The special beis din run by Keren Shevi'is met this
week at the home of HaRav Nissim Karelitz, who heads the
beis din. At the start of the meeting the beis
din was presented with financial reports on the amount of
aid given to Shmittah-observant farmers in various parts of
Eretz Yisroel, and specific requests were evaluated.
Taking part in the meeting were HaRav Yaakov Meir Stern,
av beis din at HaRav Wosner's beis din, HaRav
Aryeh Dvir and HaRav Yehuda Aryeh Zilberstein, rov of
Kehillas Chassidei Gur in Kiryat Gat. Also on hand were Rav
Ben Tzion Kugler, chairman of the Keren Shevi'is Board of
Directors, Rav Reuven Meir, national coordinator of Keren
Shevi'is, and Rav Avrohom Rubinstein, deputy mayor of Bnei
Brak and a member of the board.
Keren Shevi'is board members presented the beis din
with a detailed report, including precise figures on how much
money was given to each farmer. The organization has a budget
of millions of shekels used to sustain numerous farmers and
their families.
The beis din was also asked to set criteria for
certain cases and the members listened attentively to each
case, addressing them with all due seriousness. The beis
din decided to establish a policy of providing the
minimum level of aid needed for the farmer to subsist,
regardless of the amount of income he lost.
At the end of the meeting the beis din members told
the Keren Shevi'is board how pleased they are with the
organization's efforts, which sanctify the Name of Heaven,
and offered their encouragement and blessings to the
activists and donors.
