It all started as the private initiative of Rabbi Sholom
Goldstein, the principal of the Detroit Bais Yaakov. Rabbi
Goldstein, a selfless and caring father to all his students,
was also a founder and pillar of the Detroit religious
community. In the last year of his life, he energetically
pushed the study of shemiras haloshon in Bais Yaakovs
around the U.S. When his student Mrs. Suri Wurzburger visited
him shortly before his death and asked what she could do for
him, he urged her to continue his work in spreading the
importance of shemiras haloshon to the public. Mrs.
Wurzburger undertook to distribute material about shemiras
haloshon and promote study of its laws.
After discovering the powerful effect of shemiras
haloshon, she decided to make it a life project. Moving
to Yerushalayim from the U.S. gave her more opportunities to
promote awareness of this vital mitzva. In Jerusalem, Mrs.
Wurzburger gave shiurim on shemiras haloshon,
sold books on the topic, and posted posters on the
streets and much more.
Mishmeres Hasholem's Founding
A year-and-a-half ago, Mrs. Wurzburger established the
Mishmeres Hasholem, under the aegis of Agudas Notzrei Loshon
headed by Rav Betzalel Trovitz and under the direction of the
Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation. The organization is
dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Sholom Goldstein and Mr.
Joseph Spitzer, Mrs. Wurzburger's father.
What makes Mishmeres Hasholem so unique?
According to Mrs. Wurzburger, it is the scope and vision that
accompanies the organization's activities. "Our goal is to
reach a whole area and make it clean of machlokes and
rechilus. We are aiming for a loshon hora-free
community," she says.
Every person who signs up commits herself to study two
shemiras haloshon halachos every day and to set aside
two hours during the day to especially work on not saying
loshon hora. Inevitably, the mother involves the
children, the father is naturally pulled in, and another
family becomes loshon hora-free.
Now imagine that simple step magnified by all the neighbors
in the building. And imagine that magnified by all the
buildings in the neighborhood. Soon it becomes unthinkable to
speak loshon hora in the whole neighborhood.
This astonishing scenario is already happening all over
Israel. In Beit Shemesh, a rousing success story, 400
building coordinators have their buildings working on
shemiras haloshon.
Volunteer coordinators provide members with laminated charts
for the whole family where each person writes her name and
which two hours she has chosen (children choose half an hour)
to ensure their home becomes loshon hora-free.
Mishmeres Hasholem also publishes bulletins with interesting
stories and halachos, and posters encouraging shemiras
haloshon. Chizuk meetings are held once a month or bi-
monthly. A course is now being opened for girls and women to
learn how to teach shemiras haloshon. Neighborhood and
building coordinators meet on a regular basis.
The circle of Mishmeres Hasholem has grown to encompass tens
of thousands of individuals in communities all across the
country and even the world. Branches exist in Toronto, Boro
Park, Monsey, New Square, London, and Antwerp. Kiryat
Vishnitz in Bnei Brak has 3,500 participating families in the
program. There are participating neighborhoods all over
Jerusalem, Tel Tzion, Givat Zev, Rechovot, Ashkelon, Ashdod,
Nes Tziona, and Tsefas. 150 representatives are spread out
through the country.
Each neighborhood promotes its own programs and activities to
encourage the neighborhood to maintain a loshon hora-
free atmosphere. Some arrange rallies during the year in
which speakers address the women, and entertainment is
provided on the topic of shemiras haloshon.
In the past week alone, neighborhoods in Petach Tikva,
Emanuel, Tifrach, Or Yehuda, and Netanya, Rechasim, and new
neighborhoods in Bnei Brak have signed up.
Mishmeres for Children
Mishmeres Hasholem's next stage was developing shemiras
haloshon programs for children, to be implemented by
schools. Mishmeres's program for children encourages children
to work on shemiras haloshon and one extra midda
every month. Each child receives a key chain with his
membership card attached, and each month he adds to it the
new colorful laminated midda reminder which he
received that month. He also receives a chizuk leaflet
and a chart which his parents must sign daily to confirm he's
keeping his half-hour commitment. At the end of the month,
raffles are held for children who finished their chart,
completed the quiz on the leaflet material, and whose parents
signed that they worked on the midda of the month.
To date, over 5,500 children in numerous chadorim and
Bais Yaakovs in Jerusalem have signed up for the program,
including Dushinsky, Toldos Aaron, Chayei Olam, Meah Shearim,
Sukkos Dovid, Yakirei Yerushalayim, Bais Yaakov Hayoshon,
Beis Chava, Boyan and others. Last week, the Torani Hachadash
school signed up. Other schools in Emanuel, Kiryat Sefer,
Netanya, Beit Shemesh, and Yeruchom have also joined.
Last Chol Hamoed Pesach, a large party was held for
over 2,000 children in the Ramat Tamir hotel in Jerusalem,
and for 750 children in Beit Shemesh. A special feature
included a play in which two people reacted to the same
events -- one by viewing it positively, and the other by
viewing it negatively.
One mother came a few weeks after the party to Mishmeres's
office and related, "My child is very difficult and negative
by nature. But he changed completely after he attended the
Mishmeres party! Every day he is making an effort to look at
things positively."
The number of letters flooding Mishmeres's office from Jews
who have experienced personal yeshuos after following
its program keeps mounting. Women have given birth to
children after years of childlessness. People were totally
cured from lethal sicknesses. And many, many more
miracles.
Two children who joined Mishmeres's shemiras haloshon
program -- and who volunteer in Mishmeres's office
together with their grandmother -- were standing with their
bikes on the street, when a man called out to them move out
of the way so he could move his car. Within seconds of moving
on, the mighty explosion that rocked Beis Yisroel went off --
killing a mother and child at the exact place where they had
stood before.
"Rav Segal urged me to carry on my work for shemiras
haloshon," Mrs. Wurzburger says. "He said that there is
no family in the world who studied two halachos a day who
didn't see a yeshua with their own eyes. The Chofetz
Chaim said that people are always seeking yeshuos, but
they don't know that the best segulah for a yeshua
is shemiras haloshon."
Be a Part of This Growing Movement
You can contribute to the mighty effort to make our entire
community loshon hora-free, which will provide an
immense protection for yourself and all of Klal Yisroel.
Volunteers are needed from every location to speak to
housewives and supply them with written material. Donations
are needed to help print materials and charts, and fund
parties and prizes for children.
Your assistance is vital and life-giving, and there is no
time like now.
Jerusalem -- office of Mishmeres Hasholem 02-537-9160; POB
58094, Jerusalem
USA: Mrs. B. Lezer 718-436-2305; Mrs. B. Goldstein 718- 436-
0873; Mrs. S. L. Lezer 718-853-7314
London: Mrs. Shisha 44-208-211-7736
