Roshei Yeshiva Welcome Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Back to Eretz Yisroel: “We Raised Double the Amount from Last Year”

In a remarkable demonstration of kavod haTorah, leading roshei yeshiva from across Eretz Yisroel gathered on Wednesday to warmly welcome the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, upon his return from a successful fundraising mission abroad on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah.

The event, held at the Fattal lounge at Ben Gurion Airport, was attended by many gedolei Torah. Among the rabbonim present were Rav Kook (Rosh Yeshivas Maor HaTalmud), Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (Rosh Yeshivas Mir), Rav Avraham Salim (Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas), Rav Chaim Peretz Berman (Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh), Rav Dovid Yitzchok Shapiro (Rosh Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov), Rav Levi (Rosh Yeshivas Be’er HaTorah), Rav Ehrenfeld (Rosh Yeshivas Mishnas Akiva), Rav Ettinger (Rosh Yeshivas Knesses Yechezkel), Rav Yaakovzon (Rosh Yeshivas Maor Yitzchok Chemed), and Rav Ziskind (Rosh Yeshivas Keser Torah), among others.

The Rosh Yeshiva was received at the airport by MK Yitzchok Pindrus and his chief of staff, Moshe Reber, who coordinated the logistics with airport and police authorities. A large police presence secured the event, ensuring the safe arrival of gedolei Yisroel and gabbaim into the Fattal complex.

As Rav Hirsch entered the Fattal conference hall, the gedolim rose in his honor, greeting him with baruch haba and shalom aleichem. The Rosh Yeshiva then delivered heartfelt words of gratitude to Hashem for the overwhelming success of his trip on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah. He shared that contrary to fears that donors might hesitate since the previous campaign was presented as a one-time effort, the opposite occurred.

“There was concern people would say, ‘You promised it was only once.’ But in reality, it was the exact opposite—it was simply extraordinary. People gave twice as much as they did last year. That was the mindset this year—that they should give more,” Rav Hirsch said. “R’ Shimon Glick even jokingly asked, ‘What happened to the yetzer hara? Did it go to sleep?’ Truly, it was something exceptional—the public gave wholeheartedly to Keren Olam HaTorah.”

Following his remarks, members of the Moetzes delivered brief divrei brachah and hakaras hatov, including Rav Kook, Rav Avraham Salim, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, and Rav Chaim Peretz Berman. They expressed gratitude on behalf of the Torah world to Rav Hirsch, acknowledging his selfless dedication to sustaining Torah learning both in Eretz Yisroel and abroad.

After the event, Rav Hirsch returned to his home near the Slabdoka yeshiva, where he resumed his learning schedule and continued receiving people for hadracha and brachah.