e-mitzion The official newsletter of Midreshet HaRova 11th edition- Rosh Hashanah 5770 ים” “כי מ ירושל ציון תצא תורה ודבר ה’ מ על התפילה – Connecting the Past with the Future "ואני תפילתי From Budapest to Yerushalayim לך ה'-עת רצון" e are honored to share with our Midrasha bogrot, families and Wfriends the news of the recently expanded name of Midreshet HaRova to include the addition of the name of Mr. Andre Veres. The official title of the Midrasha will now be: Midreshet HaRova, the In this Advanced Torah Academy for Women in the name of Andre Veres, Connecting the Tzvi ben Alexander Veres. Edition: Past with the We are very grateful to the Veres family of Montreal, family of the bogeret Alexandra Future – From (Ali), who have chosen Midreshet Harova to commemorate the memory of their beloved Budapest to father and grandfather. May the learning and growth that takes place within our doors be Yerushalayim a fitting memorial to his dedication to Torah values, and the Zionist ideal he held so dear. From Our Rosh We would like to share some reflections on Mr. Veres’ life, as gathered from Peter and Midrasha Marla Veres, his son and daughter-in-law, and his wife, Huguette. The Tefila of the Andre Veres, Tzvi ben Alexander “He was a decisive man, with great Individual in the Andre Veres, son of Lenke (Leah) and courage and strength of character in his Group - Rav Ari Alexander Weiss, was born Andre Weisz personal, business, and communal life,” Shames in Budapest, Hungary before the Second his family tells, “Yet at the same time, he Stories About World War to the Weisz family who was was gracious, warm hearted, friendly and Tefila well-know for operating Weisz-Mandel, a very loving.” ...עת לתפילה kosher restaurant in Budapest. Working as a journalist at the beginning of the war, Mr. Veres never spoke of his wartime Whats New at he took the pen name Andre Veres and experiences, yet was known to have played the Midrasha? remained with it from that point forward. a part in the work of Raoul Wallenberg, Announcements the Swedish diplomat who saved so He possessed an immense and many Jewish lives during the war. unshakeable commitment to Jewish His family also knows he was a and moral values. “He had very prisoner in forced labor camps from strong opinions about his beloved which he eventually escaped, and Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael. donned a stolen SS uniform in order His devotion to the ideals of Am to smuggle food into the Budapest Yisrael, and Torat Yisrael B’Eretz ghetto. Mr. Veres also managed Yisrael was profound and it was his Mr. Andre Veres to retrieve two nephews from the focus.” ghetto minutes before they were to be shot and killed. “My father-in-law was an adamant “My father-in-law was an adamant believer in the ideals of religious believer in the After the war, Mr. Veres married Zionism,” Mrs. Marla Veres told us. ideals of religious Huguette Weksler in Paris, France, “He had four granddaughters and Zionism,” Mrs. and immigrated to Canada in 1952, one grandson. Most people choose to Marla Veres told as a penniless refugee. Mr. Veres support boys’ yeshivot. We, however, us. “His devotion started a knitwear company, and, as believe that Torah learning for girls to the ideals of Am Yisrael, and well as being a graduate lawyer, grew is crucial as they are the ones who Torat Yisrael to be a very successful businessman. will be running the household and B’Eretz Yisrael The couple had two children, Peter transmitting the ideals of Torah and was profound and and Alan, and five grandchildren, Zionism to their children, and their it was his focus.” including Alexandra (Ali), a bogeret children are the future! My father- of Midreshet HaRova. in-law would have found it fitting to be remembered in a way that ensures “Torah learning for girls is crucial as the future of ideals he held so dear.” Andre Veres was known to have loved they are the ones learning and was a true intellectual. who will be running the household and transmitting the ideals of Torah and Zionism to their children, and their children are the future!” From left to right: Ali, Eytan, Daniella, Tamar and Racheli Veres, with their parents, Peter and Marla Dear Students, Alumni and Friends, I wanted to take this opportunty to wish you all a Shana Tova Umetuka. Let us hope and pray that the year that awaits us will be one of personal fulfillment and spiritual progression, a year of happiness and good health, and a year of redemption for Am Yisrael. There have been so many engagements, marriages and births over the last year, that to list them all would take up a fair amount of my already limited space. Let us hope that the coming year will be filled with twice as many semachot! Yet unfortunately, I must mention our bereavements too. Three of our alumni, Rivky Stern, Tamar Klein, and Tamar Toledano (all of whom dormed together in the Dvir apartment 6/2005 circumstances over the), lost last their year. respective My heart fathersgoes out in to shockingly Rivky, Tamar, tragic and and Tamar, sudden and of course to Devorah (Rivky's sister) who is currently at the Midrasha. I wish that I could give words of comfort in the run up to Rosh HaShanah, but there are no words that can fill the gap left by a parent thoughts will be with you overwho Yom is no Tov, longer and wewith will us. all Suffice pray that it to the say that our Almighty will comfort you together with all the mourners of Tzion and Yerushalayim. Ketiva Ve Chatima Tova, Rav Milston “Sorry! But to whom?" - The meaning of Selichot From Our Rosh Midrasha Rav David Milston The Shulchan Aruch1 in section Shulchan Aruch. We do in fact blow Shofar Orach Chaim 581:1 writes: every morning aftershacharit starting from Rosh Chodesh Ellul until just before Rosh Hashanah. “It is customary to rise up early However, we do not begin to recite selichot and to recite selichot and tachanunim tachanunim until late night Motzei Shabbat or from Rosh Chodesh Ellul until early Sunday morning of the week when Rosh Yom HaKippurim.” HaShanah falls (However, it should be noted that The Rema2 notes a slightly differing Ashkenazi if Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday/Tuesday or custom: Tuesday/Wednesday, selichot are said beginning on the Motzei Shabbat or early Sunday morning Our minhag differs from that described by the prior, to ensure that there are at least four nights 1 Rabbi Yoseph ben Ephraim Karo, born in Toledo, 1488 – died of selichot). in Safed, 1575, was the author of this phenomenal codification of halacha, which is our definitive source of Jewish law. Rabbi Karo is often referred to as ‘ha-Mechaber’ (meaning - “The The title ‘selichot’ refers to both the service Author”) or by using the Aramaic term Maran (meaning - “Our itself as well as to each of the poetic piyyutim Master”) that compose the service. Sephardic Selichot 2 Rabbi Moshe Isserlis, born in Krakow, 1520 – died in Krakow, 1572; was an eminent Ashkenazic Rabbi, Talmudist, and services are identical each day. In the Ashkenazic A Message from Rav Milston Posek, renowned for his fundamental work of halacha, entitled HaMapah (lit., “the tablecloth”), an inline commentary on the tradition, however, different texts are recited on is ,(רמ״א) ,Shulchan Aruch (lit. “the set table”). The name, Rema the Hebrew acronym for Rabbi Moshe Isserlis. the different days. Though the length varies from day to day, the format remains constant. The a fellow human being we do so from two service begins with the recitation of Psalms 145 perspectives: – “Ashrei”, followed by the Half-Kaddish. Firstly, we have clearly offended another Selichot are usually recited between midnight person, hurt their feelings, ignored their and dawn. sensitivities and so, in order to compensate Categories of selichot in the Ashkenazic tradition for our social neglect, we try and appease our may include: brothers by admitting our guilt and by taking full responsibility for our actions. The aim here forgiveness.” This is the is clearly to make peace with the person we“ — (סליחה) Selicha . default selicha and comprises the vast majority have affronted. of the service. But there is also the personal perspective. We מאמרו של ראש המדרשה chorus.” These central“ — (פזמון) Pizmon . are not only saying sorry to our friend, we are selichot contain a chorus which is repeated after simultaneously looking at ourselves. In every each stanza. one of our failings in life we do not only let binding”, a word which down those that surround us, we disappoint“ — (עקידה) Akeidah . specifically refers to the Binding of Yitzchak ourselves too, even if we don’t always realize Avinu (Bereishit 22). This selichah it at the time. In truth, well before contains the theme of the Akeidah we can genuinely express regret to our as a merit for God answering We are not companions for our actions, we need our prayers. It begins to appear only saying to firstly do the necessary introspection during the more lengthy selichot of sorry to our that will start with self-apology and Erev Rosh Hashanah and is placed friend, we are only consequently climax with the immediately before the Pizmon. simultaneously appeasing of our friends. we have looking at“ — (חטאנו) Chatanu . A Message from Rav Milston Rav from A Message Indeed, the Mishna (Yoma 8:9), sinned.” Starts on the evening before ourselves. Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva 2:9), and Rosh Hashanah and continues Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 606:1) through to Yom Kippur, this selicha are equally as emphatic that without is said after the final recitation of the Thirteen apologizing to our fellow man our penitence Attributes and before the Vidui confessional.