Hecht Urges Torah Essays

On Sunday morning, Rosh Codesh Sivan, May 24th, 2009, Member Rabbis of the Igud Horabbonim – Rabbinical Alliance of America – met to celebrate Rosh Chodesh at the Bertcher Beis Medrash Bnei Yesoschor, 5402 16th Avenue in Boro Park. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rokeach serves as Rav.

The last Rosh Chodesh Seudah held at the Bertcher Beis Medrash was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5768, marking the 10th yahrzeit of Rebbetzin Hinda Rokeach, a”h (1895-1998), Rebbetzin of Rabbi Zvi Elimelech Rokeach, zt”l (1896-1964), late Bertcher Rebbe.

The Session was opened by Rabbi Yehoshua Yonason Lustig, Igud Dayan, who recited Tehillim 130.

Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, Rav of B’nai Israel of Linden Heights and Igud Director, reported that the Igud resolution of Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5769, composed by Rabbi Yehoshua Hecht in regard to same-gender marriages was mailed to every senator and assembly member of New York State.

Rabbi Tannenbaum announced that henceforth, every Rosh Chodesh Conference will be digitally recorded and available to all Member Rabbis.

Rabbi Tannenbaum also noted that Rabbi Rokeach and Rabbi Lustig served in the pulpit of B’nai Israel of Linden Heights and maintained its high level of spirituality.

Rabbi Abraham B. Hecht, Igud President, discussed the priceless value to Torah learning before and during the Yom Tov of Shavous, Zeman Matan Toraseinu. Rabbi Hecht exhorted the Igud membership to write their chidushei Torah, to be shared with other Igud Member Rabbis as well as with the entire community of Torah scholarship, as is being broadcast with weekly Igud Divrei Torah emails.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rokeach, Bertcher Rav and noted author, praised the ongoing Rosh Chodesh Conference as most praiseworthy. Rabbi Rokeach told of the minhag in his extended family to gather and celebrate Rosh Chodesh, but that the practice is generally not maintained.

Rabbi Yaakov Spivak, Rav and Rosh Kollel Ayshel Torah in Monsey, discussed the busy lives of our Gedolim, past and present, sometimes lives of great deprivation, but, nevertheless, they labored intensively to share their gift of Torah. Our Gedolim felt, stressed Rabbi Spivak, that their accomplishments in the study of Torah are not their own, but were granted by Heaven specifically to be published and disseminated.

A video tape was made at the Rosh Chodesh Conference of a resolution and statement by the Rabbinical Alliance. Rabbi Yehuda Levin, Rav of Khal Mevakshei Hashem and leader in the campaign against the legalization of same-gender marriages, read the statement and will have the video tape statement transmitted to all political leaders and media.

Rabbi Shmaryah Shulman, author of Meiresh B’Birah, distributed a republication of Toras Levi’em with correspondence of Rabbi Chaim Shulamn and Gedolim of Eretz Yisroel.

Rabbi Roskeach distributed copies of published divrei Torah that he had prepared for Shavous.

The following are the Member Rabbis that participated in the Rosh Chodesh Conference: Rabbi Moshe Abramov, Kehilat Habukarim; Rabbi Shaul Bick, Congregation Agudas Achim; Rabbi Yoel Ehrenreich, Torah Vodaath Minyan; Rabbi Saul Eisner, Igud Exectuve Vice President; Rabbi Hanania Elbaz, Ahi Ezer Congregation; Rabbi Abraham B. Hecht, Igud President; Rabbi Avrohom Shraga Jungreis; Rabbi Pinchas Kar; Rabbi Eliyahu Kirsh, Flatbush Park Jewish Center; Rabbi Yaakov Klass, Torah Editor of The Jewish Press; Rabbi Herschel Kurzrock, Igud Rosh Beth Din and Rav of the Young Israel of Kensington; Rabbi Avrohom Yosef Lahijani; Rabbi Yehuda Levin, Beis Medrash Mekadshei Hashem; Rabbi Hillel David Litwack, Ezras Torah; Rabbi Yoshua Yonason Lustig, Igud Dayan; Rabbi Yehuda Leib Posner, Kashrus Certification; Rabbi Harry Rabinowitz; Rabbi Joseph Rosenbluh, Young Israel of Vanderveer Park; Rabbi Raphael Safra; Rabbi Shloma Rokacj, rav Skooler Beis Medrash; Rabbi Menachem Mendel Rokeach, Rav Betcher Beis Medrash Bnei Ysoschor, Rabbi Joseph Salamon, Yeshiva Ohr Torah; Rabbi Shmaryahu Shulman, author of Meiresh B’Birah; Rabbi Yaakov Spivak, Rav and Rosh Kollel Ayshel Avraham; Rabbi Yisroel Meir Steinberg, Seaview Jewish Center; Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leibish Steinberg, Kashrus Certification; Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, Igud Director, B’nai Israel of Linden Heights, and Jewish Press Columnist; Rabbi Moshe Y. Weiner, Kosher Information Center; Rabbi Yosef Binyamin Williger; amongst others.