It’s a story Agudath Israel associate executive director Rabbi Labish Becker says he has repeated many times; he tells it, he says, whenever someone who has never attended Agudath Israel of America’s Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah asks him to sum up what the annual four-day Torah retreat is like.
“I tell them about an illuminating ride down in the hotel elevator at a Yarchei Kallah several years ago. There were two lomdim – both of them successful businessmen – riding down with me. One gentleman turned to the other and asked if he’d heard the latest stock report.”
“‘I really don’t care,'” the man answered. “‘All I care about here is my learning.'”
While it seems that one of the most difficult things for people to do these days is to cut themselves off from their computers and cell phones, Rabbi Becker observes, when the lomdim arrive at the Yarchei Kallah, they undergo a transformation. “I’ve seen it happen seven times in the last seven years– their whole perspective changes.”
And it will no doubt happen again next week, as close to 250 professionals and businesspeople from throughout North America gather in Yerushalayim for Agudath Israel of America’s Eighth Winter Yarchei Kallah, set to open Monday evening, January 14/16 Shevat, at the Renaissance Hotel in Yerushalayim.
“The large number of people who register for the Yarchei Kallah each year bear testament to an unquenchable thirst for learning Torah in the avira of Yerushalayim under the tutelage of Eretz Yisroel’s Gedolei Yisroel,” says Rabbi Avrohom Nisan Perl, director of Agudath Israel’s Torah Projects Commission, which organizes the retreat. “Every year, participants tell us that this extraordinary experience of Torah lishma recharges their spiritual batteries for months to come.”
The upcoming Yarchei Kallah will feature divrei chizuk and divrei hisorirus from Gedolei Yisroel including Rabbi Aaron Leib Steinman, Rosh Yeshiva, Gaon Yaakov, Bnei Brak; the Sanz Klausenberger Rebbe; and Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Mir, Yerushalayim.
Shiurim will be delivered by Rabbi Asher Arielli, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Mir. Yerushalayim; Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Chevron; Rabbi Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Rosh Hayeshiva, Yeshiva Ateres Yisroel, Yerushalayim; Rabbi Nisan Kaplan, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Mir, Yerushalayim; Rabbi Boruch Dov Porvarsky, RoshYeshiva, Ponovez; Rabbi Mechel Silber, Rosh Yeshiva, Zvihil, Yerushalayim; Rabbi Asher Weiss, Av Beis Din, Kiryas Tchechinov; Rosh Yeshiva, Chug Chasam Sofer; and Rabbi Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rosh Kollel, Bais David, Cholon and Rav, Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak.
Divrei pesicha will be delivered by Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Agudas Yisroel of America; and Rabbi Pinchos Friedman, Rosh Hakollelim, Belz. Rabbi Asher Neuhaus, Rosh Yeshivas Sifsei Tzaddik Ger, Chatzor will offer divrei neila.
English hacahana shiurim will be delivered by Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman, editor,Yishurun.
Daf Yomi shiurim will be delivered by Rabbi Naftoli Prizant Rosh Yeshiva, Toras Olam, Beit Shemesh Maggid Shiur Daf Yomi, Tiferes Menachem, Boyan; Rabbi Menashe Reisman, Maggid Shiur Daf Yomi, Khal Machizkei Hadas, Belz; and Rabbi Naftoli Gefen, Maggid Shiur, Kaminitzer Yeshiva.
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7 Responses
I wish I could afford to go.
It is a nice and beneficial thing that Agudah is doing, but let’s not get carried away ! Is it really four days of intensive learning or is it more like ‘ruach country’? Also, let’s not forget all the choshova baalai batim that don’t need these four days of spiritual and emotional vitamins to enhance their hasmada and ther excitement in learning. Those are the ones to look up to ! We will know when the Agudah project has truly succeeded when no one finds it necessary anymore to go !
Another wonderful job by Rabbi Becker!!
To#2: I am guessing that dont happen to be one of the “Choshova Balei Batim” that you feel should be looked up to, since you wouldnt be looking for your own personal accolades. Would you happen to be lucky enough to sit and learn all day and get to hear a shiur each day by a choseva Rosh Yeshiva? well, some of us are not that fortunate and have to work to provide for our families (and perhaps mabye even yourself or someone in your family thats learning)and relish the oppertunity to go to Eretz Yisroel and shteig away for 4 full days and get to hear Shiurim from some of the best Magidei Shiur in the world without our cell phones and e-mails disturbing us every minute. So before you knock the learning of 250 people (some of whom who have given up their personalvacation time and who are leaving their families behind)you may want to put your Gemorah away for an hour each day and learn a little Mussar, perhaps your perspective will change.
“kol haposel meumo hu posel” look closely at yourself before you pass judgement on to others.
In the zechus of yours and their learning and most importantly, “ahavas Yisroel” may we merit to see the geulah and we can all learn together in Yerushalayim Bimihara Byomainu.
att minols
it is obvious you have never attended The archei Kallah in Erezt Yisroel. I was priveleged to attend the first yarchei kalla and was part of organizing it. There is a A RUACH and its pure torah learning.its not even possibile to imagine. I would say the to explain to one who never attended – the ruach is like the syum hashas and the level and hasmada of learning is one you will not find anywere else as it is being addressed in Yerushalayim by the leading gedolim and magedi shiurim
. NO HYPE.NO COUNTRY RESORT. ZERO.
You cannot create or market such RUACH. its fool proof.
I would love to go again. I understand from others that its 1000 times better then when I was there the first year.
Rabbi Becker and Rabbi Perl with the entire Agudah office put in countless amount of time and logistics that make sure the Yarchei Kallah is a success. Rabbi Bloom And Rabbi Gertzulin are also involved in every aspect.
Re: comment by “minols” (#2),
I too was a bit cynical as I read this, and I understand your sentiments. But if such a retreat is what’s necessary to be mechazek ppl in learning, particularly some of whom may not be so shtark the rest of the year, then it must be a good thing.
Regards, and a gutten Erev Shabbos from here in Autralia.
It is a wonderful thing for loads of reasons, many of which were enumerated above. Just please, saveLakewood, please don’t say “NO HYPE”. Its Aguda, so there’s hype. I understand that it may be neccesary hype, but please don’t say NO HYPE.