A large gathering of French speakers in Israel was held in
Jerusalem's International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha'Uma)
at the beginning of Tammuz. This unique event was coordinated
by Rabbi Yaakov Sitruk, son of the chief rabbi of France who
is a rosh kollel in Jerusalem and chairman of the
Aleif Ladorot (Teach the Generations) organization. The goal
of the event was to assemble members of the French-speaking
community in Israel, a community that numbers tens of
thousands of traditional Jews, many of whom are chareidi.
Israel has a number of organizations of French immigrants.
Their activities focus mainly on issues lacking Jewish
content. Torah organizations targeting the French-speaking
sector have begun to grow of late. These organizations offer
diversified Torah classes and many have opened botei
medrash for former Frenchmen. Plans to open schools for
French-speaking girls are also in the works; a number of
yeshivos for French-speakers in Israel are currently
operating. A chareidi Torah journal, Kuntrass, offers
articles on Torah, hashkofo and current events to its
readers.
Rabbi Yaakov Sitruk believes that the large French- speaking
community in Israel lacks unity. As a result, he decided to
follow in his father's footsteps: duplicating in Jerusalem
the Torah Day project his father Rabbi Yosef Sitruk had
instituted in France ten years ago. "Our purpose is not only
to organize a one-time Torah Day, but to insure `Torah-days'
every day of the year," HaRav Yaakov Sitruk told the
thousands who filled the Jerusalem hall.
This unique conclave attracted thousands of participants from
Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Netanya, Raanana, Bat Yam, Ashdod,
Ashkelon and other locales. The crowds included people from
all circles, a phenomenon typical of the French community in
Israel. Rabbi Yosef Sitruk, Chief Rabbi of France, noted:
"The great contribution of our sector to Klal Yisroel
is that its illustrates the capacity of all circles to work
together positively."
Rabbi Kahn, the editor of Kuntrass, relates that he
was able to sense the great potential of such events when a
French-speaking Jew asked him for information about finding a
chareidi school in his hometown. The editor, of course,
referred him to the organization best suited to help him: Lev
L'Achim, which works closely with the French community in
Israel. A member of the Lev L'Achim executive board, HaRav
Tzvi Eliach, and HaRav Eliezer Sorotzkin, its director, were
present at the event.
Rabbi Yosef Sitruk closed the evening with a fascinating
address to thousands of Jews who eagerly listened to his
words. HaRav Sitruk is one of French Jewry's most popular
speakers. His son, HaRav Yaakov Sitruk, was highly encouraged
by this special conclave. It is hoped that this meeting will
lead to many more such activities. The widespread interest in
Torah Judaism demonstrated by and engendered by the event
testifies to a growing thirst for Torah among Israel's French-
speaking population.
