Kolel Shomre Hachomos Denies Establishment of Martin Grossman Free Loan Fund

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grossmanFirst report: Following Matzav.com‘s report last week that Kolel Shomre Hachomos-Reb Meir Baal Hanes, headquartered at 18 Heyward Street in Williamsburg, had founded a free loan fund in memory of Mr. Martin Grossman, Michoel Yechiel ben Avrohom, the Kolel now says that no such fund has been founded.

Matzav.com‘s breaking report (here), which was verified at the time, set off a firestorm, with many reacting with surprise to the accolades and tributes being accorded Martin Grossman.

The formation of the fund was formally announced in a paid advertisement from Kolel Shmore Hachomos, stating that for this coming year, till Adar 5771, Mishnayos will be learned, Kaddish will be said, and a lecht will be lit in memory of Mr. Grossman and that since “Reb Michoel Yechiel a”h did not leave any children nor close religious relatives,” the Kolel’s  board of directors “have initiated a special ‘Free Loan Fund,’ ‘Gemach Michoel Yechiel ben R’ Avrohom Grossman a”h,’ which will serve as a loaning gemach to those in need in Yerushalayim.”

Today, however, the Kolel released an ad denying the establishment of any such fund. The Kolel states:

“Last week an ad appeared regarding a Free Loan Fund established in memory of Martin Grossman. We wish to inform the public that the ad was placed in error, without the authorization of Kollel Shomre Hachomos leadership. There is in fact no such fund.

“We regret any misunderstandings or inconveniences this announcement may have caused.

“Hanhalas Kollel Shmore Hachomos”

Mr. Grossman was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Margaret “Peggy” Park, a Florida wildlife officer who was shot with her own gun in 1984 when he was 19 years old. Mr. Grossman was the 69th person executed in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in the sunshine state in 1979. He was the 25th by lethal injection.

{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


10 COMMENTS

  1. So Martin’s neshama won’t get any badly-needed zechusim. Come on, the guy paid the ultimate price for his crime, do you want yo kill him again??

    I agree that the way they phrased the ad turning him into a saint was distasteful, but the idea was to provide him some merits in the next world, not to glorify his memory, and it should have been expressed accordingly.

    I don’t see why they feel they have to now cancel the fund altogether & deny its existence, they could just clarify that it wasn’t an attempt at sainthood, but just to provide a yid (who was raised in a shattered home and strayed) with the zechus of tzedaka.

  2. After this story and others I have heard about I stopped sending money to Kollel Shomrei Hachomos. The retraction is insincere. If not for the public outcry (and a lot of rich donors saying I’m done with you guys not another penny) they would never have retracted the ads. I have heard that in Der Blatt they will be running the ads so basically they still have the Gemach open. I for one have had it with this organization. I will now be sending my money to Kollel Polin.

  3. Why wont they let this mans soul rest in peace why is story just living on and on what do people want from this harmless neshumu why are so many people still out trying to argue over a trouble deceased soul leave him alone already whats the point in bringing this up again and again?

  4. They floated a trial balloon and it exploded in their face. It’s good they had the sense to backtrack and reconsider.

  5. Say Mishnayos – but without the fanfare. His Neshama should not be deprived of the tikkun it needs; but don’t turn him into a martyr.

  6. Learn Torah for his Neshama and for all Bnai Yisrael. The first sugya in Bava Basra teaches to rebuild a pierced kosel. Our hearts are all broken over this matzav. Let us all work to rebuild them in a Torah derech. Let us be positive and make sure we are preventing our Yetzer HaRah from being misgaber as we approach Pesach.

  7. I fully agree with Comment #1. from “Tanna Kamma” and Comment #8. from “Anonymous” and Comment #9 from “Learn Torah.” These are excellent, fully balanced, level headed assesments of the issue.

    It is everyday practice that we say Kaddish and study Mishnaiyos and sometimes set up free loan funds L’Ilui Nishmas all kinds of non-observant Jewish people. Even though they were, unfortunately, not Torah observant, they still have plenty of zechusim in that they still did many numerous Mitzvos. And regarding their non-observances, on the contrary, for that they obviously need a Tikkun!

    Mechoel Grossman, Alav HaShalom, despite the extremely terrible severe crimes that he did, he still has plenty of zechusim in that he still:

    1.) Expressed, many times, full regret and remorse for what he did

    2.) Sincerely apologized to the family of the woman he slew

    3.) Fully accepted the punishment of death given to him by our country’s government; included in this was that he realized and accepted that this death punishment that was being given to him by HUMAN hands, was obviously the manifistation of the WILL OF G-D, Who, in His Infinite Wisdom knows that the punishment of death was needed for the tikkun of Mechoel Yechiel ben Avroham.

    [See the commentary of Rav Menachem Mendel Hirsch, ZT’L, (son of Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, ZT’L),* on the Haftora of Parshas D’varim. At the beginning of his essay there, he explains that our Aveilus – our mourning over the Churban – the destruction that happened to us, is NOT over the fact that the Churban DID happen; rather, our Aveilus over the Churban is over the fact that — because of our sins — the Churban HAD TO happen.]

    (*The commentary on the Haftoros by the son used to come together with the whole set of the previous translation of the Hirsch Chumash; now, it is sold as a separate volume.  See:  http://www.judaicapress.com/product_info.php?cPath=28_65&products_id=463&osCsid=f3578ec95b7172accbfa9e7ff716b81d)

    4.) During the period before the execution, Mr. Grossman began to do several other Mitzvos, like davening every day, putting on Tefillin, etc.

    It should go without saying that we are not making Mr. Grossman into a holy martyred perfect Tzaddik. All that we are saying is that he does have a good number of some very remarkable zechusim.

    Again, regarding the crimes that he had done, well obviously, he does need a Tikkun.

    The organizer of a small Torahdik community that I was once part of explained to me the following principle. “You are (obviously) not the ‘Gadol HaDor’ – the ‘pre-eminent Tzaddik and Talmid Chacham leader of the whole generation’!” “At the same time though, you are not the ‘Rasha HaDor’ – the ‘most terrible wicked dangerous person of the whole generation’ either!” “Like most people, you are somewhere in the middle!”

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