This afternoon a meeting was held at the offices of Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, president of the board of trustees of Agudas Yisroel of America, which was attended by the Gaboyim of the major Admorim, as well as representatives from all the leading Chassidus.
Sources tell YWN that there are quite a few logistical problems in planning for this event. Following are some of them.
#1- Where to host such an event?
Organizers hope to gather a crowd of 40,000 people. But where can such a crowd gather? Some suggested erected a massive tent at Floyd Bennet Field (Brooklyn), but it seems unlikely. Other ideas are the major stadiums such as CitiField, Barclay’s Center. Another suggestion was just to make it outdoors on a street.
The main issue is the cold January weather.
#2- Who will attend?
Although Belz Gur, Skver, Vishnitz and others are all on board, it is unknown if Satmar will join this demonstration. And if Satmar does join, will both join, or just one? At the CitiField Asifa against the Internet, only Satmar of Williamsburg attended. Yet at the protest against the IDF draft held before the summer in Manhattan, both Satmar’s attended. Another question is regarding the Litvish Yeshivos in NYC. Will the Gedolim in Eretz Yisroel allow Yeshiva Bochrim and Kollel Yungerleit to close their Gemaras and attend?
It also remains unknown if this event will be endorsed by the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisroel of America.
#3- Money.
Sources tell YWN that organizers are discussing raising money to the tune of two million dollars. It is not known what two million dollars will be used for, but if a stadium is rented, along with a major advertising blitz, the numbers can be astronomical.
#4- Should the trip be postponed?
Many of the participants in the meeting felt that the entire trip should be postponed until the warm weather, leaving much time to properly plan such a large rally, with the weather on their side. Still others disagreed, and said that if the meeting is postponed, it will lose the “hype” that this trip is supposed to be making.
(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)
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25 Responses
I hope this doesn’t turn into a boondoggle for the gabboim of gadolei yisorel to make a bunch of trips to NYC with no real positive outcome. If a demonstration is held, it should be a constructive statement showing achdus among all the frum mosdos and different chassidus, both Litvish and Chassidish, on the need to resolve the draft issue. Otherwise, they risk losing the support of the audience they are seeking to influence–American political and business leaders.
Does anyone have any idea about what the purpose of such a trip is? What would such a demonstration attempt to achieve? The Israeli government is beholden to the Israeli public who overwhelmingly want the Chareidim to serve in the Army and to be integrated into the workforce. What does America have to do with this? If a public relations campaign must be waged it should be waged in Israel. Perhaps Chareidi interests would be best served with a coherent counter proposal from the Chareidi politicians that would seek to resolve these issues in a way that is more favorable towards Chareidim.
can someone please explain what this is for? who are they trying to appeal to? If this is in America, why would the ISraeli govt care one iota what happens in NYC? if its to show we stand of for limud hatorah, arent there other ways to do it rather than waste millions of dollars to rent out a stadium.. maybe the money should be spent to send all these Rabonim to israel to protest there. This whole asifa doesnt make sense to me.
Any little respect I had for Agudah is gone. Agudah has made a sharp right turn.
Also note How Satmar is fighting Agudah’s fight (with the protests in Manhattan etc…and Agudah is fighting Satmar’s fight with Metziah Bpeh. Looks like they have a good partnership going. As Apkeurmah explained very well yesterday the two need each other very much. Such achdus ahhh…
Question?
What is expected to be accomplished at this rally? Is it just awareness? Is there a political pressure type of angle here? What is the goal of the organizers of this rally? How will they amass 2 million dollars, what are they selling?
I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on exactly.
is’nt rav shteinman against this?
As stated the point is to “awaken and make Diaspora Torah Jewry aware of the harsh decrees against the World of Torah in ISRAEL”.
What then? after waking up and gaining awareness.
If it’s a financial money gathering trip, then WHY spend 2 million $$$$ for this event? If its for spiritual gains as in increased Torah learning, doing Tshuva and giving Tzedakah…it can be proposed & initiated at each shul, yeshiva and kollel.
Whomever is for this rally is an idiot.
Plain and simple. No two ways around it.
Chaim37:
The purpose and reason for founding Agudah back in Europe was to fight Zionism. So this is more like a gradual return IY”H to their roots rather than, as you wrote, a sharp-right turn.
Wow, the pressing issues of the day, can’t they get a real job, instead of sitting around eating popcorn? There are people with real problems… Hello!!
wondering why the aka pooka baal teshavooka didn’t comment yet.
Shouldn’t 2 Million Dollars be spent on subsidizing the Israeli yeshivas affected by the budget cuts? Alternatively, these funds could be used to increase the size of the Nachal Chareid program to absorb the yeshiva bochurim in the IDF. Just a thought…
The first 6 comments shows how important the trip of the Gedolim are. There’s a famous saying ‘if a person gets hurt, he screams’. Would screaming help him? But the screaming shows that it hurts him.
Who are we to understand Gedolei Yisroel? If they come to make a ויזעק זעקה גדולה ומרה (screaming bitterly) it shows how strong the pain is. We learn this from Mordechai Hatzadik who when he heard the harsh decrees against Jews coming from the official kingdom, he made a big ויזעק גדולה ומרה.
“Floyd Bennet Field” any relation to our “brother” the initiator of the problem.
Why is it every time an isreali group had a problem they run to the goyim to scream about it. Sorry this is all about money. Money and nothing else.
Less kids in yeshiva less money on there institution. God forbid that these young men might get an education and a real job to support themselves
I live in St John’s Wood, London. Twenty-five years ago I lived an Geulah and learnt in the Mir Yeshivah.
There were some wonderful Israeli boys there too. Learning day and night. Shteiging Ois. A richtiger Kiddush Hashem.
But I know there were others (not in the Mir) who were “dodging the draft”. Many of whom, frankly, were layabouts.
I recall speaking to a choshuve Israeli yungerman who suggested that if only the “leidigeyers” were kicked out of the Yeshivah world there would be more money for those who really wanted to learn and the Torah world would be held in higher esteem.
His words are still ringing in my ears as I contemplate the current situation because I think the (Israeli) Yeshivah world has brought this calamity on itself by arrogently claiming anyone wearing a black cappel and swearing allegiance to a Yeshivah as “Klei Kodesh”.
Those of us from Chutz Lo’Oretz who’ve seen what goes on know that this is not so clear cut.
I am sorry for erlecher Ba’al HaBatim in America who have to put up with this posturing from “Admorim Shlita”, anxious to preserve their powerful position as paymasters of hundreds of impoverished families.
I think the sooner this system breaks down – and those who want to learn in Eretz Yisroel have to face the same challenges as to Yeshivaleit in Chutz Lo’Oretz – the better.
Of course, it is regrettable that Freiyer Yidden are driving this (let’s leave it to the Eybishter to sort them out) but, whatever, the current situation is unsustainable.
This is being arranged without the support of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of the USA. That means it is a chutzpah to even think of any such demonstration. As many others have asked what in any event is the purpose of this jaunt?
crazykanoiy, absolutely on target! Let them raise the $2,000,000 to help the poor in Israel, instead of making a hugh chillul Hashem in NY. They will accomplish nothing else, because logically, the general public would never agree with them. They’re only showing division, which always causes us harm.
It also remains unknown if this event will be endorsed by the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisroel of America.
THIS WAS PART OF #2
This afternoon a meeting was held at the offices of Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, president of the board of trustees of Agudas Yisroel of America
I WOULD THINK THAT THE Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisroel of America WOULD BE ASKED THERE OPINION FIRST BEFORE Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, president of the board of trustees of Agudas Yisroel of America DOES HIS THING.
is that a bottle of livet 15 on the table? whats good for the goose is good for the gander
The only way to stop the draft is by putting the secular israeli government in place. They only care about money. They fear jews who protest in America against them. They worry about money from American sources. Protests are very helpful. The old satmar rebbe realized this and was able to stop numerous attacks against frum israeli jews with his rally’s. the rabbis coming here should speak to all ny and nj congressmen and senators about putting on pressure on Israel’s leadership. They can use the American chareidi vote as a bargaining chip. Politicians fold like cheap cameras when their future is on the line. Also massive media coverage on anti draft protests will get many American secular and modern orthodox wealthy supporters of Israel nervous. Some of these people have the ear of the israeli leaders. They will call begging the israeli leaders to leave off the chareidim as they are causing massive embarrassment to American secular jews. The cold could be a problem sometimes for outside street protests but they can use thousands of cars to jam up traffic all over nyc . It’s an option as well. The main trick is media. There are other ideas but it can not be shared with the public . You need to see how other protest revolutions succeeded in cold weather.
Number 14 sound like you not Jewish. You are saying the Yeshivas are in it for the money. Maybe a few are but the majority are in because it is the will of Hashem that we learn his TORAH KODESH day and night. Just for your information when Kollel men leave Kollel and go to other endeavor; they are want as employees because they are reliable and honest. The put a days work in without cheating. As programmers of computer they rate the best since the know how to do chazrah. I am yet see you write a nice thing about Yiddishkeit.
Money money money. That is what it is all about. Hiding behind the disguise of the draft ut they desperately need $$$$.
Im waiting to hear what Rav Chaim Kannievsky and Rav Shteinman say. They are our Gedolim.
Can someone let these goons know that many Yeshivos in NYC are bleeding. Many Mosdos HERE in the US need cash desperately. We don’t care about Israeli politics, we don’t5 want to explain to our co-workers why they have to take an alternate route to work, we don’t need “askanim” giving their opinions on national TV. Let them take their circus to a private venue somewhere else. NOT IN NYC.
American media and most of the population will laugh at this.