l j J I ' Kiruv Rechokim ~ • The non-professional at work 1 • Absorbing uNew Immigrants" to Judaism • Reaching the Russians in America After the Elections in Israel • Torah Classics in English • Reviews in this issue ... "Kiruv Rechokim": For the Professional Only, Or Can Everyone Be Involved? ................... J The Four-Sided Question, Rabbi Yitzchok Chinn ...... 4 The Amateur's Burden, Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb ......... 7 Diary of a New Student, Marty Hoffman ........... 10 THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN A Plea From a "New Immigrant" to Judaism (a letter) 12 0021-6615) is published monthly, except July and August, by the Reaching the Russians: An Historic Obligation, Agudath Israel of America, 5 Nissan Wolpin............................... 13 Beekman Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid at New York, N. Y. Subscription After the Elections, Ezriel Toshavi ..................... 19 Sl2.00 per year; two years, S2LOO; three years, S28.00; out­ Repairing the Effects of Churban, A. Scheinman ........ 23 side of the United States, $13.00 per year. Single copy, $1.50 Torah Classic in English (Reviews) Printed in the U.S.A. Encyclopedia of Torah Thoughts RABBI NissoN Wotr1N ("Kad Hakemach") . 29 Editor Kuzari .......................................... JO Editorial Board Pathways to Eternal Life ("Orchoth Chaim") ....... 31 DR. ERNST BooENHEIMER Chairman The Book of Divine Power ("Gevuroth Hashem") ... 31 RABBI NATHAN BULMAN RABBI JosEPH ELIAS JOSEPH fRIEDENSON Second Looks on the Jewish Scene I RABB! MOSHE SttERER Of Unity and Arrogance ......................... 33 If· MICHAEL RorasCHlLD I Business Manager Postscript TttE JEWISH OBSERVER does not I assume responsibility for the I Kashrus of any product or ser­ Return of the Maggidim, Chaim Shapiro ............ 36 vice advertised in its pages. I Letters to the Editor . 38 j4o JUNE, 1981, VOL XV, NO. 7 I ~· Kiruv Rechokim: A Field for the Professional Or Can Everyone Be Involved? Introduction Pennsylvania, introduces the topic by sifting though the challenges, pains and triumphs of the kiruv he personally Kiruv Rechokim is a Hebrew expression that needs no experienced and observed. Through his anecdotal recount­ translation in most circles. It has become emblazoned on ing, he invites us to examine the possibilities for both banners waved by groups and movements that specialize in amateurs and professionals. "drawing near those who are far" from our heritage, and RABBI DA YID COTTLEIB,a "Bostoner Chassid" who is employ an army of both volunteer and paid Kiruv workers, a member of the faculty of Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem, professionals all. and was formerly an associate professor of Philosophy in I What about the amateurs? The well-meaning but Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, maintains that 1 unsavvy folks who don't know a "visitation" from a everyone-each according to his own capabilities-has a I Shabbaton? role in bringing baalei leshuva closer lo G-d and Torah. Two men who are deeply knowledgeable in the field To help each individual determine his particular role, draw from their vast experience from both ends of the kiruv Rabbi Gollleib sketches some of the conditions that lead I I spectrum. RABBI YITZCHOK CHINN.Rabbi of Congrega­ young people lo seek a new way of life in Torah, while tion Gemilas Chesed of While Oak, I near McKeesport), describing the experiences that will aid them in their quest. 3 The Jewish Observer I Summer, 1981 I j Rabbi Yitzchok Chinn The Four-Sided Question Who is "close"? Who is "for''? To whom does one reach as kinfolk that are distant, and must be brought closer. oul? And who is responsible for inilinling the "reach-out" Thus, much effort was even spent on bringing the efforts? committed Jew, the karo11, closer. The Power of Infectious Amateurism A Page from Earlier Times: Reaching Out to Close Ones How professional were they in the old days? In retro­ spect, it is difficult to judge, but when there was plenty Luckily I grew up on the days before the term "Kirur of enthusiasm in their activities, their efforts were Rechokim" was popular, and anybody who simply wanted crowned with success. to could get into the act. Otherwise, I would not be In the early 1900s when my father was growing up in writing these words. Those were the days when the Baltimore, his teacher, a rabbi who was to gain great current president of Agudath Israel, Rabbi Moshe fame later in life, wanted to send him to a school in New Sherer, was an eltera bnchur (senior student) in Yehshiva York. However, the few pennies my father's paper Ner Israel of Baltimore. With his rhovl'r Freddie Wolf route brought home to his Cho bod family were needed to II (now Rabbi of Great Neck, Long Island), he was make ends meet, and luckily he was unable to leave. organizing the most important pilgrimage in America: Luckily for me, for had my father been sent to that bringing Hebrew Day School students to the great city particular institution, as recommended to him by his of New York to spend a Simchas Torah at Mesivta expert professional teacher, the entire complexion of Torah Vadaath, in the warming atmosphere of a true my family life would have been radically altered-for Mokom Torah. Those pilgrimages brought untold num­ the worse .... and 1 would not be writing these lines. bers of Day School students into the bosom of Torah On the other hand, another Talmud Torah teacher­ life. For those were not the days of kirul' rechokim, but of a relatively simple fellow, by contemporary sophisti­ kiruv kerovim*, bringing near those who were already cated standards-recognized the talents of another close, but who had not yet arrived. Those were days when young man on the sand lots of Baltimore and was wise our people looked upon one another not as rechokim, enough to direct him to the proper yeshiva, making it distant, no matter how alienated they may have been possible for that young man to become an outstanding from Torah. Instead, all were kerouim, members of the Rosh Yeshiva in Europe. same family, and it was understood that even those already religious also had a distance to travel to become Too Tough to Be Good? kerouim to G-d. The Klnusenberger Re/Jbe once commented that Avrahnm Was Teddy Davis right when in those years he Avinu, on his uJny fo the Akeidah (to offer his son as n created a youth organization for the Baltimore kids, and sacrifice), teaches us this lesson. The 11erse reads: "[when he the prerequisite for membership was Sabbath obser­ wns on the _journey] three days, he snu) the makom vance? Was he too tough? Too unbending? My late merachok-he sau) the place from n disfnnce. '' ... "Makom" mother 1i"~' was almost tossed out of her house then can also refer to G-d~only three days au1ny from home, and because, as a member of this group, she adhered to the already Avroham finds that G-d-the Makom-is distant. rules, and refused to help in the family store on the And u1haf shnll u1e say, who hatJe been on the rond from Sabbath .... Was he right? , ]erusnlem these scores of genernfions? That organization, "The Adas," today has to its credit Forty years ago, they saw the task not as kirutJ rechokirn the elite of Baltimore Jewry, and their children today but as kiruv kerotJim~looking upon all, even the religious, rank among the best of our people-serving as Roshei Yeshivas, rabbis, and most important of all frum ha/lei * Kerovim-lit. "near ones"; also "relatives" battim who exemplify a loyalty to Torah in everyday The articles by Rabbis Chinn and Gottlieb are ba5ed on their presentations al life .... a symposium on this theme at the 58th National Convention of Agudath Israel of f{ou1 professional must one be to know the right way to lead Jews America. bock to Torah? The Jewish Observer I Summer, 1981 i 4 l l am a product of the early Camp Agudah, the days fully exciting scout presentation-I was thrilled, for l when today's leading rabbis, Roshei Yeshivas, and lom­ was in love with scouting. When l approached the head dim, were then counselors and staff members. As a child counselor for permission to leave to attend this program of twelve, my first time away from home in such a he refused .... l couldn't understand his harshness, nor camp, I found the environment strange, perhaps a little fathom his lack of compassion and basic human kind­ threatening. When the scout master of my synagogue ness. Didn't he realize how much if nieant to 1ne? I rebelled with troop from Baltimore visited me in Camp Agudah and all the passion of a young child thwarted in his desires. offered to take me for the day to visit the scout camp But the head counselor held his ground and refused, sol nearby to witness "the order of the arrow"-a delight- did not go. 1 I "Camp Agudah in Highmounf was fun, but to my mind if couldn't compete with the Boy Scout's 'order of the arrow:" ' The Jewish Obsen1er I Summer, 1981 5 i j Although I thought him cruel at the time, I can now These are questions that both rabbis and people who attest that had he given me permission, I would never work with baalei feshuva on a one-to-one basis must be have returned to Camp Agudah. I would have remained prepared to face ... and when the answers are negative, in that scout camp, and my religious life and that of my the emotional support must be there, to reassure the children and grandchildren would have been drastically /,aal feshutin that he's still a valued member of the com­ different.