The following message was posted to the local email lists by Lemaan Achai shortly before Yom Kippur. Hopefully it will bring closure to the forming rift in the neighborhood after the alleged child abuse issues in some local schools came to the forefront...
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The newly elected board of Lema'an Achai would like to wish all of its
supporters a Gmar Chatimah Tova.
We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our volunteers and
supporters who enable us to continue our tremendous work. And as a
community organization that holds by Da'as Torah and upholds Kavod
HaTorah, we want to thank the Rabbanim of our community, and other
leaders , who work tirelessly and endlessly to resolve the many
challenges facing our community.
As you may know, Lema'an Achai works primarily to help families facing
financial challenges. We also take pride in helping families in other
areas. In the past year,we saw a need to play a leading role in
dealing with child abuse issues.
Our efforts and activities, though, in no way were meant to diminish
the work done on this and other issues by the Rabbonim of our
community. The board of Lemaan Achai would like to express its
admiration for the Rabbonim of our community, and other community
leaders , who have made tremendous efforts to prevent and eradicate
reprehensible behavior in our community.
We work with all sectors of the community in Ramat Beit Shemesh, and
appreciate the cooperation that we have enjoyed with the Rabbonim of
our community and other community leaders in the past. We look
forward to continuing this cooperation in working together to make
Ramat Bet Shemesh a truly wonderful place to live and grow.
Shanah Tova & Gamar Chatima Tova!
kumbayah :-)
ReplyDeletegt
joel rich
it just sounds to me like they are kissing up to these kavod-hungry rabbonim. yuch.
ReplyDeleteKol Hakavod to Lema'an Achai! This letter is very menschlich! (Very appropriate for Erev Yom Kippur).
ReplyDeleteRafi, please will you also obtain & publish the equivalent menschlich statement of support and admiration from "the community rabbonim" for the work of Lema'an Achai?
"it just sounds to me like they are kissing up to these kavod-hungry rabbonim. yuch."
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame but I guess they need to do that so they can continue to help people in need.
I would truly hope that reall rabbonim are above that.
When is the Lema'an Achai appeal in Beis Tefilla?
ReplyDeleteOnce again Lema'an Achai takes the high road in our community.
ReplyDeleteThey take abuse and criticsm from sectors of the neighborhood that will not financially support them yet have no trouble taking their assistance.
Their signs and banners get vandalized in some places and not even allowed to be placed in others.
Their advertising is tasteful and does not litter our streets and walls.
And yet they remain a beacon of tzedaka, chesed and yashrus in RBSA.
The most recent attack from certain Rabbonim is just another example.
Yasher Koach to you, lema'an Achai for being an inspiration to all of us.
Does the board of Lema'an Achai also express admiration for Rabbis Kornfeld and Perlstein who will not support them in any way (or even allow their presence in their shuls)?
ReplyDeleteHow can you express admiration for people who are out to harm you?
Lema'an Achai could have avoided all of their problems had they made a donation to Kupat Ha'ir.
ReplyDeleteLema'an Achai have taken on the critical role of looking out for the poor of RBS and helping them in every way imaginable.
ReplyDeleteRecently, they have taken on better protecting the children of our neighborhood from predators.
In looking out for our kids, they have hit problems with some rabbonim.
I pray that this letter does not mean Lema'an Achai have now abandoned our kids, under rabbinical pressure??
Yoni thanks for the laugh.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, all the daas-torah ads a while back backfired in my mind: now whenever I consider a tzedakah, I ask, does this donation mean I'm supporting "kollel-till-broke"? And then I reconsider and look for a more balanced charity.
"tremendous efforts to prevent and eradicate
ReplyDeletereprehensible behavior in our community."
it reads to me that LA admire those rabbonim to work against child abuse such as Rav Solovetchik, Rav Haber& Rav Meyers
This has nothing to do with Rav Malinowitz and Rav Kornfeld
Anonymous: "...Lema'an Achai have now abandoned our kids, under rabbinical pressure??"
ReplyDeleteI understand that Lema'an Achai will continue, develop and expand the SafeKids programs.
No kids are being abandoned!