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The Jerusalem Awards for Torah Literature are Distributed

by B. Kahn

On motzei Shabbos, Parshas Vayigash, the prestigious Jerusalem Awards for Torah Literature were granted at an impressive ceremony, headed by roshei yeshiva, public figures, members of UTJ, and guests from the entire spectrum of chareidi Jewry. These awards are sponsored by the Torah Culture Department of the Jerusalem Municipality.

The awards were given to the following rabbonim: Yitzchok Halevi Baladi, a ram in the Kochav MiYaakov yeshiva of Tchebin, for his book Lev Bonim; Yehonosan ben Tsur, the rosh kollel of Imrei Yechiel VeShlomo, for his Shalmei Yehonoson; Osher Weiss, the rav and rosh yeshiva of Chug Chasam Sofer, for Minchas Osher; Eliyahu Wilhelm a ram in the Kochav MiYaakov yeshiva of Tchebin for Ayalah Shelucha; Asher Channaya, a moreh tzedek, of the Ahavas Sholom yeshiva for his book, Sha'arei Yosher; Yechezkel Meller, a ram in Ateres Yisroel for Me'or LeMelech; Yehoshua Solomon, a ram in the Nachlas Dovid yeshiva for Ner Dovid; Yitzchok Kaufman, rosh kollel of Le'Asukei Shmaitsa, for Yivakesh Torah; Ayreh Leib Shapira, the menahel ruchani of the Chevron Geula yeshiva for Chazon LaMoed; Michael Shiloni, a ram in the Kol Yaakov yeshiva, for Kelolei Kalba"m.

A special certificate was presented to HaRav Dovid Mandelbaum for his efforts to publish Kabo Dekasheisa on Chelkas Yoav, especially since the awards of the department are given in the name of the author of Chelkas Yoav.

The event was moderated by Rabbi Gavriel Stauber, the director of Jerusalem's Torah Culture Department, who praised the team of rabbonim that made great efforts to examine the hundreds of seforim submitted to the competition. The preparations for the event were made by the personnel of the department, Rabbi Chaim Becher and Rabbi Mordechai Sheiner. They were headed by Rabbi Avrohom Reichman.

HaRav Boruch Shimon Solomon, the Chief Rabbi of Petach Tikvah and the rosh yeshiva of Nachlas Dovid, delivered a fascinating address on the verse, "Ki miTzion teitzei Torah," in which he lauded the fact that Torah observant Jews are able to convene there and to encourage the authors of Torah literature.

HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Yisroel, who delivered the main address, captivated the audience with a Torah discourse and said that those who have not yet savored Torah's flavor, can come to the auditorium of the Jerusalem city council to learn about the its sweetness.

The head of the UTJ slate, Rabbi Avrohom Feiner, granted a citation to the great-grandson of the author of Chelkas Yoav, Mr. Amos Mar Chaim, in appreciation of his contribution to the publication of the copies of Chelkas Yoav which were given to the recipients of the awards, in addition to the monetary prizes and the certificates they received from the municipality which were distributed to them by the gedolei haTorah who participated in the event which honored the Torah and Yerushalayim.

Jerusalem's mayor, Ehud Olmert, promised to continue to help the chareidi departments, and to be a genuine partner with them for the next five years too.

Prior to the distribution of the awards and the certificates, one of the members of the panel of judges, HaRav Yosef Winter, a ram in Kol Yaakov, explained the reasons for the decisions of the rabbinical committee, and spoke about the tremendous efforts invested in deciding which of the one hundred contestants would receive the prizes, which all really deserved.

The event was attended by the representatives of UTJ, and Shas as well as by the member of the outgoing council, Rabbi Dov Rabinowitz, who was responsible for the Torah Culture Department during his recent tenure, and by many guests who filled the auditorium and the adjacent rooms. The cantor, Reb Chaim Eliezer Hartchik and his son, as well as Amit Listwind, delighted the guests with musical and liturgical arrangements.

At the end of the ceremony, HaRav Osher Weiss, the rav of the Chechenov community, and the rosh yeshiva of Chug Chasam Sofer, delivered words of blessing, in which he noted that an event of kiddush Hashem had taken place in an auditorium where harsh words against Torah are sometimes sounded. This event, he said, strengthens those who proclaim dvar Hashem in that auditorium, and sanctify Hashem's Name -- the chareidi representatives, shlucha deRachmono, in Ir Hakodesh.


 

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