NEWS 1 Tammuz 5775 // June 18, 2015 Israel 15 Sixth Annual Temech Conference for Women a Smashing Success DVORA FREIMARK said that if two people exchange apples, each walks away with one apple. But when Temech’s conference is billed as two people exchange ideas, they both “a game-changing day of learning, continue on with two ideas. Temech’s networking and fun for entrepreneurs goal today is to get people together and and self-employed women,” and as a network, in addition to getting skills and newly self-employed woman I’m all ears! tips. This gives each of us so much more.” The conference is well-organized, and I breathe in the atmosphere, I wait on line just a few minutes before noncompetitive and building, as I type watching my name tag print. I listen to on my now-working netbook and nod in the background buzz of bantering and appreciation. greetings around me as approximately I buy a few books from speaker Chaim 700 women catch up with old friends and Walder to thank my kids for cooperating meet new ones. on this day out, and head to lunch. Later, Our first speaker is Rabbi Dovid I hear from business consultant Eli Shine Kaplan, who forces us to think and makes MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni speaks at the Sixth Annual Temech Conference for Women in Business in (“Your business is a crucible for personal us laugh, sometimes simultaneously. “Be Jerusalem’s Ramada hotel on Monday. growth”) and Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg careful with your speech,” he advises. (“When your product is excellent and in “What a person talks about tells you demand, you can charge accordingly”). what’s important to him, while lashon I don’t know how Temech managed hara and improper speech can deprive a “It’s possible to live in Jerusalem 50 years but we have to take that first step. it, but in addition to these speakers and person of revenue.” and not understand what’s going on here Argh, my netbook crashes! I head to the more, we hear from Rabbi Aryeh Deri, the Next up is mayor of Jerusalem Nir until coming to the Temech conference back of the room and someone sends me new economy minister, who speaks about Barkat. “I was an entrepreneur before and seeing what’s really happening.” Nice, to Bryna Lee Jacobson of MyTechTutor. the importance of chareidi women in I became mayor,” he says, “and I would right? Thanks, Bryna! She just donated her the workplace, and asks that any women like to help young business owners and Fittingly, master storyteller Rabbi expertise gratis to a stranger who needed who are being underpaid due to their other elements for the economic growth Nachman Seltzer discusses storytell- help. gender please email his office. MK Rabbi of the city.” He tells us about his plans for ing — the theme of this year’s conference. I step out into the lobby for a breather Moshe Gafni, the new head of the Finance a new business center near the entrance “The Torah teaches us through stories,” and look at the products and services on Committee, mentions that we need to to the city, with towers and offices and he explains. “Storytelling is very power- offer: artisanal soaps, business loans, work on reversing the discrimination more, and I think of the words of Rabi ful, and stories of our forefathers teach us travel insurance, Tiltan campus courses, now found. “I see a lot of will and ability Yochanan in Shemos Rabbah that “asidah how to act.” He gives two pieces of advice, business consulting services, kosher here,” he says. “Now we just need to make Yerushalayim le’asos metropolin l’chol illustrated by stories in Tanach: 1. Bring smartphones … and then buttonhole things possible.” haaratzos — Yerushalayim is destined to inspiration down to l’maaseh. “When Shaindy Babad, CEO of Temech. “How The day draws to a close. I learned a lot become a metropolis for all the lands.” you have an idea, make it happen!” and special it is to be part of this, all these and even had fun. I’m very grateful — and The mayor is impressed with us, too: 2. When we take action, Hashem helps — women coming together,” she says. “It’s eager to put it all into practice! Around Israel Rav Abuchatzeira at a community Chumash seudah. The Rav plays an integral part in the education Rav Abuchatzeira flanked by his sons. The Rav’s grandfather, the Baba Sali, expected him to know the of every talmid. entire davening by heart by the age of nine, yet wanted him to daven every single word from the siddur. Continued from page 14 disciples of his father Rav Meir, who saw traveled to these kehillos to be mechazek “The community members are ready Rav Yekutiel as their Rav’s successor. them. to jump into fire and water for their Rav,” didn’t only mean guarding all our limbs; “I used to go to Rav David in Nahariya,” What is it that attracts so many people says Y.L. he also demanded pure thoughts during says Rav Yachin Halevy, “until he told me to the Rav? “The Rav is involved in every detail of our Torah and tefillah. We understood to mekasher with his younger brother, Rav Rav Yachin gives the matter thought, the family,” says Rabbi Halevy. “We don’t from him that there is no such thing as Yekutiel. Interestingly, of all the children, and offers several answers. do a single thing without asking him, and learning Torah without kedushah and Rav Yekutiel is most similar in appearance “He is a poel yeshuos, and his tefillos we listen to everything he tells us.” taharah.” to Rav Meir.” tear the Heavens. In addition, his warm But while the community numbers Sadly, tragedy struck again when Rav Finally, around 20 years ago, the character is overflowing withahavas just several hundred families, the Yekutiel was doubly orphaned with the kehillah was officially founded, made up Yisrael, and the Rav’s advice, due to his number of Jews flocking to the Rav from petirah of his father Rav Meir on Chol of avreichim bnei Torah and baalei batim intelligence and deep understanding, all spheres of Judaism reaches the tens Hamoed Pesach 5743/1983, and the Baba who were followers of Rav Meir, as well as has proved to be the best solution to any of thousands. Sali, the next year, on 4 Shevat. a handful of baalei teshuvah. problem. “Before Harav Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, was The Rav has hours for the public twice “That is why many secular Jews also niftar, he told Aryeh Deri that he should A Community Evolves a week, on Tuesday and Motzoei Shabbos, flock to him.” consult with Rav Yekutiel concerning After the Rav’s marriage to his cousin in his room on the side of the beis medrash. The Rav usually davens in his beis Ashdod,” says Rabbi Halevy. “Deri is a Mazal — a granddaughter of Rav Yitzchak But in an emergency, he can be reached at medrash below his home in Rova Hei, frequent visitor here, as are many other Abuchatzeira, known as the Baba Chaki, home. although he often goes to the shul of his MKs — from Rabbi Yaakov Litzman to zy”a, a brother of the Baba Sali — the young The Rav also has talmidim abroad. avreichim in Rova Zayin. Yisrael Beiteinu’s Avigdor Lieberman.” couple settled in Ashdod. Aside from a large community in France, The community revolves around the It wasn’t long before a group of followers he has groups of talmidim in Belgium, Rav. The decision-makers are the Rav, his Next Week: Demanding Me sirus gathered around Rav Yekutiel, mostly Mexico, New York and Morocco, and has sons and sons-in-law, and the gabba’im. Nefesh.