When the Jewish people in Moshe Rabbeinu's time went out to
war, the Torah teaches, they blew the chatzotzros.
"Today we don't have the chatzotzros, but we have
our tefillos."
Those words were among the first in the impassioned remarks
of Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh
Agudath Israel of America, as he opened the program this
past Sunday afternoon in Loch Sheldrake, New York, where an
estimated 10,000 Jews gathered to pray for the welfare of
their brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisroel.
The day was sunny and warm, and graced with a refreshing
mountain breeze. But those who traveled from an assortment
of Catskills homes, bungalow colonies and summer camps -- as
well as others who journeyed from the New York City area --
were focused not on the picturesque surroundings but on
their Creator.
The nearly 10 months of Arab violence against Jews in Eretz
Yisroel was the impetus for the unusual gathering, which
beseeched the Creator en masse to protect His people
from the evil intentions of their enemies. Gedolei hador
felt that it was a proper time to call on Jews summering
in the mountains to come together to be mispalel as
one. They asked Agudath Israel to use its storied staff and
experience in coordinating mass events to organize the
atzeres tefilloh, which was done in a matter of
days.
"None of the means that people use to try to counter the
violence, and the verbal violence of so much of the press,
have the power of tefilloh," said one participant,
echoing another sentiment voiced earlier by Rabbi Perlow.
"And nothing else has worked. Perhaps Hashem's message to us
is that we need to do just what we're doing here."
The Novominsker Rebbe also noted the timeliness of such a
gathering on the first of the Nine Days, when Jews are in
mourning over the Beis Hamikdosh that remains unbuilt. He
stressed the need to focus on teshuva, tefilloh
utzedokoh and on improving ourselves both in the realm
of bein odom laMokom and bein odom
lechavero.
Rabbi Perlow related divrei brochoh as well from a
number of gedolim in Eretz Yisroel: HaRav Yosef
Sholom Eliashiv, the Vishnitzer Rebbe, HaRav Aharon Leib
Shteinman, the Gerrer Rebbe and the Belzer Rebbe.
The Atzeres Tefilloh commenced with Mincha at 2:00
p.m. The honor of leading the large kehilla in
tefilloh was given to HaRav Shmuel Miller, rosh
hayeshiva of Yeshivas Bais Yisroel, in aveilus for
his renowned father HaRav Avigdor Miller, zt"l.
After the Novominsker Rebbe's introductory remarks, the
program continued with the recitation of Tehillim led
by the Klausenberger Rebbe; Rabbi Zalman Unger, the Skverer
Dayan; Rabbi Simcha Schustal, rosh hayeshiva of Yeshiva Bais
Binyomin (Stanford); Rabbi Dovid Magid, rosh hayeshiva,
Yeshiva of Bayonne (NJ); Rabbi Yitzchok Baal Haness, rav of
Shiraz, Iran; Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, rosh hayeshiva,
Yeshiva of Staten Island; and Rabbi Eliezer Eichler, Boyaner
dayan. Ovinu Malkeinu was recited by Rabbi Yosef
Frankel, the Vyelopoler Rebbe. Selichos were recited
by Rabbi Shlomo Gross, the Belzer Dayan. The program
concluded with kabolas Ol Malchus Shomayim, led by
the Skulener Rebbe.
Among the prominent roshei yeshiva on the dais were Rabbi
Elya Svei, rosh hayeshiva, Yeshiva of Philadelphia; Rabbi
Aharon Schechter, rosh hayeshiva, Yeshivas Chaim Berlin;
Rabbi Chaim Epstein, rosh hayeshiva, Yeshiva Zichron Melech;
Rabbi Lipa Margulies, rosh hayeshiva, Yeshiva Torah Temimoh;
and Rabbi Elya Ber Wachtfogel, rosh hayeshiva, Yeshiva of
South Fallsburg.
