Leading admorim from Eretz Yisrael are weighing the possibility of traveling to the United States for a major kenos to address the new government policies vis-à-vis the drafting of bnei yeshivos. It appears askanim affiliated with Agudas Yisrael are trying to revitalize the idea of a major gathering in the USA on the subject, an idea that has not yet been realized for various reasons. It is envisioned that the admorim will bring the issue to the tzibur in North America in the hope of generating a painfully audible voice of protest directed at Israel.
If the idea is approved the admorim who will most likely attend are the Gerrer Rebbe, Vishnitzer Rebbe, Sanzer Rebbe, Boyaner Rebbe, and possible the Belzer Rebbe. Efforts are underway to persuade the Belzer Rebbe who rarely leaves Eretz Yisrael.
Kikar Shabbat reports that some of the admorim mentioned have signaled their approval in principle while others have not responded at all.
The Gerrer Rebbe attempted such a kenos around Purim time, but it was cancelled for reasons unknown.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
oy to see the Gedolei Hador in pain. May Avinu answer our tefilos soon
The political ramifications can be very negative in the USA, we are in a different matzav here than living in a Jewish country. It will be looked upon by media as ANTI-ISRAEL which is not needed presently.
BTW any Litvish Rabbonim joining?
How stupid is this?
Do we really have to rehash how bad of an idea this is?
the reason given makes no sense. The frum people know about this. And if thst is the reason make it in BP . Lakewood etc. My guess the reason is to shame Isreal But they will only shame themselves
Very simple.
The only way to have an impact is to try to denegrade the Gov’t of Israel in public, in the eyes of typical Americans.
But the planners also realize, that the typical American guy, will logically ask, Why do all the Chareidim want other people’s children should risk their lives while the Chareidim’s children are safe at home.? Do they really mean the learning, or the safety?
Despite their avowed beliefs, most American “frum” askanim do not fully or even parially back the Haredi agenda in Israel. The original Kinnus was cancelled because of the well justified fears that it would turn into an anti Israel demonstration with a very mixed message about religious life an freedom in Israel. In the end this demonstration, “kinnus” takes place the subtlety of the message will be lost on all but a few insiders. It will definitely not make any kind of impression on the vast majority of American Jews, let alone the American Public at large. In order to have sympathy for the Haredi position you have to be Haredi yourself.
A clever idea. If conscription of yeshiva students provokes outrage among Israel’s foreign friends, it will be hard to justify it domestically. Having any sort of protests will call attention to the matter, and while American journalists will report on civil disobedience in Israel, protests in America will focus press attention on the matter.
While secular Jews consider “orthodox bashing” to be good public policy, most Americans will be seriously “turned off” by a policy on conscripting people who have religious objections to military services. It’s not something that an American ally should engage in as that is a very good way to alienate American public opinion.
It has been cancelled, Rav Stieman is againt it, when the Sanzer heard, he cancelled, and the domino effect happened
Will any Litvisha Rabbonim/Rosh Yeshiva be traveling as well?
I am a person who has been in the US for quite a while, and who does not fully understand the mindset of the Israeli charedim who are so very against the drafting proposals. My guess is that trips such as these might be intended to explain their point of view. If so, I would very much welcome it – I might not end up agreeing, but I am very eager to understand them.
Unfortunately, explaining does not seem to be something that they’re good at, and my expectation is that they’d end up simply making declarations of the type seen on many pashkevilim and kol koreis, which seem to preach only to the committed believers.
The only way to have an impact is to try to denegrade the Gov’t of Israel in public, in the eyes of typical Americans.—— In case you haven’t noticed besides the Evangelist Christians, typical Americans are already bought into boycotting Israel as an ‘Occupier’, an abuser of ‘Human Rights’ and racist towards their Arab citizens. Therefore a demonstration of frum looking Jews will fortify the reason not to send $$$$$ for security or defense. Are you ready to be the messenger of that message? MOST OF US ARE NOT!!!!
Its about time that decisions are made by those qualified to make decisions on the matters in need for decisions,
the president may laugh when the shoemaker wants to make presidential decisions and the shoemaker may laugh when the president wants to make the shoemakers decisions,
like we all cry when Bloomberg wants to make soda bottle decisions, increase tax and fees decisions, but not to increase funds and hire more officers to reduce crime.
bklynmom: This is the reason the Israelis need to back down from the current plans to close down yeshivos, conscript the yeshiva boys (they are starting with a quota, but have clearly announced intentions to raise that quota to 100%), and ban a Torah-centered school curriculum. Frum Jews will never give up Torah, so there is little room for compromise as long as the Israelis aren’t willing to give up their war on learning Torah. They might be willing to settle for cutting off government funding to yeshivos, or legalizing “on the books” employment by hareidim who haven’t served in the army, or offering liberal incentives for hareidim to serve in the army — but threatening to seize yeshiva students and conscript them is a “red line”. If the Israeli say you must choose between Torah and Medinah, and make it clearly an either/or question, frum Jews will always go with Torah.
to close down yeshivos – NO ONE is planning on CLOSING down yeshivos.
ban a Torah-centered school curriculum- A majority of Torah-centered school curriculum include a second language learned (in this case English), math and tidbits of science.
bklynmom –
Congratulations on understanding the message the rabbonim are sending to the government. I don’t have inside information, but it seems obvious that the rabbonim are making it clear that even if the charedi parties are not in the coalition, the government still has reason to take their interests into consideration. It seems to me that the idea will be brought up and cancelled as long as some of the plans the committee is considering are (bedieved) acceptable (such as the Nathanson plan which was recently publicized), with the threat clear that if the committee starts leaning towards unacceptable plans, then the kenes will be on, with all the financial ramifications to the government, and the responsibility will be on those committee and government members who are pushing their anti-Torah agenda.