PHOTO & VIDEO LINK BELOW: A large tefilla gathering and appeal on behalf of the bochurim in Japan just concluded a couple of hours ago here in Melbourne Australia.

Some 600-700 men as well as over 100 women and many children took part in this massive Kiddush HaShem, where yiden from all communities gathered together to daven for, and hear first hand accounts of the bochurim standing trial in Japan.

The event was chaired by Rav Shimon Opman.  Dayan Y. Katz began the tehillim and the Mara D’Asra Rav Beck shlit”a recited Shir Hamaalos Mimamakim posuk by posuk.

This was followed by an eye-opening and heart-wrenching drasha by the visting Dayan Ch.Y.D. Weiss shlit”a of Antwerp, who related the story and plight of the bochurim from a first-hand perspective, and how this level of the Mitzvah of pidyon shevuyim has not been available to us in this generation. He explained how the bochurim were innocently led to believe they were helping someone out in a business mission, and how all the polygraph tests showed that they knew nothing about the load they were carrying. He also detailed how extreme efforts and millions of dollars are being spent to pay for the top lawyers and prove these bochurim’s innocence.

Dayan Z. Telsner, Mara D’Asra of the Yeshiva Shule then gave a short but potent message to reinforce the importance of the mitzvah.

The event finished with a video presentation including excerpts of fiery speeches delivered at similar events overseas by Rav M. Salamon shlit”a of Lakewood and Reb Abba Dunner of London, as well as never-seen-before footage of the forced labour and terrible conditions inside the Fuchu prison in Japan.

The audience were enthusiastic to take part in this great Mitzvah and scores of donations were handed in at the conclusion of the event.

YWN VIDEO & PHOTO LINK: Click HERE & HERE for videos & click HERE for photos.

IMPORTANT NOTE: CLICK HERE TO BE MEKAYEM PIDYON SHIVUYIM!!

(Credits: Yumi Rosenbaum – YWN Australia)