Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, Rosh Yeshiva of Gateshead, has thrown his full weight behind the Eretz HaKodesh movement, urging Shomrei Torah u’Mitzvos to sign up and take an active role in the World Zionist Organization (WZO) – countering baseless rumors that he is not supporting voting.
One of the Ziknei Roshei Yeshiva of our generation, HaRav Gurwicz spent time learning by and being Meshamesh the Brisker Rav zt’l. The Rosh Yeshivas masterful Sefarim on the most complex Sugyas in Shas are considered staples amongst the Bnei Hayeshivos worldwide.
This latest endorsement comes after Gedolei Yisroel—HaGaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, and HaGaon R. Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita—paskened that Torah’dige Yidden can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while decisions affecting Yidden in Eretz Yisroel are being made by others. Rabbi Gurwicz had originally issued this call in 5782, but in his latest letter, dated Parshas Ki Sisa 5785, he’s making it clear that he holds voting in the WZO election is a chiyuv.
Rabbi Gurwicz writes that just like Yidden need a say in the Israeli government, they also need a shtikl koach in the WZO, which plays a major role in determining policies affecting Torah, chinuch, and funding for mosdos ha’Torah.
“It is necessary that the Government of the State of Israel should hear the opinion and the will of the Shomrei Torah u’Mitzvos public, and the same applies to the leaders of the World Zionist Organization,” the letter states.
Simply put: if we’re not in the room, they’ll make decisions without us—l’raah.
Of course, not everyone is on board. The idea of participanting in a Zionist organization—has been a matter of great debate. Some hold that any connection to the WZO is off-limits, no matter what. Others, though, say that if frum Yidden don’t step up, the anti-Torah crowd will have full control.
The Eretz HaKodesh movement, which was created to bring a Torah’dige voice into the WZO, has already been making waves. Many rabbanim, roshei yeshiva, and dayanim are behind it, saying it’s necessary hishtadlus. But there are those who hold that it’s a chillul Hashem to even give the WZO a second glance.
“As something almost superfluous, I join my view to theirs, and I issue a public request to the Tzibbur of Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos that they should make every effort to register as members of the Eretz HaKodesh movement,” Rav Gurwicz writes.
[Disclaimer: YWN does not take a position on this matter but is presenting the discussion for informational purposes.]
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29 Responses
lol @YWN you keep posting different articles about who supports the WZO and then you make this whole disclaimer that you’re not taking sides and it’s only informative etc… so then why don’t you also report on the other side?? Like maybe what R’ Malkiel had to say about it on Purim in front of thousands… or maybe R’ Elya Ber Shlita ??? I smell heavy bias
YWN NOTE: YWN posted the letter opposing the voting from the Gadol Hador Rav Dov Landau before any publication on the planet did. YWN will gladly publish what Rav Malkiel or Rav Elya Ber said. No one has sent YWN anything. The YWN contact info is on the website and is available for anyone to submit anything.
Yeshiva World has an opportunity to do Klall Yisrael a big Tovah, to prevent loshon hora and close this for comments ASAP. Please do so as a zechus for all of Klall Yisrael
This פסק unequivocally also applies to every single Satmar, and to every single follower of Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, and anyone who doesn’t adhere to this פסק is displaying highest imaginable contempt to דעת-תורה
“The idea of participating in a Zionist organization—has been a matter of great debate.”
This is very inaccurate.
Actually, joining the WZO has been a matter of great and universal prohibition by all gedolim for well over a century.
Only in 2020, did EH lie and deceive to convince people to become Zionists – and have not lived up to their promises, as anyone can see by reading their own reports and/or visiting the .COM site “harehbetzba”.
Consider that the wicked Zionists’ threats against the lomdei Torah have only gotten worse, and have never been this bad, since EH joined the WZO.
In Dialogue Magazine Issue 9 (Fall ’22), Rav Aharon Feldman shlit”A addresses this letter, too.
All the gedolim have stated that it is severely prohibited to join the WZO, just as it always has been for over a century.
I dont see why ywn needs to shut the comments section on this topic.
thruout the generations of klall yisroel their were always gedolim who disagreed with each others RESPECTFULLY.
people should follow their rav who they always consult with as whether to vote or not
as is well known rave aron ztl and the satmar rav ztl differed greatly in their approach to zionisim but respected each others tremendously
the satmar rebbe was maspid rav aron ztl (that a story in and of itself
but he did indeed attend and was maspid
people can disagree yet act and be civil toeach others
YWN:
If you really claim that you are presenting both sides, then please publish a link to the booklet at the .COM site “harehbetzba” which has
1. a sea of information including that the gedolim are against this and always were for over a century and
2. how EH has lied and continues to lie and that it actually hurting Klal Yisrael with their presence in the WZO. EH is “Religious Zionist” pretending to be “Chareidi”, but that’s not even the worst of it.
3. And more
Here is what I get ….. Our views and opinions are with the zionist org. And no doubt what ever money going to fight us Torah Jews will get doubled and tripled from people seeking to beautify the zionist of hundred years and now that there is so many of us zionism will be the new iron wall to the money for family
I don’t understand something, for the average guy who isn’t a talmid of Rav Avrohom shlita why would they vote, allow me to explain. Besides for the fact that Rav Aron Feldman wrote in his famous article that it is very unclear whether rav chaim ztl was matir it and explicitly said that Rav shmuel confirmed to him twice that he retracted his support, but suppose there would be a hilchos shabbas Sheila that the gedolim held was aasur for a hundred years hence in our case the Mishna Berura Rav Moshe Rav Aron Rav Elyashiv…. And some rabbanim would be mechadesh a heter and many rabanim hence in our case Rav Dov The Moetzes in America Rav elya ber… Say the issur is still in place, why and who would be meikel?
don’t understand something, for the average guy who isn’t a talmid of Rav Avrohom shlita why would they vote, allow me to explain. Besides for the fact that Rav Aron Feldman wrote in his famous article that it is very unclear whether rav chaim ztl was matir it and explicitly said that Rav shmuel confirmed to him twice that he retracted his support, but suppose there would be a hilchos shabbas Sheila that the gedolim held was aasur for a hundred years hence in our case the Mishna Berura Rav Moshe Rav Aron Rav Elyashiv…. And some rabbanim would be mechadesh a heter and many rabanim hence in our case Rav Dov The Moetzes in America Rav elya ber… Say the issur is still in place, why and who would be meikel?
Wow never saw an issue that divides gedolei yisrael to 2 sides like this!! Now I really have no idea what to do, usually the guidance is more united. Here the shitos are split 50/50 between its assur and its a chiyuv!
Finally an adam gadol that is not afraid to say the right thing despite the pressure against it. He also fully supported the wonderful Chumash that hundreds of thousands benefitted from (and continue to) and that some tragically misinformed people smeared based false information.
[Disclaimer: YWN does not take a position on this matter but is presenting the discussion for informational purposes.]
Total Garbage! As previous comment said, you post such bias then say that your not taking sides… noone needs to send you whichever side you want to propagate… Only “the other side”
3000 people heard the daas torah of R Malkiel this past Purim Mesiba, i think that you know about it
It makes sense to vote. Why allow the reform heretics to get the money.
“This latest endorsement comes after Gedolei Yisroel—HaGaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, and HaGaon R. Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita—paskened that Torah’dige Yidden can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while decisions affecting Yidden in Eretz Yisroel are being made by others.”
The problem is rav Aron Feldman testified publicly in front of the whole world including Rav shmuel Kaminetzki (in a detailed article in Dialogue magazine a few years ago that Rav shmuel retracted his support after realizing that rav chaims support was a farce.
So there goes Rav Chaim and Rav shmuel which is what the only gadol against all the other gedolei hador who are vehemently opposed says hes basing his support upon.
To summarize
1) the Chofetz Chaim quoted by rav Elchonon Wassermann and rav ahron Kotler said it is assured to join the wzo even if not joining would result in most of the yeshivas of klal yisroel closing down (basically klal yisroel destruction thats how severe the prohibition on the wzo is)
2)Rav Elyashiv paskened just 2 congresses ago that the issue still stands
3)the entire aguda moetzes backed a letter from aguda a few years ago published on its website that Eretz Hakodesh is a historic pirtzah in the fight against the reform
4)the one gadol who has come out in support against all the gedolei hador states that it is based on the support of Rav shmuel who’s support was based on rav chaim and rav Aron feldman is media in front of the whole world that Rav shmuel retracted after seeing that rav chaims support was a farce
5) Rav Moshe Hillel responds to all who ask that he backs rav dov 100%
So left with the gadol hador and r moshe Hillel and the whole Agudah moetzes against
In the words of the gadol hador
יש בזה תמיכה בכפירה! שמד! וחילול ה!
Shmad – the Gemara says is worse than murder!
Chilul Hashem the Gemara says only death is mechper!
So anyone who wants to take a chance on their olam haba and life and to go down in history as one who supported shmad then go right ahead
It only takes a few minutes and 5$ to lose everything
“This latest endorsement comes after Gedolei Yisroel—HaGaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, and HaGaon R. Shmuel Kaminetsky, shlita—paskened that Torah’dige Yidden can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while decisions affecting Yidden in Eretz Yisroel are being made by others.” The problem is rav Aron Feldman testified publicly in front of the whole world including Rav shmuel Kaminetzki (in a detailed article in Dialogue magazine a few years ago that Rav shmuel retracted his support after realizing that rav chaim’s support was a farce. So there goes Rav Chaim and Rav shmuel which is what the only gadol against all the other gedolei hador who are vehemently opposed, basing his support upon. To summarize 1) the Chofetz Chaim quoted by rav Elchonon Wassermann and rav ahron Kotler said it is assur to join the wzo even if not joining would result in most of the yeshivas of klal yisroel closing down (basically klal yisroel’s destruction thats how severe the prohibition on the wzo is) 2)Rav Elyashiv paskened just 2 congresses ago that the issur still stands and joining is an “abomination” 3)the entire aguda moetzes backed a letter from aguda a few years ago published on its website that Eretz Hakodesh is a historic pirtzah in the fight against the reform 4)the one gadol who has comes out in support against all the gedolei hador based on the support of Rav shmuel who’s support was based on rav chaim – and rav Aron feldman testified in front of the whole world that Rav shmuel retracted after seeing that rav chaims support was a farce 5) Rav Moshe Hillel responds to all who ask that he backs rav dov 100% So we’re left with the gadol hador and r moshe Hillel and the whole Agudah moetzes against in the words of the gadol hador יש בזה תמיכה בכפירה! שמד! וחילול ה! Shmad – the Gemara says is worse than murder! Chilul Hashem the Gemara says only death is mechper! So anyone who wants to take a chance on their olam haba and life and to go down in history as one who supported shmad then go right ahead It only takes a few minutes and 5$ to lose everything
They lied to him, plain and simple. It is so sad how low these charlatans who claim to be defensing the Torah will stoop. Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky and Rav Chaim Kaminetzky DID NOT support voting the WZO elections!
This actually is the greatest proof how deceitful and manipulative these people really are!
Hakatan, oh Hakatan—what a specimen. You’re out here strutting around Yeshiva World News like some self-appointed guardian of the mesorah, tossing around “universal prohibition” like it’s your personal catchphrase. Newsflash, buddy: the only thing universal here is how predictable your rants are. Every comment’s the same tired script—WZO’s assur, EH’s a scam, Zionists are the devil, blah blah blah. You’ve got the originality of a broken record and the charm of a soggy matzah. Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself preach? I bet you sit there refreshing the page, smirking at your own brilliance, waiting for someone to take the bait. Spoiler: we’re all just scrolling past.
And that name—“Hakatan”? Cute. Trying to play the humble card while you’re out here acting like you’ve got a direct line to the Chofetz Chaim? Please. It’s giving “I’m small but my ego’s gadol” vibes. You’re not fooling anyone with that fake modesty—your comments scream “look at me, I’m the frummest guy in the room!” Meanwhile, you’re so stuck in your anti-Zionist echo chamber you can’t see straight. Rav Gurwicz says it’s a chiyuv to vote WZO, and you’re still yammering about a century-old issur like it’s the final psak. What’s next, you gonna tell us electricity’s assur because the gedolim didn’t have it in 1900?
Let’s talk your “evidence”—“harehbetzba.com”? Seriously? You’re citing some rinky-dink site like it’s the Vilna Shas. I clicked it—barely a page, no substance, just some dude’s blog masquerading as proof. You’re out here blaming EH for every yeshiva bochur’s runny nose, claiming threats got worse since 2020. Ever heard of, I dunno, history? Zionists were clashing with frum Jews way before EH showed up—read a book, not just your own fan fiction. And that “Dialogue Magazine Issue 9” flex with Rav Feldman? One gadol’s take doesn’t make you the arbiter of truth, no matter how many times you Ctrl+V it.
You’re a walking caricature, Hakatan—dishing out “severe prohibition” warnings like you’re the Sanhedrin’s PR guy. Maybe spend less time policing the internet and more time cracking a sefer that doesn’t just parrot your biases. The rest of us will be over here, living in 2025, while you’re stuck yelling at clouds about Herzl. Get a grip—or at least a new hobby.
Rav Ahron Feldman posed for photos and met with the biggest Zionist on the planet this past summer, the president of Israel.
Will the real slim shady please stand up?
Good shabbos goodbye, and a frelichen purim everyone.
No one retracted anything.
BH more people than ever are voting, and that is the only way to stop the reformed reshohim.
Please ignore the fake and keep voting.
So Reb Malkiel Kotler uses a drunken Purim party where heckling and screaming during his drasha is ongoing to bash Eretz Hakodesh (of course not mentioning it by name). Why doesn’t he speak on a video and explain it to everyone in ENGLISH for the ENGLISH speaking crowd, instead of some drunken Purim smash?
Seriously. I am being dead serious.
Get all your family and friends to vote asap! This is a chov on every single yid.
It’s always a certain group of people on the wrong side.
TRIVIYA QUESTION: How many fights can the ayatollah battle the same time? Lace top shaitels, Lakewood billboards, bugs in water, bug sin strawberries, WZO blah blah blah blah.
Makes me sick to my stomach.
Does everyone know that TAG – the premiere website to filter out SHMUTZ from our computers has blacklisted the Eretz Hakodesh websitye?
TAG are ganaovim. Plain and simple. Why is everyone walking on egg shells here?
What is with this bullying and intimidation? Why are we all scared of these ruthless minions?
This is a good proof that eilu ve’eilu is alive and well and a unitary daat torah is not. Circumstances change; quoting gedolim who are no longer living is meaningless. We can only conjecture what their position might be. Stating that we know categorically is declaring that we are prophets, i.e. shotim.
When reb Chayim Kanievsky Ztl asked everyone to come out to protest the gay parade in Yerushalayim twenty years ago,you all ignored him. And now there is a vile evil parade each year. You listen to what you want to listen. Pick and choose. Well any Jew who does not vote in the WZO election will have to give din vechesbon. Ne is the opportunity to be mocha. Really be mocha by defeating the reform heretics and taking their money away. Just yelling on the street shabbos is not enough. Taking their money away money and using it for our marbitz Torah is number one. Money talks. We can build more yeshivas with the billion dollars. We don’t need to vote for Oslo as some religious parties did to get big money and cause a thousand Jews to be blown up. We can vote and take two billion dollars from the ZOA and not need to shnore in America for a hundred million dollars and not even reach that goal. Wake up. Go vote.
what do you want from tag? if the gadol hador (backed by aguda letter backed by whole moetzes backed by anyone who asks r moshe hillel Hirsh says Halacha like r dov- and only support based on r chaim which the gedolim said wasn’t presented the main question of signing the juresalem program which is apikorsis) says “its supporting kefirah and shmad” what exactly are they supposed to do?
(
is there a big shmutz then in the words of the gadol hador “supporting kfira and shmad?!
@BMG – TAG has a chiyuv to notify every single one of their constituents and inform them that they are following a certain shita and that this would be happening. Otherwise, they are THIEVES.
PERIOD.
QUESTION: Why didn’t the Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva use the opportunity on Purim to warn everyone that there is a molester (which according to Halacha is a murderer) in the room, who also happens to be an employee of BMG?
You guys wanna play dirty? We will leak the goods.
It’s coming. Brace yourself.
PS: Once we are at it, we will leak the goods on some of the “tzadikim” at TAG. (We already know about one of them from Baltimore. Lakewood is loooooooong overdue.)