According to Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, the leadership of Agudath Israel of America realized a few years ago that without an infusion of youthful personnel, the organization would face eventual decline, when the old guard failed to be replaced by the next generation.
In this week’s Ami Magazine, Agudah activists reveal the work they’ve been doing to rejuvenate the organization. The Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative (LLI), established by the family of longtime Agudah board member Rabbi Yisroel Lefkowitz, brought Rabbi Shai markowitz, author of The Six Daily Mitzvos and the planner behind the Masmidei Hasiyum campaign, into the Agudah as the coordinator of the new youthful push.
In Ami’s cover story, Rabbi Markowitz and LLI members discuss how they are bringing new energy to everything from the Agudah’s convention to its advocacy in Washington to its Pirchei programming.
(AMI NEWSROOM)
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9 Responses
Translation – The older we get, the more out of touch we seem. So we’re going to bring in some puppets to spout the same drivel but with shorter beards and fresh faces!!
See we’ve changed!!!
what do we need Agudah for?
By Yidden we look toward our Zekeinim for direction, not the kids.
A “New” generation indeed. Niskatnu Hadoirois. Mike Tress, Moshe Sherrer or YBLCH”T Chaim Dovid Zweibel would NEVER pose like that. A shanda
To #1: Sorry that you feel that the views of Agudah’s moetzes, as expressed by Agudah’s hanhala, are “drivel”.
I understand, under the circumstances, why you hide behind that silly handle and are unwilling to expose your identity. But perhaps you would be so kind as to share with us whose words you respect – if anyone’s – and would not consider “drivel”.
You’re clearly not a Yeshiva person and since this place is called “Yeshiva World” I think members deserve to know where you’re really coming from. What world do you identify with? MO? Shone u’peirush? Please let us know. [Note: I didn’t say you didn’t learn in Yeshiva, I said you’re not a Yeshiva person.]
@Eli Willner
To quote a prominent frum blogger. I use a psuedoynym not to protect my identity, but to have my ideas attacked based on their merit or lack thereof and not on some appeal to authority.
I like how the first thought you had though is that I’m MO then you go right to “Shone u’peirush” seems you associate those two. It’s ok, I don’t take it personally.
My ire towards the Agudah and their mouthpieces is their terrible history protecting Jewish children. Plenty of evidence all over the web. The Markey bill being the final straw. But hey, as long as they keep attacking Open Orthodoxy, secular culture, democrat inspired foreign policy, and cozying up to the “xtian right”, you and the rest of the “Yeshiva World” will continue to support them in all their endevours.
#6: Let’s have some intellectual honestly, please. You use a pseudonym because you prefer masquerading as someone who would never hold the views you espouse here rather than being forthright about your opinions.
In fact “appeal to authority” doesn’t impress you because, behind your mask, you reject the authority that a frum person is supposed to accept and delight in critically second-guessing the gedolim whose words guide frum people (and certainly members of the Yeshiva world).
Frankly I could care less whether your MO or shone u’pairush or anything in between, as long as it’s clear that as far as the Yeshiva world is concerned you’re emphatically chutz l’machane.
To #4:
That pose is only because Ami wants to sell magazines. I know Rabbi Markowitz. He’s not like the others. He is an emmesdika Ben Torah of the highest order. He’s an ehrliche Yid who truly cares about acheinu biney Yisroel. I wish him Bracha ViHatzlacha.
L’chvod Reb Eli Willner – In all honesty I think you are coming out a little too harsh on crisisoftheweek. Yes, I agree that he could have been more respectful in his comment. However, it is common place here for people to comment with Tongue and Cheek at times. (Not to say that this is Halachicly acceptable). I think it would have been better to have expressed a different opinion that gets the point across in defense of the Agudah.
That said,
crisisoftheweek – while my original thoughts before actually reading this article was somewhat akin to #3, once I read the article I rethought it out and changed my opinion. The truth is that in one aspect you are almost right. You stated, “Translation – The older we get, the more out of touch we seem.” I would just add two words, “Translation – The older we get, the more out of touch we seem…to them”. In other words, the problem for the next generation is that they don’t believe we understand them and what is best for them. Therefore, they don’t want to turn to us. Thus, we need to bring in people that can bridge gaps. אין דבר חדש תחת השמש. This is nothing new! That is the very reason why they brought Elimelech “Mike” Tress and others like him into Agudah!
Vasu Chulam Agudah Echas – you are right, but that is why every Dor needs their own Gedolim. I can name you countless Gedolim of our generation in which I heard with my own ears elder people say, “the Gedolim of our generation would never have done such a thing!” Yes, each Dor needs Gedolim that can relate to that Dor. Yes, it’s sad, but reality is reality. You and I can grow old together and become those old men that spoke to me saying, “the Gedolim of our generation would never have done such a thing!”. (Unfortunately, I’m already there!)
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂