On motzei Shabbos, Parshas Vayigash, the prestigious
Jerusalem Awards for Torah Literature were granted at an
impressive ceremony, headed by roshei yeshiva, public
figures, members of UTJ, and guests from the entire spectrum
of chareidi Jewry. These awards are sponsored by the Torah
Culture Department of the Jerusalem Municipality.
The awards were given to the following rabbonim: Yitzchok
Halevi Baladi, a ram in the Kochav MiYaakov yeshiva of
Tchebin, for his book Lev Bonim; Yehonosan ben Tsur,
the rosh kollel of Imrei Yechiel VeShlomo, for his
Shalmei Yehonoson; Osher Weiss, the rav and rosh
yeshiva of Chug Chasam Sofer, for Minchas Osher;
Eliyahu Wilhelm a ram in the Kochav MiYaakov yeshiva
of Tchebin for Ayalah Shelucha; Asher Channaya, a
moreh tzedek, of the Ahavas Sholom yeshiva for his
book, Sha'arei Yosher; Yechezkel Meller, a ram
in Ateres Yisroel for Me'or LeMelech; Yehoshua
Solomon, a ram in the Nachlas Dovid yeshiva for Ner
Dovid; Yitzchok Kaufman, rosh kollel of Le'Asukei
Shmaitsa, for Yivakesh Torah; Ayreh Leib Shapira, the
menahel ruchani of the Chevron Geula yeshiva for
Chazon LaMoed; Michael Shiloni, a ram in the
Kol Yaakov yeshiva, for Kelolei Kalba"m.
A special certificate was presented to HaRav Dovid Mandelbaum
for his efforts to publish Kabo Dekasheisa on
Chelkas Yoav, especially since the awards of the
department are given in the name of the author of Chelkas
Yoav.
The event was moderated by Rabbi Gavriel Stauber, the
director of Jerusalem's Torah Culture Department, who praised
the team of rabbonim that made great efforts to examine the
hundreds of seforim submitted to the competition. The
preparations for the event were made by the personnel of the
department, Rabbi Chaim Becher and Rabbi Mordechai Sheiner.
They were headed by Rabbi Avrohom Reichman.
HaRav Boruch Shimon Solomon, the Chief Rabbi of Petach Tikvah
and the rosh yeshiva of Nachlas Dovid, delivered a
fascinating address on the verse, "Ki miTzion teitzei
Torah," in which he lauded the fact that Torah observant
Jews are able to convene there and to encourage the authors
of Torah literature.
HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, rosh yeshiva of Ateres
Yisroel, who delivered the main address, captivated the
audience with a Torah discourse and said that those who have
not yet savored Torah's flavor, can come to the auditorium of
the Jerusalem city council to learn about the its
sweetness.
The head of the UTJ slate, Rabbi Avrohom Feiner, granted a
citation to the great-grandson of the author of Chelkas
Yoav, Mr. Amos Mar Chaim, in appreciation of his
contribution to the publication of the copies of Chelkas
Yoav which were given to the recipients of the awards, in
addition to the monetary prizes and the certificates they
received from the municipality which were distributed to them
by the gedolei haTorah who participated in the event
which honored the Torah and Yerushalayim.
Jerusalem's mayor, Ehud Olmert, promised to continue to help
the chareidi departments, and to be a genuine partner with
them for the next five years too.
Prior to the distribution of the awards and the certificates,
one of the members of the panel of judges, HaRav Yosef
Winter, a ram in Kol Yaakov, explained the reasons for
the decisions of the rabbinical committee, and spoke about
the tremendous efforts invested in deciding which of the one
hundred contestants would receive the prizes, which all
really deserved.
The event was attended by the representatives of UTJ, and
Shas as well as by the member of the outgoing council, Rabbi
Dov Rabinowitz, who was responsible for the Torah Culture
Department during his recent tenure, and by many guests who
filled the auditorium and the adjacent rooms. The cantor, Reb
Chaim Eliezer Hartchik and his son, as well as Amit Listwind,
delighted the guests with musical and liturgical
arrangements.
At the end of the ceremony, HaRav Osher Weiss, the rav of the
Chechenov community, and the rosh yeshiva of Chug
Chasam Sofer, delivered words of blessing, in which he noted
that an event of kiddush Hashem had taken place in an
auditorium where harsh words against Torah are sometimes
sounded. This event, he said, strengthens those who proclaim
dvar Hashem in that auditorium, and sanctify Hashem's
Name -- the chareidi representatives, shlucha
deRachmono, in Ir Hakodesh.
