On Sunday night, June 15, Rabbi Shmuel Marcus, Rav of the Young Israel of Queens Valley, delivered a passionate speech about the importance of taking responsibility for one another as a z’chus to dwell securely in the Land. Members of the community gathered at the Garber home in Kew Gardens Hills for a parlor meeting on behalf of Our Jewish Children, an organization that helps fund tuition for Jewish students transferring from public school to yeshivah.
First, Rabbi Avraham Dovid Garber, Rav of Yeshiva Kesser Torah, spoke about the origins of the organization and its critical importance for the future of Yiddishkeit. “We can’t leave any Jewish children behind in public school,” he said. “The single most important factor to curb assimilation is a Jewish education.”
Sadly, assimilation in this country has reached 70 percent. We all share the responsibility to reverse this trend. Helping Jewish children transfer out of public school is a tremendous mitzvah that can impact generations.
This Charidy campaign was launched because, baruch Hashem, the organization supported 261 students this year from across the United States in transferring from public school. Students received assistance in nearly every major city, with tuition support sent to over 60 yeshivos. Unfortunately, last August, the organization had to turn people away due to lack of funds. Already this year, 200 students have qualified for tuition assistance to transfer to yeshivah, and at least 100 more are expected to qualify. The dangers of public school – both in values and in increasing anti-Semitism – are well known.
A local high school teacher observed, “It’s not a safe place for our kids culturally or morally. Our kids are in danger.”
Next, Rabbi Shmuel Marcus addressed the gathering. He shared that Michael Oren, author of Six Days of War, stated in an interview with Bari Weiss that “the events on Thursday and Friday in Israel were more miraculous than the opening days of the Six-Day War in terms of what was accomplished.” While the Six-Day War ended quickly, the current war is ongoing, with the enemy using destructive weapons that did not exist back then. Still, we are deeply grateful for Hashem’s open nisim.
Rabbi Marcus posed the question: What can we do to help end this war?
He cited the Ohr HaChayim’s commentary on the verse in Vayikra: “And I will give peace in the land.”
“If you follow My laws and observe My commandments…you will dwell securely in your land. I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down with no one to make you afraid.”
According to the Ohr HaChayim, the verse refers to two kinds of shalom: peace between Jews and their enemies, and peace among fellow Jews. To merit peace, we must foster unity and mutual responsibility – physically and spiritually. When we take responsibility for each other, we can merit dwelling securely in Eretz Yisrael.
The Ohr HaChayim also explains that the mitzvah of returning a lost object applies to spiritual matters. If we see a fellow Jew – “a lost sheep” – straying, it’s our duty to help bring them back to Hashem. When Hashem is distant from us, we are in galus. The way to draw Him closer is to bring other Jews into the beis midrash.
“If we want peace in the land,” Rabbi Marcus urged, “we need to take responsibility for each other.” The physical and spiritual safety of our fellow Jews is our responsibility.
He added, “What better time to earn this z’chus to dwell securely in the Land than now? This is not just a request to help Our Jewish Children meet its fundraising goal. This is an opportunity to participate in a remarkable mitzvah – to bring our ‘lost sheep’ back into the beis midrash.”
Following this, Rabbi Garber shared a short d’var Torah on the parshah from Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. He noted how Yehoshua required an added yud to guard himself from the negative influence of the other spies, and Kaleiv had to daven in Chevron by the M’aras HaMachpeilah to shield himself. “These were great, righteous individuals, yet they were still vulnerable to influence. We see how powerful negative influences can be – and how essential it is to shield our children from them.”
Public school is not an appropriate environment for Jewish children. Its values are in direct conflict with Torah values. A Jewish education – with rebbeim and Jewish peers – makes an immeasurable difference. That is why the founders began Our Jewish Children.
A parent who received assistance from the organization shared her heartfelt gratitude:
“Transferring our three children out of public school to yeshivah has made a tremendous difference in our home. I’m so proud that my children eat kosher, keep tz’nius, and live with Jewish values. I didn’t want them influenced by public school or social media. Yeshivah is the best thing for our children, and I hope others will have this opportunity. Baruch Hashem, Our Jewish Children helped us make this a reality, and we are so grateful.”
How can you join this mission?
You can support the June 22-23 Charidy campaign at charidy.com/ourjewishchildren, you can visit ourjewishchildren.org, or you can call 718-268-2448 to volunteer.
By Susie Garber
