At the request of Gedolim in Eretz Yisroel, American manhigei hador have asked that Jews join in a large tefillah- gathering on Water Street in lower Manhattan this Sunday, 7 Adar Sheini (March 9) beginning at 2:00 p.m. A Kol Korei signed by dozens of prominent Admorim, Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim representing a broad spectrum of the chareidi tzibbur, urging attendance at this massive Atzeres, was released.
The gathering will echo this past Sunday's huge Atzeres tefillah in Yerushalayim, which brought out hundreds of thousands of Jews in response to the Israeli government's ongoing attempt at social engineering of the chareidi community, including wholesale conscription of bnei yeshiva.
Since the state of Israel's inception, young men engaged in full-time Torah study have been deferred from military service. Those avreichim and their families have willingly accepted the consequent relative poverty and the limitations thereby placed on their ability to eventually enter the work force. In recent years, political and legal efforts have been made to change that and to pressure talmidei hayeshivos to join the military.
Most recently, the chairman of the Yesh Atid party and current minister of finance Yair Lapid, has mobilized Israeli sentiment against the chareidi community's way of life, and promoted universal (although not for women or Arab Israelis) conscription. Legislation to draft large numbers of full-time yeshiva students in stages, complete with criminal penalties, even including imprisonment, for conscientious objectors, is currently before the Knesset, which is expected to pass the bill within weeks.
The New York asifah, which will include a special area for women who wish to participate, will begin with Mincha and consist only of the recital of Tehillim and special tefillos in unison.
Buses are expected to bring participants to the gathering location from communities and institutions outside the immediate New York area, but New York residents are being urged to take public transportation to the site, which is well serviced by the subway system, and not to drive into Manhattan for the gathering. Organizers urge participants not to drive into Manhattan for the gathering. Individuals driving in from outside the city, should park in Brooklyn or New Jersey and take a train into Manhattan.
Buses are expected to bring participants from communities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, upstate New York, Orange, Sullivan and Rockland counties, Lakewood, and other New Jersey communities.
The weather Sunday is predicted to be mild, with Accuweather forecasting temperatures in the low 40's with calm winds.
There will be a significant security presence in the area, and the NYPD will conduct periodic sweeps before the event. Most major streets in the area will be closed and all participants will have to go through a security check. Organizers ask that attendees not bring knapsacks, briefcases or packages.
Hatzolah and Shomrim will be on hand. In order to maintain the decorum and dignity of the Atzeres, police will not permit signs or placards.
