Dear Friends:

Tonight, Wednesday, 3 Menachem Av / August 7, there will be an important gathering in Ateres Chaya, 1415 54th Street in Brooklyn (Boro Park).

The asifa, which is being sponsored by Agudas Yisroel’s “KnowUs” division, will be focusing on the timeless (but also all too timely) theme of “Dina D’malchusa Dina.” It will feature addresses by Harav Avrohom Schorr, shlita, Rav of Bais Medrash Nezer Gedalyahu; Harav Binyomin Eisenberger, shlita, Rav of Bais Medrash Heichal Hatfilla; as well as Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, Chief Executive Officer of the Aleph Institute; and renowned criminal defense lawyer Ben Brafman. I will be serving as the evening’s chairman. We have called Mincha for 7:00, after which we will proceed with the program.

Introspection about how to better live our lives in consonance with Torah ideals is always timely. It is particularly timely during the days leading up to Tisha B’Av, when we mourn the fact that we remain in Golus, and the reasons why.

And it is even more timely when our charedi world is under such intense hostile scrutiny, when the media and the criminal justice system have their spears out against our community. The time is ripe for us to take a good, hard look at our obligations to our fellows, to our society, to our government, and to rededicate ourselves to the ideal of creating kiddush Hashem rather than ch’v its opposite.

Tonight’s asifa is modeled upon similar Nine Days “V’asisa Ha’yashar V’hatov” gatherings a number of years ago. Agudas Yisroel’s KnowUs division was founded approximately two years ago to combat the negative stereotypes about Orthodox Jews in media outlets like The New York Times. The Times and others in positions of influence and power continue to probe for every shortcoming, actual or perceived, they can find in the Charedi world. This is why KnowUs decided to bring back the idea of an asifa during the Nine Days focusing on the urgent imperative of ehrlich’keit.

I don’t think I can adequately convey how compelling this gathering should be to us all. But I am confident that you realize how vital it is that we hear words of mussar and chizuk, and that we learn to distinguish between conduct that conforms with dina d’malchusa and conduct that does not. I am also confident that you understand how important it is to demonstrate to the wider world the beauty of living a Torah lifestyle.

Tonight’s symposium and our attendance are an important part of that demonstration. I sincerely hope you are able to join us.

B’yedidus,
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel