The tablecloths may be folded and the dishes washed but the impact of the 99th Agudah Convention this weekend will certainly last until next year and beyond. As they do every year, many members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah joined the assemblage, along with Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshiva, to inspire and guide. A diverse array of rabbonim and community and lay leaders gathered to exchange ideas and compare notes on serving the needs of Klal Yisroel.

Thousands of people attended the sessions – which were open to the public – from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon, and were treated to words of chizuk, inspiration, and hadrachah. Those attendees in the Parsippany Hilton were joined by over 150,000 additional people who joined by phone and livestream.

The Agudah convention has traditionally introduced new initiatives and projects to help Klal Yisroel. Indeed, at this convention such ideas as chizuk vaad groups, Klal Yisroel in America’s relationship with Eretz Yisroel through Agudah’s Am Echad affiliate, the proper Torah attitude towards marijuana, and new strategies for chizuk for a more inspired davening were all discussed. Of note, Rabbi Elya Brudny, chaver Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudah’s executive vice president, introduced Agudah’s new chief operating officer, Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman, who most recently was CEO of Agudah of Illinois.

This year, shemittah is being observed in Eretz Yisroel. Agudah was proud to spotlight Mr. and Mrs. Doron Toweg, farmers in a moshav in Eretz Yisroel, who flew in to share firsthand their experiences as shomrei shviis farmers.

Recordings of convention sessions can be listened to on Torah Anytime at 718-289-2077 or viewed at www.agudahconvention.org.

To download pictures from the convention click here.