Rabbinic Delegations Fan Out Across U.S. to Rally Support for Torah Institutions in Israel

Against the backdrop of what organizers described as unprecedented support from American Jews, leading rabbis split into three separate delegations on Sunday and Monday to reach as many communities as possible in the United States for the World Torah Fund drive.

In Passaic, New Jersey, a delegation led by Rabbi Dov Landau spent Sunday in a day of Torah inspiration. Local residents and philanthropists gathered for multiple events centered on calls to support Torah learning in Israel. Landau held an extended public audience at his lodging, greeting donors and supporters for about an hour and blessing them for their role in the campaign. A special dinner at the home of Ezra David featured remarks from David, Shimon Glick and Ralph Hertzka, after which Landau urged attendees to stand with Torah scholars in Israel. Significant sums were donated. He then visited Rabbi Meir Stern, the local rabbi and yeshiva head, who has not left his home for a long time, before addressing the main community gathering. There, Rabbi Berri Leibowitz spoke first, and Landau followed with an emotional appeal about the responsibility of all of Israel to sustain Torah learners.

A larger delegation headed by Rabbi Dov Segal traveled to Florida, with Rabbi Avraham Salim, Rabbi Yitzhak Hillel, Rabbi Moshe Kotler, Rabbi Yitzhak Hevroni, Rabbi Yitzhak Azrachi and Chief Rabbi Asher Weiss joining for the first time on this campaign. The group held special dinners with major donors and supporters, where the rabbis spoke about the duty and merit of aiding the effort to save Torah institutions in Israel and support tens of thousands of students. A central rally drew a large local crowd, which joined in singing Hillel’s melody “Elokai Oz” as a prayer for the troubles facing the Jewish people and for communal and personal salvation. The rabbis again called on the public to keep mobilizing behind the cause.

Meanwhile, a third delegation led by Rabbi Shlomo Galai, Rabbi Yisrael Binyamin Shreiber and Rabbi Chaim Menachem Ozband visited Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were welcomed with honor at Philadelphia Yeshiva by students and then met with Yeshiva head Rabbi Shalom Kamenetsky and Rabbi Yehuda Shwei. After a meeting at the yeshiva offices, they took part in a major reception with community members and students, followed by dinners and further meetings with wealthy supporters as part of the World Torah Fund fundraising and strengthening campaign.