This year’s national Agudath Israel convention will focus on the theme: “American Jewry at Cliff’s Edge: Our Role in Bringing Jews Back to Torah.” According to organizers, the convention program will take a hard look at the potential attrition of the Jewish community in coming generations and what role Torah Jewry can and must play in helping stem the terrible tide of assimilation and intermarriage.
“This convention is not just about kiruv,” says Agudath Israel executive vice president Rabbi Shmuel Bloom. “It’s about looking inside ourselves to rediscover what it is exciting and compelling about Yiddishkeit and making it our mission to convey that passion and excitement to our brothers and sisters who are so far from Torah.”
The convention will also mark the commencement of a Sefer Torah writing project l’zecher nishmas Rabbi Moshe Sherer, zt’l, that will culminate at the annual Agudah dinner on June 1, 2008, just days after the beloved late Agudah leader’s 10th yahrzeit on 21 Iyar.
The 85th National Convention of Agudath Israel of America will be held Thursday through Sunday, November 22- 25, at the Stamford Westin Hotel in Stamford, CT.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
20 Responses
Unfortunately, the exorbitant cost will once again preclude all but those with the largest bank accounts from attending and hearing much-needed words of Chizuk and Hadracha. Perhaps a less elegant, lower-budget convention would better represent the ideals its organization professes to champion while at the same time allowing the “Amcha Yid” a chance to participate? Just wondering.
I wonder if the Agudah would disclose what their criteria is for choosing which community and which organizations to highlight at their convention?
This is not to be taken negatively, I’m just wondering after all is said and done, at the end of the day, what REAL LIFE CHANGES to benefit the klal, have come from all these expensive, and lavish Agudah conventions?
Has AT LEAST ONE REAL CHANGE (not just ‘talk’) come about from EACH annual convention, or is it a bunch of ‘askonim’ just hashing out what ‘we’ have do…. With no real action happening. Emor meat, veash harbeh….
Perhaps the Tuition Blog can be sent to them and they can touch on that topic as well. I think the issue will not go away so quickly.
I am not knocking Kiruv, as it’s a great & wonderful thing.
But, as we all know there are MASSIVE issues that are affecting our already Frum community. There’s a huge shidduch crisis, kids are going off the derech, & the Mosdos are all dying finacially.
Why are we trying to be Mekarev others before we have a plan to take care of those already Frum?
Are we losing more with Kids at Risk (going off Derech) than gaining BT’s? I hope they discuss our schools’ extremist 100% conformity and uniformity policies and the effct on kids, some of which shows up now, some years later.
lkwdfellow,
Take the at-risk kids and put them into kiruv you’ll kill two birds with one stone.
Many communities have hook-ups to the Thursday night and motzei Shabbos sessions.
Perhaps discussion about kiruv kerovim, who need chizuk for many reasons, will fall under the purview of the conventions aims, which will make it that much more tachlisdik.
cherryhillbilly, my point was – how come this issue is being dealt with, when there are many problems within the already Frum community that require solutions.
This is all a great idea! problem is that the people on the kiruv frontlines and those who would be suited for it cannot afford to come to the convention.
So now what?
Providence, your comment #1 says it all.
HOW TRUE- Many of those who would benefit by Divrei Chizuk at the Convention, can’t afford it (the bulk of the Frum population). Those that can afford it, don’t need the Divrei Chizuk as much.
People on the “front lines” of kiruv often have benefactors that will sponsor attendance at this and other conventions.
Why knock kiruv there is nothing wrong with being mekarev other people . There may be other important issues but nothing wrong with this one KOL HAKOVOD
Nice little secret to share with all of us that cant afford the convention. Find out which hotels… less expensive are nearby and make shabbos ahead of time and bring it with you. Then walk with all the other smart people who did the same to hear the divrei chizuk. I have done it before and hope to be able to be’ezras Hashem do it again!
Hope to see you there!
p.s. anyone with info on the hotels within walking distance please post!
Classact,
People on the “front lines” of Kiruv have their own Chizuk conventions to go to. What the Torah Umesorah convention is to mechanchim in terms of chizuk and tecnique, the AJOP convention or AISH convention or Chabad convention is to mekarvim.
This Agudah convention is basically the Rabbi Mordechai Bechers of the Kiruv world explaining to the Agudah Baaleibatim what’s already going on in the Kiruv world. Hopefully, they will be so inspired that they’ll start supporting Kiruv Rechokim en masse and not just leave it to the Wolfsons.
Lkwdfellow,
Kiruv Rechokim and Kiruv Krovim are two distinct issues that both need the Klals attention and support. (The truth is that they’re really one and the same, namely being mechanech Hashems children.)
Kiruv Krovim is usually dealing with a whole range of emotional,learning, anger etc issues; whereas Kiruv Rechokim is totally different. Its possible that many mekarvim would have not have the capabilities or interest in Kiruv Krovim but do great with Rechokim and vice versa.
To all those complaining of not being able to afford going to the convention: There is no charge whatsoever for those attending the main sessions, Thus. night and Motzoei Shabbos. Likewise, the concurrent sessions on erev Shabbos are open to the public free of charge. The charge for the convention is only for those who stay in the hotel (which is not very far from the NY area) and for meals. Obviously the public cannot attend on Shabbos, but no main sessions take place then.
Passion for Judaism is needed to transform the far, near and our own children.
The Aguda Convention is NOT expensive for what you get. People may not be afford to afford it due to their financial circumstances but that doesn’t make it expensive. To pay $700 for a fully catered 3 day weekend, accommodation in a 5 star hotel with all amenities thrown in and world class speakers is certainly not over the top. You can easily pay that for a one day conference in New York, London or Toronto which include a few coffee breaks and a lunch. You don’t believe me look it up!
#3
To name just one direct result of an Agudah Convention; Shuvu!! If that’s not a concrete benefit for Klal Yisroel then what is? I’m sure people in the know can name you many more great outcomes.
Thank Rav Pam zt”l for Shuvu.