Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, a leading rosh yeshiva, joined the central events of a U.S. fundraising mission for Keren Olam HaTorah after arriving in the United States on Saturday night. His visit was delayed until now because of a family celebration, and he is expected to remain in the country for only about three days as the intensive campaign winds down.
The main event took place at the home of donor Jimmy Kazri in Deal, New Jersey, where Hirsch delivered the keynote address. He linked rising antisemitism to the spiritual state of the Jewish people, saying, "The increase in antisemitism in the world stems from the absence of the Divine Presence." He added that when Jews seek that presence through strengthening Torah study, "the Divine Presence returns to dwell among us."
The campaign was launched to help Torah institutions absorb severe financial damage caused by enlistment decrees and cuts to yeshiva funding, which have hit thousands of Torah students and married scholars. Later in the evening, a special letter from Rabbi Baruch Dov Povarsky, rosh yeshiva of Ponevezh, was read by his son-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Peretz Berman. The letter thanked donors and urged every Jew to support Torah learners and even sponsor a scholar.
Additional speeches were given by Rabbi Berman and Rabbi Aharon Salim, and another dinner was held at the home of host Jack Spadya, who said, "When I heard the government wanted to stop funding the yeshivas, I said that if they do not want this merit, I will gladly take it." The day also included private meetings with donors and a public gathering, as the two-week U.S. tour by leading rabbis reached its peak with Hirsch's arrival.
