovation and was warmly embraced by the Roshei
Yeshiva and Admorim on the dais with him.
A Career Siyum — and Hascholoh
It was then time for Rabbi Bloom's "farewell address" to
Agudas Yisroel. A Daf Yomi maggid shiur for many years, he
welcomed the crowd to his newest "siyum" - the conclusion of
his tenure at Agudas Yisroel. And he took the opportunity to
review some of its highlights, framing his recollections with
a thought from the Lakewood Mashgiach: that when we ask
Hashem to "write us in the book of zechuyos" we are asking
for opportunities to amass merits.
Among the opportunities Rabbi Bloom gratefully recounted
having been presented over his years at the Agudah were the
establishment of COPE and COPE Institute, the development of
the Siyum HaShas into the powerful event it has become, the
resultant growth and spread of Daf Yomi study, the rescue and
resettlement of Iranian Jews, the efforts to provide chizuk
and materials to Jews behind the Iron Curtain, the creation
of Professional Career Services (PCS), the founding of the
advocacy office Betzedek and the family assistance instrument
Temech in Eretz Yisroel, and the broadening of Agudas Yisroel
into a truly national organization. Not to mention the
countless requests over the decades for help - regarding
immigration problems, shidduchim needs, job referrals, family
matters, and much more — from individuals in the
community.
Citing a second element of a siyum — the expression of
joy at having successfully shouldered a divine mandate
— the Agudath Israel leader expressed his own happiness
at his lot of the past years, and acknowledged with gratitude
the many good wishes he has received when his retirement
became known. Then, he said, there is a third aspect of a
siyum: "a springboard for the next masechta." That was to
introduce his plans for the future, which — to no one's
surprise — did not include any break from tzorchei
tzibbur. Rabbi Bloom's next mission, he announced, would
involve work on behalf of Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in
Yerushalayim, specifically its Ohr LaGolah Kollel, which
trains American kollel yungeleit in Eretz Yisroel to engage
in educational outreach in America; and its Mentors Mission
Program, which takes American university students and baalei
batim to Eretz Yisroel for a week-long immersion in Torah-
study and Yiddishkeit.
Which brought Rabbi Bloom's siyum to its end, the Hadran.
"Hadron aloch Agudas Yisroel, vihadrach alon," he announced
— "I will return to you, Agudas Yisroel and hope you
will return to me; daiton aloch Agudas Yisroel, vi'deitach
alon — my thoughts are with you Agudas Yisroel and I
hope your thoughts are with me; lo nisnashi minoch Agudas
Yisroel vilo nisnashi minon — I will not forget you
— not in this world or the next." Tears clouded many
eyes in the room.
A November Inaugural Address
Agudas Yisroel executive vice president for government and
public affairs Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel delivered the final
address of the night, his inaugural message as Incoming
Agudas Yisroel executive vice president. He began with a
reminiscence of how in 1983, as a corporate lawyer attending
his first Agudah convention — at Rabbi Bloom's urging
— he was struck by the variety of hats and yarmulkes he
saw. For the first time, he said, he felt "part of Klal
Yisroel."
"And tonight," he continued, "standing on the other side of
the podium, I feel the same."
Rabbi Zwiebel continued by expressing his gratitude to Hashem
"for introducing me to Klal Yisroel and Agudas Yisroel, and
for sending me such role models" as Rabbi Sherer; and to the
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and Nesius, and others present that
evening and in his professional and personal life.
The Agudas Yisroel leader then spoke of the challenges facing
us today, from the dangerous world in which we live, revealed
so vividly and tragically by the events of preceding days to
the anguish parents experience when their children stray from
their heritage. And of how Agudas Yisroel exists to address
all of the adversity that faces Klal Yisroel.
"What is Agudas Yisroel?" he asked. "A shtadlonus effort? An
advocacy tool? A provider of social services? The publisher
of the Jewish Observer and Dos Yiddishe Vort? An
administrator of camps?" Those are all things, he continued,
that Agudas Yisroel does, to be sure. But they are not what
it is. What the Agudah is, Rabbi Zwiebel explained, is a
movement based on an ideology. Its founders saw the need to
join Klal Yisroel together into a "guf tziburi," a unified
communal entity, a living expression of achdus.
On that note, Rabbi Zwiebel remarked on the significance of
the fact that the most recent member of the Moetzes Gedolei
HaTorah, Rabbi Yosef Harari-Raful, Rosh Hayeshiva, Yeshiva
Ateret Torah, represents the Edot Hamizrach community.
And the span of Agudas Yisroel, he continued, is evident not
only in the geographic roots of its leadership but in those
who are seen by the organization as its constituents. "Every
individual is valued, no matter where he stands on the
economic totem pole," no matter the sub-community of the
Torah-observant world he calls home. "But there is an
admission price," said Rabbi Zwiebel: "commitment to Yahadus
and to the authority of Gedolim."
Those who reject those intertwined essentials, however,
cannot be part of Agudas Yisroel. As Rabbi Perlow did earlier
in the evening, Rabbi Zwiebel took note of the phenomenon of
electronic malshinim who hide behind the anonymity of "blogs"
to attack and smear anyone they choose, including Gedolim.
"Stay in your blog world," he announced. "Leitzonei hador are
not welcome. Agudas Yisroel isn't for you! There is no room
for machlokes or loshon hora at this table."
Concluding his remarks, and the evening session, Rabbi
Zwiebel exhorted his listeners to greater achievements
through the ko'ach of achdus. He quoted the Gemara in Brochos
that describes Hashem as roaring like a lion at each of the
night's mishmoros.
"He wants to rebuild His Beis Hamikdosh," the Agudah leader
said. "He wants us to create an agudah achas. He wants us to
put aside the machlokesim and jealousies and the petty issues
that divide us."
"Are we ready to listen? Are we ready to hear?"
With the session's end, convention hotel guests and visitors
went to the dining areas and tea room lobby for Melaveh
Malka. It was already late, and even later when many gathered
again in the convention hall for zemiros lechovod Shabbos'
conclusion.
And along with the sweetness of the Shabbos that all who were
present took with them into the new week, a wealth of
chochmoh, mussar and hadrocho accompanied them as well.
