Tremendous excitement is being generated among French Jewry through the historic, impressive chizuk visit which took place this past Sunday 15 Elul by the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, who, despite his advanced age, came in person to brace the Jewish community in this country and reestablish the foundations of religion and education in their purest form so as to prevent the loss of precious souls in the frightening wasteland of the Diaspora.
The message of sending boys to yeshivos and enrolling girls in Bais Yaakov schools was the rallying cry at a gathering of thousands in the huge Dock Pullman auditorium. Long before it began, the surrounding area was filled with throngs of people streaming there to participate in what was a historic event long to be remembered in the annals of French Jewish history.
The dais was graced with the presence of the cream of rabbonim from Paris and its environs who, together with the thousands of participants, eagerly and excitedly awaited the message of the Rosh Yeshiva.
The event was opened with blessings from the renowned philanthropist-activist, Rabbi Rephael Harari, who dwelled upon the great privilege of his community to host their illustrious visitor. He touched upon the great loss for all Jewry of HaRav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, who had been its luminary and mentor.
Among the prominent speakers who addressed the gathering were HaRav Aharon Dovid Dunner, Gavad of the London Kedassia Beis Din; HaRav Yosef Chaim Sitruk, former Chief Rabbi of France; HaRav Yaakov Hillel, Rosh Yeshivas Ahavas Shalom, who came expressly from Eretz Yisroel to accompany the Rosh Yeshiva's chizuk visit, and HaRav Yitzchok Weil, Av Beis Din of Aix-les-Bains.
HaRav Yosef Efrati, who also accompanied the Rosh Yeshiva on this chizuk tour, spoke at length, saying, among other things, "En route here in the plane, the Rosh Yeshiva painfully described the decree against bris milah as a dreadful one, as HaRav Dunner mentioned, that the gentiles claim that the eight-day-old infant was not asked for his consent to the procedure. This can be termed as `a time of distress for Yaakov [Jewry].' We must unite in prayer and avodas Hashem in a strong front against all those who thwart and threaten us, and in this merit, we will hasten the advent of techiyas hameisim."
