Reb Werdyger: We succeeded in bring unity

Reb Shlomo Werdyger, the Torah askan and philanthropist as well as Chairman of the Agudas Yisroel board in America, was behind the success at the rally in Manhattan. In an interview to Behadrey Haredim he says:"I am happy and proud that Agudath Yisrael of America was asked by the Gedolei Yisrael to arrange the details of the rally and help in creating unity, and succeeded in doing so".

The rally personified unity. They came from everywhere. Anti zionist Satmar Chassidim, and stauchly pro zionist supporters, arm and arm, all crying out in unison to their creator to change the terrible gezeira.



Avrechim, Chassidim, Lithuanians, businessmen, house wives, yeshiva students, seminary girls, young and old all responding to the call of the Gedolim. A massive show of unity indeed. Nearly unprecedented in recent history, the Satmar Rebbe and the Rosh Agudas Yisroel, the Novominske Rebbe leading tens of thousands of yidin from all stripes, in heartfelt prayers. One attendee said"We didn’t go because it was our opinion; we went because it was the opinion of the sages of Israel. Therefore, even people who consider themselves pro Zionists, like me, and support the State of Israel came today".

I am pleased and proud that the Agudath Yisrael of America was asked by the gedolai Yisroel to organize the details of the rally and help create this unbelievable unity". He continued,"Those Orthodox Jews in America that came, participated and sanctified the name of God, because they had a genuine desire to follow the words and direction of their Gedolim. Under the direction and leadership of the senior rabbinical leaders from literally every American kehillah, Admorim and roshei yeshiva instructed their flocks to attend en mass. And they listened.

The feeling of the people was paramount; we prayed a united prayer kulanu Byachad. The usual politics and distractions was pushed aside, no one dealt with minutiae, they all left what they were doing, and came to be part of this prayer carried by the American charaidi community on behalf of their brothers in Israel.

One of the participants, an avrech from Lakewood told us about his personal feelings after his participation at the rally:"It is important to begin by saying that in the United States not all people understand what is happening in Israel. I also mean yeshiva students and Bnei Torah from families of Bnei Torah who nevertheless, do not really understand the issue of recruitment and controversy which prevails around the State of Israel between the ultra-Orthodox comommunity and the government. We should remember that the community living in the U.S. also has many issues which they are dealing with, and we have many things we are struggling and worried about, even the issues that affect the community itself, such as education and the challenges in the street and general issues of public concern such as hurricanes, lack of work and tuition for school etc.

As a result, it should not be taken for granted that we gathered together more than one hundred thousand people who came to a prayer rally for issues which concern you the State of Israel as the draft decree. Since many people personally do not really understand the issue and if it were up to their judgment, I am not at all sure they would decide they want to go out and protest in the city streets.

Do you personally understand the argument hard and bitter opposition to this law?

I'll tell you, what I see is that there are people who do not understand the issue; I do not mean that they do not agree with the position of Orthodox Jewry. I mean they just do not understand the subject. If we take for example me myself two days ago someone told me that some of the secular argument is that the Haredim do not fit into the job market because they do not serve in the army, so they should therefore serve in the army. Haredim claim, however, that the restriction to work is the part of secularists who do not allow those who have not served in the military to go out to work. Do you understand how both of these claims get along with each other? To tell you the truth, I cannot understand it. Each party claims that the other side is the one to blame and it is a simple fact, and there are no clear answers to the questions why the Haredim do not integrate in the labor market.

You live in Israel, you live this conflict in depth, and maybe that's why you see the subject and Orthodox position. We are not in Israel and do not live the complexity, and as I said, we have enough of our own internal issues that we face in our everyday life. So we do not exactly understand the issues with which you are dealing and therefore, it is very difficult for people to connect to this need to demonstrate a prayer rally in the city streets.

So what brought people to the streets of the city?

Despite all this, the question of whether to demonstrate or not, falls directly on our Torah leaders. The opinion of the common man has not played any role here at all. The reason why all the people went out in middle of the day to stand and pray in the street was because that is what they were told to do by the sages of Israel. We too are soldiers and we follow the Generals of Klal Yisroel, our Manhigim. As Rav Wosner shlita called Rav Shteinman,"he is our General". From my understanding, Rav Ahron Laib shteinman did not authorize a public gathering until the recent giyus bill created a situation that throws Bnai Torah in jail. This is obviously the red line for rav shteinman. Jail is simply way over the top and shows the true intentions of the forces that are pushing this. Any thinking person can understand this. As soon as the leading rabbis in Israel, led by Rabbi Steinman ordered along with the great rabbis here in the U.S. to go out and hold a major prayer to protest the conscription law, we went. No questions asked. Period. If Gedolei Yisrael considers this law a declaration of war on the yeshiva world, those aligned with torah will stand together with those who spend their life learning and studying the Torah. Its just that simple. Of course, we all hope that the secular community can find a common dialogue with the ultra-Orthodox delegates and find a workable solution to all of this.

Its not pleasent and we take no joy in any of this, but it is important they realize that the Charaidi world in the Diaspra will not stand silent as Israeli Torah learners are declared criminals. I don't say so, hundreds of thousands of Jews in Jerusalem, london and New York City just did

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!