Speaking to a capacity crowd in the grand ballroom of the
New York Hilton at the 79th Anniversary Dinner of Agudath
Israel of America, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker
Rebbe and Rosh Agudath Israel, issued a call to young and
older members of the community alike to join and strengthen
the "holy work" of Agudath Israel.
Rabbi Perlow opened his address by characterizing Agudath
Israel as a knessia lesheim Shomayim, about which the
Mishna states, "Sofo lehiskayeim" -- its goals
are sure to be realized. The phenomenal success Agudath
Israel has enjoyed throughout its many years of existence,
said Rabbi Perlow, is a sure sign of its standing as a
knessia lesheim Shomayim whose only objectives are to
enhance the honor of Hashem in the world, to elevate the
word of Torah and to serve the needs of the tzibbur.
These objectives can only be accomplished, the Rebbe
averred, when every segment of the community comes together
as an agudah achas, to do the will of Hashem
beleivov sholeim, with a fully dedicated heart.
Rabbi Perlow then extended a special welcome to Agudath
Israel's new Young Leadership Division, a group of young
askonim who have joined with the "older generation"
of Agudah activists in promoting the organization's goals
and ideals. Calling askonus a "holy venture for the
purpose of elevating kvod Shomayim and keren
haTorah," Rabbi Perlow urged kollel yungerleit as
well as those who have recently left the kollel to
pursue livelihoods, to establish a tzorchei tzibbur
partnership with veteran askonim, similar to the
biblical partnership of Yissochor and Zevulun. The entire
Torah community in America stands to benefit from such a
sacred collaboration, the Rebbe declared.
Turning to the perilous situation in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi
Perlow expressed anguish over the eis tzorah in which
our Jewish brethren find themselves today. Despite our pain,
he avowed, we must extract a chizuk be'emunah from
the current state of affairs, recognizing that, as the Novi
says in the haftorah on Shabbos Shuva: "Our orphaned
generation will not find mercy among the nations." Our
deliverance, the Rebbe affirmed, will come only from Hashem,
and it is to Him we must constantly turn in prayer. And
prayer for Jews in Eretz Yisroel was indeed the first order
of the evening, as Rabbi Hillel David led the assemblage in
reciting a kapital Tehillim on their behalf.
Alluding to the dedication of Agudath Israel's new Rabbi
Moshe Sherer National Headquarters, a much-anticipated
feature of the dinner, Rabbi Perlow called on the assembled
guests to renew their commitment to carrying on the life's
work of the beloved, late Agudah leader. The "spiritual
binyan" Rabbi Sherer, zt"l, built for Agudath
Israel and Klal Yisroel will remain a siman
brochoh and a ner zikoron forever, Rabbi Perlow
proclaimed.
Citing a gemara in Shabbos, the Rebbe defined
a ben olam haboh as one who, in the words of the
novi Yeshayah, will hear "words after" him "saying:
this is the path; follow it." Rashi explains that "after"
means "after death." The gemora, said Rabbi Perlow,
is apt to describe Rabbi Sherer, about whom Agudah staff --
and so many others -- are constantly saying, "This is the
path he took; let us follow it." He concerned himself with
matters "to the right and left," as the posuk
continues, but he always followed the path marked by Reb
Aharon Kotler, zt"l, and other gedolei
Yisroel.
In congratulating all the evening's honorees, Rabbi Perlow
made special mention of the recipient of the Rabbi Moshe
Sherer Memorial Award, Rabbi Chaskel Besser. Describing the
revered Agudah askon as an "old world" Jew who has a
tremendous impact on the contemporary world, Rabbi Perlow
expressed the gathering's gratitude for Rabbi Besser's
lifelong devotion to the klal and wished him the
strength to continue his efforts on its behalf.
The Rebbe closed with a brochoh that the work of the
"holy knessia lesheim Shomayim that is known as
Agudath Israel" will help bring the Geulah, speedily
in our day.
Rabbi Perlow's remarks set the stage for the presentation of
the Rabbi Moshe Sherer Memorial Award to Rabbi Besser, whose
association with Agudath Israel spans more than half a
century. After the war, Rabbi Besser moved from Eretz
Yisroel to the United States and became active in Agudath
Israel, serving first as the organization's vice president
and later as a member of its presidium -- a position he
holds to this day. One of Rabbi Sherer's most trusted
confidants and cherished friends, Rabbi Besser worked
closely with the organization's late president, contributing
great spiritual and physical energy to the task of building
Agudath Israel into a dynamic national Torah movement. In
the early 1950s, he became founding chairman of Agudath
Israel's Daf Yomi Commission, which provides a multitude of
services aimed at promoting daily Talmud study across the
country.
But Rabbi Besser's tireless efforts on behalf of the Jewish
community extend well beyond the reaches of Agudath Israel.
A leading pioneer in the rescue and preservation of Jewish
cemeteries in Eastern Europe, Rabbi Besser is a member of
the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's
Heritage Abroad. He also serves as the American president of
Bikur Cholim Hospital of Jerusalem, and chairman for Eastern
Europe for the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, to name but a
few of his many distinguished titles.
Making the presentation to Rabbi Besser was Rabbi Shimshon
Sherer, son of the late Agudah leader and a respected rov in
Flatbush. Three of the evening's other awards were presented
by Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Agudath Israel's executive vice
president, to: Elly Kleinman, who received the HaGaon Rav
Aharon Kotler Memorial Award for distinguished service to
Torah; Yossi Rakower, who received the Reb Elimelech Tress
Award for preservation of the legacy of the Shearis
HaPleitoh; and Mendel Zilberberg, who received the Moreinu
Yaakov Rosenheim Memorial Award for distinguished service to
Agudath Israel.
Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin, Agudath Israel's Vice President for
Finance and Administration, presented the organization's
respected Avodas Hakodesh Awards to individuals from a
variety of communities, in recognition of their efforts and
accomplishments. The honorees were Aharon Akselrud, Rabbi
Yaakov Hoenig, Dr. Maurice (Moshe) Katz, Joseph Lomner, Abe
Newman and Israel Werdyger. Mordechai Biser, ESQ. was
presented with the Wolf Friedman Young Leadership Award.
Earlier in the program, the gathering was addressed by the
evening's special guest, chairman of the United States
Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage
Abroad, the Honorable Michael Lewan. A true friend of the
Jewish people and specifically of Agudath Israel, Mr. Lewan
has through his many years of distinguished public service
played an indispensable role in the protection and
preservation of Jewish cemeteries in Europe. In the process,
he has been instrumental in impressing on government
officials the sanctity of those cemeteries to the Jewish
people and their inviolability.
In his remarks, Mr. Lewan recalled his warm personal
relationship with Rabbi Sherer and spoke of his deeply
cherished association with the man who would later that
evening be presented with the award bearing the late Agudah
leader's name -- Rabbi Besser. He described Rabbi Besser as
the "definition of decency and dignity," the individual
"most responsible for the success achieved in the
preservation and protection of Jewish cemeteries throughout
Eastern Europe," and as a man whose goodness is recognized
and whose word is respected by "presidents, princes and
popes."
Said dinner chairman, Jordan Most, "It was quite evident
from listening to all the wonderful speeches that Agudath
Israel of America is involved in every aspect of Jewish life
-- in this country and around the world."
