Day of prayer for philanthropists

November 12, 2008

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Leaders of Israel’s largest religious seminaries have designated a day of prayer for the financial health of Jewish philanthropists.

Thursday will be a day of prayer and learning in all kollels in Israel, and is being called "a united effort to storm the gates of Heaven and plead for the financial health of Jewish philanthropists, so that they can continue to support Torah institutions in Israel," according to a news release.

Rabbis Shmuel Elyashiv of Shaarei Zion and Aharon Leib Shteinman of Bnei Brak organized the day of prayer after several fund-raisers returned recently from appeals in the United States practically empty-handed.

If a yeshiva cannot pay its Torah scholars, it affects entire families, according to the release. More than 6,000 families depend on the income of a Torah scholar.

Eleven of the leading kollels in Israel are establishing a new fund in a joint effort. The funds raised will be distributed directly to kollel students. No paid staff will manage the emergency fund, whose goal is $14 million.

"A philanthropist who gives money can be blessed and earn more," said Yaakov Segal, the assistant national director of a chain of nursery schools in Israel who has volunteered to help manage the emergency fund. "But a family that has been torn apart takes a lot more than a little money to put back together."

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Manny Behar

11/12/08 09:21 PM

It is nice that the Yeshivas are praying for the financial health of the millionaires who supported them. How about a few prayers for the thousands of Jews who have lost jobs or are worried about losing jobs in the recession and wondering how they are going to feed their families and keep their homes? How about a few prayers for the families that send their kids to Yeshiva here at great personal sacrifice and are wondering how they can do that in the present financial climate? How about a few prayers for the Yeshiva teachers here who were struggling financially already and now face greater problems because so many of the parents can no longer afford to pay tuition?

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Maskil

11/13/08 04:23 AM

“A united effort to storm the gates of Heaven and plead for the financial health of Jewish philanthropists, so that they can continue to support Torah institutions in Israel”? What a load of superstitious garbage.

If one good thing comes out of this global financial crisis, perhaps it will be the destruction of the entire kollel/yeshiva shnorrer infrastructure in Israel, with its wholesale evasion of skills training, work, national service and integration with the rest of society.

Now that’s something to pray for!

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