HaRav Avrohom Pam, the rosh yeshiva of Torah Vodaas
and the President of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of the
United States recently hosted a special seuda of
thanks
and chizuk for the leaders of Shuvu. Rabbi Avrohom
Biederman, the director of Shuvu and one of the heads of
Agudas Yisroel in the United States and an outstanding
askan on the American chareidi and religious scene was
responsible for that unique event.
HaRav Pam, one of the most revered roshei yeshiva in
the world, doesn't leave his home due to his frailty. Only a
week ago, he was hospitalized.
HaRav Pam is also the president of Shuvu, and constantly
encourages this enterprise, which he regards as vital. The
seuda was meant to encourage the activists of Shuvu in
the United States and in Eretz Yisroel, and its supporters
and donors. It was also a mesibas hodaya over the
recovery of the director of Shuvu in Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi
Chaim Michoel Gutterman, who was flown to Belgium last year
in a very serious condition, and by a miracle fully
recovered.
"There is no one more beloved to Hashem than one who
dedicates himself to the klal," said HaRav Pam,
quoting
Chazal, and pointing to the miracle. "The children of Eretz
Yisroel need Reb Chaim Michoel Gutterman as does Shuvu, and
that is why he recovered." The thirty people who sat around
the table the rosh yeshiva listened raptly to his
every
word. HaRav Pam, whose weakness was obvious, refused to
remain seated, and made an effort to stand. Leaning on the
table, he held the microphone, and for a relatively long
time, quoted midroshim, gemoras and maamarei
Chazal.
The finest askonim of the United States and its most
prominent philanthropists were deeply moved. Rabbi Chaim
Michoel Gutterman, who had arrived a day before from
Copenhagen where he had participated in a hachnosas sefer
Torah to a yeshiva which had been founded there by his
father Arik Gutterman, was also present. The yeshiva was
founded with the encouragement of the spiritual patron of the
city, HaRav Moshe Menachem Yaakobson. Arik Gutterman
purchased a building which had in the past served as a Nazi
headquarters, and transformed it into a yeshiva, mainly for
Russians. He then asked his son-in-law, Rav Jacobs, a ben
Torah and an educator, to head it.
HaRav Moshe Zilberberg, one of the rabbonim and poskim
of Monsey, delivered a dvar Torah. Rabbi Nosson
Sherman, the editor-in-chief of Mesorah Publications, also
spoke, as did Rabbi Yonasan Rosenblum, the representative of
Am Echad in Yerushalayim, and Rabbi Tzvi Yaakovson, Shas'
secretary in the Knesset. Rabbi Chaim Michoel Gutterman
warmly thanked all who had come. His father also spoke.
