Concern over the spiritual fate of thousands of new
immigrants from France expected to arrive in Eretz Hakodesh
during the next several weeks drew hundreds of French-
speaking bnei Torah to an urgent gathering organized
by Lev L'Achim, where gedolei Yisroel issued a
resolute declaration to do whatever necessary to ensure the
full spiritual absorption of the newcomers--the vast majority
of whom are young, Torah-faithful families.
The gathering followed an emergency meeting held last
Thursday at Lev L'Achim's Bnei Brak office after maranan
verabonon issued instructions to make every effort to
facilitate the spiritual absorption of the new immigrants.
The emergency meeting was attended by HaRav Yehuda Shmuel,
rosh yeshivas Kesser Shlomo; HaRav Yosef Meir, spiritual
director of Yeshivas Mishkon Hatorah; HaRav Yechezkel Landau,
a rov in the city of Elad; HaRav Ron Shaya, rosh yeshivas
Yeshuas Yosef; HaRav Moshe Kaufman; HaRav Doniel Dreyfus of
Ashdod; and HaRav Shlomo Meir Ackerman of Kiryat Sefer.
On Sunday hundreds of French-speaking bnei Torah from
chareidi population centers around Eretz Yisroel came to Beis
Knesses Divrei Shir in Bnei Brak for an meeting led by
gedolei Yisroel, including HaRav Aharon Leib
Shteinman, HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz and HaRav Nissim
Karelitz.
Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv issued a special letter
supporting the effort by leading rabbonim to organize French-
speaking activists under the auspices of Lev L'Achim to work
for the spiritual absorption of the new immigrants expected
from France and to assist them in placing their children in
suitable educational institutions as quickly as possible.
The gathering began with opening remarks by Lev L'Achim
director-general Rabbi Eliezer Sorotzkin. He provided reports
on the wave of aliya expected in the coming months,
saying that according to his sources Jewish Agency
representatives have opened aliya files for 8,000
families. He focused on the most pressing immediate need: to
direct the immigrant children to Torah-based educational
institutions.
The first speaker was HaRav Yehuda Shmuel, Rosh Yeshivas
Kesser Shlomo. He began by citing Or Hachaim on the verse,
"Ki sir'eh shor ochicho . . . ," saying, "The mitzvah
of hashovas aveidoh applies to one's own brother
himself, as well. The new immigrants coming from France are
not `lost.' They observe Torah and mitzvos. The vast majority
of their children receive a Torah education and we must save
them from getting lost. We must inform them of the existing
situation in Eretz Hakodesh clearly. Here there is a
different reality. The education varies in different schools
and the new immigrants must be told that here education is
different and this is part of the major change they must make
when immigrating to Eretz Hakodesh.
"Here there is no need for secular studies or matriculation
exams for boys. This task falls on us, on the French-speaking
Torah world. Each one of us must travel to wherever he is
sent and to speak with the new immigrants and to explain
things to them. We know of families that immigrated to
Eretz Hakodesh and did not receive the appropriate
guidance and, unfortunately, they declined in
ruchniyus. All of us have an obligation to work and to
act."
Rav Boruch Shapira spoke on behalf of the Lev L'Achim
administration, explaining the urgency of the situation. "We
have gathered here to save French Jewry," he said.
HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman said, "The very fact that we have
convened to reinforce ideas that need reinforcement is a
great kiddush sheim Shomayim and this in itself is a
great merit that will undoubtedly stand by all those who work
and act in this matter. All those who join forces in this
will have great siyata deShmaya, for this is truly
saving lives, for godol hamachti'o yoser mihorgo, and
this great merit will accompany the entire world in this
great mitzvah."
HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz said, "We live under
persecutions from all sides, from both without and within,
and [we know] the middos of HaKodosh Boruch Hu
are all rachamim, and the purpose of all of the
persecutions and killing is for each of us to contemplate
what HaKodosh Boruch Hu wants of us, which is to draw
closer to Him and to know that all of His actions are to
bring us closer to His will. It is written, `Ya'ancho
Hashem beyom tzoroh,' and the Midrash on
Tehillim says, `A father and son were walking along
the way . . . He said to him, "My son, this will be a sign
for you: if you see a cemetery before you, know that the city
is near." Thus said HaKodosh Boruch Hu to Yisroel,
"When you are beset with woes, at that time you will be
redeemed."'
"One of the following verses reads, `Yisagevcho sheim
Elokei Yaakov,' as it says, the Keil who answers
me in days of trouble and He Who answered Yaakov Ovinu during
his time of trouble, He will answer you on your day of
trouble. We have gathered here for the sake of Heaven and to
increase the Torah of Jewish children immigrating from
France. You are well aware that they have good middos
and mesirus for Torah, as we have seen in those who
have already arrived here, and each and every one of you is
capable of joining in efforts to help educate and influence
the families and the young people. HaKodosh Boruch Hu
should help us to [merit] the full Geula speedily in
our days, omen."
HaRav Nissim Karelitz said, "In the Torah there is a mitzvah
of hashovas aveidoh. If a person loses something there
is a mitzvah to help him recover his lost item, and even more
so, a person in physical danger must help him. A doctor who
can heal must help him. There is another level--returning the
soul. Not just the body, which is in This World, but the
soul.
"And there is a difference between returning one's assets and
returning his body. In returning assets if there is someone
who can save him, one is exempted from this. But in saving
someone's body, in such a case, no one is exempt from this
for not every man has the merit to help him recuperate and
perhaps he will have the merit.
"We can learn something from this regarding the matter at
hand. In the case of returning the soul, one cannot say
others will do it. Every individual knows what he can do.
HaKodosh Boruch Hu should help [us derive a boost from
this gathering] and in this merit may we merit the
Redemption."
Later Rav Yehoshua Barkhatz, rosh yeshivas Shaarei Rachamim,
also called on French-speaking bnei Torah to avail
themselves to the absorption campaign.
At the conclusion of the gathering dozens of forms were
filled out by French-speaking women activists, who will also
be integrated into immigrant absorption activities under the
guidance of gedolei Yisroel.
Rabbi Sorotzkin said special coordinating centers will be
designated this week and various means are being employed to
locate the new immigrants immediately upon their arrival in
Eretz Hakodesh. He announced the opening of a French-
language consultation hotline at 1-800-360-000 to serve as a
source of information and guidance for the new immigrants.
Sunday's urgent gathering was attended by numerous concerned
French-speaking rabbonim, roshei yeshivos, roshei kollelim
and educators who recalled past mistakes and the terrible
tragedies associated with previous waves of aliya.
This week's gathering, the first step in the large campaign
the Torah world faces, ended with a determined decision to
honor the call of maranan verabonon and to do
everything possible to save these cherished immigrants for a
life of Torah and mitzvos.
