(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Roshei yeshivos from Slabodka, Mir, Darchei Torah, Merkaz HaRav, Har HaMor, Chispin, Ohr Elchanan, along with the Rav of the Old City and Chief Rabbi of Israel participated last week in the annual unity event sponsored by Keren Re’em in the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem. The Conference marked 85 years to the passing of HaGaon HaRav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, ZT”L, venerable Rav of Jerusalem and father of Rav Eliyahu Mordechai Sonnenfeld, Z”L, in whose memory Keren Re’em was established. Rav Eliyahu Mordechai’s yahrzeit falls on Tu (15) B’Av, and the Fund was dedicated by his great-grandson, yblch”t, Mr. Elio Moti Sonnenfeld. Once again, new sifrei kodesh that were published with generous assistance and funding by Keren Re’em were introduced at the Conference.

The following were among the esteemed rabbonim and roshei yeshivah who attended the event (in alphabetical order):

Harav Aharon Berkowitz, Rav of Kehillat Reut in Ra’anana; Harav Yosef Efrati, Rosh Beis Hamedrash L’Halachah B’Hityashvut; Harav Binyamin Carlebach, Rosh Yeshivah in Mir; Harav Tzvi Chadash, Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Elchanan; Harav Ben Zion Elgazi, Rosh Yeshivah in Ramat Gan and Rosh Tzurva Me’rabanan; Harav Eliezer Yehudah Finkel, Rosh Yeshivas Mir; Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka and member of Moetzas Gedolei HaTorah; Harav Dovid Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel; Harav Yoel Manowitz, Rosh Yeshivat Hagolan; Harav Avigdor Nebenzahl, Rav of the Old City; Harav Nachman Plonchek, Rosh Yeshivah in Slabodka; Harav Sriel Rosenberg, Av Beis Din Bnei Brak; Harav Yaakov Shapira, Rosh Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav; Harav Yaakov Meir Sonnenfeld, Rav of Rechasim; Harav Amiel Sternberg, Rosh Yeshivat Har HaMor; Harav Mordechai Sternberg, Rosh Yeshivat Har HaMor; Harav Asher Weiss, Rosh Yeshivah and Av Beis Din Darchei Torah; and Harav Shmuel Zaks, Rosh Yeshivah in Slabodka.

Focusing on the significance of unity among Klall Yisrael, HaGaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch mentioned the Torah’s reference to the nation’s collective attitude when they camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai: “‘As one man with one heart.’ Every person is created in the image of G-d. If one person looks askance at the other, this can, G-d forbid, diminish his appreciation and respect toward Hakadosh Baruch Hu.”

HaGaon Harav Yaakov Meir Sonnenfeld spoke about his grandfather HaGaon Harav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld ZT”L: “My grandfather was, on one hand, the direct perpetuator of the path of the Chassam Sofer and the prime disciple of his son, the Ksav Sofer. He battled with all his might against anyone who dared to try changing the image or character of the Haredi sector. People called him a kanai, a zealot. On the other hand, he was one of the most compassionate people ever, even toward those who fought brutally against him. Ideologically, he battled them with all his strength, but on a personal level, he was exceedingly benevolent and compassionate. To me, he symbolized the fusion of Pinchas ben Elazar and Eliyahu HaNavi, and the Gemara teaches that Pinchas was Eliyahu HaNavi. Pinchas was a zealot, and Eliyahu is the greatest embodiment of peace and bearer of good tidings.

Mr. Elio Moti Sonnenfeld, a great-grandson of HaGaon HaR av Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, likewise highlighted the unity factor, exploiting the opportunity to link it to the recent attacks against IDF soldiers. “Woe is to us if we cannot utter with a full heart, ‘Our eyes did not see, and our hands did not spill…’ Obviously, the crimes are perpetrated by a very small minority, but we cannot remain silent and allow these incidents to pass. It should never happen that a Jew is attacked when searching for an opportunity to recite kaddish for his mother or if he just wants to daven together with a minyan when dressed in uniform. He is one of Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s messengers in the world; he is a Jewish soldier fighting for all of us. I recall one of the letters that the tzaddik Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Moreno, Hy”d, wrote to his wife. Moreno, who for 18 years served as the brains of the elite Sayeret Matkal unit in the IDF, wrote that his greatest pride are those men in the nation who are privileged to sit in yeshivos and learn Torah, and he hoped that they felt the same of him as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces who was willing to sacrifice his life for the benefit of the Jewish nation and country.”

Sonnenfeld expressed his thanks to Harav HaGaon Shlomo Werner Shlita, Executive Director of Keren Re’em, for his efforts to promote the Fund and administrate the Danielle Sonnenfeld Foundation. The Foundation was established in memory of Sonnenfeld’s daughter Danielle a”h, who was killed in a tragic car accident two years ago.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)