December 1, 2023 - 18 Kislev 5784 | | | Good Shabbos! As the Agudah Convention continues, please enjoy today's news from the Agudah, beginning with a roundup of photos from last night's sessions. A reader shared a letter with an important message from his congressman; special LIVE from Pirchei session for your son to call into on Motzoei Shabbos; yahrtzeits of Rav Yitzchok Hutner and Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin; and this week's Bnos and Pirchei newsletters.
Did you get this email as a forward? You can subscribe to the Agudah's updates by clicking here. | | | 2023 Agudah Convention: Early Highlights | | | Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, Menahel, Yad Yisroel, Karlin Stolin | | Rabbi Gershon Miller, Rosh Hamosad of Yeshiva Beth Yehuda, Detroit | | Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Yosef Frankel, Vyelopoler Rebbe | | | | Rabbi Shlomo Mandel, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva of Brooklyn
| | | Panelists in the 'Brothers Reawakening: Our Call to Action' session: Shmuli Dembitzer, Mayer Gold, Rabbi Shlomo Landau, Eitan Pfeiffer, and Shmuel Sherman | | Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director, Agudath Israel of America | | | | | | | Rabbi Yosef Elefant and Rabbi Aharon Lopiansky, along with moderator Rabbi Yisroel Besser, at "#askingforafriend" session | | | Agudah Live hosts Rabbi Shai Markowitz and Rabbi Ari Strulowitz interviewing Agudah's New Jersey legislative director Rabbi Shlomo Schorr | | | Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore | | Agudah's Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel greeting Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore | | | Chaver, Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva, Mirrer Yeshiva, Brooklyn, and, Rabbi Yosef Elefant, R"M, Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, greeting convention attendees | | Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Yosef Frankel, Vyelopoler Rebbe, and Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of the Board of Trusteer, Agudath Israel of America | | | Rabbi Naftali Miller, CDO, Agudath Israel of America | | (l-r) Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, director of Agudath Israel of America's Connecticut office; Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, director of Agudath Israel of America's Rockland office; State Senator Bill Weber; Rabbi AD Motzen, National Director of Government Affairs; Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director of New York Government Relations | | | Chaver, Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva, Mirrer Yeshiva, Brooklyn, and Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of the Board of Trusteer, Agudath Israel of America | | | Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aharon Dovid Goldberg, Rosh HaYeshiva, Telshe Yeshiva, Cleveland, and Convention Chairman Chaim Rajchenbach | | | | Photo Credits: Moshe Gershbaum/Moshe Bitton
With Eretz Yisroel in the midst of crisis, how does the Torah world in the United States move forward? Speakers at this year's Agudah Convention in the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, addressed questions pertaining to the situation in Eretz Yisroel, its effects on American Jewry, and what our response should be.
The convention, 'Call to Action,' began Thursday, and emphasized the need for American Jews to take action in response to the current situation. With presentations from leading Rabbanim and askanim, participants are already receiving tangible direction from our Gedolim and committing to put practical solutions into effect.
See below for more. | | | | Letter From a Reader
An NFA reader sent us this note about a message he received from his congressman when he called about the situation in Eretz Yisroel:
I had sent the email and got the generic responses from most of the politicians, but my congressman sent a personal response. So, I decided to call him. I spoke to him for some time and he kept saying the same thing to me over and over.
He was begging me to have my friends and family send emails make calls.
He said he has spoken to many colleagues of his in Congress who are getting calls from the opposite side threatening to ensure they lose the next election.
He said a simple email or phone call can change the congressperson, on whether they will publicly stand with Israel or be one of the politicians who stay quiet and stay safe but don't stand up for Israel. He said it makes a huge difference and it's needed. | Urge Congress Like Never Before: A New Initiative to Help Our Brethren
KnowUs, a project of Agudath Israel of America, launched a campaign today to galvanize the sending of 100,000 letters to Congress to stand with Israel; to press for the release of all hostages; and to combat the recent, surging antisemitism on college campuses and across the country.
To access the portal and contact your legislators, visit KnowUs.org. | | | | Calling all Pirchei members!
Join us on Motzai Shabbos for an exciting Live with Pirchei program at the Agudah Convention! Interviews, live program, Hasmadah Challenge raffle drawing!
From 8:00-8:30pm EST, call 718.820.7284, extension 72.
Click here to view the flyer. | | | Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt'l
This Sunday, 20 Kislev, marks the 43rd yartzheit of Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt"l, Rosh HaYeshiva of Mesivta Chaim Berlin and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. Rav Hutner learned in Slabodka and in the Chevron Yeshiva, before leading Mesivta Chaim Berlin for decades. He is the author of the well-known sefer Pachad Yitzchok as well as a number of other works. Click here for an article from the Jewish Observer published in honor of Rav Hutner's first yartzheit.
Please click here for articles on Rav Hutner zt'l | | | | Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt'l
This Sunday marks the 5th yartzheit of Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Telshe Chicago. Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin founded the Chicago branch of Yeshivas Telz and stood at its helm for more than half a century. At the 2022 Agudah Convention, his son Rabbi Yisroel Menachem Levin shared personal memories showing glimpses of his father's greatness.
Please see below for an adaptation of Rabbi Yisroel Menachem Levin's memories of his father. | | | | 2023 Agudah Convention: Early Highlights continued:
Among the many sessions, and emblematic of the focus on our responsibility in this time of tzoroh, was this year's Thursday night keynote, titled 'Reb Yisroel Bein Ha'Amim: Challenges, Opportunities, Issues, and Solutions.' Rabbi Gershon Miller, Rosh Hamosad of Yeshiva Beth Yehuda, said, "We would assume that the first casualty of what happened would be emunas Yisroel... and get the very opposite took place. Everywhere in the world we ran into Hashem's Hands!"
And in the words of Rabbi Shmuel Dishon, Menahel, Yad Yisroel, Karlin Stolin, "We are responsible for every single yid in the world - if we have the ability to help him, we have to help him."
"How can you be a Yid and not want to help? How can you be a Yid and not cry out to Hashem?" said Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Yosef Frankel, Vyelepoler Rebbe.
In that vein, the session included a presentation of Agudah's Keren Yeshuah's efforts to assist those displaced because of Hamas' terror attacks, both during this trying time and for the long-term.
The Agudah Convention continues through Sunday afternoon. All Friday, Motzoei Shabbos, and Sunday sessions are open to the public. For a full program and other convention information, see agudahconvention.org. The Agudah Convention will also be livestreamed, available at agudahconvention.org/live-event. | | | | Memories of Rav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt"l:
Mekadesh Shem Shamayim - Rav Elya Meir Bloch, my father zt"l's rebbi, explains a pasuk in Bamidbar: "V'chanu Bnei Yisroel ish al machaneihu v'ish al diglo l'tzivosam." He explains that Bnei Yisroel is Hashem's army, and everyone has to stand guard where they were instructed to. If a person leaves his post – even to stand guard somewhere else – he will be punished. This is a tremendous limud for every Yid. Hashem places every person in a specific place, in a specific family, in a specific time, and this is our guidance for what our tafkid is in the world: wherever and whenever we are, a Yid must be mekadesh shem Shamayim. He must always ask himself, "What does Hashem want from me right now?" My father exemplified this. Whatever situation he was in, no matter where he was, he never deviated from his tafkid – he was always mekadesh shem shamayim.
Tefillah - My father was very, very makpid on tefillah and specifically on tzuras hatefillah, davening properly. Once my father had to go to a rehab center after surgery. I came to spend Shabbos with my parents there, and when I davened with my father, he had no minyan, but he was a chazan. He led kabbalas Shabbos. During shacharis
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