My Machberes,Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum

The Internet And The Observant Community

More than 120 rabbis, dayanim, heads of yeshivos and principals of girls schools in Boro Park and Flatbush, met on Sunday, Asarah B'Teves, December 31, to implement a takanah to counteract the sakanah (danger) of the Internet. The meeting was called for by Rabbi Yosef Rosenbloom, Rosh Yeshiva, Shaarei Yosher; Rabbi Yechezkel Roth, Karlsburger Rav; Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, Novominsker Rebbe; and Rabbi Moshe Wolfson, Mashgiach, Yeshiva Torah Vodaath.

Karlsburger Rav (Photo by Heshy Rubinstein)

The attendees were advised of the steps the observant communities of Lakewood, Monsey, and Skver (Spring Valley) have successfully taken to stem the influence of the Internet. Rabbi Moshe Greenfeld, chairman of the Monsey effort, described the unity of Monsey's Torah institutions in their campaign.

Rabbi Yitzchok Mermelstein, menahel of Yeshiva Imrei Chaim Vishnitz, shared that the parents of the more than 2,000 pupils in the yeshiva have committed themselves to be part of the shield of protection guarding the community against the Internet.

The Karlsburger Rav reviewed the 60-page directives that were distributed to the meeting's participants. The Rav elaborated on several of the key steps that are being taken and must be strengthened.

The Novominsker Rebbe recalled that American Jewish history was replete with battles to protect Shabbos, kashrus, Taharas HaMishpachah, all of which are proudly adhered to in observant Jewish America today. However, the Rebbe stressed, the threat of the Internet is greater than all the previous perils combined.

Noviminsker Rebbe (Photo by Heshy Rubinstein)

Rabbi Moshe Green, Rosh Yeshiva in Monsey, described the Internet as destroying the religious character of those who trespass there. Rabbi Nochum Gotlieb, menahel, Yeshiva Bais HaTorah in Lakewood, described the necessity of always being on guard. Any child, he reported, can purchase an Internet access device for a mere few dollars and connect any computer to the Internet within seconds. Lakewood, as a yeshivish community, has achieved the greatest success to date, in the battle against the Internet.

Internet Usage Within The Community

Several meetings of rabbis have been called throughout the years to review the threat of the Internet and its inroads into the observant community. At an Agudah meeting of rabbis in September 2003, a report of Internet usage within observant communities was given. Surprisingly, in Boro Park, Flatbush, and Williamsburg, more than 90 percent of the homes in each community had Internet access.

Rabbi Yoel Steinberg of Boro Park notes that usage trends can be tracked. For instance, Google automatically compiles request usages and their origins. For example, should one wish to see how many people are searching for information regarding Satmar, a popular chassidic topic, Google will have that information instantly available at http://www.google.com/trends?q=satmar.

Presumably in response to general news coverage, spikes of interest regarding Satmar are found in 2005 and 2006. Not surprisingly, a large number of those inquiries were registered in New York City. However, most startlingly, the greatest spike was found to have come from Monroe, home of Kiryas Yoel.

The third largest spike came from the Petach Tikva area in Israel, where Bnei Brak is located. These are just small indicators of the widespread use (but not necessarily abuse) of the Internet within observant communities worldwide.

Beregsaz And Belz Hachnasas Sefer Torah In Elad, Israel

After the Holocaust, one of the very few surviving leaders of the great chassidic communities was Rabbi Aaron Rokeach, zt"l (1880-1957), fourth Belzer Rebbe. He had miraculously escaped from the Bochina Ghetto and managed to reach what was then Palestine in 1944, settling in Tel Aviv. He had lost his entire family: his rebbetzin, children, and grandchildren, were murdered in the Holocaust. Rabbi Aaron was the son of Rabbi Yesochor Dov Rokeach, zt"l (1854-1926), Belzer Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yehoshua Rokeach, zt"l (1825-1894), Belzer Rebbe; son of Rabbi Sholom Rokeach, zt"l (1783-1855), founding Belzer Rebbe, known as the Sar Sholom.

Rabbi Aaron's younger brother, Rabbi Mordechai Rokeach, zt"l (1902-1949), Bilgurayer Rav, survived the Holocaust, and in 1948, shortly before his premature passing, fathered a son, Yesochor Dov. When Rabbi Aaron passed away in 1957, the nine-year-old nephew, Yesochor Dov, was designated as his successor and is now the fifth Belzer Rebbe.

The Belzer Rebbe Remarries

After having lost his entire immediate family in the Holocaust, Rabbi Aaron remarried in 1947 to Rebbetzin Chana Labin-Pollack, daughter of Rabbi Yechiel Chaim Labin, zt"l (1888-1985), Makava Rebbe; son of Rabbi Moshe Labin, zt"l (d. 1939), Zidichover Drohabitcher Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yisroel Yosef Labin, zt"l (d. 1902), Zidichover Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yaakov Naftali Hirtz Labin, zt"l, Zidichover Rebbe; son-in-law of Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Eichenstein, zt"l (1763-1831), Zidichover Rebbe; son of Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Eichenstein, zt"l (1740-1810), founding Zidichover Rebbe.

Rebbetzin Chana was the widow of Rabbi Yosef Mayer Pollack, zt"l Hy"d (d. 1944), Beregsazer Rebbe who was murdered in the Holocaust. Their son, Avrohom Alter, was adopted by Rabbi Aaron and raised as if he were his own son.

The Adopted Son

When Avrohom Alter was engaged to be married, the Belzer Rebbe kept the chassan close to his side. During Rosh Hashanah that year, the Rebbe asked Avrohom Alter to give special attention to the white velvet cover used to hide the shofar during tefillos. The velvet cover, the Rebbe shared with him, was to be used for the badecken (covering) of the kallah before proceeding to the chuppah. Rabbi Avrohom Alter Pollack succeeded his own father and became the Beregsazer Rebbe.

Throughout his life, the Beregsazer Rebbe felt an exceptional kinship to his adopted father, the late Belzer Rebbe. His seforim, Beiso Noavo Kodesh, which comprise a 12-volume set, span the months of the year and describe the customs and practices of the late Belzer Rebbe that he personally observed. The beis midrash that Rabbi Avrohom Alter established and led in Petach Tikvah was named Beis Aaron, dedicated to the late Belzer Rebbe.

The Beregsazer Rebbe last visited the United States for Shabbos Lech Lecha, 5766 (November 12, 2005), when he conducted tefillos and tisch in Williamsburg. In February, 2006, his son, Rabbi Yehoshua Pollack, zt"l, Kolbasover Rav, passed away at the age of 38, leaving behind an orphaned family and a bereaved father.

The Beregsazer Rebbe passed away in September 2006 at the age of 72 and is survived by his rebbetzin, seven married sons, four married daughters, and by his mother, Rebbetzin Chana, the senior Belzer Rebbetzin. Rabbi Aaron Pollack, his son who succeeded him as the Beregsazer Rebbe, established a beis midrash in Elad, the new city adjacent to Bnei Brak.

The Final Letters

The final letters of a Torah being dedicated by the senior Belzer Rebbetzin were written on Sunday, December 17, in the Beregsazer Beis Midrash in Elad. Leading chassidishe rabbis and rebbes participated. The author of Shevet Levi, Naroler Rav; the Rebbes of Machnovka; Chernobel; Nadvorna; Slonim; Spinka; Yaroslav; Dorog; Gorelitz; Strikov; the sons of the Bnei Brak Vishnitzer Rebbe; and the rabbis of the Satmar kehillos in Israel, all individually wrote letters in the Sefer Torah's final column on that day.

Rabbi Mordechai Dovid Unger, Bobover Rebbe.

The senior Belzer Rebbetzin commemorated the new Sefer Torah in the hallowed memory of her late husband, the Belzer Rebbe, zt"l, as well as her son who died four months ago, and her daughter the Komimius Rebbetzin. Participants in the event had the privilege of sharing in the unique celebration with a tzadekes, the righteous rebbetzin of the fourth Belzer Rebbe, who began his sacred pre-Holocaust Torah and chassidishe leadership more than 80 years ago.

Rabbi Mordechai Dovid Unger, Bobover Rebbe, with Ben Zion Dunner in London.

Bobov Hornsteipel Wedding In London

On Wednesday, January 3, Mordechai Weiss married the daughter of Rabbi Shlomo Yisroel Frishwasser, London Sasover Rav. The chuppah took place in front of Beis Midrash Ode Yosef Chai in the Golders Green neighborhood.

The chassan is the son of Rabbi Pinchas Weiss, Satmar Rosh Kollel in London; grandson of Rabbi Michel Twersky, Hornsteipel Milwaukee Rebbe; and great-grandson of Rabbi Yitzchok Yaakov Weiss, zt"l (1902-1989), chief rabbi of the Badatz of the Jerusalem Edah HaCharedis and revered author of Minchas Yitzchok. Prior to becoming the Yerushalayimer Rav, Rabbi Yitzchok Yaakov served as Rav of Manchester. The kallah is a great-granddaughter of Rabbi Ben Zion Halberstam, zt"l (1873-1941), second Bobover Rebbe and author of Kedushas Tziyon.

Rabbi Mordechai Dovid Unger, Bobover Rebbe, arrived from New York with a number of his chassidim to take part in the wedding. Upon arriving at Heathrow Airport, he was met by a large welcoming committee, who traveled with the Rebbe to the home of his host, Ben Zion Dunner, also a grandson of the Kedushas Tziyon. After Maariv, a l'chaim tisch was conducted.

The Rebbe visited and was visited by many of London's chassidishe rabbis, rebbes, and roshei yeshiva. On Tuesday evening the Rebbe was feted with a kabbalas panim in a huge tent specifically erected for the event in front of the new Bobover beis midrash.

Anointing The Kobarsdofer Rav

On Motzaei Shabbos Shemos, January 13, at 8:00 p.m., a Melaveh Malkah will be held at the Bais Yaakov of Ger Hall on 20th Avenue at 51st Street in Boro Park. Rabbi Leibish Koenig, Rav of Beis Midrash Chukei Chaim, 5215 20th Avenue, will be crowned as Kobarsdofer Rav. The last Kobarsdofer Rav was Rabbi Shimon Goldberger, zt"l, uncle of the current successor. The special evening will have the involvement of many leading rabbis and Torah activists.

Kobarsdofer Rav (Photo by Heshy Rubinstein)

The new Kobarsdofer Rav is the son of Rabbi Chaim Yeshaye Koenig, Yoka Rav and author of Chukei Chaim, and is the 10th generation of Rabbis descending from Rabbi Meir Asch, zt"l (1670-1744), Eizenstadter Rav and author of Panim Me'iros. The Kobarsdofer Rav is also one of the founding Torah lecturers of Irgun Shiurei Torah, having begun the effort by giving shiurim every Monday through Friday during the Irgun's early years.

Attendees at the Ulam Lev Chasunah. (Photo by Heshy Rubinstein)

Rabbi Aaron Kahn, Rav of Kehillas Beis HaKnesses of Flatbush; Ari Noe, popular Torah activist; and the Yoka Rav will address the melaveh malkah. Guest of honor will be Yosef and Leah Fischman. Yosef is a grandson of the Rosh HaKahal of Krasne. Chazzanim who will perform are: Mordechai Leib Deutsch of Bensonhurst; Shmuel Knopfler; and Leibish Goldstein, who will share insights of Rabbi Aaron Kotzler, zt"l, on the popular chassidishe song "szól a kakas már".

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