This spring, the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation (CCHF)
will show the Jewish world that neither politics nor weapons
alone will save Israel; we need unity. Through their
Worldwide Shmiras Haloshon Initiative, CCHF will bring the
words of some of today's leading Jewish luminaries and the
laws of shmiras haloshon to synagogues and schools
everywhere. And they'll offer every Jew the opportunity to
strengthen our nation's best defense: achdus and
tefillah.
The Initiative will try to reach thousands of Jews to bring
them into a shmiras haloshon coalition and also to
bring comprehensive programs to communities to teach
shmiras haloshon to achieve the Jewish ideal of
refined speech and interpersonal communication.
The Initiative is to begin with an inspirational event on
April 30. All participating schools will witness, via live
audio and/or video hookup, the motivational words of three
of the generation's most respected leaders, HaRav Shmuel
Kamenetsky, dean of the Philadelphia Yeshiva; HaRav Aaron
Leib Steinman, dean of Yeshiva Gaon Yaakov from Bnei Brak,
Israel; and HaRav Matisyahu Salomon, of Beth Medrash Govoha,
in Lakewood, NJ.
The program continues the following Shabbos on May 5, 2001
when synagogue rabbis will address their congregants on the
power of shmiras haloshon to unify the Jewish people.
Each synagogue will distribute Shabbos-table learning and
discussion materials. They will also establish committees to
institute brief (five minute) daily classes for learning the
laws of proper speech and to organize other learning
opportunities.
The Initiative is based on the belief that Shmiras Haloshon
reduces negativity and hatred and builds achdus. This
achdus invokes Hashem's compassionate sense of
reciprocity: middah keneged middah. When we judge
each other favorably, Hashem does the same for us. The
Initiative will try to bring about the unity that is so
needed to help Israel during these trying times.
"Besides the power shmiras haloshon imparts to our
prayers, it builds an incomparable merit that protects the
Jewish People," said HaRav Kamenetsky. "Each Jew who joins
the Shmiras Haloshon Initiative, who commits himself to the
learning and observance of this precept, enlists himself in
the one and only force that can help the Jewish People turn
tragedy into triumph."
Any synagogue or school interested in participating in the
Shmiras Haloshon Initiative can call Alan Proctor at the
Chofetz Chaim Foundation at 800-867-2482.
The not-for-profit Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation is an
educational foundation working to eliminate hatred and
divisiveness among the Jewish people. The 11-year-old Monsey
based foundation has sold over 100,000 copies of its daily
learning programs in Israel and the United States and hosts
an annual Tisha B'Av event for 40,000 people in 230 Jewish
communities worldwide.
