The newly appointed dayan and menahel kashrus
of the Machzikei Hadas (Belz) Community of Manchester, Dayan
Aharon Grunfeld, received his heter horo'oh from HaRav
S. Wosner of Bnei Brak, as well as from the Ujhel Dayan
zt"l, former dayan of the Antwerp Belz
community and rosh beis din, Yerushalayim, and from
the moro de'asra, HaRav M. M. Schneebalg. He is the son of
HaRav Yidel Grunfeld, the dayan of the Antwerp Belz
Community.
At a festive kiddush in honor of the new dayan,
the president of the Belz community, Rav Menachem Rand, spoke
with great pride of the outstanding success of Belz
Manchester since its inception 18 years ago. It now
incorporates a kollel kol hayom, a kollel erev
vovoiker, yeshiva ketana, mikveh, gemach, and more. An
urgently needed building extension is planned for the near
future.
This continued expansion called for the appointment of an
"Ish al Hoeda" to guide the multifaceted activities of
the Belz community. Dayan Aharon Grunfeld is the ideal person
for this sacred and onerous task, he said.
A letter of brocho from the Belzer Rebbe was read by
Rav Berel Waldman.
The moro de'asra, HaRav Schneebalg, in a warm address
spoke of the important impact the Belzer shteibel had
on the entire Manchester Jewish community. He was proud to be
associated with the shteibel and always looked forward
to be present at community simchas. "How wonderful it
was," he noted, "to be able to choose an `Ish al
Ho'eido' from within the community whom everybody knows
for his wonderful qualities of horo'oh, yiras Shomayim
and midos tovos."
In a most eloquent manner, Dayan Grunfeld in his remarks
cited the moshol explaining that a dayan is
like a shopkeeper who must supply merchandise befitting his
clientele. The duties of a dayan must be in accordance
with the shiurim, Torah and yiras Shomayim that
the community demands from him. He concluded with a prayer
that the zchus of the holy mokom -- a Belzer
shteibel -- coupled with the zchus of the holy
Belzer Rebbes should help him serve the community and
that the Belzer shteibel should continue to flourish
and be a source of pride to both Belz and the Jewish
community at large.
The proceedings, which were greatly enhanced by the presence
of the executive members of the Machzikei Hadas Kehilla,
ended with lively dancing.
