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In a fascinating interview with Yated Ne'eman, Rabbi Yaakov Bornstein, head of the Hadera branch of Lev L'Achim, dwells on the many activities of the organization in the city. He has many stories to tell about the 'closing of circles' from these very past days, and the fruits of its labor after many years of active toil in the city.
"Ever since the outbreak of the October 7th War, two new botei medrash have been opened in Hadera, which are joining the three already existing ones," he says proudly and excitedly. "Our crowning glory is a spacious and central beis medrash active here which, over the years, has turned into a strong magnet for thousands of the residents. It offers lectures, ongoing shiurim, a beis medrash and outreach activities. It is a veritable beehive center 24 hours of the day, seven days of the week, nonstop.
"Large numbers of people gather here from all corners of the city, absorbed by our staff, which addresses their needs collectively and individually with a broad spectrum of activities and possibilities which Lev L'Achim offers."
Rabbi Bornstein describes an interesting phenomenon: "If in the past we had to go out and seek them, today our job is just to pair the newcomers with study partners and proper frameworks. The thirst for spirituality is felt everywhere."
Minister David Amsalem said in a newspaper interview: "I see the entire story of the chareidim as a political topic, bordering on anti-Semitism. Zahal never wanted to draft the chareidim. Never, including today. All this is merely lip service."
He added, "Someone, who serves in the Army reserves, came to me two weeks ago. He said that chareidim had come and the army sent them women soldiers immodestly dressed. So don't tell me stories about the army agreeing to accept them on their terms and that they could continue to conform to their ways within the army framework. It could be that these were people with pure intentions. But there is a common saying that 'the path to Gehennom is paved with good intentions.' And even if this is only a figure of speech, in today's context, it is to be taken literally. Not as a parable, but as what it actually symbolizes."
While in Washington, Netanyahu pinpointed one of his objectives, saying, "Anti-Semitism is on the upswing primarily because of the hate-mongering propaganda in the general media. We are fighting it here in the same way that we fought other fronts."
This seems to be a very accurate description of what is taking place against the Torah world on all of the media platforms where hate propaganda is organized and financed. Its end goal is to bring about the fall of the government.
This was first published in 1992, 33 years ago.
Reb Elimelech Tress was for many years president of Zeirei Agudath Israel and then administrative president of Agudath Israel of America. He set a shining example of self-sacrifice for klal Yisroel that has inspired many, including his own children. He was niftar fifty-eight years ago on 2 Tammuz, at the untimely age of 57.
Part 2
The Last Years
Throughout, Mike was always willing to help with every dovor bekedusha and in awe of every odom godol. But he was patient and respectful of everyone.
In his last years he was very sick and often in tremendous pain. Yet he always listened patiently to whomever wanted to speak to him. And many did want to speak with him.
There was Rabbi Kamiyon, a talmid chochom who came to U.S. after the war, a broken person. He never married or led a normal life, drifting from place to place. He would come to Mike to talk, and Mike would listen and listen. He was not the only one. Mike would sit with head in his hands, massaging himself to relieve the pain.
His passing left a void that the leaders he trained had to strain to fill, but his memory will always be cherished by the thousands whose lives he touched. HaRav Stern sums up his personal memories: "There is no question about it that he was one of the yichidei hador of that generation."
Setting the Record Straight
by Gershon Kranzler
Following are excerpts from an article about Elimelech Tress written by one of those who knew his work firsthand. First published in the Jewish Observer in 1971, it was also chosen for inclusion in their 25th anniversary edition representing their choice of the many important articles they published over the years.
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Outstanding Articles From Our Archives
IN-DEPTH FEATURES
By Way of Introduction -- The Importance of Tzedokoh
The Arab despot, Achmed Al Jezer, placed harsh decrees on the Jews and levied such heavy taxes that he exploited all the monies they had received from their countries of origin. HaRav Avrohom Kalisker zt'l therefore decided to expand the circle of donors and send a messenger on an emergency collection in the Jewish communities of South Africa: Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. He chose "the wise, perfect, well-rounded, humble as Hillel" HaRav Dovid Ashkenazi zt'l as a messenger.
Rabbi Dovid's mission lasted about seven years. The Jews of these countries were poor, and their small contributions were inadequate for the many needs. He therefore sailed to Italy, and met Maran the Chida zt'l in Laverne, where he lived at the end of his days. Reb Dovid told the Sephardic sage why he was forced to wander in foreign countries and related the terrible hardships that the Jews in the Holy Land endured. The holy sage was deeply pained and told him:
"Listen to me and I will tell you how to conduct a she'eilas chalom, question in a dream, so you'll know which number will win the lottery. Buy that ticket and you will win enough money to relieve the holy congregation."
Reb Dovid learned what to do, and continued on to Russia where a large lottery was held. He conducted a she'eilas chalom and was answered from Heaven while he was practically awake, not even in a regular dream. Afterwards, however, he was not sure if it was that number or the next one. Since a ticket cost the tremendous sum of six rubles, he did not dare buy two tickets from tzedokoh money and bought only one. The winning number of tens of thousands of rubles was the second number.
Reb Dovid was disappointed, completed his mission and returned to the holy land with a sack full of money which brought a small salvation to the heavily indebted congregation. Along with the money he collected, he gave HaRav Avrohom Kalisker zt'l a list of his expenses, such as travelling and food. The holy sage intently read down the list and pointed to the sum of six rubles.
"What's this?" he asked.
Reb Dovid told him how he met the Chida who taught him the secret of a she'eilas chalom and how the number was revealed to him, but he was not sure which one. So he only bought one lottery ticket, which did not win. If it would have won, the sum would have appeared on the list of profits. Now, because it did not win, the cost of the ticket appeared on the list of expenses.
The Gaon replied, "I do not authorize the expense. You have to pay for the ticket from your own pocket. I did not send you on a trip to buy a lottery ticket!"
Reb Dovid was astonished. He sincerely wanted to save the congregation from their hardships; he made a she'eilas chalom and was answered, and he even almost won! If one forgets something, it is not his fault.
HaRav Kalisker said to him, "Why do you think you forgot? I'll tell you more than that. Why did Hashem bring a tyrant who heavily burdened us, and why did Hashem arrange things so that the money from our countries was not enough and we were forced to search for other sources? Why did we have to turn to you, to disturb your learning and growth and to send you wandering for seven years?
"Do you know why? Because Hakodosh Boruch Hu wanted to give more and more Jews the zechus of donating money to the residents of Eretz Yisroel and to the tzedokoh of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess. You have no idea how exalted this tzedokoh is and which gates of goodness and blessings are opened for those who support it! Our Father in heaven decided that it was worthwhile to afflict us with the burden of debts and onerous taxes and to decree wandering on you in order to be mezake many Jews in the Diaspora. How did you think you could exempt yourself from all of it by buying a lottery ticket? Does Hakodosh Boruch Hu lack money? He owns all the silver and the gold! He does not lack money, but He wants to gives Jews merit."
The Loftiness of the Tzedokoh of Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess
Opinion & Comment
Until slightly more than a year ago, Bill Morgan was no different than any other resident of Australia, his birthplace. He worked hard for his living as a truck driver and was happy when he managed to finish the month without an overdraft.
But then his truck became involved in an accident. As Bill was seated in the driver's cabin, an oncoming car smashed into him. He was crushed. As a result of the horrible accident, Bill suffered a fatal heart attack.
The injury was so severe that the ambulance crew arriving on the scene was certain that there was nothing left for them to do. Nonetheless, they attached him to their resuscitation apparatus and tried to stimulate his heart. For more than 14 minutes, Bill was in a situation defined as "clinical death." When his heart began to beat again, he was rushed to the hospital, where he remained in a coma for 12 days.
After that, and despite his serious injury, Bill's condition improved -- amazingly. Not only did he recover quickly, but despite the extreme state he had reached, he got up from his sick bed completely recovered and totally healthy, a very rare phenomenon.
After 12 months, during which he returned to work as usual, Bill decided that it was time for him to marry. Despite the grisly accident, the young lady of his choice was willing to marry him. The only question was: how would they manage financially?
A few days before the wedding, Bill Morgan bought a lottery ticket. "Who knows?" he told himself. "Perhaps I'll win."
And he won! He got a very considerable prize: a car worth 17 thousand dollars.
At that point, the media stepped into the picture. A truck driver who had been severely hurt in an accident, had suffered a very serious heart attack, had returned to life, and was about to be married -- had also won a very big prize in the lottery. That's an automatic human interest story for an empty corner of the newspaper. The press sought him out and asked him for details about the remarkable chain of events he had undergone.
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