Last week, a special Chinuch Conference took place Yerushalayim for menahalim of local chadarim. The Conference was held under the auspices of Hagaon Harav Dovid Levy shlit”a, Nasi of Pele Yoetz, and was attended by the guest of honor, Rabbi Eliyahu Schindler shlit”a of New York, creator and founder of the landmark chinuch project Al Pi Darko.
Pele Yoetz’s seasonal Chinuch Conferences takes place as a round-table discussion and invites menahalim of chadarim to discuss pressing contemporary issues in chinuch and the management of mosdos chinuch in the Torah community. Many of the decisions and resolutions reached at these Conferences cast the short- and long-term future of chinuch in Eretz Yisrael.
Rabbi Menachem Sheinberger, Executive Director of Pele Yoetz Center, opened the Conference with a warm welcome to all guests. He quoted the Chofetz Chaim regarding the incredible growth of Shevet Dan which began with Chushim, a one-and-only son who was both deaf and mute, but eventually gave birth to an empire to become one of the largest Shvatim during the Dor Hamidbar. This, repeated Rabbi Sheinberger teaches that “Ein eitzah v’ein tevunah neged Hashem. There is neither wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Hashem,” and there is no way to estimate the greatness of each and every Yid—no matter how small or weak, deaf or mute…
Recent statistics reveal that approximately 20% of students in every cheider require assistance in the classroom. It should be emphasized that the above does not represent weak or failing students, but those who are capable of attaining outstanding achievements as long as they are given the right support and advancement that they need at an early stage, before a problem is exacerbated. To carry the mashal further, these are the talmidim who can become the greatest Shvatim in Bnei Yisrael!
Pele Yoetz, which arranges the Al Pi Darko project, is committed to advance and support talmidim who require early intervention and assistance that empowers them to surmount their struggles at an early age and attain success in the immediate and long-term future. The project, which has received the blessings and endorsement of Gedolei Yisrael shlit”a across the spectrum, is sponsored by Rabbi Eliyahu Schindler shlit”a who spares no effort to assist and recruit others to the task of funding this vital project which is saving the spiritual lives of hundreds of talmidim.
Hagaon Harav Dovid Levy shlit”a addressed the attendants next, beginning with the passuk “Hinei Anochi shole’ach lachem es Eliyah Hanavi, lifnei bo yom Hashem hagadol v’hanorah. V’heishiv lev avos al banim v’lev banim al avosam. Behold, I will send you Eliyah[u[ the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem. That he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers.”
He quoted Rav Chaim Brisker zy”a who posed an intriguing question: We all know that every neshamah ascends to the Beis Din shel Maalah and receives its reward and punishment in Gan Eden and Gehinnom, but when is this great Yom Hashem—the Yom Hadin l’asid lavo? When does it occur?
He answers that the “Yom Hashem”—the great Yom Hadin that occurs in the end of days, is the very last day before the Geulah Shleimah, the Final Redemption, when all accounts of all generations are closed, and each person will see that every word he spoke and every action that he performed with and on behalf of his talmidim impacted generations.
This is one of the major innovations of Al Pi Darko, which insists that even struggling talmidim can succeed and achieve success and is spreading this message far and wide. Often, all it takes is a little short-term support to help a child navigate a learning difficulty until he can soar, unaided, on his own. The prototype of Al Pi Darko was introduced in Yerushalayim, but similar programs are now being implemented in cities throughout Eretz Yisrael and around the world, as well. Before concluding his address, Rabbi Levy shlit”a expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Rabbi Schindler for traveling to Eretz Yisrael especially for the Conference, and more importantly, for his tireless efforts and commitment to this great program which will, im yirtzeh Hashem, restore the hearts of the sons to their Father in heaven.
Rabbi Schindler took the floor next, expressing how wonderful it was to meet all the menahalim together and then quoted the passuk, “Ki miTzion teizeh Torah u’dvar Hashem mi’Yerushalayim.”
“The future of the next generation rests on your shoulders!” he declared passionately. “You are the leaders of our generation!”
Rabbi Schindler mentioned the above statistics which place approximately 20% of all children as requiring supplementary classroom assistance. He emphasized that it is incumbent upon all educators to take a look back and see what they’ve done until today; where their successes lay until now, and where they can continue to breed success?
“This number,” expressed Rabbi Schindler, “this twenty percent should distress us! We shouldn’t be able to rest in the knowledge that close to a fifth of our youth is at risk of spiritual degeneration!” His voice cracked as he cried, “What will we tell Beis Din shel Maalah? Eich e’eleh el avi, vehana’ar einenu iti? How will I return to my father, and the youth is not with me? Our efforts here enable us to save the next generation! We are the Nachshon ben Aminadavs, and we must continue cultivating and nourishing the roots of Klal Yisrael’s tree.”
Al Pi Darko Project Director Rabbi Avraham Vitman spoke next, highlighting important points for advancing talmidim within the Talmud Torah system. He also presented an annual report regarding the (currently) 150 children participating in the program. “The results,” he expressed, “speak for themselves, revealing incredible, revolutionary changes in their learning and academic achievements.”
Rabbi Tannenhaus, menahel of Talmud Torah Slonim in Yerushalayim, spoke about his illustrious grandfather Hagaon Harav Shmuel Birenbaum zt”l who taught about ingraining chavivus haTorah and pleasure in learning in our talmidim.
The Conference concluded with a fascinating presentation by Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Jacobs regarding relaying lessons and important messages, interpersonal communication and improving management roles both in the Talmud Torah’s internal and external systems.
At the close of the evening, the menahalim each received a gift of appreciation from Pele Yoetz Center which escorts them in their senior roles of molding Klal Yisrael’s future.
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