By Yaakov Chaim Eidels

Again for the sixth year, over 150 people gathered at the Acheinu Annual Flatbush Community Event, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Simcha Applegrad. This year’s event on Sunday, December 11, had the particular zechus and special experience of hearing the warm words of HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, who graced the event as its guest speaker. It is the sixth consecutive year that Mr. and Mrs. Applegrad have so graciously hosted the Flatbush Parlor meeting. As always, the event on behalf of Acheinu, promised to be engaging and enjoyable, and it was richly so in every sense, in ruchniyus and gashmiyus together.

The exciting ruchniyus experience and center of the evening was without a doubt the opportunity to hear Rav Reuven Feinstein, shlita and be inspired by his profound and kindhearted words on behalf of the tremendous kiruv activities of Acheinu.

Acheinu, now in its twenty third year of spectacular activity, growth and success, is the Kiruv movement with the unique program of developing young people as b’nei Torah. It has succeeded, with great Siyata d’Shmaya, in attaining an astonishing success rate of ensuring that children of all backgrounds become complete Shomrei Torah u’Mitzvos. With a unique system of follow up and accountability, Acheinu has succeeded in enrolling more than 93% of its charges, Israeli public school children, in yeshivos kedoshos. In the past 23 years, Acheinu has made a successful positive impact on more than 12,000 children. Each year, roughly 1,200-1,500 Israeli children begin the new school year in yeshivos instead of public schools, thanks to Acheinu’s broad range of programs and initiatives. Acheinu, recognizing the children’s need for constant support and chizuk, invests in an entire staff of avreichim to serve as mentors, throughout their yeshiva years and beyond, until they become true bnei Torah, marry and establish Torah homes.

Rav Feinstein, spoke about the importance of inculcating in our children while they are still in their formative years the beauty of learning Hashem’s Torah and following in his ways.

Because of Acheinu’s truly amazing work and formidable accomplishments in kiruv, it has attracted a significant local reception committee of Flatbush community leaders and askanim dedicated to Acheinu’s mission and increased success.

A special thank you goes to the Master of Ceremonies, Rav Dovid Morgenstern and to the reception committee members: Chaskel Bennett, Efroim Fasten, Yehuda Frischman, Shulky Greenwald, Menachem Jakubovic, Menachem Katz, R’ Menachem Lipman, Yanky Miller, Moshe Muller, Daniel Spiegel, Mendy Strauss, Chesky Sussman and R’ Gedaliah Zlotowitz.

For more information about Acheinu, please visit www.acheinu.org.