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RABBI NISSON WOLPIN Editor

Editorial Board DR. ERNST BODENHEIMER _Chairman RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FruEDENSON Religion in the Public Arena: RABB1 NossoN.scHERMAN RABBI MOSHE SHERER How Do We Best Protect Our Interests? Management Board 4 Beware of Your "Friends," Rabbi Berel Wein NAFTOLI HIRSCH 5 Walk the Tightrope, Dr. Aaron Twerski !SMC KIRZNER RABBI SHLOMO LESil'i 11 Notes From a Jewish Lobbyist: NACHUM STEIN The View frc1m California, Dr. Irving Lebovic Business_ Mariager RABBI YOSEF.C. GOLDING 13 The Out-of-Towners: A Personal Narrative, Emmy Stark Zitter 19 Succos: The Encounter Between Judgment and Joy, Shimon Finkelman THE JEWISH 0BSERVERd6es not asstlme res,o_n,sibility ,for: the 25 The Old Man C<1•unted to Nine, a narrative by Yisroel Reisman Kashrusorany-ptOl:luct or servtce advertised !rt its pages. Books in Review ©Copyright 1985 29 At the Centtir of the Universe 29 Machzor Zichron Reuven (Artscroll/Mesorah) 30 Gateway to Happiness ocL 85. VOL. xvm No .. 9 30 In Search of Happiness 30 Time is Life 30 Soul Survivc1rs 31 Letters to the Editor Religion in the How Do We Best

"Beware of Your 'Friends'," says Rabbi Berl Wein

IGNORE THE NON-STARTERS I must open with a caveat, ''I am not a navi {prophet). nor a ben navi {a nov· ice prophet)." 1 do not know what the he issue of religion and its morrow brings for the Jewish commu· proper place in American public nlty in this country. And I am quite T life is a most sensitive one. And aware of tbe futility of predictions as far for the Jewish community in this coun­ as the Jewish people and its fate Is con­ try it may be even more sensitive and cerned. But there are issues that should important tban for other segments of be raised, and not raised merely by the our pluralistic society. History has devil's advocate {which I am not), but taught us that the Jews always have that on their own, deserve careful much to lose in a climate of religious thought and consideration. This is an fanaticism. And, tberefore, I wish to ad­ enormously complex problem and it dress myself to this problem with cau­ will not brook simplistic solutions. tion and, I hope, insight. Firstiy, I believe that Jewish organi­ 1 do not intend to discuss what Is zations should have a low profile on is­ good for America. I do intend to express sues that are not truly vital to our sur­ my opinion as to what is good for the vival. Jewish individuals will and Jewish community in America. In should continue to speak out on those practice, I believe tbat tbe particular in­ issues. But I feel that we have to be terests of tbe Jewish community and enormously cautious in our organiza· tbat of America generally coincide. But tional position on issues of the day. We that is not the thesis of my have to be selective as to what issues presentation. are truly vital to us and as to those is­ sues which superficially appear to be of *These written presentations are based on a symposium held last year at the interest to us as religious people. For in­ 62nd National Convention of Agudath Is­ stance. gay rights, the ERA amend­ rael of America. ment and support of Israel are issues that affect our very survival and life Rabbi Wein, ofMonsey, N. Y., is dean ofShaarei style. Prayer in public schools. text­ Torah of Rockland County and the Bas Torah book revision, creches and Nativity Academy, as well as Rav of the Congregation Bais Torah in the same community. (continued on page 6)

4 The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 - Public Arena Protect Our Interests?

"Walk the Tightrope," says Dr. Aaron Twerski

hen I was a youngster certain to be Christian prayer and thus shortly after my Bar Mitzva, clearly unacceptable. "To Whom it W I was privileged to have as May Concern" prayer is hardly a teftlla my rebbe Rav Nochem Zaks, '"1. My worth fighting for. Either way we come twin brother and I were his pet talmi­ out losers. Finally, Rabbi Wein cor­ dim. There was little that we could do rectly observes that we must carefully wrong. 1 recall that when either of us husband our precious human asked a particularly good kushya, he resources and devote them to matters would answer in his inimitable style, offirst·line importance. It is not that we ''Twerski, you're one hundred percent are short on talent. We are. however, right, but I'll show you where you're very short on people who are prepared wrong." His words come back to me to share their G- ct-given talents with now. Rabbi Wein is one-hundred­ Kial Yisroel. Taking that fact as a given, percent right...but I think that he has we must pick and choose our battles. missed the key issue and is thus very Where, then, has Rabbi Wein gone wrong. wrong? I suggest that he has made First, let me indicate where he is several fundamental errors: right. The evangelicals and some of the (I) He has written off the liberal left as radical right groups are not our friends. a significant threat to the continued They are self-righteous ideologues and viability of Torah-centered communi­ much of their religiosity is shot through ties. We are, he claims, fighting a with classical, virulent anti-Semitism. defeated enemy. Because he has, in my They do make uncomfortable bedfel­ opinion, miscast the enemy and mis­ lows for us. Rabbi Wein is also quite conceived the issues, he has correct when he says that prayer in the pronouonced a premature Kaddish public schools is a non- issue for Ortho­ over them. dox Jews. Partisan religious prayer is (2) He has made light of the issue of government aid to religious com­ Dr. Twerski, professoroflaw in Hofstra Univer­ munities. sity and Chairman of Agudath Israel of America's (3) He has exaggerated the danger of Commission on Legislation and Civic Action, is right-wing anti- Semitism. author of numerous books and articles on the law of torts and product liability. (continued on page 8) LIBERTY

The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 5 "Beware of Your 'Friends'," says that is spiritually empty, the Chris­ Rabbi Berl Wein tians, the Evangelicals, the mission­ (continued from page 4) aries who have almost unlimited funds that they will pour - and are pouring - into a campaign to capture Jewish scenes, tuition tax credits, are not vital souls, the danger to us is great. And the Jewish issues. moral climate, so to speak, that will be Promoting prayer in the public created by stronger Christian in­ schools is to me a non-starter issue as fluences in our society will have, in my far as Jews are concerned. What opinion, a devastating effect upon great prayer? Whose prayer? Prayer for sections of the Jewish people who Whom and to Whom? Until those could still be reached - and in small quesitons are defined it is really not our measure. in fact, are being reached - issue. I don't know what prayer is going by us. to be allowed, if any at all, but I am con­ A famous German-Jewish philoso­ vinced that it will not be our prayer. pher related how when he was growing The Moetzes GedoleiHaTorah passed Orthodox Jewry up in pre-World War II Berlin, his father on the matter of a particular form of a came to the headmaster of the school prayer that perhaps would be accepta­ could pick up the he was attending to plead that his son ble to Jews. But that formulation of be excused from singing Christian prayer has not been accepted by any - tab on the entire songs. The headmaster agreed to com­ one else as of yet. And. therefore, I think promise. No words need be recited but the issue of promoting prayer is prema­ government.fund­ the melody had to be sung. Our ex­ ture, if not ultimately irrelevant to us. ing ofyeshiva perience in this generation has taught us that even the melody cannot be sung education without by us. IDENTIFYING THE THREAT The Gemora in Avoda Zara (Sa) canceling one quotes Rabbi Yishmoel as saying that he theory of strict separation of vacation. Jews who live in chutz la'aretz are pa­ church and state has enabled gans, albeit unwittingly. How so? A T Jews to deal with their educa­ non-Jew, a pagan, makes a banquet for tions, careers and aspirations ih this then. He wants only to build for today his son and he invites all of his Jewish country on a far different plane than - to deal with today's problems ... he is friends to come and participate; even they were able to in Europe. The ex­ a "golus Yid." I've noticed the way though it may be 100% glatt kosher - tremism of the liberals, the Left, the Jews build homes in this country; they they bring their own walters, they bring irreligious and the anti-religious lob­ evidently expect to be around in Bora their own mashgiach - the pasuk bies, however, has warped the practical Park and Monsey 30 or 40 years hence, considers it as though he had eaten application of that theory. Thus, the and therefore I feel that we have to deal from avoda zara (Shemos 34, 15). To current swing to the Right - to relig­ with the long-range threats as well. And this Rashi says that the perpetrator ion, if you will - that is apparent in the religious Right, the Christian fun­ surely does not intend to eat from American life, will continue to grow. I damentalist evangelicals are certainly avoda zara; no one intends to be in­ am of the opinion, however, that we a long-range threat to us. fluenced by paganism. But Yisroel in should not fight battles that are 20 or 30 chutz la 'aretz, in a non- Jewish en­ years old and really passe. On too many vironment, cannot afford the luxury of A RELIGIOUS AMERICA IS A free intermingling. It is a situation that fronts. we are always fighting the last CHRISTIAN AMERICA war. will inevitably develop within the Jew­ Many say that the immediate threat ish people should they drop their is the liberal Left. We have struggled do not think that anyone will seri­ guard, and willmakeagreatelementof with them for almost all of the last cen­ ously question the wisdom of strict Klal Yisroe1, 1"n be guilty of"paganism tury. But I feel that we are witnessing I separation of church and state in in purity." the demise of that struggle. The situa­ the general society as having a positive tion has changed. The ERA did not be­ impact on the Jewish community. We come law, Mrs. Ferraro is not Vice­ are a small minority in an overwhelm­ RELIGION MAKES STRANGE President. There has not been the ingly Christian culture. A more reli­ BEDFELLOWS change in American society that the gious society will mean a more Chris­ liberal Left hoped to see. If this sympo­ tian society. Are we really ready to here is yet a second point I wish sium would have taken place in the return to such a situation? Will our to address, and that is, who are !960'sor70's, there is no question that alienated, Torah-ignorant. dissatisfied T our allies in this struggle to we would all agree with ProfessorTwer­ youth be able to stand up to the Evan­ "bring America back to religion"? ski's position that the Left is the greater gelicals' pressure? Is not no prayer in What type of person is pushing this vi­ and more immediate threat. the schools better than non-Jewish sion? Let me repeat a number of quotes Professor Twerski has stated that he prayer in the schools? from these people who are all pro-Israel, cannot be concerned for problems 30 or This is a lesson that we have to as­ who all respect and love the Jews, and 40 years in the future - about the in­ similate within ourselves. We have to who wish to make a moral society in fluence of religious fundamentalism realize that because we live in a society this country.

6 The Jewish Observer/October, 1985

-- -- - _.- The Rev. Jerry Falwell says the Jew­ schools that do not teach open anti­ ish people are going to Hell. they are un­ semitism rather than schools that do worthy of redemption, and therefore advocate religious anti·Semitism and condemned. And therefore we can un­ which will receive government tax ex· derstand. he says, how the Holocaust emption and will be led by people who happened. We Jews earned it the old­ make public statements such as those fashioned way. quoted above? In his sefer, MinHameizar, Rabbi If these people speak for Amelica's Weissmandl relates a conversation that tomorrow, and if that is their vision of he had with President Tiso ofSlovakia. America, then why should we help Rabbi Weissmandl asked him for Jew­ them? If they are going to be successful, ish children - there was a transport of I cannot imagine why we should re­ 3,000 Jewish children about to leave to main in this country. Anti·Semitism their deaths - he asked that the chil­ has always been associated with an in· dren under six be freed. ''They are in­ tensive fanaticism. The Greeks, the Ro· nocent." Answered Tiso: "There is no mans, Islam. Christianity - all have innocent Jewish child.'' Can we be allies preached religious hatred against us. "Non-Christians can never under­ The Talmud associates sina - hatred stand spilitual things." with a group that for Jews - with Sinai. The sina begins "G-d does not hear the prayers of preaches that at Sinai. It begins with the Jewish mis­ Jews." sion. It begins with Torah. That is what '·Anti-Semitism is hating the Jew ••non-Christians has prompted the enmity. Hitler and more than one is supoosed to." Stalin. both of whom were fiercely anti­ These are but a few of the quotes of can never under­ religious, and were not in any way to be the leaders of the religious right. considered Chrtstians. nevertheless fed The support of the Evangelicals for stand spiritual upon a climate that Christianity the State of Israel is paper-thin. because things"? created in their countries over the they have a different State of Israel in millennia. "Holy Russia" still exists to­ mind from the one that exists: from the And they were eventually rewarded day. To be sure, the Communists did one that we hope will exist. They have with a ban on shechita. not create it, but they are expert at ex· in mind a State of Israel that, 1"n, will Banning shechita did not affect the plaiting it. Russia is no more a purely convert entirely to Christianity. They Bund, it did not affect the secular Zi­ secular society today than it ever was. envision a State of Israel that is neces· onists, it did not affect the irreligious And Hitler could not have destroyed sary for the coming of their Messiah. Jews. It was, however, a body blow to the Jews without the cooperation and And if it does not materialize that way. religious Jewry- it was the beginning silence of the religious leaders of Ger· they will not be in favor of the State ofls· of the end, in retrospect. of Polish many and most of the entire western rael that does remain. They are not our Jewry. Under this reign, Jews were world. The climate that is created in frtends. Why should we help them? taken off the streetcars and trains of Po­ this country by religious pressure - I Why should we join them?Whyshould land and beaten. A public climate had think that is what we should be in­ we be connected with them? been created that allowed these atroci· terested in. lies to happen. And we know the end of the story - that 3 1/2 million Polish THE POLISH PRECEDENT Jews went to their deaths. A COMMUNITY OF LIMITED That can only happen in a country MEANS e went through this in a like that is willing to allow it to happen. 1 fashion in pre·war Poland, Seven thousand Jews in Denmark inally, Orthodoxy has limited I W and again I agree that were saved from the Nazis because the means. Rabbi Sherer's exper· historic comparisons may not really be people of Denmark were not willing to F tise and achievements notwith· fair because no one now knows the cir· allow them to be exterminated. But in standing. we still have only one Rabbi cumstances that prevailed in Poland al· Poland a climate was created. True, the Sherer. Anyone who has had the joy of most 50yearsago. Ourpresent·daycir· climate was easily fostered, based upon raising funds for yesbivos knows that cumstances are certainly not identical. centuries of religious hatred, upon mil· we are dealing with limited means. It is wrong for us to criticize those who lions of sermons blaming the Jews for Were it not for those who have a streak made decisions then. We operate with everything. on bigoted religious convic· of insanity. the Rambam says, there perfect hindsight. But. nevertheless, 50 tion. One may add that it's not for noth· would be nothing creative happening years ago in Poland, in the struggle that ing that in Poland today the bakeries in the Jewish world. G-d sees to it that existed for the Jewish vote in the Polish and food shops are empty - that the we have enough "meshugaim," but l Parliament, the right·wing Conserva· Poles live a tortured existence. we don't have a surplus of live Catholic parties headed by the dic­ "meshugaim." tator Pilsudski made a strong appeal to STRONGER PUBLIC SCHOOLS? We have so much to do. We have to religious Jewry on the basis of religion rebuild the House oflsrael. I would sug­ versus the atheistic Left. Most of reli· re we better off with a larger at­ gest that there are other people in this gious Jewry cooperated with them. tendance in Christian religious country to fight the battie, both pro and They helped form the coalition in the A schools in this country or in the con, on the issue of religion in public Parliament on behalf of these parties. public schools? Are we betteroffhaving life. But I don't know anyone else in this

The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 7 country who is interested in opening a don't think anyone would have to give synagogue in a small Jewish commu­ up their vacation because of it either. nity that does not now have an Ortho­ In summation, I wish to repeat words dox synagogue; who is interested in that a recent presidential candidate building high schools for boys and for spoke. words that I think speak to our girls in a community that does not have issue. "A yearning for traditional such schools; who is interested in values is not a simple matter. It is not a reaching Jewish souls on the campus tie that is unbroken. It has undertones. and in the professional world. We are And in the hands of those who would very, very thin in resources; every dol­ exploit it, this legitimate hope for moral lar and every moment that we divert to strength can become a force of social other causes is a dollar and a moment divisiveness and hatred and a threatto that is not spent upon ourselves. In my individual freedom. The truth is, the years in the rabbinate, the chief com­ answer to a weaker family is not a plaint that I have heard from laymen a great deal of government funds that stronger state. It is a stronger moral over the years regarding their personal come our way. That is true. And I be­ value system. The answer to lax morals lives is that they have no time for their lieve.in my naivete. that even if 1"n ev­ is not legislative morals. It is a deeper families. ery dollar of government money faith. It is greater discipline. It is per­ And the same is true organization­ stopped coming our way, there is still sonal excellence.'' ally. And the same is true with the Jew­ enough Orthodox Jewish money in the I think these words speak to us as ish world generally. We have to build United States to finance all of our well and to our task offulfilling our des­ ourselves. No one else will do it for us. yeshivos. And 1 always add the extra tiny of proclaiming the Kingdom of It has been mentioned that we have line (which maybe 1 shouldn't) that I Heaven here, on Earth. Ill

' "Walk the Tightrope," says Dr. cast in the role of medieval relics who Aaron Twerski Prayer in public would not be worthy of the grace of (contlnuedfrom page 5) government approval. Thus, we are in schools, textbook a fight for our very lives. The enemy is (4) He has deemed the conservative revision, creches deadly precisely because it is not anti­ right unworthy allies to assist us in the religious in nature. Religion, ethics, cul­ socio-political battles that must be and Nativity ture, community - all must be waged. sacrificed on the altar of Perfect scenes are not vi­ Egalitarianism. DEFINING THE DANGER tal Jewish issues. IDENTIFYING THE ENEMY THE RAPE OF COMMUNITY VALUES he danger to Orthodox Jewish in their view qualify as "rights... and communities in the America of those who are entitled to them, strike at he threat is real. The danger is T the 80's does not come from the heart of the ethical structure of re­ present. The time is now. The wild-eyed Marxists, Peaceniks. or rad­ ligious communities. It matters little to T enemies are our friends. ical socialists. Those who would fron­ the New Egalitarianists that the ine­ Deviant behavior is not a Jewish tally assault organized religion and de­ quality they perceive is predicated on problem - at least not one that has ride their leadership have no political religious norms that are thousands of serious practical ramifications for Or­ standing in this country. Our enemies years old and are an integral part of our thodox Jewish communities. But New today are nice- guys. They are not the community structure. If the discrimi­ York City Mayor's Executive Order 50 Madeline Murrays or the Leo Pfeffers of nation strikes them as unfair. they de­ was a serious issue. He sought to bar yesteryear. They do not seek to label mand that it should either be declared Catholic, Protestant and Jewish social Orthodox Jews, catholics and evangel­ unconstitutional or legislated out of ex­ service agencies from participating in icals as enemies of democracy. ''Live istence. If religious communities are contracts with the City of New York un­ and let live" is their motto . destroyed in the wake of egalitarian­ less they formally eschewed discrimi­ .1 Our modem-day enemies have a ism, that is simply too bad, they main­ nation based on sexual orientation. The I different agenda. It is basically neutral tain. The New Egalitarianists do not issue was not {as Rabbi Wein has inti­ (better yet, sympathetic) to religion. wish us bad. If they could put us off in mated) the desire of the Orthodox Jew­ But, in its fully articulated form it is an­ a corner and let us be - they would ish community to legislate morality. tithetical to our continued existence. probably agree to do so. But their The problem was that the Mayor The danger today comes from unbri­ agenda ls national if not international sought to impose a popular view of dled, unthinking, across-the-board in scope. They cannot and will not fash­ egalitarianism on a community to egalitarianism. The thesis is simple. ion exceptions to permit us continued whom the conduct is viewed as reli­ Government (in any. form) cannot be viability. Frankly. if they were to do so giously loathsome. No lesser authority utilized to perpetuate or support the we would still be subject to eventual ex­ than the editorialists of The New York denial of civil rights. Those matters that tinction, for ultimately we would be Times questioned why religion should

8 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 be concerned with so "secular" an is­ and out of the secular world. Yeshivos Rabbi Wein tosses off the threatim­ sue. Why, it was just as plain as the do have accredited secular programs posed by this form of egalitarianism nose on your face. If you can't dis­ that are the match of (indeed. superior with the remark that Geraldine Ferraro criminate on the basis of race then how to) public educational institutions. And was not elected vice-president and that someone conducts his sexual life is as I shall demonstrate. the need for ERA was defeated. In my opinion this similarly no matter for any employer to funding community-support and - assessment so sells short the egalitari· consider. The First Department. Apel­ educational programs is no luxury that anists that it might be considered na­ Iate Division agreed. Their argument can be discarded by simply asking the ive. Does anyone have any doubt that if (ultimately repudiated by the New York state to walk away and leave us alone. raw political power were not available Court of Appeals) was simply stated. If to restrain the feminists. that schools the government cannot discriminate that prohibited mixed classes. estab­ on the basis of sexual orientation nei­ lished separate curricula for boys and ther may those with whom the govern­ We may be a girls. taught that "reproductive free­ • ment contracts. dom" was sinful, enforced separate Now that the case has been won be­ talented people, seating at religious services and com­ fore the State's highest court. the battle munal events, and recognized male­ will shift to the City Council. The argu­ but how many of only minyanim, would be shorn of any ment will be the same. No government us are ready to form of government recognition? largesse should be granted to those And don't forget the draft. We have. who do not meet popular egalitarian share our G-d­ through the grace of G- d, been granted standards. Thus, government social a respite from the military draft. But. service contracts are not the only given talents with should the international situation war­ potential targets. Government involve­ rant a return to involuntary conscrip­ ment with religious communities Klal Yis,roel? tion. it will become a fact oflife. There touches such areas as tax deductions, ... That's why is no doubt that at the very top of the tax exemptions, licensing for schools, feminist agenda will be a draft that is lunches for impoverished children, we must pick our gender neutral. For Orthodox Jews. textbooks. and school busing. All can that would be an unspeakable tragedy. ' and will be fair game in future legisla­ battles with care. It would clearly call forth (as did the tive battles. women· s draft in Israel) a psak of ye­ horeig ve'al ya'avor. Well. then, you Nor is the issue limited to discrimina­ say, the problem can be solved by tion based on sexual preference or DO NOT "YODERIZE" THE granting Orthodox women lifestyle. Lest we forget. we do operate ORTHODOX conscientious-objector status. This. a sex- separated religious school sys­ too. smacks of Yoderization. The cost do not mean to suggest that we will tem. The separation begins at the pre­ be actually legislated out of exis­ to the JeWish community of having all school age and is not limited to religious its women of eligible service age being tence. The free exercise clause of subjects alone. It applies to the entire I defined as conscientious objectors is the First Amendment grants signifi­ secular progam as well. And that puts cant protection of religious educational mind-boggling. It would be an open in­ us at war with one of the most potent vitation to vicious anti-Semitism in a institutions. The famous Yoder casein forces in American political life - the which the United States Supreme time of national crtsis. It is truly un­ Women's Liberation Movement. This is thinkable. Court recognized the right of the Amish not the place to discuss the role of the community to operate a high school woman in Torah life. I believe that the system free from substantial govern­ Torah created the charter for true GOVERNMENT AID TO ment regulation gives expression to the Women's Liberation. Role differentia­ RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES rights ofreligious communities to edu­ tion within the Torah does not serve as cate children based on a very" offbeat" a tool to promote male chauvinism. value system. But only our worst ene­ That is a topic for a different forum. But abbi Wein sees no great threat mies would Yoderize us. Torah Jews one thing is certain. The National Or­ in loss ofstate and federal aid to have never gone off in a comer and re­ ganization for Women (NOW) will give R religious communities. This fused contact with the world of com­ no quarter to those whom they believe view is simply incorrect. First. as I have merce and politics. We must be both in to be the enemy. And we are targeted. already demonstrated, the issue is not

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The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 9 just aid in the form of outright grants. anti- Semitic pronouncements. Hitler Tax deductions and exemptions are a taught us that lesson very well. form of financial assistance to religious Nonetheless. for all their rhetoric. they schools and community institutions. I too are faced with a problem similar to refer Rabbi Wein to the Bob Jones case ours. Fundamentalist communities decided last year by the United States seek to retain the moral structure of Supreme Court for the proposition that their own society. If they have sought to tax exemptions for religious institu­ legislate morality for the nation. It is be­ tions are not sacrosanct. They can fall cause the nation has sought to invade when they conflict with highly valued their right to maintain their commu­ egalitartan principles. nity structure. A world that permits Even if the tax deductions and ex­ abortion on demand is also a world that emptions remained untouched, there devalues life in a variety of other ways. would still remain the question of A world that permits open pornogra­ government contracts and direct phy is a world that debases the human government aid to our institutions. Our spirit. There is little that we can do to communities are not income poor. But stop the fundamentalists from seeking thousands of our families are "family Their motto is to convert Jews to Christianity. There size·· poor. The halachic limitations on is much that we can and must do to ren­ the practice of birth control have "Live and let live," der that effort unsuccessful. This much resulted In large families ranging from and they consti­ is certain. Unless we have healthy, four to fifteen children (kein yirbu). floulishing Jewish communities, we Much of the aid that government dis­ tute our most will not have the resources {both hu­ penses must be funnelled through so­ man and financial) to resist their efforts. cial service agencies that are in tune serious danger. We must be ever vigilant with regard to with the physical. emotional and cul­ their political machinations. We have tural needs of those who are to be their been forced to oppose them on numer­ lion. We shall have to insist that elected beneficiaries. Lunch programs in ous issues. Nonetheless, on many is­ officials who represent us at all levels of schools are not luxuries which the com­ sues (e.g .. ERA or conscription of government be sensitive to the fact that munities can do without. Health care women to the military) they may have If they press their liberal egalitarian programs must be organized so that made the difference. they can deliver the services in a man­ agenda to the extreme. they will de­ My own feeling is that we shall have ner that will be acceptable to those who stroy our communities. I have always to learn to be uncomfortable and ever­ need them. Community development been mystified at the dogmatic attitude vigilant allies. I believe that the country agencies must take into account the of the so-called liberal wing of Ameri­ is not about to be swept away in the can politics. They have been so lifestyles of those who must live in the moral fervor of evangelism. America housing that they establish. Senior wrapped up in the language of the "es­ likes its comforts too much to grant citizens must be serviced in a way that tablishment" clause that they have them all that power. At the same time, failed to perceive that they have actu­ does not denigrate from their self-worth they will remain a political force that ally threatened the ''free exercise'' of re­ as human beings. Physically and men­ will checkmate unbridled egalitarian­ tally handicapped children must be ligion. If religious communities with a ism. Thatisnotahalf-badsituation. We distinct value system are rendered cared for in a way that does not violate can learn to live with it. the precious souls that G-d implanted financially extinct, then the language In their bodies. These all require direct in the Constitution granting them the forms of government aid which we can­ "right" to exist will be meaningless. If CONCLUSION not forfeit if we are to function as com­ those who represent us in the halls of munities. government are not prepared to recog­ nize our legitimate needs, we shall have have not proposed that we legislate to do our best to replace them with morality for the country. That has WHO ARE OUR ALLIES? those more sympathetic to us. I never been the agenda of Agudath The more difficult question. though. Israel. But Jews do require the freedom is how we should relate to the Catholic of!iving full. religious lives. It would be e now come to the sixty-four church, the evangelicals and to the rad­ nice if all we need ask of government dollar question. With whom ical right. would be to stay off our backs. That, W shall we make common First, as to the Catholic church, we however. is no longer possible. We are cause? Can we join with the radical have joined together in the past on mat­ taxed, regulated and affected by right? Dare we strengthen them at the ters of mutual interest in government government in countless ways. If the ballot box, or by siding with them on affairs. We shall In the future, as in the egalitarian agenda of the liberal estab­ important issues, provide them with past, refer such questions to the lishment becomes offical govern­ undeserved respectability? Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. Basically. I mental policy for every interaction be­ The answer is not simple. It would be find no reason for not joining with the tween government and religion, we far preferable if political figures who archdiocese on political questions. shall be driven into the sea. It is for that had solid liberal credentials would be­ The evangelicals and the radical reason that Rabbi Wein'sview- one­ gin to perceive that the issues described light present a greater problem. It is ob­ hundred percent right as It may seem in this article are deserving of recogni- viously dangerous to make light of any - is dead wrong. II

JO The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 Irving Lebovic

The View From California Notes from a Jewish Lobbyist

had been misinfOnned as to its con­ tents and purpose. We were confident that once we explained our case to the key members of the Assembly, we a would succeed in persuading them: af­ ter all, the bill was even supported by the secvlar Jewish organizations: Fed­ eration, JPAC, ADL and AJC. A rather disconcerting problem. however. had arisen on the day before ourttip. Assemblyman Richard Robin· son, Democrat from Orange County, in· formed us that he would speak from the Assemblyflooraginst the bill. His posi· tion was that the mere mention of the word "Kosher" was a violation of the doctrine of separation of church and state, and therefore unconstitutional. Our fear was that this could easily re­ sult in a mass "no" vote among the liberal Democratic majority in the Assembly. CON GAMES CAN BE LEGAL he implications of Mr. Robin­ son's reasoning are rather far­ T reaching and forboding, in ef­ fect making it is legal to run a "con game" if a religious element is in­ volved: for individuals who purchase religious articles (i.e. Kisvei Stam - sa­ cred parchments such as mezuzot) are not entitled to consumer protection; similarly, someone who falsely labels non-Kosher meat as Kosher is pro­ tected from prosecution by the Consti­ tution. Now, Robinson is a concerned, SACRAMENTO BOUND all receipts from meat purchases for sincere, and very effective legislator. one year. A pilot program would be in· His problem with the bill, however. is stituted in Los Angeles County under indicative of a general sentiment that is onday, June 9, 1985, found a which inspectors from the California pervasive in California - not only number of members of the Department of Food and Agriculture among legislators, but among organi­ M Agudath Israel of California would check these receipts against the zations, spokespeople, civic leaders, on a plane from Los Angeles actual sales. Such a system would de­ and the general public as well: govern­ Sacramento bound, to lobby in favor of termine whether the meat came from a ment should not involve itself in mat­ a bill to protect consumers of Kosher source claiming to be Kosher, and ters even vaguely associated with meat. The provisions of the bill were hopefully deter the sale of additional religion. straight· forward: Kosher meat sellers meat from other sources. Witness the current controversy over in California would be required to keep Our group reviewed the list of Assem­ a $5 million State grant requested by blymen in an effort to determine on the Simon Weisenthal Center to creat a Dr. Lebovics, a practising dentist in Los An­ whom to concentrate our efforts. Our ''Museum of Tolerance.·· The purpose geles. is chairman of Agudath Israel's Commis­ sources informed us that most Repub­ ofsuch a museum would be to sensitize sion on Legislation and Civic Action of California. licans opposed the bill but that they the public to the evils of totalitarian

The Jewish Obseruer/Ociober, 1985 11 governments that preach genocide. It side considers the point of view of the Most importantly, we have injected a would feature exhibits not only from other, and both tend to leave us out in third point of view into the debate. the Churban of World War II wrought the cold. Neither secular nor Christian, Stated brieily, and perhaps simplisti­ by the Nazis, but from other atrocities we are in the precarious position of be­ cally. we favor the separation of church as well. The Los Angeles Times in a re­ ing outsiders either way. and state as far as the establishment of cent editorial, while pointing out the a state religion is concerned. The state importance and even the necessity of should not be prevented, however, such an undertaking, maintained that WHO SPEAKS FOR JEWISH from actively accommodating religion public money should not be spent on INTERESTS? inasecularmanner. Wedonotaskthe this project since the board of directors State to legislate a religious standard of Simon Weisenthal Center included resently, in California a number that would preclude any accepted rabbis who were also on the board of of legislative issues have arisen moral standard. We do not aim to legis­ directors of Yeshiva University - a re­ P which initially ignored the Jew­ late our beliefs on others and oppose ligious institution. ish perspective. A law was recently any legislation that would impose for­ But don't yeshivas already receive passed that, in effect, allowed for the eign beliefs on us. government money, albeit for neutral removal of corneas from autopsied bod­ While these are well-known views purposes, such as textbooks, transpor­ ies without permission. Gay rights and wherever Agudath Israel has been ac­ tation and nutritional programs? Not in State-funded abortions are perennial is­ tive in the past, until recently they were California. Here yeshivas are not eligi­ sues. Bills are being introduced to add not especially well-known on the West ble for one penny offunding because of ''morality'' curricula in public schools. Coast. Yet this position is so pragmatic their religious affiliation. As a matter of No one was interested in stopping un­ that many legislatures embraced it al­ fact, a number of years ago when a necessary autopsies. No one was con­ most immediately. Many others. al­ referendum for textbook aid to religious cerned that Shomer Shabbos Jews though requiring convincing, at least private schools was on the ballot in were forced to choose between their ca­ indicate a willingness to listen. California. Jewish secular organiza­ reer and Shabbos. No one protested the The Kosher bill in the California State tions led the campaign to summarily double tax burden that yeshiva parents Assembly? The vote was 65-3 in favor. defeat it.... Orthodox Jews in other parts are forced to bear, or took sides on a Assemblyman Robinson voted no, al­ of the country should not judge Califor­ host of other issues of vital concern to though he did not speak from the floor. nia by their own communities' ex­ the Torah community. The other two negative votes were from periences. To the contrary. the growing Our group - Agudath Israel of Republican Assemblymen who. we be­ secular righteousness prevailing in California's Commission on Legislation lieve. still don't really understand the California, which deliberately dis­ and Civic Action - is similar to numer­ issue. Obviously, our buttonholing paid credits anything religious as irrelevant ous other groups that have sprouted in off. People are listening. Mr. Robinson's in the discussion of public issues. may various areas of the United States. We oppostion, however, does represent a well be the wave of the future for the don't represent a major constituency in vestige of that popular sentiment of rest of the country. this state - and even our Orthodox avoiding anything that sounds, even The California phenomenon is in community is far from a cohesive force. vaguely. like the mixing of church and some ways a backlash to the overt at­ We have, however. formed coalitions state. We were successful with respect tempts by the Moral Majority to Chris­ on an issue-by-issue basis. Our ap· to the Kosher bill on its consumer fraud tianize America. A battle is taking place proach has been to emphasize the implications, and for which we were for the control of our value system, and legitimacy and fairness of each in­ able to gather the support of every ma­ the protagonists are. in effect. two dividual initiative rather than resort jor Jewish organization. Unfor­ religions. "Christianity" and "Secular­ only to political arm twisting. In a rela­ tunately, few issues are so clear cut or ism.'' Putin the simplest of terms. both tively short period of time we have so easily resolved. Nonetheless. we are are absolute in their view. with little or gained the respect and admiration of optimistic that we can succeed, taking no common denominators. Neither legislators on both sides of the aisle. one issue at a time. II

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12 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 - - 3,000 New Enrollees! f:'or the first_ titne in Israel'S-history, placard·carryfng parents a·nd All this is occuring arnklst 'the greatest return· t6 Torah in_ modern children staged a demonstration in front of the Chtnuch Atimai Isr_ael's exlstence .-ln years back we used to have-to plead, beg, offices. They were protesting the closing of a Chinuch Atzmai and cajole p·arents into ~ntotling their children in a T_orah Sc_ho0-1. Torah_ Sc_hool in Adil'lm. Then, an everi stranger _thing happened, This year .Without any effort on our part, 3,_000 new_ childten Half our office staff got up and joined the demonstrators. After enrolled in our schools, -Parents catne begging, pleading for;us to all, we_ wanted to protest together. These desperate people Were m·ake room for their children In ou:_r_c_lasS~Ooms._lt_requite·s o:-S to crying for the life of their-childretL They were aftc.iid Of being open 6 new schools, 18 new klndergatt~_ns,_ an_d 50 _addition_a:I !6rced to sendJhese precious Jewish souls into seCtiJa·r Schoois classes. But there are no chalts, no bdoks, no money for tea·Chers­ that are empty of any.spirit of Judaism....:....empty of_ Torah-:and and no buildings in which to pface thei'rL into_ the streets-where drugs, crime-and depravJty ru:n rampant Help Us Say Yes to these Parents Chinuch Atzmai's and Children ..• Tenible Dilemma ... and to the patents ari_d children -Of countless other coinm·unltle:s Aftet 35 9ears of slowly, painfully, _cin-d with _unbelievable and settlemen_ts ln _Israel According to_.Harav Sha Cb'. _one of sacrifice, building our huge network of over 300 schools and ·over lsraet's greatest spJri_tual l_eaders,_ "If we had-the m·oney we-could 40,000 children all across_ Israel, we_ may be_forcedJo-turn back. enroll anbther 50,.000chifdren to stud)' Torah nolVl" The government budget cuts have thrown _Chinuch Atzmai into­ the severest c'rislS slnci'.'! its beflinnings. We may_ have to cut classes in_ existing schools and ·even clo_se entire schools. We may have to Two million dollars today can save tell these parents tt'> take their children back-back to a life empty of Torah, future generations for Torah. You make the choice! Torah for

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On a gray and windy autumn day five years ago, myfamily and I movedfrom Brooklyn to Roch­ ester, N. Y. My son stood at the airport clutching his teddy bear, and I envied him his portable security. The things that made me secure - a close-knitfa­ mily, a vibrant Bais Yaakov education, a wholly frum environment- were not so easily moved. Go­ ing out on our own, into a largely non-Jewish milieu - what might we expect? What might we gain? And what, what did we risk losing?

ong. long ago. in my high school Rochester, N.Y.? Alli knew aboutitwas synagogue, which celebrated this year days. my friends and I had only that it was further from Brooklyn than its centennial as afrum shul. and my L one clear idea about life "out of Woodboume was, and that it was home whole family is more involved than I town.'' Susie had gone to visit with rela­ to the Mayo Clinic and to mountains of ever dreamed possible with the Roches­ tives in a suburb of Cleveland one sum­ snow. (Actually, I was wrong about the ter Orthodox community in its every mer. and she· d returned with the slight Mayo Clinic, which is in Rochester, aspect. We've learned that the difficul­ twang she has kept to this day and an Minnesota; unfortunately, though, I ties of "out-of-town" life go much fur­ image of out-of-town life which im­ was right about the snow.) We found ther than the lack of a kosher pizza pressed us all. "On Shabbos," she told out from cousins who had lived there us repeatedly. "people whom you don't that Rochester Yiddishkeit consisted of know say 'Gut Shabbos' and every­ five Orthodox synagogues (but are body smiles and answers!" We born­ there any shuls? I asked. in a moment and-bred Boro Parkers were delighted. of panic), a small mikveh, and the Several years later my then-chassan Talmudical Institute. a branch of the and I had a long talk concerning his fu­ Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva. For a person ture. He had to choose between a career who'd grown up in a neighborhood in the Rabbinate or in law. We chose where five shuls. a mikveh, and a the latter. largely because we knew that yeshiva all on one block was not un­ as a pulpit Rabbi he would almost cer­ heard of, it did not sound promising. tainly have to move "out of town." Sto­ Nevertheless, we decided to go - just ries of smiling strangers are nice to for one year, of course. two the most, af­ while away a long Boro Park Shabbos ter which we would promptly return afternoon, I thought to mnyself. but for home from out-of-town galus. us to live ''out of town''? Unthinkable! Well, "a mensch tracht und G-tt AFTER 500 INCHES OF SNOW - lacht," as my father used to say, and af. A NEW PERSPECTIVE ter three years of law school my hus­ band received his best job offer from a ive years and some five hundred firm 350 miles away from "town." inches of snow have come and F gone since our arrival in Roch­ Mrs. Zitter is a graduate of Bais Yaakov ester the day after Simchas Torah Academy in Brooklyn. This is her first appear­ 1980, and well - here we are still. My ance in these pages. husband has become president of our The 1QO.year-old Beth Haknesses Hachodosh

' 14 The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 Emmy Stark Zitter

shop or Meal Mart, but we've also seen CHALLAHFORSATURDAY no, she answered gently, I'm really a mezuzah on her door and en­ they may play but where they may not counts in the community, in a way un­ tered into a kitchen that smelled of eat and that most of their classmates paralleled in my experience in New freshly baked challah! You'refrum! I ride to Temple on Shabbos, if they at- York. called out. in amazed relief. Actually. tend a service at all?

The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 15

,"":< ',-_, ''When one leaves the major Orthodox a year old, and we felt that a year ortwo away in the "wilds" at that age could population centers, one cannot continue to certainly not hurt him. But he's in first ignore the fact that most American Jews to­ grade now, and with my born-in­ I Rochester daughters entering nursery day have completely lost their way." school, the question ofraising children out of town has become urgent. When he was three years old, my son came home from school crying one day; he'd seen Christmas lights on the local fire station and he'd assumed that this meant that Jews could not be firemen, his great ambition at the time. I was naturally upset, seeing my son hurt be­ cause he lived among the non-Jews out I of town. but I was also quite proud of a little boy who understood better than most adults that we are a people apart. In New York, the lines are not as clearly drawn; the danger in Bora Park is that we might forget that we are different, and that even if Christmas garlands no CONSTANTLY EXPLAINING some of the Orthodox Jews here. and longer hang over Thirteenth Avenue as MYSELF.•. he and his entire family eventually be­ they did when I was a child, that Brook­ came ba 'alei teshuva. Now he proudly lyn still is Galus and we ought not get ith all these questions swir­ wears his kipah, with the words too comfortable there. ling about you like December "Mesivta D'Rakia""' knitted on it, to In Rochester, the Jewish community W snowflakes. you begin to exam concerts as well as to shul. There is an­ is large enough and vibrant enough to ine the halachos and minhagim which other ba 'al teshuva here whose kipah fill most of our needs, so aside from the you've always taken for granted and attests to his unusual background - I annual problem of Christmas pag­ which have caused the differences so suspect that his is the only dark green eantry, our children don't run into too starkly underlined bet ween you and kipah in existence with ''U.S. Army Re­ many conflicts with the Gentile culture the vast majority around you. All serve" crocheted on it, and, in fact, the around us- - just enough to remind your actions take on additional mean­ officers of his reserve unit actually al­ them of who they are. 'fhe issue of less ing. What we must always fear in out­ low him to wear it instead of a conven­ religious or non-religious Jews. of-town life is that we will be influenced tional lieutenant's cap. though, is another question, and one by those less observant than we are. for Rochester has an unusually high which is constantly with us. Even in without a doubt our need to be like number of ba 'alei teshuva. and most of our shul there are many levels of obser­ others is a severe temptation; but what these people returned because of their vance, and the children meet people in we must never fear are the sincere personal contact with individual mem­ school from every stratum of Judaism. questions we ask ourselves about our bers of the Orthodox community. Even While I don't know what this will mean way of life, for the answers will surely in less dramatic cases, there is no tell­ to them when they're older. right now glow with the logic. truth. and beauty of ing what the small influence of a single they haven't suffered from this ex­ Torah. Orthodox Jew here might effect. Per­ posure. Kids are remarkably perceptive haps a family will keep their children in and can adjust to difficult situations .•. TO MYSELF the day school for an extra year. per­ with great finesse. Sure, they ask ques­ hen you are constantly sur­ haps a woman will stop buying pork for tions, but if you answer them honestly rounded by people question­ her kitchen, perhaps a child will grow and in terms they can understand. and W ing what you do, you stop up and decide to marry within the faith, if you back up your words with your ac­ taking things for granted, doing things because they've met you. a "normal" tions, they will accept what you have to by rote. and start finding for yourself person who is proud of a Torah heritage say. reasons and answers. Moreover, those and has been willing to explain and to We've tried to keep our children from who ask the questions generally ask share it. feeling arrogant or superior about their them with real interest, and your observance. while at the same time in­ honest answers and persistent exam­ WHAT ABOUT OUR OWN stilling in them a sense of great pride in ple will often come to influence them. CHILDREN? what they have and gratitude for hav­ Many of the Jews in Rochester have ing it. We've also tried to teach them had no prior experience withfrum peo­ ut while we rejoice in influenc­ that while we may hate the sins of the ple; in many cases, you are their only ing those who have lost the irreligious Jews, we love and pity those model of Torah-true Judaism. One way, the question of our own Jews themselves. Perhaps the best part Rochesterian, a concert violinist and B about answering our children's ques­ children remains. When we first moved ham radio operator, found his interest out of town, our son Nachum was just tions simply is that it forces us to con­ in Judaism piqued when he picked up front these problems and clarify them a learning group. "Meslvta D'Rakia," •See ··c1ose Encounters of a Wireless Kind.·· for ourselves. This lesson about on his radio. He became friendly with JO. Sept. '78. Ahavas Yisroel is one which I, for one,

16 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 ___ ....,, ~I

auspices of the Chafetz Chaim Yeshiva two years ago. is experiencing all the problems and joys of a newly founded institution. In nine years it will be a thriving school. like the yeshiva itself, or will I have to consider sending a lit­ tle thirteen-year-old girl "out of town" - back to New York - to give her the kind of Jewish education my parents insisted on for me? And, though it seems light years away now, what will happen when the children are ready for shidduchim? Will there be anybody here for them in Rochester? Will their out-of-town backgrounds help or hin­ I der them if they move back to New York? I discussed many of these concerns At the Succa Hop with another transplanted New Yorker, needed badly after a lifetime spent in Where there is a bris in the commu­ a friend who has two teenage daughters the rarefied Boro Park environment. nity (as there was, incidentally, on the of her own. and I found her answers And it isa lesson which I think our chil­ morning that I am writing this). I will both stimulating and encouraging. She dren are learning. too. Last year my wake up the children two hours before told me that she often compared her son's kindergarten class went on a they need to get up so that they too can daughter's 11pbringing with that of the ·· Succa hop.·· visiting the succos of the celebrate the arrival of this new Jew in children whom she knew in New York three children in the class whose fami­ our community and get a share in the City. In Rochester, she noted, the par­ lies had built them. I shall never forget mitzva of bris milah. In New York I ents are much more involved with their the look on his face as he showed his could have gone to numerous brisim. children's chinuch, not necessarily in succa to his friends, explaining the sig­ but I rarely bothered. formal teaching, but in carefully watch­ nificance ofthes'chach, pointing to the In Rochester I will prepare Shabbos ing and advising them in matters of pictures of the Ushpizin. sharing with classes, where in New York I would friendship, of middos, and ofa develop­ a glow his pride in his Jewish life. only occasionally even attend them. My ing sense of responsibility. Her girls husband will "hear out" bar mitzva know that to the non-frum and non­ Jewish world around them, their ac­ EVERY ONE COUNTS boys learning to lain their first Parsha, and he will help them to understnad tions are seen as representing our what it is they are saying and not just whole way of life. It is. she admitted. y son knows it, his younger teach them to perform it. The list could sometimes a heavy responsibility for sisters are learning it, and I go on and on. In Rochester, there is no young girls. but her careful nurturing M have found it out too: When hiding behind a group; if something has helped them learn to bear it. Her you live out of town, every action you needs to be done. chances are you will friends in New York City, she added, take. every mitzva you perform, every be the only one who can do it -and ifyou had a more laissez faire method of work of Torah you learn can have a pro­ don't the whole community will suffer. educating their children. depending as found effect on the entire community. they do on the school and the general I attend a Chumash study group every environment to help take care of their Monday night. and many of the women THINGS I STILL WORRY ABOUT children. who participate have ventured out to So here I am, five years now in Roch­ learn until midnight through ure, there are things I still worry ester. with some of my early questions snowstorms which would have closed about because I Jive out of town. answered and new ones coming up all down New York for days. Each of us S I spoke to a prominent Rav who the time. As for the future - who feels a responsibility for the others' has lived most of his life away from the knows? When I see some of the fine study. Ifoneofusdidn'tcome because New York area about my worries con­ young people that Rochester has al­ of the weather perhaps the others cerning my children's chinuch. He ad­ ready produced, my fears are some­ might have second thoughts, and the mitted that the New York schools were what allayed. If. however. I find in some class could be cancelled; the loss of generally more demanding in their years that we have to return to a larger three hours of Torah study for our­ Jewish curriculum than out-of-town Orthodox community for the sake of selves and for the community would be community schools, but he assured me the children, though - well. so be it. I too great. too that parents' involvement in teach­ Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my life here, My husband attends minyan more ing their own children what might be learning a new feeling of responsibility faithfully here than ever he did in New lacking in the classroom not only for my fellow Jews, trying to look inside York. Perhaps he will be the tenth for would fill the gap but would add a new at myself and outwards at others, and the minyan, maybe they'll need him to dimension to the closeness of the fa­ growing with a growing Jewish com­ lain. or there might just be somebody mily. Still. will I be up to such a chal­ munity. Oh. and yes - I have learned there who will benefit from seeing a lenge? And what about my daughters, to smile at strangers on Shabbos. And young man who goes to shul and still as they grow up? Right now. the girls' to invite them in for Kiddush and a makes it to work on time. yeshiva high school. opened under the meal, as well. 1111

The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 17

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SUCCOS: The Encounter Between Judgment and Joy

THE SEASON OF PARADOX There is an aspect ofSuccos, however, that seems to con­ tradict its status as a time for rejoicing. According to the Mishna (Rosh Hashana I :2), the world is judged on Succos f the three major festivals, only Succoshas been desig­ with regard to its water supply for the entire year ahead. Zahar nated as ''The Time of Our Rejoicing.'' One reason for (Tzav 3lb) goes beyond that. stating that !tis actually a time O this is that it is only with regard lo Succos that the To­ of general judgment, for that which has been decreed on Rosh rah enjoins us three times to rejoice. I The cause for joy seems Hashana and sealed on Yorn Kippur ls not finalized until obvious. for Succos follows immediately after the Days of Awe, Hoshana Rabba, the seventh dayofSuccos. when the parch­ when a Jew cleanses himself of sin through intense repen~ ments containing the verdits are entrusted to the malochim tance. Thus. ourjubilation at finally being able to serve our Cre­ who "deliver" them. (It is for this reason that people customar­ ator uninhibited by the barriers erected by sin. According to ily wish each other a g 'mar tov (literally, "good conclusion") the Midrash (VayikraRabba 30:2), this thought is alluded to during the period between Yorn Kippur and Hoshana Rabba.) in the mitzva of arba minim, the Four Species. where the It would seem, then, that the days leading up to Hoshana spear-like lulav held by each Jew represents the triumphant Rabba would be better spent in remorseful repentance as one stance of Israel emerging victorious from the judgment of the awaits the final judgment; rejoicing seems out of place. To put Days of Awe. Hoshana Rabba in a wider perspective, some questions must Rabbi Finkelman, who teaches Gemora in Yeshiva Tiferes Elimelech in be clarified: Brooklyn. wrote "Taklng Flight WHh a Mitzva'' (JO, Nov. '84)and is author of Shouldn't the judgment on Rosh Hashana also include rain­ three books for the Art scroll youth series. including the recently published Reh fall. as well as graJn and fruit harvests, which, according to the Nocflem'ke. Mishna, are decided upon at three different junctures through-

The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 19 out the year?(2) On the other hand, If in fact all the judgments of the Yomim Noraim are not finalized until Hoshana Rabba, why does the Mishnasingle out rainfall as being decided upon during this time? Finally, what is the precise implication of the term g'mar din, finalization. which is associated with Hoshana Rabba? Rosh Hashana is understood to be the time of k'siva, when the Divine judgments are inscribed in the Heavenly books, while Yorn Kippur is the time of chasima, when those decrees are sealed. How does the "sealing" of the decree differ from the g 'mar - the finalization that is associated with I Hoshana Rabba? Don't we usually speak of them both in the ' same breath? - "The decree was signed and sealed." indi~ cated that the decree is irreversible? Obviously, we are in need of a better understanding of the progression ofjudgment that takes place during this season.

FOR WHOM THE RAINS FALL

uring the Days of Awe, the ten days beginning with Rosh Hashana, every Jew is judged in his totality; it is D during that time - more than any other - that it is auspicious for man to undergo a spiritual transformation through repentance. If he responds to the call of the season, TWO HOLIDAYS, TWO APPROACHES then a favorable judgment is pronounced - a judgment that encompasses all that affects him in the entire year. hen G-d grants life on Rosh Hashana, then, He may In addition, there are specific judgments throughout the also bestow a person the blessings of rain and sus­ year, such as on Succos, when judgment regarding rainfall is W tenance; and His blessings of sustenance on Succos pronounced. This judgment will not hinge on the toial spiritual can bring with them life itself. The ways to achieve these bless­ make-up of the individual so much as it relates specifically to ings on these two holidays differ. The days when our requests his metit in regard to bitac hon - that is. his trust in G-d as Pro­ are summed up by the plea" And inscribe for a good life all the vider of all sustenance, and his performance of the mitzvos children of Your covenant!" we immerse ourselves in soul­ hachag that are related to this judgment [as will be detailed searching and introspection, and approach the moment of below).(3) reckoning in awe and fear. This specific judgment can indirectly affect the judgments When the shofar blast sounds at the conclusion of Ne 'ila, sig­ of the previous days. For, if on Hoshana Rabba a Jew is found naling the return of the Shechina to its Heavenly abode and deserving of blessings of bounty, then the judgmentoflife and closing of the Heavenly Gates, the mood immediately changes. death can be altered for the better. as is demonstrated by the As the Midrash states. a Jew should emerge from Yorn Kippur following episode recorded in the Gemora (Ta 'anis Ba}: joyful and confident that his prayers have been accepted and In the days of Rav Shmuel bar Nachmeini both a fam­ that he has been inscribed for a good life. "Go, eat your bread ine and a deadly plague struck simultaneously. The with joy and drink your wine with a glad heart," a Heavenly Sages pondered: How shall we direct our prayers? It is voice proclaims," for G-d has already approved your deeds" improper to pray for two things at once {when the re­ (Kohelles 9:7). quests are for matanos chinam, undeserved gifts, as was The days that follow are days of repentance in preparation the case here in the Sages' opinion - Iyun Yaakov. ibid.). for the water judgment, but they encompass a repentance that ' To request that the famine end would leave them facing flows from the joy of our having completed Yorn Kippur purl· decimation by plague. There was no choice, they felt, but fied, achieving a new closeness with G-d. With joy we declare to pray that the plague end and bear the ravages of fam­ our faith and trust in the Provider of all sustenance, so that con­ ine (which, while devastating. are less severe than those cerning us will be applied the timeless words of the prophet. of a plague - Maharsha, ibid.). "Blessed is the man who trusts in G-d" [ 17:7). Rav Shmuel bar Nachmeini, however, disagreed. He This new order of repentance, while a direct result of the said that if prayers for the famine's end would be ac­ previous order. is on a higher plane - that of love; for our Sages cepted, then the result would be that the plague, too, teach {Yoma 86b) that repentance motivated by awe can trans­ would cease," ... forwhen G-d bestows bounty on people, form intentional sins into unintentional ones, while repentance He bestows it on the living, not on the dead, as is written that grows from love of G-d transforms intentional sins into in Tehillim (145,16):. 'You open Your hand and satisfy meritorious deeds. In this way, too, one can merit during the the desire of every living thing."' When G-d grants a new period of judgment that which he did not deserve blessing, He also provides all that is necessary for the previously. benefits of that blessing to be realized; if the people have It is thus that on Succos a Jew has, in effect. two avenues bounty, they will also live to enjoy it. available to him by which he can overturn any harsh decrees;

20 The Jewish Observer!Oclober, 1985

---- ~------l'

in his favor, as is alluded to in the Mishna (Succa 2:9). There, our performance of mitzvos Succa is likened to a servant dilut· ing strong wine with water to suit his master's taste. The Vilna Gaon (Ko! Eliyahu, Emor) explains that in the allegorical ter­ minology of Kabbala, wine represents harsh judgment, while water represents mercy. Any harsh judgments that may have been decreed upon a Jew can be diluted with tempering mercy through his performance of the mitzvos of the festival. A closer look at these mitzvos reveals that they are particu· larly auspicious for removing the stains of sin and for forging bonds oflove between G-d and His people: and they also figure prominently in our quest of a favorable judgment for rainfall. In contrast with Pesach, with its numerous prohibitions against eating, benefitting from chametz. or possessing it. Succoshas no negative commandments particular to it alone; that is. all its mitzvos are positive. Negative commandments can carry with them the harsh punishment of makkos (lashes). and in some cases karets, excision, which manifests the severity of their transgression. The positive commandments ofSuccos, on the other hand, carry no such punishment for deliberate omission or transgression. This in itself is indicative of the nature oftheseason;ata time when, motivated by love, we are to return to G·d, we are granted five Divine gifts of love - mitzvos whose merits are great and whose liabilities are he can be granted life as an outgrowth of meriting the blessing relatively minor - to help us achieve our goal. of rain and contentment; and he can attain the heights of teshuva me 'ahava - repentance that comes from love - through which any and all harsh decrees are rescinded. SURROUNDED BY THE SUCCA An allusion to this new order of repentance might be found in the Torah itself. In commanding us to fulfill the mitzva of arba minim, the Torah states (Vayikra 23:40), "And you shall he mitzva to dwell in thesuccais truly unique. Every takefor yourselves on thefirst day (of thefestival) thefruit of part of one·s body shares equally in the mitzva's perfor· a beautiful tree .. ,," (Midrash Tanchuma ibid.) questions the T mance - in fact the individual is actually surrounded use of the term "first day" as opposed to "fifteenth of the by the mitzva object. The Ba'al Shem Tov once declared." I month" to indicate when the milzvashould be perforrned.(4) love the mitzva of succa. A man can enter it with his whole "First day" may be an allusion to the new order of repentance body - even with the mud on his boots!" Moreover, one can mentioned:(5) the beginning of Succos marks the "first day" fulfull the mitzva even while sleeping, and its simple require­ of this order, ment that we "dwell" in thesuccaallows us to simultaneously perform other mitzvos, such as Torah study, prayer and hach· The Mishna in Rosh Hashana speaks of the specific judg­ nasas orchim. ment regarding rainfall on Succos; it makes no mention of i In Tefilla Zakka, which is customarily recited before Kol general judgment, for the primary period for this has al­ Nidrei, we ask that the five discomforts that we will endure on ready ended with Yorn Kippur when the decree had, in­ that day atone, measure for measure, for the sins we may have deed, been signed. so to speak. Then. each Jew came forth committed with those organs which will now be denied pleas· with remorse and confession. and having ''rested his case.·· ure; the mitzvaofsucca, because of its unique nature, also has judgment was passed. The chasima is final - as far as that the power to atone for sins committed by any and all organs of order of repentance is concerned. But the angels' delivery the body - with pleasure, instead of deprivation ... out of love of the decrees is delayed, forthere isa possibility that it will rather than fear. ' be superseded by a new judgment based on the consider­ Small wonder, then, that in the festival liturgy the paytan ations of bitachon and ahava - trust in G-d and love for declares: "Let not the mitzva of succa be insignificant in your Him. eyes. for her statutes equal those of other milzvos.(9)" As we know, Zohar(Emor) teaches that seven ushpizin (ex­ THE MITZVOS OF SUCCOS - TOOLS OF alted guests) descend from Gan Eden and visit the succa on REPENTANCE each day of the festival. The Zahar teaches further that one should invite the poor to his Succos table and provide them he primary tools in this new order of repentance are the with the "portions" of the ushpizin, for if not, then those ex· mitzvos that are uniquely associated with Succos: alted guests will hold aloof from him. T succa, arba minim, and rejoicing, which are men­ In this way. the mitzva of succa is particularly auspicious for tioned specifically in the Torah; and the water libations and a favorable judgment for rainfall, for what better way to earn arava·circuits,(6) which were transmitted to Moshe at Sinai. the blessing of bounty and contentment than byshartngone's Through these mUzvos, a Jew can tilt the scales ofjudgment own table with the needy?

The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 21 -

t

UNITED THROUGH THE FOUR SPECIES Solomon) sent the people home ... and they returned to their tents joyful and glad of heart, over all the good that Hashem performed for .. .lsrael, His nation." Of what "good" does the he Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 30) perceives the arba Prophet speak? Rav Parnach said in the name of Rabbi Yocha­ minim as symbolizing the Jewish Nation. subdivided nan. "That year lsrael did not observe Yorn Kippur and they T into four distinct groups. The esrog, a fruit which has were concerned, lest the enemies of Israel (a euphemism) were both taste and fragrance, represents the Jew who possesses deserving of annihilation. Then a Heavenly voice proclaimed: both Torah knowledge and good deeds; the lulav, which has 'You are all worthy of entering the World-to-Come!'" (ibid.). taste but no fragrance (referring to the dates that grow on the Now, we can understand how the Heavenly voice had in­ palm tree), alludes to those who have Torah knowledge but are formed them that they would suffer no punishment for having deficient in performing good deeds; the haddas (myrtle), which failed to observe the Holiest of Days; but how could they pos­ has only fragrance. and the arava (willow). which has neither sibly have achieved atonement for their sins of the past year taste nor fragrance, round out the remaining groups. without the cleansing process of the Day of Atonement? What What does G-d say with regard to these four symbolisms? replaced the day and its power to atone, without which certain "Let them be tied together in one band and they will atone one sins cannot be forgiven? (See Mishna Yoma 8:8). Apparently. for the other." (ibid.) their transcendent joy had somehow accomplished this for The arba minim, then can be viewed as both representing them. a nation serving G·d in unison, and a call to its people to honor During the era of the Battei Mikdash. the simcha shel this symbolism. As a mitzva representing harmony among mitzva of Succos reached rare heights at the Simchas Beis Jews, it canies with it the blessing of peace. ''Great is peace, Hasha 'eiva. the celebration held on each of the Intermediate for even iflsrael is guilty of idolatry, but it unified as a group, Days ofSuccos, in the Temple's Lower Court, in honor of the then the Attribute of Judgment will not harm them" (Sifri, drawing of the water that would be used for the pour-offerings. Naso). Thus. when a Jew performs the mitzva of arba minim As our Sages point out (Succa 50b), this was the fulfillment of with proper intent, he "spreads succas shalom - a shelter of the command: "You shall draw water joyously"; the water­ peace" over himself. which will protect him from any harsh drawing was a key rung in the ladder of repentance in prepa­ judgments he may have incurred. ration for the judgment over water, and without the accom­ Furthermore, by performing this mitzva with four plants paniment ofjoy. the ceremony would have been lacking in sub­ that depend on abundant water supplies for their growth, the stance. Joy was essential to the fulfillment of this mitzva. Jew will merit a favorable judgment with regard to rainfall in Jn fact, the elevation associated with this joy actually en­ particular. dowed some of the participants with Ruach HaKodesh (a spirit The pouring of the water libations on the altar and the per­ of Divine Inspiration). The simcha shel mitzva was so pro­ formance of the arava-circuits around it were primarily in­ found that according to Ghazal. "He who did not witness Sim­ tended to invoke a favorable judgment for water. With regard e has Beis HaSho'eiva never saw rejoicing in his life'' (Mishna to the water libations, G-d says, as it were, ''Pour out water be­ Succa5:1). fore Me on the Festival so that your rains for the year will be Active participation in this simcha shel mitzva was not open blessed" {Rosh Hashana 16a). The arava-circuits are per­ to all; it was reserved for the great scholars, heads of yeshivos formed with a plant that is not only dependent on an abun­ and members of the Sanhedrin. Sages of unsullied piety were dance of water. but in addition usually grows alongside a joined by baalei teshuva as all others looked on - the men stream (Succa 33b), and therefore is symbolically important from their vantage point in the court and women from a spe­ in the Jew's quest for rain. The altar, around which these two cially constructed gallery. (See Rambam. Hilchos Lulav 8: 14; mitzvos center. was always the focus of the nation when it see Succa 53a for a detailed description.) The nation entered sought blessing and prosperity. Hoshana Rabba in this lofty spirit, and in merit of this joyful en­ And as Rav Shmuel bar Nachmeini taught, all this indirectly counter with G-d. the nation could hope to be found virtuous. affects the judgment of life itself. Then, with am utual expression of love and joy between G­ d and His children, Hashem, as it were. restrained Klal Yisroel from taking leave of Jerusalem. He beseeched them to remain one more day to celebrate the festival ofShemini Atzeres (at­ THE HEALING POWER OF JOY zeres meaning "restraint"; see Rashi, Bamidbar 29:35); note Rashi's portrayal of His request: "They are like children who he loving return to G-d and His statutes, which Succos are {about to] leave their father, and he says to them. 'Your represents. finds its greatest expression in the com­ departure is so difficult for mel' ") T mandment of ''Vesomachta - and you shall rejoice'' (Devarirn 16: 14). This true simchashel mitzva is the antithe­ WHAT IS LEFT FOR US IN GOLUS? sis of banal frivolity, of which King Solomon says. "And ofjoy. what does it do?" (Koheles 2:2). Just as the day ofYom Kippur itself can bring atonement, so ere we are in exile in a diminished state: we cannot per­ can repentance stemming from simcha shel mitzva. This is form the water pourings. nor join in the celebration evident from the events surrounding the dedication of the First H that accompanied it; nor do we have the altar to circle Beis HaMikdash, when Ghazal tell us (Moed Katan 9), Yorn with the arava ceremony. Kippur was superseded by the ongoing celebration. The We can, however. perform the mitzvaof succa no differently Prophet reports (I Melachim 8): "On the eighth day, he (King from the days of old, entering the booth, becoming enveloped

22 The JewiSh Observer/October, 1985 the lu in the mitzva. It is an almost universal custom to gather and FOOTNOTES celebrate in a spirit of true simchashel mitzva the celebration I. Other reasons for this designation include: a} the nature of called Simchas Beis HaSho'eiva as a remembrance of the the season - hanrest time - demands an expression ofjoy Temple times. We fulfill the mitzvos of the arba minim all over the abundance that ftllsone's house: and b) on this festival seven days of Succos (although in Temple times it was only the joyous observance ofSimchasBeis HaShoeiva took place. performed on the first day by those outside the Temple area); 2. Many solutions are offered for this question. See Rosh and we perform the Hoshana arava-circuits around the btma for seven days in addition to the ceremony ofHoshana Rabba Hashana 16a. - both as a Zeicher leMikdash - commemoration of the 3. Michtav Me'Eliyahu. Vol. II pg. 68. Temple. The concept of zeicher leMikdash was first expressed by Y!r­ 4. Dates of the month are the Torah's usual method for such miyahu (Jeremiah 30: 17): "She is Zion, no one inquires after an indication (Beis Yosef, Orach Chayim 581). her." Says the Gemora: "Isn'tit expected, then, that we do in­ quire after Zion? Our performance of mitzvos as a zeicher 5. The Midrash perceives this term to imply "the first day in the leMikdash is a demonstration of our concern over its d estruc­ accounting of sins," after the spiritual cleansing ofYom Kip­ tion." (see Succa4la) pur - possibly because the days ofYom Tov preparation that It also serves as proof that we who are mired in the throes of follow allow no opportunity to do sin; consequently the Jew a long and difficult exile firmly believe and anticipate the ulti­ stands before G-d on the first day of Succos in total purity, mate Redemption, when these mit.zvoswill be performed as in ready to begin his service anew. the days of old .... This is perhaps the greatest expression oflove 6. In fact, there is a dispute recorded in the Gemora (Succa43b) of all. as to whether the circuits were made with a lulav or an arava. May we perfonn the mitzvos hachag in a spirit of tnre The Mishna (ibid., Mishna 4:5) states clearly that the altar was teshuva me'ahava. and may we soon merit the time when the ringed with aravos. hence the use of the term arava - circuits. world will be rid of all evil and G·d will spread asuccaofpeace over "us and His entire people. Israel. and Jerusalem." 7. Yotzros L'Yom Sheini.

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The Old Man Counted to Nine

Every week the visitor came. And every week he expounded on another spiritual facet of the number Nine ... passing through the golus-geulah cycle... passing from the pangs of birth, through the trials of life, on to death.

n old man sometimes visited our home. We knew very The Laughter of the Ninth of Av little about him - not where he lived, nor where he A was headed. He appeared at our door before a Shabbos meal and was quickly welcomed to the Shabbostable. Purport­ isha B'A v - a day of sad memories for a nation that has edly - he came to eat. Actually - he did most of the feeding. long grown weary ofremembeling. A day of Ktnos that The Old Man rarely talked about himself. Scraps of conver­ T seem to go on forever, in recollection of one tragedy af· sation reveal years of fleeing the Nazis and decades of defying ter another. And a day of somber and dazed reflection over the the Russians; even a pitiful attempt at battling the bureaucratic lost world of our parents and grandparents, shattered and lost secular government in Eretz Yisroel. Somehow, these ex­ by a decade of hate and hopelessness. periences left our guest with a wisdom and insight I've never But there exists another dimension to Tisha B'Av. A world expertenced in Yeshiva ... a wisdom he was quick to share at the of hope and joy; oflaughter and glee. This is a far-away world Shabbos table. rarely visited or understood, and then only by the greatest of Often, we - actually he - talked about the Churban: "It men. Rabbi Akiva lived in this world. The sight of the desola­ seems obvious that the Churban should have taken place in tion of the BelsHaMikdash brought laughter to his lips: an ee­ the month ofShevat, for the Hebrew meaning ofShevat is stick, rie laughter to the ears of his fellow Tannaim; a laughter which a word related to destruction. But, instead, HaShem brought rings hollow to our poor ears and minds. Yet, Rabbi Akiva's about the Ch urban in the month of Av, which means father. laughter was genuine; in his sphere of existence, these heart· For His rebuke - like that of a father - is wholesome and rending sights caused no tears. Someday. perhaps, we'll un· good, and never destructive." dersland.' We're taught thatMoshiach will uncover the por­ tal to this curious dimension of Tisha B'Av. On that day, we will learn to sing and dance with Rabbi Akiva and Tisha B' Av will Rabbi Reisman, a member of the Kolle! of Mesivta Torah Vodaath. become a holiday, surpassing all others. But until then, we sit in Brooklyn. isauthorof an article ofthewomen'srole in training children in Torah and milzvos (JO. Summer. ·84). * The reader is referred to Ohr Gedalyahu on Tisha B" Av.

The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 25 on the ground and weep ... adding our tears to the millions of others - mere mortals like us - who understood Tisha B'Av by its simple meaning. Unless, of course, you have an old vis­ itor who can peek through the curtains and reveal some of the secrets ....

The Center of the "Tes" been set asidefor children: but at boarding time thatsection id you ever wonder why the Churban took place on the had overflowed. A quick decision was made: those children 9th day of the month (rather than on another day)? The with parents on board would go. All others were made to dis­ D Old Man knew .... embark. Thirty:five children - orphans of the war - left the ''Look at the letter Tes, the ninth letter of the Aleph- Beis. ship; knocked, in a single moment.from the heights ofexpec­ The letter is shaped like a circle, which, instead of closing. tation to the depthh ofdepression. Our remarkable Old Man points towards its own center. Do you know why it has such a left with them - to guide and protect children who were left peculiar shape? {Know?! I'd never even noticed.) all alone. "Tes symbolizes Tov, goodness - and the letter tells us Shabbos was coming and the mood ofdespair was stifling. never to judge anything from its outer circumference. The Tes Our Old Man looked around hts Shabbos table at 35 faces of points to its center for the good in events is to be found deep in defeat. Then, he decided to speak. He spoke ofhope andjoy; the hidden recesses and secret chambers of HaShem's plans. of a little lamb among the wolves and of a shepherd who TishaB'Avcertainlyrepresentsacycleofcalamities.Butsome­ hides - but never sleeps. He spoke a little about the past and how, somewhere, the Tov of Tisha B' Av will be penetrated .... " a lot about the future: of the children who happily tossed "Appropriately. the 9th plague in Egypt was the Plague of themselves to the sea to avoid the Roman slave market; and Darkness. Tes is always enveloped in a cloak of Darkness; the of the morrows when they would finally get their chance - Tov hidden until the light of Moshiach. So, too, the 9th of the certainly a better chance - tostartagain. And he told them 10 levels ofredemption • is 'and there was light' - a light of ofa lesson Rabbi Akiva had taught 2,000 years earlier - "Kol wisdom which will pierce all veils and reveal the Goodness of d'aved Moro J'tava avid" - All thatHaShem causes to hap­ our History.'' pen is - in some secret, mysterious way - for the best. And. miraculously, the children understood. Soon these 35 Herded out of boxcars. a group of Chassidim huddled children, so fearfully alone.felt alone no longer. Somehow, around their Rebbe, in what they knew were their final mo­ they were singing - "Kol d'aved Moro .... " And, certainly, ments. Suddenly, one remembered: "Today ts Simchas To­ Rabbi Akiva - from high above - was singing along. rah - we mu.st dance and rejoice with the Torah!" "But, Rebbe, we have no SeferTorah to dance with .... " It was many months later that I chanced upon the history of "Then we will dance with each other. "And dance they did. The QUEEN. She had arrived in Palestine, only to be turned with a joy that ts incomprehensible, in honor ofSimchas To­ back and wander from one European port to another; ulti­ rah. How they could sing and rf!joice to such a degree under mately its passengers returned to the very country from which those circumstances is beyond us. But perhaps - ju.st per­ they had set sail months earlier. haps - in thetr final mo men ts, these Yidden were privileged But, my discovery had no real effect on the Old Man. "Mine to experience thatjo!lful dimension ofTtsha B'Av that lies is a belief in intrinsic Goodness. Focusing on an obvious good way beyond our grasp: to somehow comprehend a blinding serves only to cloak the infinite, still secret Tov that our eyes light of Goodness, even in their situation; and to sing and are too dull to see. No - yours is not an ending to my tale; my dance in the realm of Rabbi Akiva. story is more truthful without it.''

The That Sought Good '§i:Jr;f) @son the Weekly Menu ur Old Man loved children. Young or old, he relished singing with them and getting them to dance around the Shabbos table. And, often, he would tell a story of ines. The Old Man loved Nines. Whenever the Mesora O used the number nine, the Old Man saw a message for another time and another place, where children sang and danced .... N Tisha B' Av - his message of hope and joy. He rtdiculed the idea of coincidence, and showed us {when we could keep up with him) that the message of Tes - of Ultimate Goodness In 1946, most of the remnants of European Jewry were - was there to be seen by those acute enough to see it. His eyes squeezed into D.P. camps awaiting a chance to go someplace glowed as they focused on some far away place, and plucked - anyplace - to begin rebuilding their lives. In one such Nines from Mesora. onto our Shabbos table; Nines that had the camp, clandestine preparations were being made. same basic message. Various insights into Ibn Ezra's nonagon Somehow, by combining their meager resources, a group and Maharal's exposition of9=32 became regular staples of ofYidden had gotten together to buy an old merchant ship - our Shabbos diet. The fact that the Churban takes place at tbe The QUEEN. And crammed with poor. tired, but excited refu­ end of the Ninth Seferof Tanach was just another message of gees, she prepared to set sail for Eretz Yisroel. One section had hope. ''Do you know how many years it was from the building * Kabbalistically, HaShem will reveal Himselfby removing - in reverse order of the First Temple until the final Ch urban, destruction of the - the 10 cloaks of Concealment. which He created with the IO steps of Crea­ Second Temple?" he asked. I didn't have to bother figuring it tion. Thus. the 2nd level of Creation. becomes the 9th level of Redemption. (See out; Nine Hundred Years ("Exactly!") - it just had to be that Ohr Gedalyahu, Pesach.) way.

26 The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 Plague of Darkness we still suffer when we refuse to see the Tov around us. Other Nines sprouted up and blended neatly into his message of joy. I asked him, "Do you mean that Nines al­ ways represent the same idea?" Without hesitation, he said that it was certainly so. I had baited my trap. It was way past Chatzos, and the seven pairs of bleary eyes around our Seder table inched towards "Chad Gadya." To­ On Shabbos Parshas VaYeishev, our Old Man barely had gether we chanted - "EchodMi Yode'a .... -ShnayimMi Yo­ time to eat. The selling ofYoseif - the first step of the firstgo­ de'a." and soon .... "Tisha Mi Yode'a, TishaAni Yode'a. Tisha lus of Klal Yisroel - surely had hls lesson of hope. And it does. Yarchai Leida" - and I spoke up. "Nine months of pregnancy The sale ofYoseifby his brothers, a seemingly tragic event - - Why nine? Certainly, it bears no connection to TishaB'Av!" at the time it occurred. But. in the end, the Shevatim, the I could see no possible connection, and when the Old Man brothers, are told, 'You thought to do bad, but HaShem hesitated, I was sure that I had him stumped. planned it for good!' But 1 had underestimated our guest. He had hesitated just a "Parshas VaYeishev," the Old Man smiled, "the 9th Parsha second - to settle back onto his Hesebah pillows, and to as­ i of the Torah." sume that familiar far-away look. "It's late and I wasn't going The 9th Mitzva of the Torah, too, symbolizes a similar hope. to keep you, but since you've asked - Yes, Reb Yisroel Hashbosas Siar - the burning of Chometz on Erev Pesach - Salanter explained that the 9 months it takes a baby to form is Kabbalistically symbolic of the destroying of evil on the erev are very central to our theme. - the eve - of the final redemption. "The Son ofDovid will not ''For two and a half years, the schools ofShammai and Hillel come until the [spiritual) leaven is expunged from the dough." argued. Some said that man would be better off had he not been This is symbolized, too. in the 9th Mesechta of Shas - created at all, while the others argued that man's existence was Mesechta Challa - which deals with the elevating of dough the best for him. Finally, they agreed. It would be better for man to a level of Holiness. had he not been created, but. once created, let him carefully ex· The Old Man's intensity overpowered me. The content of his amine his actions. remarks was good - sometimes unbelievably so, but his en­ "How puzzling! We, who have a Mesora that 'All that thusiasm was the core of his power. He didn't just believe that HaShem does is for the best,· are told that the very creation was there is joy in everything; he knew it. He didn't search for the NOT for the best? good in events; the good was only-too~obviously there. Some­ "But - Reb Yisroel Salanterexplained - this is not the point where. Even in Siberia .... at all. It is lndisputable that Creation was an Absolute Good; the Schools of Shammai and Hillel argued about man's capacity toappreciatetheGoodnessofCreation, toseehisowngoodfor· The Russians jailed himforfifteen years for teaching He­ tune in being born. This is something worthy of two and a half brew. One morning, he was summoned to the office of the years of argument! Commandant, and a deal was offered. ifhe would sign a let­ "And in the end all agreed. Man's birth, while inherently ter of "repentance" recanting his belief in G-d, he would be setfree. good, is not apparently good. When we try to analyze the pros and cons of existence, the ratson d'etre of our birth. we'll in· The Old Man was oveljoyed. "Commandant, I've wasted evitably fall short. As in the Churban, the true Tov is hidden fifteen years ofmy best years rotting in your prison - andfor - and the Nine is there to remind us that it exists. what? For teaching an illegal language. How much better it "We know that HaShem created the world with Asara l is that my suffering be for my belief in HaShem .... " Maamoros - ten utterances. Take a Chumash," he beckoned The Commandant was unimprssed. The Old Man was led to me. "What is the ninth Maamor?" back to his cell to serve out his sentence. singing his praise Carefuily. I counted to the ninth Amira of creation: "And ofHaShemfor this most wonderful turn of events. HaShem said, let us create man .... " A nine at creation, and a nine at birth. Soon I was to learn of Chazal teach us that there are 8 levels of existence - a world the nine at death .... and 7 heavens. Sometimes, I think our Old Man has a level all to himself ... a 9th world that is all his own. The ® of Death

The® of Creation pring arrived, Shavuos passed, and before we knew it. summer was approaching. And no sign ofourOld Man. S On Friday evenings our eyes would scan the deserted ne Pesach, our guest made arrangements to eat the block. searching desperately for that slow, familiar walk. But Seder with us. That's not really accurate. The Old Man it was not to be, for the Old Man - our strong invulnerable O never came to eat - he came to share his wealth with teacher - had contracted a dreaded disease from which he us. We invited him into our home, but he invited us into his would never recover. world. On Pesach this was especially so. In a realm where Apparently he did not want to worry us, for it wasn't until Eicha is a book of hope and redemption, the Haggadah is pure mid-July that we heard from him. I rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospi­ ecstasy. tal to pay him a visit, hoping that somehow, everything was all While preparing for the Seder, I hit upon a plan; on this Night right. But it wasn't. of Questions, I would catch our Old Man - who always had an Propped up on pillows, the Old Man was even skinnier than answer - without one. I had remembered him. Pipes and tubes ran to his arms and At the Esser Makkos, the Ten Plagues, the Old Man spoke - nose. Somehow he seemed thin but not weak, pale but not as I had expected - of Darkness, the 9th Makka; and of the frightened. His eyes still shone with a living brightness as I

The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 27 walked through the doorway. In a barely audible voice, he told whispered to him, but there was no response. me: "Everything is all right. I have my Tehillim" - he tapped His Tehillim was open on the patient-table beside him. Cu­ the faded brown Sefer in his hands - "and that's more than rious, I glanced inside ... and I gasped. I've had for most of my life." He could barely speak - or even The Tehillim was opened to the 9th chapterof Tehillim: "A smile - but the satisfaction he felt as his eyes read through the song on the death of a son .... I will be joyful and happy with lines of his Tehillim was apparent. you, I will sing your song from on high." Like the ta!midim of Rabbi Akiva, so many years before, I felt Time passes and memories dim. But lessons remain .... like asking him - "But, Rebbe, to such an extent ... ?" Whenever I'm upset by one of life's minor travails, I remember. Just two days later, I arrived at his room to find that the Old And the tip of the "Tes" points inward, to the Ineffable joy Man had lapsed into a coma. Gently, I held his hand and within. Ill

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28 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 1 . . I MACHZOR ZICHRON RE­ ,1·~·.m~··1 '. -----. .- BOOKS UVEN, The Complete Artscroll Machzor. Rosh Hashana (Mesorah Publications, New York. $14.00).

rect issue with a number of the most ven more than the production of fundamental and cherished beliefs of a Siddur, that of a Machzor con­ our age - and does so in a manner that E fronts the editor with an abun­ must command the respect of his an­ dance of problems. Many of the con­ tagonists. He examines the popular no­ siderations to which he has to give tions according to the strictest stan­ attention conflict with each other. dards of scientific and philosophical Thus, for example, the more complete method - and, lo and behold, arrives a work, the less handy it may become; at conclusions that instill a healthy the more specific the instructions and note of scepticism about those notions directions, the more crowded the page; and, at the same time, renewed ap­ the more comprehensive the commen­ preciation of our approach to these fun­ tary, the less of the text of the prayers damental issues. fits on each page, necessitating too fre­ The author deals with some themes quent a turning of pages. Building on which are commonly recognized as the experience of the Artscroll Siddur, fundamental - such as the age of the with its deserved success, Rabbi Scher­ earth, or proofs of the existence ofG-d man and Rabbi Zlotowitz, with Rabbi AT THE CENTER OF THE - as well as with questions that we Brander in charge of design. have UNIVERSE, by Mordecai Plaut would not readily encounter, What are produced a Machzor that indeed suc­ (New York, 1983, $12.00) the philosophical and psychological ceeds in striking the right balance be­ consequences of the adoption of the tween the various conflicting consider­ CoperniC'.an system? Can order be the ations, and uniquely serves to meet the his is a remarkable book, both result of chaos, according to scientific needs of the user. This is not only evi­ from the viewpoint of contents logic? Is our concern with economic is­ dent in the basics of page layout, in the T and presentation. Rabbi Yaakov sues, in particular with economic introductions. the halachic directions, Weinberg. Rosh Yeshiva ofNer Israel. gains, a natural and necessary aspect of and the range of material included; the in his introduction deservedly calls it ''a human existence? Can the Mesorah's reader keeps encountering touches breath of fresh air." and the thoughtful teachings be shown philosophically to that he will appreciate, such as the in­ reader will indeed find that it effectively be authentic knowledge? clusion of Aneynu in the Mincha of disposes of a great many cobwebs in The author's ideas are briJliantly Erev Rosh Hashana and the prayer for the popular mind. presented, the analysis is always lucid, the host in Birohas Hamazon, and the In our modern age, because of man's and the wtiting elegant. The book is not explanations offered (p. 518) for the in­ achievements in exploring and making easy reading, but whatever difficulties clusion of eleven passages in Shofros {a over his world, he has fallen prey to an it presents are inherent in the subject­ point frequently overlooked). Particu­ extraordinary arrogance - a conceit matter and not the presentation - larly useful are the translations and that the ideas developed by the secular which is both clear and persuasive. commentary on Mishnayos Rosh liberal movements of the last few cen­ This reviewer must admit. though, Hashana and on the ShiretHayichud. turies are not only sufficient for man that he was not persuaded by the au­ This reviewer found very little indeed hut that they are the only ones that can thor that the Thirteen Principles of the to suggest in the way of possible im­ claim rationality and deserve our re­ Ram barn were meant to be "the blue­ provements. Perhaps any comment on spect. In truth, this attitude character­ print for a sound mind'' and do not pos­ the identity of Rabbi Elazar Hakalir izes in large measure the popularizers, sess an "exclusive essentiality" - the might mention that there is con­ the media, the followers and the disci­ Ram barn's concluding words in his troversy on the subject among the ples. Philosophers themselves know presentation of the Thirteen Principles authorities. The traditional translation the limits to which human reason can in the Perush Hamishnayos would ap­ of Vayashkem as "he got up early" penetrate: scientists are aware of the pear to indicate differently (pp. would appear preferable to "he limits of the scientific method; and psy­ 139-147). awoke". And perhaps there should be chologists encounter the pitiful victims All in all, this is a volume that breaks an indication (both here and in the Art· of a worldview which leaves man adrift new ground in applying searching scroll Siddur) that not everybody reads and alienated. But the popular mind philosophical examination to fun­ O:JIV~) in the morning prayers (p. 192) still pays strident homage to ideas damental questions of human exis­ - miriorpointsin viewofthescopeand whose validity is highly questionable. tence, and arriving at results that will success of this achievement. It is The last decades have seen the pub­ make the reader see traditional Jewish remarkable in itself how fully the edi­ lication of writings that. in contrast. teachings in a new light. It is to be tors have taken into account different present our Torah value system and hoped that it will find the wide circula­ textual readings as well as halachic the concepts that should guide us and tion that it deserves, particularly practices. Hopefully the publishers will mold our lifestyle. However, Rabbi among those involved in the intellec­ present us before long with further Plaut's book is unique in that it takes di- tual ferment of our time. volumes of the Machzor.

The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 29 suffering. The material presented modity - and offers suggestions on ranges all the way from Biblical and how to enjoy, vaJue and conserve time, Talmudic passages to sayings and sto­ to use it for the important things that ries of great Torah personalities of our we have to do. His emphasis is essen­ time. However, while the material is tially practical and his presentation very interesting and makes good and down-to-earth and very readable. The easy reading, such a perusal will not reader is sure not only to develop a meet the goals for which this book was greater appreciation of this G-d-given written. Really to benefit from it, the gift but to use it more effectively for a reader must work at internalizing its meaningful and satisfying life. Of par­ GATEWAY TO HAPPI­ content and practicing it. Indeed. an ap­ ticular importance is the section on NESS, by Rabbi Zelig Ptiskin (The pendix suggests "an exercise for in­ ''time and parenting''; any teacher will Jewish Learning Exchange, 1983, creasing happiness and confidence" - gladly testify to the importance of par­ $12.50 hardcover, $10.50 and it is stressed that anyone may re­ ents finding time for their children. print and distribute this page free of softcover). charge! The author realizes, however, that a book. any book. has limitations: appiness is a supreme goal the needs of different people differ and, cherished in our civilization. above all, some people may be too seri­ The failure to attain it is often ously upset to be ab1e to cope by them­ H selves - he therefore urges that they felt so acutely that it interferes with nor­ mal functioning and triggers mental seek competent counselling. However, disturbance. The fathers of the Ameri­ this book is without doubt a most valu­ can Constitution posited the ''pursuit of able aid to anybody concerned with at­ happiness·' as one of our inalienable taining a truly satisfying life. rights. Yet it has been pointed out that It is interesting to note that several they could only guarantee the pursuit years ago there appeared a small book of happiness, not its attainment. It has which on a much smaller scale but in a SOUL SURVIVORS, by indeed been suggested that happiness. most readable manner put forth the Hanoch TeUer, in collaboration with however desirable and essential, can same approach to the gaining of happi­ Marsi Tabak (New York City Publish­ ness, though not aspiring to the same never be achieved by seeking it out­ ing Co .. 1985, $9.95 - hardcover). right - it can only be a by-product of comprehensiveness and depth as worthwhile endeavors and a special Rabbi Pliskin 's work. In Search ofHap­ way oflife. What kind oflife wlll help a piness, A Torah Approach for the Mod­ his is a volume of ''true stories of person overcome depression, frustra­ ern Reader, by Rabbi Pinc hos Jung striving and yearning," dedi­ tion, and all the other obstacles to hap­ (London, 1978. distributed in the cated to "the memory of the U.S.A. by Frankel's Bookstore, Brook­ T piness. and enable him serenely, Maggidim, men whose stories and calmly and happily to carry out his lyn). persuasively and in popular fluent parables served to uplift. inspire and re­ tasks as a human being? The question style guides the reader to an under­ buke generations of our People.'' It is in­ is of particular concern to the Jew who standing that he has to find happiness deed, in this vein that the stories in this is enjoined by the Torah to serve G-d by changing his own outlook - volume were chosen and recorded. through learning and practicing Torah. I with joy. and who knows, in the words They are organized by themes, such as of a Chassidic sage, that sadness may Providence, Faith, Integrity, with three not be a sin but can bring to many sins. stories devoted to each theme. Some of Rabbi Pliskin, who has previously them deal with outstanding figures, treated so effectively interpersonal re­ TIME IS LIFE, by Avi Shulman well-known to all of us, such as Rabbi lations (Love Your Neighbor) and the (1985, dist. by P. Feldheim, $4.95). Akiva Eger, the Brisker Rav, Rabbi Leib evil of loose language (Guard Your Gurwicz, and (yibodel lechayim) Rabbi Tongue), offers in this volume a "gate­ Yaakov Kamenetzky: others focus on way" to happiness - rules and he foundation of any successful little- known or unknown heroes of guideposts that will steer a person to­ effort in life is the proper use of compassion and faith. But all of them ward a happy life. His key point is that T time. 1'his is true in life in touch our hearts as we are exposed to our happiness does not depend on what general, and it is even more true of our the real1ty of good and the true mean­ happens to us but on how we react to it: efforts to live a Torah life. This small ing of life. The reader will certainly find our attitudes toward events and situa­ volume - an addition to the Dynamics it extremely difficult to put this volume tions. This book is designed to help the of Personal Achievement series - is down. The presentation as well as the reader develop sound attitudes, based based on the same premises as the typography are very pleasing and on the many pointers contained in To­ works just discussed: a person's limita­ make readtng a pleasure. 1'here are a rah literature. together with basic tions are self-imposed ... people can couple of very minor slips - the dates common-sense ideas, presented here in grow ... attitudes can be changed... new of Rabbi Akiva Eger's life, the spelling systematic fashion. skills can be acquired. The author here of the town in which Rabbi Yaakov Topics dealt with are, for instance, applies these premises to "time­ Kamenetzky was Rav - but they do the recognition of one ·s self-worth and saving·' - the management (and mis­ not take away from the value and im­ coping with guilt. worry, anger and management) of this precious com- pact of this book.

30 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 sential agreement. As the writer him­ self says, I attempted to exp.lain why we cannot condone or participate m Letters the sort of remembrance asssernblies that are proliferating everywhere, and to the I called for commemorations in the spirit of Torah hashkafa an~,hal~ha. This is not at all in a "me-too spmt of Editor imitation. The need has been appar­ ent to Gedolei Yisroel and thoughtful Jews for many years. Just as we should not jump on someone else: s "maaminim be'emuna shleimah," but Blasphemy For the "Kedoshim"? bandwagon, we should not refrain because the Kaddish is an affirmation from doing what must be done of our faith in the justice of G-d in the To the Editor: merely because someone else did it face of the most trying adversity, and first and wrong. those who abandoned this faith tum It is unfortunate that Rabbi Scher­ As to the writer's last point, regard­ the uttering of the Kaddish into an ing whether and why the survivors man in his "Reflections on Remem­ empty gesture. brance" 00 Sivan 5745/May 1985) has are breaking their silence, we are both Finally, I disagree with Rabbi Scher­ right. Many are speaking up and in in­ to recommend that we compete with man' s assessment that the survivors the secularists and fill the Felt Forum creasing numbers, while many others have begun to break their silence lest still will not or cannot do so. either with our own orthodox multi­ younger generations forget. This may tudes or outnumber them in a joint Nevertheless, it is undeniable that be true for some, but many others more people are speaking, writing, remembrance. Since when have we, kept silent because their listeners the Torah community, yielded the listening and reading than a genera­ were not capable to absorb the horror tion ago. Our challenge is how to re­ first move to the chofshim and after of their experiences: It IS a painful years of dragging our feet suddenly spond to and channel this interest and truth that the survivors arouse m how to present a Torah perspective adopt the "me, too" approach? In the many of those who were spared the area of Zichron Kedoshim we have as on Churban Eurapa. Holocaust experience an en~rmous little in common with them as in every guilt, as Rabbi Scherman adnuts, and (RABBI) NOSSON SCHERMAN other area of Jewish observance and thereby invite a measure of rejection expression. Indeed, it was nothing which manifests itself in many differ­ short of pathetic to watch Torah Jews, Hot and Cold Halachic Alert ent ways. When the writer of th~se whether survivors or others, long to lines came to an Arnencan Yeshiva attend the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising thirty-eight years ago after having Commemoration of the last two de­ - survived nine different Nazi camps, cades which Rabbi Scherman so there was an" eltere bachur' who con­ aptly ~nalyzes, as if the only barri~r to sidered himself the rash hachabura, their participation was the defiled who would not give him a "Sholom To the Editor: arena of Temple Emanuel. And lo and Aleichem" until confronted several behold, their longing was rewarded, weeks later! (Compare that with the Readers of JO may not realize it, but the barrier came down and we JOm hero's welcome accorded the freed many refrigerators and freezers have the Apikorsim in commemorating the hostages from Beirut, Iran or Am­ an air circulation fan that operates Six Million by saying "Kaddish," man.) As a matter of fact, we have whenever the door is dosed (the new which in their mouth is nothing but been listening to speeches and discus­ Arnana, for instance). This makes blasphemy. sions about the Holocaust at many opening and dosing the door on The Agudath Israel had an obliga­ Agudah forums from all kinds of Shabbos or Yorn Tov prohibited un­ tion to publicly disassociate itself from spokesmen -rarely from the survivors less the triggering button is taped that "Zachor-Gedenk" circus, espe­ themselves. over, or otherwise depressed. cially since a number of prominent May the zechus of the Kedoshim has­ Another similar problem: some of members noisily participated therein. ten the geula shleima. the newer gas ranges (such as Magic At the same time, as Rabbi Scherman Chef) have an automatic igniter that is recommends, we have to show the DR. SOL HAMBURGER triggered when the gas is turned ?n· way how to commemorate the New York City To prevent this from happemng Kedoshim in the spirit ofTor ah without when opening the gas jet on Yorn trying to copy or compete with the Tov, the electric plug would have to secularists. We must staunchly up­ be disengaged before Yorn Tov sets hold the conviction that when we say Rabbi Scherman Replies: in. "Kaddish" we speak for all of Kial Yis­ roel. Not only because the vast Were the writer to read my article RABBI SHLOMOROKEACH majority of the Kedoshim were again, he would see that we are in es- Monsey, N. Y.

The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 31 . TO ALL THOSE WHO MADE POSSISl.E .. YESHIVATH OHEL T()RAM LAKEWOOD, NEW JERSEY 'tlul.· ~'//fdhlfkl ·.og itJ lindUi./111WtfM !tl!lM!l '1W.,.,

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The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 33 OLDSTERS' SPIRIT RENEWED The energetic directress is quick to point out DATELlNE ••• YOUTH BY PROJECT STAY DAY that it's not, however, only the seniors who CAMPERS gain. The concept behind the year~round pro­ grams of Project STAY, she stresses, is to initi­ When the children first began coming, Mr. ate the youth into a lifetime of involvement in CAMPS DRAW FRESH SPIRIT Shapiro refused to join in the fun. He pulled his concern for others. FROM JEP "RUACH" VISITS wheelchair to a far comer and remained with­ "In the end," says Miss Cohen, "these chil­ drawn, in his own world of thoughts and pri­ dren are our future. We can't get them started "When are the guys from JEP coming back vate ruminations. But when Mordechai, a chip­ too soon." again?" is a refrain the director of a Jewish per 10-year-old with a winning smile camp in Suffern, New York, says he hears from approached him and innocently tried to strike his campers all summer long. Similar accolades up a conversation, the cold front of his exterior for the impact of the "JEP" program on a camp soon melted into genuine warmth, and the two j 0A~i1NE ...EUROPE I atmosphere are voiced by staffers at overnight became fast friends. camps dotting the upstate New York vacation Shapiro (not his real name) is a patient at one AGUDAH ARCHVIES ACQUISI­ area and at day camps in four locations in of six nursing homes in Baro Park and Flatbush Brooklyn and Queens. that are being visited on a regular basis this TION DETAILS The reference is to a yearly seasonal camp sununer by yeshiva children like Mordechai in EARLY WORLD WAR II HAT­ visitation project undertaken by the Jewish a cooperative effort of local day camps working ZALAH EFFORT Education Program OEP), an agency devoted in tandem with Bnos Agudah Bikur Cholim - to outreach among marginally committed Jew­ Project STAY. A youth volunteer arm of A file of documents detailing names, ad­ ish children, sponsored by Agudath Israel of Agudath Israel of America, STAY (Services dresses, and dollar amounts pertaining to the America. Through Activist Youth) coordinates chessed shipment of relief packages to Jews in German~ Formed over a decade ago to create Jewish activities of hundreds of Sais Yaakov high occupied Poland in 1941 has been obtained by awareness among public school children schoolgirls during the school year, while inthe the Orthodox Jewish Archives in New York. through the schools' "release hour" time, JEP vacation season it focuses on involving the The records, contributed by Charles Richter of has since branched out into multiple fields of younger set in what is often their first ex­ New York, include a report of activities com­ action in its pioneering endeavors to combat as-­ perience in looking to the needs of sometimes piled in compliance with an inquiry of the U.S. sirnilation. Camp visitations are one key ele­ forgotten groups in the community. Government into the food shipment program, ment of its overall strategy. ''The strength of The youngsters, some one hundred in all, which was conducted by Agudath Israel of our success in all our activities over the years come from such summer programs as the To­ America on behalf of stan>ing Polish Jews. lies in the informal and fun-related relation­ rah Temimah and Bais Yaakov Academy day The packages were sent to Poland from ad­ ships we establish with the kids," says Rabbi camps in Flatbush. Both pre-schooler and pre­ dresses in Portugal, Yugoslavia and Czechoslo­ Mordechai Katz, JEP' s director. ''Working in teen groups from the camps participate, enter­ vakia through a network of contacts developed a camp setting is a particularly good way to taining the oldsters with music and skits, as by Richter, an Orthodox Jewish activist who capitalize on this strength.'' well as engaging them one-on-one in games was intimately involved in Agudath Israel hat~ and, just simply, conversation. zalah (rescue) activities. Roni Cohen, director of STA Y, is proud of According to Rabbi Moshe Kolodny, this TEKIAS SHOFAR CAMPAIGN her "little children" and the impact they have particular relief project was eventually halted TO SERVE HOMEBOUND made in the lives of the seniors. She tells of one by the U.S. Government under pressure from elderly man who grew up in Europe, who had the British, and rescue and relief efforts were Young men from yeshivas throughout the his doubts about the future of Yiddishkeit in subsequently channelled in other directions. metropolitan area of New York are being America. "You should have seen the look on The Richter papers complement a broad col­ recruited to blow the shofar this Rosh Hashana his face," she says, "when one of our young~ lection of hatzalah records amassed by the Or­ for homebound elderly and handicapped peo­ sters, at his challenge, pulled out the fringes of thodox Jewish Archives, an institution founded ple unable to attend the synagogue. The Tekias his tzitzis from under his shirt. A small, natu­ by Agudath Israel in 1978 as a repository of Shofar Campaign, coordinated by Zeirei ral thing for a yeshiva child, but for the senior documents and photographs pertaining to Or­ Agudath Israel of America, has assisted thou­ - it was as if he was woken up from a slumber thodox Jewish life in the U.S. and related ex­ sands through this annual service over the past with the realization that life, after all, offered periences in Torah communities throughout decade. hope!" the world.

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34 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985

-- - lyn; Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum shlitn, Yeshivas DATELINE •.. JERUSALEM Mir, Brooklyn; Rabbi Shmuel Avigdor Faivel­ son shlita, Bais Medrash L'Torah, Monsey; Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky shlita, Yeshiva Ge­ RABBI SHACH TELLS CHINUCH ATZMAI LEADERSHIP MEETING dola, Philadelphia. "WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR Rabbi Shraga Grosbard shlita, Director~ 1,000,000 CHILDREN IN ISRAEL" General of the educational network, reported that of six requests this year for new schools, only two opened; of 28 requests for new kin­ Rabbi Elazar Shach shlita told the leadership Kial Yisroel. Only through Torah education is it dergartens, only 13 were opened; and the of the Chinuch Atzmai Tor ah Schools network possible to assure the survival of Klal Yisroel, registration of new students required the open­ in Israel at a special meeting in Jerusalem, "I am and education requires sacrifice. It is upon us ing of 50 new classes, at a time when the staff prepared to sell my shoes and kapota to give our all to carry the burden and now is the oppor­ must be reduced by 300. He welcomed Rabbi children Torah chinuch (education). Let us not tunity to rescue souls." Henach Cohen, Executive Director of the throw out our tallis and tefillin, our Torah In a choked voice and with eyes full of tears, American office, who also participated in the education.'' Rabbi Shach pleaded for the urgent need to res­ meeting. His remarks were in response to proposed cue those thousands of children who are today In a letter which Rabbi Shach sent to the six cutbacks in teaching hours as a result of dras~ attempting to register in a Torah school. There American Roshei Yeshivos following the meet­ tic cutbacks in government subsidies." A mil­ is an immediate urgency for six new schools ing, he called upon them to influence the lion children are receiving a shoddy, deceptive and 18 new kindergartens to accommodate benefactors to come themselves to see the sit­ education today in this country," he said. 3,000 newly registered children. uation, ''because hearing is not similar to "Baalei Teshuva have told me how their Tanach Participating in the meeting were six Ameri­ seeing.'' teachers would tell them that the stories in can Roshei Yeshivas who are members of the Tanach maybe happened once upon a time, but Board of Governors of Chinuch Atzmai Torah have no application today." Is this a Jewish Schools: RabbiMordechai Giftershlita, Telshe education? So many don't put on tefillin, and Yeshiva, Cleveland; Rabbi Binyonmin Paler have no Torah, and see what they look like. shlita, YeshivaMekorChaim, Brooklyn; Rabbi "We are talking here about the survival of Levi Krupenia shlita, Kaminetz Yeshiva, Brook- ~ORCHESTR~'EGINA ~' 4916 13th Ave., B'klyn, N.Y. 11219 WANTED (718) 854-2911 WANTED OTLIN Bright cheerful individuals to enhance and enliven TO JERUSALEM the lives of homebound elderly .senior citizens. No In time of illness. surgery or experience necessary. Will train. crisis. special prayers will be recited at the Western Wall and GINERALQUALIFICATIOHS at our Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Sincerity, devotion, and the ability to smile. CALL 24 HOURS (718)871-4111 BINEnTS A FREE PUBLIC SERVICE OF That good feeling you get from knowing you did The American Rabbi Meir something right plus a guarantee that you get alot Baal Maness Charity more than you put in. KOLEL AMERICA CAN YOU P'D.L THIS AD???? KJ:tii>:IDI~H. CAl.LHOW: Mishnayoth. Yizkor & Yortzeit observed with a minyon in our AGUDATH ISRAEL Yeshiva Heichal Rabbi Meir Bnos Bilrur Cholim/ProJect STAY Baal Haness in Jerusalem. (212) 406-4400 CALL ASK FOR RONI OR TZIRI (718) 871-4111

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The Jewish Observer/October, 1985 35 tenacious dedication to Torah and mitzvos in periences from a wide array of perspectives and even the bleakest hours of the Holocaust.'' circumstances. IDATELINE ... EUROPE I The volunteer program, announced by Ben­ The format of the interviews was developed jamin Fishoff and Henry A. Roth, co-cllainnen by a committee of experienced researchers in AGUDATH ISRAEL HOLO­ of the Agudath Israel Commission, will be the field of Holocaust studies and oral inter­ CAUST COMMISSION funded through a grant from the New York viewing, chaired by Dr. Menachem Daum and EXPANDS ORAL HISTORY State Education Department, secured through Dr. Joseph Geliebter of New York. Rabbi the efforts of State Assemblyman Mark Allen Joseph Elias, noted Jewish historian and Torah PROJECT Siegel. The project is designed to enlist the educator, serves as consultant to the Agudath An oral history project devoted to recording services of youth in conducting videotaped in~ Israel Commission. the legacy of spiritual heroism during the Hol­ terviews with Orthodox Jewish Holocaust sur­ ocaust will expand its scope this fall through the vivors, working under the direction of the recruitment of volunteer interviewers from Agudath Israel. IDATELINE ...ALBANY I within the Torah community. The project, According to Rabbi Yitzchok Brandriss, ex­ piloted earlier this year by the Commission on ecutive director of the Agudah Commission on ffolocaust Remembrances of Agudath Israel of Holocaust Remembrances, survivors from To­ GOVERNOR SIGNS YESHIVA America, embodies one aspect of the Commis­ rah communities in the many and varied ke­ TRANSPORTATION BILL sion's work in ''preserving the memory of Eu­ hillos across Europe will be interviewed, A bill which would provide school bus trans~ ropean Torah life and its legacy as expressed in representing both pre-war and Holocaust ex- portation for yeshiva and other non~public school students in New York City on a speci­ fied number of days when the public schools are closed, was signed into law by New York State Governor Mario Cuomo last week. The new law, which was drafted by Agudath Is­ rael's Commission on Legislation and Civic Ac~ tion and the New York State Catholic Confer­ ence, passed the State Assembly and Senate in the final hours of the legislative session last month. According to Shmuel Prager, General Coun­ sel of Agudath Israel, the law will provide for up to five days of additional school bus trans­ portation, thus alleviating some of the incon­ venience caused by the New York City Board of Education's denial of bus transportation to non-public school students on days the public 1-----rws ------'""""" r-£_-ADDm ATIRACllOl'I schools are not in session. SHIRAH CHADASHA Sf'fCIAl.AllDIO VISUAL rRfSff'ITATION: In addition to expressing appreciation to GIRLS CHOIR ;•M'l'll' ll.3)1!> '1.3 Governor Cuomo for his sensitivity to the Omducted by Ella Adler Ml KEAMCHO YISROt:L needs of non-public school students, the 1------rIDS------~------I Agudath Israel representative commended the All female Orchesba efforts of Senator James Donovan and Ass-­ mblymen Arthur J. Kremer, Jose Serrano, and Two Performances Only Daniel Feldman for shepherding the bill BROOKLYN QUEENS through the Legislature. Senators Frank Sunday fve. Oct 20 Sunday fve. Oct 27 Padavan and Norman Levy and Assembly­ 8:00 P.Jll. 8:00 P.Jll. men Paul Harenberg and Dov Hikind, were Brooklvn CoUege John Bowne H.S. applauded for their sponsorship of the l'loslRnd Aft."&'-..\we. H 63 - :U l'laln SL measure. Mail Order.; 6: Information: NEGlNAt1 PRODUCTIONS - 4916 lJth Ave.. Brooklyn, N. Y. ! l2l9 (718) 854-29! I TICKET OUTI..ETS TICKET PRICES $ i 0 $13 $ l 6 llOKO rAllll.: CROWl'I nuc;ms, 0 ~''"'l'•ll« •8SI I< lli.... Dtimm.-·SOSl.1"1l""• '"""'"""""""C--Hr.IOSI -f"l"''°'OSl.h«ll-'8Sl.1"\l..._ """"""'"'"'W""oSI -'"'""""'Glf<'..._.il

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36 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 -- pliers were sellingnon-koshermeats packaged DATELINE ... under kosher labeling. After consultations vv:ith WHITE HOUSE AIDE AFFIRMS SACRAMENTO Rabbinical Council representatives, Assistant COMMITMENT TO YESHIVA Attorney General Herschel Elkins concluded STUDENTS that while a kosher statute has long been in ef­ CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR fect in California, he was unable to prosecute "Raising the educational level of all students, SIGNS effectively under its provisions, and that including those in non-public religious schools, KOSHER CONSUMER BILL specific legislation was needed, as he outlined is a top priority of this Administration, 11 as­ in a letter at the time, to provide ''a method for INTO LAW serted Dr. Marshall Breger, assistant to Presi­ discovering evidence of fraud and mis­ dent Reagan on education and Jewish commu­ 1 representation. ' A hard-fought and extensive campaign on nity affairs. He made this remark in a behalf of a new kosher consumer bill, waged Rabbi Chaim Schnur, director of Agudath far-ranging talk to the Commission on Legis­ by a coalition of Jewish groups led by the Israel of California, made known today that a lation and Civic Action of Agudath Israel of California chapter of the Commission on Legis­ meeting was being arranged at the State Attor­ California. Breger also briefed the Commission lation and Civic Action of Agudath Israel of ney General's office with rabbis from through­ members on the latest developments in the America, culminated on August 3, 1985 in the out the state and kosher food suppliers, to ac­ delicate Mideast peace process, and on the signing of the legislation into law by Governor quaint them with details of the new statute. prospects for Israel's economic recovery. George Deukmejian. Stanley Treitel, co-chairman of the regional Agudath Israel Commission, hailed the move as a "significant advance for the rights of Or­ thodox Jewry in our state." He lauded the ef­ Choose a school forts of lawmakers in the California Legislature who helped ensure the measure's passage, sin­ gling out Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D­ as if your future Santa Monica), sponsor of the bill, Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan and Assemblyman Robert Naylor, who galvanized Republican depends on it support in the lower house, and Senator Her­ schel Rosenthal, who stewarded the bill through the committee stages of the Senate and was largely responsible, together with Presi­ It does dent Pro Tempore of the Senate, Senator David Roberti, for its passage through the full body. According to Dr. Irving Lebovics, serving D At the leading edge of computer trdiningsince the he!1:innings oft he 'Computer revolution', with Mr. Treitel as co-

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The Jewish Observer/October, J 985 37 computer programming course to be given at new project. Funds for the program, autho­ COPE Institute in Brooklyn. rized under the federal Job Training Partner­ Dateline .... COPE According to Rabbi Dovid Seeve, director of ship Act (JTP A), will be channelled by the New Project COPE, "firm specific" refers to a train­ York State Education Department to Agudath ing program that is created in consultation with Israel through the New York City Center. private business firms that indicate their desire The funding augments a broad array of em­ NEW JOB TRAINING GRANT to hire graduates of a course in advance of its ployment services provided by Project COPE, TO PROJECT COPE initiation. He said that due to the outstanding including on-job training, dislocated workers reputation of COPE Institute, founded by programs, vocational guidance, assessment A new grant earmarked for a special "firm Agudath Israel in 1977, a committed group of and evaluation and the Fresh Start Training specific'' job training program for economically New York City businesses has already ex­ Program for Displaced Homemakers. Central pressed individuals was awarded this month pressed an active interest in the newly funded offices of the Agudath Israel agency are located to Agudath Israel's Project COPE (Career Op­ Project COPE program. at 5 Beekman Street in New York. portuiti.ties and Preparation for Employment). Rabbi Seeve cited the efforts of Donald The funding will provide tuition for income­ Menzi, Director of the New York Gty Regional eligible students for an intensive, 750-hour Education Center, in the development of the DATELINE ••• HOME SAN DIEGO c:211ATANA CHIZUK OPENS OUTREACH ATTENDANTS CENTER ON WEST COAST needed for yALLEI(f Chizuk - "The Torah Link," the adult out­ HOUSEKEEPING AND 4906 18th Ave. reach and Jewish education agency of Agudath Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 8.?1-4448 Israel, has opened offices in San Diego, Califor­ PERSONAL CARE nia, in a move extending its network of services for ''baalei teshuva" to the West Coast. In an­ for the Jewish books, Judaica, Taleisim nouncing the founding of the new bureau, na­ Mezuzos, personalized Talis bag;. tional director Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser spoke DISABLED AND Tel.ftl.inbag;, YannulkasandChalah of our ''incessant need for ever- expanding fa­ covers, record<: and tapes, lucite, cilities to help searching American Jews recon­ HOMEBOUND silver, semi-precinusstarws ani1tpld nect with their authentic heritage.'' Appointed jewelry. as director of Chizuk's San Diego office is good pay and benefits Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg, an educator with Boro Park. Bensonhurst and experience in Jewish community work in New Flatbush Area ALLATSUPERDISCOUNT York and Philadelphia, where he also taught in full-time live in positions only PRICES! local yeshivas. Rabbi Ginsberg is an alumnus of the Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Bais Avrohom (Slonimer Yeshiva) in Jerusalem. Project OHR Inc.

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38 The Jewish Observer/October. 1985 1"10l S ukf- and 'IJing Present 3NEWALBU S FOR THE NEWYEAR!

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'We would fify to ta/& tliis opportunity to wisli a[{ our [isteners around tlie world a liapp!:f and sweet new year. SvJ.:. ~])rl(J-- The Theme: Building Bridges and Barriers for the Unity of Kial Yisroel

An Agudath Israel Convention Means ...

. . . Leaming first hand about the major issues confronting the Orthodox Jewish community . . . Participating in challenging, thought·provoking sessions with a coalition of Jews from diverse backgrounds . . . . Meeting eminent Gedolei Torah . . . . Feeling the Kedusha of a unique Shabbos blending Torah and Ruach . . . . An inspiring spiritual atmosphere . . . . Discussing meaningful, practical topics in exciting workshops . . . . Aweekend of interacting with Orthodox leaders and askonif'l from every part of North America . . . . Amemorable educational experience for you and your family.

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