An inspiring event took place Monday night in Bnei Brak, as the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel and some members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America convened together with Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, and Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Rashbi.
The joint gathering, rare in scope and spirit, focused on major issues facing the chareidi public in Eretz Yisroel and abroad.
The historic session was held at the home of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch in Givat HaYeshiva and was organized by Lev L’Achim, which coordinated the extensive logistical arrangements to bring gedolim from the United States to participate in the discussions. Members of the American delegation also joined a group of baalei batim who came to witness firsthand Lev L’Achim’s far-reaching kiruv initiatives.
Among the American gedolim attending were Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, rosh yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood; Rav Elya Brudny, rosh yeshiva of Mirrer Yeshiva in Flatbush; the Novominsker Rebbe; Rav Yehuda Svei, rosh yeshiva of Philadelphia Yeshiva; and Rav Chaim Yehoshua Hoberman, rosh yeshiva of Mesivta of Long Beach.
They were joined by leading roshei yeshiva from Eretz Yisroel, including Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Chevron; Rav Tzvi Drebkin; Rav Shraga Shteinman; and the hosts of the evening, Rav Hirsch and Rav Bergman.
The atmosphere in the room was filled with deep reverence when Rav Bergman entered, having made the special effort to attend despite his advanced age. Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch rose to his feet and remained standing until Rav Bergman was seated beside him.
Opening the gathering, Rav Hirsch shared words of inspiration and expressed admiration for the tireless work of Lev L’Achim, whose leaders “toil day and night to bring Jews closer to Torah.” Rav Bergman followed, speaking about the urgent spiritual challenges facing the Torah world, stressing “the great obligation of the hour.”
A particularly moving moment occurred when Rav Brudny was invited to speak. He declined, explaining humbly, “Ha’osek b’mitzvah patur min hamitzvah. I am now involved in the mitzvah of v’hayu einecha ro’os es morecha — to behold the face of the leader of the generation, Maran Rav Moshe Hillel shlit”a.” Later, at the conclusion of the gathering, Rav Brudny approached Rav Bergman and said, “It was worth all the effort of the trip just to merit seeing the rosh yeshiva’s holy face.”
At the end of the meeting, a political discussion unfolded, as Rav Hirsch was heard responding to questions from several rabbanim about Israel’s current political situation. He indicated that Degel HaTorah might consider supporting certain judicial reform-related legislation due to “the justice system’s ongoing campaign against lomdei Torah and shomrei mesorah.”
Following the joint session, Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Chevron, met privately with Rav Hirsch for about thirty minutes. He then proceeded to the residence of Rav Kotler where the two held an in-depth discussion lasting over an hour and a half, focusing on the draft law and other pressing matters affecting the Olam HaTorah.
