The 84th National Convention of Agudath Israel of America
will open Thursday, November 23, at the Sheraton Stamford
Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut.
The convention format is to hold separate concurrent forums,
each dealing with an important and timely topic. The format
is designed to encourage maximum input from convention
delegates in devising plans of action for dealing with those
problems.
Convention forums this year include: Chinuch: Creating an
Optimal Environment for Educating Our Children; Kashrus:
Improving Kashrus Reliability by Creating Kosher Consumers;
Shmiras Haloshon: Integrating Scrupulous Speech into Every
Facet of Our Lives; Ben Torah/Baal Habayis: Defining Roles
and Relationships; and Political Activism: Maximizing the
Torah Community's Ability to Advance Its Interests in the
Halls of Government.
The Friday night forum sessions, which will feature a
rabbinic perspective on each of the topics, are particularly
noteworthy, observes Agudath Israel associate executive
director Rabbi Labish Becker. "The sessions will offer
participants a unique opportunity to speak directly to
leading Torah authorities — and to hear directly from
them - - on issues of critical importance to Klal
Yisroel."
The concurrent Friday night sessions will be headed by Rabbi
Shmuel Kamenetsky, rosh hayeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah
of Philadelphia; Rabbi Avrohom Schorr, rav of Khal Tiferes
Yaakov; Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon, mashgiach of Bais
Medrash Govoha; Rabbi Aharon Feldman, rosh hayeshiva
of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel; and Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the
Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Agudath Israel.
"The chance to interact one-on-one with these Gedolei Yisroel
is almost reason enough to attend this year's convention,"
Rabbi Becker asserts.
Other incentives, he points out, include a showing of the
groundbreaking 3-D Bais Hamikdash tour; an intensive women's
shiurim program led by Rebbetzin Rena Tarshish of
Yerushalayim; a special motzei Shabbos appearance by
Rabbi Mordechai Yaskiel (Tzfas), a survivor of last summer's
Hizbullah rocket attacks; and a moving presentation on the
selfless efforts of those who helped get Camp Agudah up and
running mere days after a devastating fire.
Convention addresses will be delivered at the Motzei Shabbos
Keynote Session featuring Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the
Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Agudath Israel; Rabbi Yissochor
Frand, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel; and Rabbi
Shmuel Bloom, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of
America. Opening remarks will be delivered by Rabbi Chaskel
Besser, Agudath Israel presidium member. The session will
also feature a special tribute to Yechiel Benzion Fishoff
upon his retiring from the position of Chairman of the Board
of Trustees of Agudath Israel after 16 years. The session
will be chaired by Dr. David L. Diamond, convention chairman
and member of Agudath Israel's Board of Trustees.
The Thursday Night Plenary Session will feature Rabbi
Matisyahu Salomon, Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman, rosh
hayeshiva of Maor Yitzchok in Monsey; and Rabbi Chaim
Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel of America executive vice
president for government and public affairs. The session will
be chaired by Rabbi Dovid Schnell, president of Agudath
Israel of Illinois.
Both the Motzei Shabbos session and the Thursday night
plenary session will be broadcast live in cities across the
country.
Shabbos speakers include Rabbi Avrohom Schorr; Rabbi Aryeh
Malkiel Kotler, rosh hayeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha;
Rabbi Yosef Frankel, the Vyelopoler Rebbe; Rabbi Yaakov
Reisman, rav of Agudath Israel of Long Island; Rabbi Aryeh
Zev Ginzberg, rav of Chofetz Chaim Torah Center; and Rabbi
Yosef Viener, rav of Agudath Israel of Flatbush.
An Erev Shabbos shiur will be delivered by Rabbi
Doniel Neustadt, rav of Young Israel of Cleveland Heights.
Rabbi Elisha Horowitz, Bais Medrash Heichal Dovid, will
deliver a shiur on Shabbos afternoon.
Noted author and lecturer, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, will present
"Leil Shabbos with the Maggid" immediately following the
Friday night sessions.
Rebbetzin Ruth Assaf, principal, Manhattan High School will
deliver a Kabbolas Shabbos address to the women. Rebbetzin
Tarshish will address the women at Sholosh Seudos.
A weekend-long Yarchei Kallah that will run concurrently with
other sessions, and a closed conference for rabbonim, round
out the program.
The Chinuch forum will open with a Thursday afternoon session
entitled, "Your Student/My Child: Forging an Effective
School/Parent Partnership," presented by Rabbi Osher Lemel
Ehrenreich, menahel of Bais Yaakov of Boro Park; and
well-known author and lecturer, Avi Shulman. The session will
be chaired by Yosef Gleiberman.
The Friday morning session, "After the Dismissal Bell Rings:
Chinuch on the Home Front," will be presented by Rabbi Chaim
Aron Weinberg, menahel of Yeshiva Ateret Torah; and
Dr. Meir Wikler, psychotherapist and author. The session will
be chaired by Aron Tessler.
The Kashrus forum will open on Thursday with "Can I Really
Eat This?: A Guide for the Individual Consumer." The session
will be presented by Rabbi Moshe Edelstein, kashrus
administrator of Khal Adas Jeshurun; and Rabbi Yosef
Eisen, rabbinic administrator of the Vaad Hakashrus of Five
Towns, and rav of Kollel Bnei Torah. The session will be
chaired by Rabbi Menachem Lubinsky.
Friday morning's session, "Preventing Kashrus Calamities with
Communal Safeguards," will be presented by Rabbi Yaakov
Reisman, rav of Agudath Israel of Long Island; and a
representative of the Vaad Hakehillos of Boro Park. The
session will be chaired by Rabbi Edwin Katzenstein, chairman
of the Va'ad HaKashrus of K'hal Adath Jeshurun.
The Shmiras Haloshon forum will commence on Thursday with
"Can Anything Good Come From Saying Something Bad?:
Shidduchim and Shmiras Haloshon," presented by Rabbi Moshe
Mordechai Lowy, rav of Agudath Israel of Toronto; and Moshe
Yanofsky, menahel of Machon Bais Yaakov. The session
will be chaired by Mendel Zilberberg.
"Into the Mouths of Babes: Sensitizing Our Children to the
Importance of Scrupulous Speech," will be the subject of the
Friday morning session. The session will be presented by
Rabbi Mordechai Finkelman, Mashgiach Ruchani of Yeshivas Ohr
HaChaim of Mesivta Yesodei Yeshurun; and Michael Rothschild,
director of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation. The
chairman will be Nachman Auerbach.
The Ben Torah/Baal Habayis forum will commence on Thursday
with a session entitled, "Out in the World: Halachic and
Hashkafic Challenges." The session will be presented by Rabbi
Moshe Heinemann, rav of Agudath Israel of Baltimore; and
Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, rav of Agudath Israel Zichron Chaim
Zvi of Madison. Ali Scharf will chair the session.
The Friday morning session, "Defining the Relationship
Between Ben Torah Earner and Full-Time Learner," will be
presented by Rabbi Shmuel Blech, rav of Congregation Anshei
Sfard in Lakewood; Chaim Leshkowitz; and Itchie Rosenbaum.
Reuven Wolf will chair the session.
"`If I Forget You'": Helping to Ensure the Physical and
Spiritual Welfare of Eretz Yisroel," the Thursday political
activism session, will be presented by leading political
activist Sander Gerber; and Rabbi Yonasan Rosenblum,
director, Am Echad-Israel. The session will be chaired by
Yitzchok Saftlas.
The Friday session, "Governmentally Speaking: Confronting
Important Issues on the Domestic Front," will be presented by
Rabbi Abba Cohen, director of Agudath Israel of America's
Washington Office; Rabbi Yehiel Kalish, national projects
coordinator of Agudath Israel of America; and Rabbi Shmuel
Lefkowitz, vice president of community affairs of Agudath
Israel of America. The session will be chaired by Moshe
Davis.
A special Sunday morning session, "Challenges Confronting
Jewish Communities Around the World," will be presented by
Yisroel Singer, president of the Claims Conference; and Rabbi
Shlomo Noach Mandel, director of Ohr Someach-JEP, Toronto.
The session will be chaired by Abraham Biderman.
The Friday night rabbinic forum sessions will be chaired by
Simcha Herbstman (Chinuch) Shiya Markowitz (Kashrus), Ezra
Beyman (Ben Torah/Baal Habayis) and George Klein (Political
Activism).
A Yarchei Kallah that will run concurrently with other
conference sessions throughout the weekend commences on
Thursday afternoon with a learning seder in
preparation for subsequent shiurim on the sugya
dekallah, "Hallel: Shomei'a Ke'oneh," followed by a
pesicha shiur by Rabbi Gershon Ribner, rosh
yeshiva of yeshiva Nesivos HaTorah (Staten Island).
On Friday morning, Rabbi Aharon Feldman will deliver an
iyun shiur on the sugya. On Friday night, a
shiur on parshas hashavua will be delivered by
Rabbi Yitzchok Sorotzkin, rosh hayeshiva of Telshe
Yeshiva. Rabbi Shlomo Miller, Rosh Kollel Toronto, will
deliver an halacha shiur on Sunday morning.
The 84th National Convention will close with a plenary
session entitled, "Happy Homes, Happy Hearts: Strengthening
Sholom Bayis in Our Community" featuring Rabbi David Ozeri,
rav of Yad Yosef Torah Center; Rabbi Jonathon Rietti, senior
lecturer in Gateways; and Dr. Aaron Twerski, Dean of Hofstra
Law School.
On Sunday morning there will be a "Report on Chinuch
Situation in Eretz Yisroel" by Rabbi Avrohom Yosef Leizerson,
Chairman of Torah Schools for Israel Chinuch Atzmai.
Convention 2006 will be chaired by Dr. David L. Diamond.
Rabbi Dovid Schnell (Chicago) will serve as convention co-
chairman, and Rabbi A.D. Motzen, director of Agudath Israel
of Ohio, as convention coordinator.
