Rav Moshe Shapiro Addresses Major Kiruv Organizations in Kibbutz Lavie

6
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

rav-moshe-shapiro“I used to think that intermarriage between Jews and Arabs would help promote peace between us but then I realized what a great tragedy this is on both sides.” The words were those of Nasri Abdi, who heads the social division of the Municipality of Wadi Ara or Nahal Iron, an area within Israel that is mostly populated by Arabs, at a major conference of kiruv lecturers sponsored by Horizons of the Eternal Jewish Family International (EJFI). Dr. Abdi, who had conducted extensive research into marriages between Arabs and Jews revealed that more than 1,000 Jewish women live in Arab villages, many outside of the Green line. He said that he only knew of three instances where Jewish men married Arab women.

Nearly 50 participants from such organizations as Arachim, Lev L’achim, Nefesh Yehudi, and Hidabroot participated in the 2-day event (December 1-3) that included an electrifying address by Hagaon Harav Moshe Schapiro. Following his one-hour address that was a call to action to intensify efforts to be “mekarev levavos,” Harav Schapiro fielded questions on kiruv for nearly two hours. Menachem Lubinsky, who represented Horizons/EJF called the conference “an unprecedented show of unity amongst all the major kiruv organizations.” Prior to Dr. Abdi’s address, the group saw a riveting video on a woman saved from a brutal life in an Arab village by Lev L’Achim. The woman, whose child was also saved, was taken to a shelter operated by the organization and she is now well on the way towards becoming an Orthodox Jewess. Thanks to a grant from EJF, Lev L’Achim has stepped up its efforts to extricate the Jewish women from a horrific life with their Arab husbands. Dozens of women have already been rescued.

Many of the sessions dealt with the “tools” that kiruv professionals, particularly the lecturers, should utilize in their efforts to win the battle of the minds. Amongst the notable speakers were Rav Leib Tropper, Rosh Yeshiva, Horizons/Kol Yaakov (by video), Rabbi Etan Ekstein, chairman of Retorno, Rabbi Dani Nasi, Rabbi Doron Kornbluth (author of “Why Marry Jewish”) Mr. Zvika Edan, Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel (senior kiruv lecturer), Rabbi Zvi Inbal, Rabbi Moshe Lechiver, and Dr. Nisim Dana. Several of the lecturers provided psychological data and information as tools for the mekarvim in their efforts to battle assimilation.

Dr. Abdi noted that children born in an Arab and Jewish marriage are both Jewish and Muslim (as is dictated by each religion), creating huge identity conflicts. He cited many examples of abusive marriages and urged the kiruv organizations to step up their affords “to avoid such tragedies.”

A special letter was read from Hagaon Harav Aaron Leib Shteinman, who called the conference “an important gathering to stem the tide of assimilation around the world.” He praised “the organizers” for taking such an important step in “increasing kovod shomayim.”

Participants of the unprecedented conference enthusiastically embraced the conference as one of the most important training sessions that they had received. In addition to hearing from an Arab notable, Israeli psychology experts and many prominent lecturers and Gedolim, the group also heard from two young students who described their experience with mekarvim as they were becoming fully-fledged observant Jews.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}


6 COMMENTS

  1. Where can we acquire an audio or video copy of these important addresses?? Rabbi Shapiro is especially profound and has been at the forefront of directing dozens of Talmidim to get involved in various forms of Kiruv. Can we find a way to at least make his speech available?? Many can gain immeasurably from listening and absorbing.
    Thanks

  2. Hello.

    I see that this conference was organized by a PR expert, Menachem Lubinsky, who also represented the EJF organization.

    I’m sure that it was a wonderful conference and that Rabbi Shapiro was indeed “electrifying,” as your writer indicates.

    I was wondering, though, if Matzav.com could give us some insight as to how this highly positive story came to appear on your site.

    Given that this is a Torah site, I am certain the owners would not wish to transgress the prohibition of geneivas da’as by posting something as an objective news story when it was quite possibly more of a paid advertisement.

    Of course, there is nothing wrong with your hosting paid advertisements, but would thre not be a problem with having the reader think that they were reading an objective evaluation, when, in fact, they were not?

    I wonder whether the owners of this site could tell us something about your guidelines regarding these matters.

    Thank You.

  3. I merely would like to have the Matzav,com site owners explain what their policy is as to the posting of paid advertising in teh guise of objective reporting.

    B’Kitsur, was any consideration received for the posting of this article, did the listed writer attend this conference, and whether the writer or Matzav.com was paid by EJF, Lubinsky, or their affiliates.

  4. SD Time: Get a life. If you have nothing important to say, leave your comments to yourself! I’m sick of all the “Holier Than Thou” comments! This is an important current event that is happening to your fellow Jews! Paid advertisement? Gneivas Da’as…?! You just sound unintelligent..

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here