It was an extraordinary display of achdus and kovod hatorah, as prominent rabbonim in Lakewood set aside their busy schedules to attend an urgent asifa called by the Rosh Hayeshiva, Harav Malkiel Kotler earlier this week.
The gathering was graced by the presence of the Zekan Roshei HaYeshiva, Harav Shmuel Kamentsky and the Roshei Yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoha. Rav Kotler spoke emotionally about the precedence his zeidah gave for Chinuch Atzmai over all other causes. He recalled the legendary mesiras nefesh with which Rav Ahron zt”l shouldered the enormous budget to the point, where it became his mission in life.
Chinuch Atzmai is the mainstay of chinuch for the general population of Achenu Bnei Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel. The transportation element, which is funded by Keren Kiruv Yaldei Yisroel is the organizational engine that facilitates the education of thousands of youngsters in Eretz Yisroel’s periphery, who would not have no other access to a Torah chinuch. It is an opportunity where our kehilla can “buy in” at a relatively nominal expense and achieve immeasurable dividends.
The Rosh Hayeshiva asked Harav Mordechai Karelitz, Chairman of Chinuch Atzmai’s Keren Kiruv Yaldei Yisroel, who had just arrived from Eretz Yisroel to share with the rabbonim some of the critical facts on the ground.
Rav Karelitz poignantly related how thousands of avreichim from all across Eretz Yisroel many of them who can barely afford the bare minimum for their own families, eagerly undertake to sponsor the transportation of a Chinuch Atzmai child, as per the instruction of the gedolei hador. Millions of shekels are raised each year from struggling yungeleit, who forgo some of their basic necessities in order to earn this special zechus.
Rav Karelitz noted the affinity and kinship he feels with Lakewood as true partners in the achievements Chinuch Atzmai dating back to the organization’s inception. More importantly, he described the momentum created by last year’s Lakewood campaign and the impact it had on communities around the world, which followed suit.
Harav Shmuel Kamenetsky put the urgency of the cause in true context. “Es brent ah fire – a fire is raging!” When a fire burns, one doesn’t look at one’s abilities – one does whatever needs to be done!
He shared his own recollections of the reverence that gedolim of previous generations had for Chinuch Atzmai.
Harav Osher Chaim Lieberman related the call of the Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva to establish the Parshas Ki Savo as Shabbos Lema’an Yaldei Yisroel in all of Lakewood’s shuls and kehillos. He asked the rabbonim to convey to their mispallelim the importance of the initiative and the extraordinary zechus to be mishtatef in it.
Rav Lieberman ended the meeting with inspiring divrei chizuk from the Nefesh Hachaim regarding the zechus of those who solicit with mesiras nefesh for the Ribbono Shel Olam’s causes.
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[TLS – Press Release]
