‘I Feel Like Rav Weissmandl — I See a Holocaust ... · talmidim that learn in the yeshiv-ah Rav...
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16 ELUL, 5771 SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 Feature B34 HAMODIA BY YISRAEL HERSHKOWITZ It’s the beginning of Elul zman, just like in yeshivos around the world, only this time Rav David Keleti is no longer serving as R”M in Yeshivas Me’oros HaTorah of Telz-stone, but rather in his native Hungary. The old synagogue slowly begins to fill up. Youths arrive, put on kippos and assemble for Minchah. The gabbai, an attorney and member of the student com- mittee at the local university, speaks briefly, followed by a lec- ture on the meaning of Elul and the approaching Yamim Nora’im. There are also refreshments and a challenging riddle that gets every- one involved. Central to the event is the shiur of Rav Keleti, which begins from the Gemara, goes on to Rishonim and Poskim, and concludes with the Maharal and Chovos Halevavos. He makes sure to cite a well-known philosopher, and adds comments from the field of psychology. A famous clinical psy- chologist sits in the front row, his enthusiastic nod noticed by the others. As the event comes to a close, I realize that what they call a “lec- ture,” Rav Keleti calls the opening of the Elul zman. But in Hungary, this is the way — as proven by the dozens of talmidim that learn in the yeshiv- ah Rav Keleti established after first founding a kollel in Budapest. Four years ago, Rav Keleti, a talmid muvhak of Harav Nachum Partzovitz, zt”l, of Yeshivas Mir, resolved that he could no longer put off this mission. “My parents, a”h, were true ‘Ungarishe Yidden,’” he says. “They did not live in Budapest, where most Jews belonged to the Neologue [Reform] community that for decades had been lost to Yiddishkeit. We lived in the coun- try, in the area of Debrezin, and the tens of thousands of Jews that lived there were fully observant. This was where I grew up. Only after the Communists began tightening their control did we come to Eretz Yisrael.” So why did he return? “The fact that there are tens of thousands of Jews here without any connection to Torah gave me no rest,” he says. Perhaps Rav Keleti’s first turn- ing point came as a boy, when he was sent to Haifa to study piano. “It was before Pesach,” Rav Keleti recalls, “and my teacher, a Jew who had come from Hungary the year before us, asked me what exactly Pesach was. I was stunned by his ignorance. I had heard that there were Jews who had turned their backs on Yiddishkeit, but seeing such ignorance up close shook me to the core.” It was then that Rav Keleti resolved that when the time came, he would do whatever he could to restore these Jews to their once glorious past. A Small Light Vanquishes Much Darkness So there he was, in Budapest, trying to create yesh me’ayin. “I ran into a lot of indifference, but my decision was unchanged,” he says. “The truth is, many times I thought about giving up. I thought to myself, ‘Look, I tried,’ but then I would recall what the Gedolei Hador had said, how they encour- aged me.” The Belzer Rebbe, shlita, gave Rav Keleti counsel, encourage- ment and even an initial donation. Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlita, also encouraged Rav Keleti, advising him to first found a kollel where avreichim from Eretz Yisrael would learn. Rav Keleti asked if he should select avreichim who work in kiruv, and Rav Steinman replied that there was no need for this: “They’ll sit and learn and shteig, and the locals will be warmed by the fire of Torah. There is no need for kiruv; the Torah on its own will illuminate neshamos.” At its peak, the kollel had six avreichim, who finished many masechtos besides learning with local Jews. With this success, Rav Keleti found himself a Rosh Kollel in every sense of the word. Most of his time was now going to raising money for the kollel and the ongo- ing activities of the budding com- munity. “By the time I could spend a month straight here in Budapest and see progress, I had to wrench myself away to go out and raise money,” says Rav Keleti. He does not mention that at the same time, he served as secre- tary, coordinator, school teacher, event organizer, and basically everything else. After several years, the avre- ichim’s children grew older and the families had to move back to Eretz Yisrael for their children’s chinuch, which was not available in Hungary. The kollel was reduced to Rav Keleti and Rav Yehoshua Domen, a Hungarian- born-and-raised avreich, who spent many fruitful years in Yeshivas Givat Shaul of Harav Shlomo Wolbe. The two share the good and hard times as one. When they can, they learn b’chavrusa, but they must often stop to teach commu- nity members coming to learn, or see to the many other needs of this fledgling kehillah. You Revealed the Secret “Even in the times of the Chasam Sofer, Budapest was con- sidered a Haskalah stronghold. At its peak, the Neologue community numbered hundreds of thou- sands. Before the Holocaust, there were dozens of synagogues in the city, only a few of them Orthodox,” says Gabor (Gavriel), one of Rav Keleti’s talmidim. “Add to this the Communist regime after World War II, when Torah activity was banned out- right, and the results are that in Budapest alone live almost 100,000 Jews who lack even the slightest notion of what Judaism is all about. Many do not even know that they are Jews.” For Jews of this sort, explains Gabor, familiar outreach strate- gies don’t work. A call for return- ing to one’s roots only gets a nega- tive reaction. Who needs more Jewishness? After all, there’s a Jewish soccer team, Jewish ‘cul- ture,’ there’s the so-called ‘Jewish kitchen’ with kneidlach in treife soup and blintzes that contain meat and milk (R”l). There are the Jewish stars of the Hungarian theater, who are the pride of the community, and into this comes someone talking about Judaism? It doesn’t work. A leading kiruv lecturer came here and the backlash was horren- dous. Long afterwards, people kept talking about the “racist” lec- turer that had come. Here, the only formula that works is not to push and slowly teach whoever is interested. It’s tiring and frustrat- ing; there’s no feedback and one feels he has no effect, but slowly, people learn about the chagim, Dancing after the shiur. A shiur in the shul. The Bostoner Rebbe, Harav Mayer Horowitz, speaking to the kehillah. Rav Yehoshua Domen (R.) in the shul. Rav Keleti speaking at the community’s Chanukah mesibah. ‘I Feel Like Rav Weissmandl — I See a Holocaust Threatening, I Cry Out and My Voice Echoes in the Silence’ Rav Keleti (R.) and Rav Yeshaya Domen (C.) at the sheva brachos of one of the congregants.
Transcript of ‘I Feel Like Rav Weissmandl — I See a Holocaust ... · talmidim that learn in the yeshiv-ah Rav...
16 ELUL, 5771 SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 FeatureB34 HAMODIA
BY YISRAEL HERSHKOWITZ
It’s the beginning of Elul zman,just like in yeshivos around theworld, only this time Rav DavidKeleti is no longer serving as R”Min Yeshivas Me’oros HaTorah ofTelz-stone, but rather in hisnative Hungary.
The old synagogue slowlybegins to fill up. Youths arrive, puton kippos and assemble forMinchah. The gabbai, an attorneyand member of the student com-mittee at the local university,speaks briefly, followed by a lec-ture on the meaning of Elul andthe approaching Yamim Nora’im.There are also refreshments and achallenging riddle that gets every-one involved.
Central to the event is the shiurof Rav Keleti, which begins fromthe Gemara, goes on to Rishonimand Poskim, and concludes withthe Maharal and ChovosHalevavos. He makes sure to cite awell-known philosopher, andadds comments from the field ofpsychology. A famous clinical psy-chologist sits in the front row, hisenthusiastic nod noticed by theothers.
As the event comes to a close, Irealize that what they call a “lec-ture,” Rav Keleti calls the openingof the Elul zman.
But in Hungary, this is the way— as proven by the dozens oftalmidim that learn in the yeshiv-ah Rav Keleti established afterfirst founding a kollel in Budapest.
Four years ago, Rav Keleti, atalmid muvhak of Harav NachumPartzovitz, zt”l, of Yeshivas Mir,resolved that he could no longerput off this mission.
“My parents, a”h, were true‘Ungarishe Yidden,’” he says.“They did not live in Budapest,where most Jews belonged to theNeologue [Reform] communitythat for decades had been lost toYiddishkeit. We lived in the coun-try, in the area of Debrezin, andthe tens of thousands of Jews thatlived there were fully observant.This was where I grew up. Onlyafter the Communists begantightening their control did wecome to Eretz Yisrael.”
So why did he return?“The fact that there are tens of
thousands of Jews here withoutany connection to Torah gave meno rest,” he says.
Perhaps Rav Keleti’s first turn-ing point came as a boy, when hewas sent to Haifa to study piano.“It was before Pesach,” Rav Keletirecalls, “and my teacher, a Jewwho had come from Hungary theyear before us, asked me whatexactly Pesach was. I was stunnedby his ignorance. I had heard thatthere were Jews who had turnedtheir backs on Yiddishkeit, butseeing such ignorance up closeshook me to the core.”
It was then that Rav Keletiresolved that when the time came,he would do whatever he could torestore these Jews to their onceglorious past.
A Small Light VanquishesMuch Darkness
So there he was, in Budapest,trying to create yesh me’ayin.
“I ran into a lot of indifference,
but my decision was unchanged,”he says.
“The truth is, many times Ithought about giving up. I thoughtto myself, ‘Look, I tried,’ but then Iwould recall what the GedoleiHador had said, how they encour-aged me.”
The Belzer Rebbe, shlita, gaveRav Keleti counsel, encourage-ment and even an initial donation.Harav Aharon Leib Steinman,shlita, also encouraged Rav Keleti,advising him to first found a kollelwhere avreichim from EretzYisrael would learn.
Rav Keleti asked if he shouldselect avreichim who work inkiruv, and Rav Steinman repliedthat there was no need for this:“They’ll sit and learn and shteig,and the locals will be warmed bythe fire of Torah. There is no needfor kiruv; the Torah on its own willilluminate neshamos.”
At its peak, the kollel had sixavreichim, who finished manymasechtos besides learning with
local Jews. With this success, RavKeleti found himself a Rosh Kollelin every sense of the word. Most ofhis time was now going to raisingmoney for the kollel and the ongo-ing activities of the budding com-munity.
“By the time I could spend amonth straight here in Budapestand see progress, I had to wrenchmyself away to go out and raisemoney,” says Rav Keleti.
He does not mention that atthe same time, he served as secre-tary, coordinator, school teacher,event organizer, and basicallyeverything else.
After several years, the avre-ichim’s children grew older andthe families had to move back toEretz Yisrael for their children’schinuch, which was not availablein Hungary. The kollel wasreduced to Rav Keleti and RavYehoshua Domen, a Hungarian-born-and-raised avreich, whospent many fruitful years inYeshivas Givat Shaul of Harav
Shlomo Wolbe. The two share the good and
hard times as one. When they can,they learn b’chavrusa, but theymust often stop to teach commu-nity members coming to learn, orsee to the many other needs of thisfledgling kehillah.
You Revealed the Secret“Even in the times of the
Chasam Sofer, Budapest was con-sidered a Haskalah stronghold. Atits peak, the Neologue communitynumbered hundreds of thou-sands. Before the Holocaust, therewere dozens of synagogues in thecity, only a few of themOrthodox,” says Gabor (Gavriel),one of Rav Keleti’s talmidim.
“Add to this the Communistregime after World War II, whenTorah activity was banned out-right, and the results are that inBudapest alone live almost100,000 Jews who lack even theslightest notion of what Judaismis all about. Many do not even
know that they are Jews.”For Jews of this sort, explains
Gabor, familiar outreach strate-gies don’t work. A call for return-ing to one’s roots only gets a nega-tive reaction. Who needs moreJewishness? After all, there’s aJewish soccer team, Jewish ‘cul-ture,’ there’s the so-called ‘Jewishkitchen’ with kneidlach in treifesoup and blintzes that containmeat and milk (R”l). There are theJewish stars of the Hungariantheater, who are the pride of thecommunity, and into this comessomeone talking about Judaism?It doesn’t work.
A leading kiruv lecturer camehere and the backlash was horren-dous. Long afterwards, peoplekept talking about the “racist” lec-turer that had come. Here, theonly formula that works is not topush and slowly teach whoever isinterested. It’s tiring and frustrat-ing; there’s no feedback and onefeels he has no effect, but slowly,people learn about the chagim,
Dancing after the shiur.
A shiur in the shul. The Bostoner Rebbe, Harav Mayer Horowitz, speaking to the kehillah.
Rav Yehoshua Domen (R.) in the shul. Rav Keleti speaking at the community’s Chanukah mesibah.
‘I Feel Like Rav Weissmandl — I See a HolocaustThreatening, I Cry Out and My Voice Echoes in the Silence’
Rav Keleti (R.) and Rav Yeshaya Domen (C.) at the sheva brachos of one ofthe congregants.
16 ELUL, 5771 SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 HAMODIA B35Feature
they come a bit to tefillah, thenmaybe put on tefillin.
“It goes very slowly, but consis-tently. This is Rav Keleti’s wayand, baruch Hashem, it’s succeed-ing,” Gabor says.
He should know. Gabor is aprime example. His wife alsobegan learning from Rav Keleti,and no less than four years wentby from her first shiur to her deci-sion to make her kitchen kosher.Gabor learned from Rav Keletiand today teaches others in town.He is currently working on a doc-toral thesis based on the IggeresHaRamban.
Others attribute Rav Keleti’ssuccess to the fact that he has acommittee of youths of thekehillah with whom he takescounsel before introducing any-thing new.
“With this we hit on the rightformat, and this brings the coop-eration of the wider public,”explains Gabor.
Rav Keleti’s kehillah numbers130 people, at various levels ofobservance. Three of them nowteach at other synagogues inBudapest. Partici pants are by andlarge from the upper classes. Theyare educated and come with aneagerness to learn.
There’s 30-year-old Dennis,head of the second-largest con-struction company in Hungary,with degrees in business adminis-tration from Irish and Swedishuniversities, who as a youth didnot even know he was Jewish.
Then came the fateful day thathe called a fellow student a “dirtyJew.” Fortunately, the teacherwas also Jewish, and raised thematter with Dennis’ parents.
“That night my father calledme over and told me, ‘First of all,never call anyone dirty, and sec-ondly, you’re also Jewish,’”Dennis recalls. “It hit me like a tonof bricks, but even a year later, all Iknew was that I was Jewish.Nothing more.”
After beginning Jewish studieswith Rav Keleti, Dennis spent twoyears learning non-stop (not evenfor field trips, he says) in aYerushalayim yeshivah. Today,Dennis gives shiurim on Gemaraand hashkafah.
There’s HopeWhile the ignorance is often
shocking, there are reasons to behopeful. One is Hungarian man-ners — no matter how assimilated,the Jews of Budapest showrespect to Rav Keleti, and thisitself brings them to listen to himattentively.
One stark example happenedwhen Gabor got married and thewhole community turned out. Atthe festivities, Rav Keleti asked aJewish officer in the HungarianArmy to put the chassan on hisshoulder. The officer immediatelydid so and danced with gusto.Later, someone whispered to RavKeleti that this officer had recent-ly undergone a serious back oper-ation. Rav Keleti asked the officerwhy he had agreed, and the latterreplied, “Since when do you say noto a rabbi?”
“This, in my opinion, is thesecret of Hungarian Jewry,” saysRav Keleti. “This was something Ireceived from my parents, andthis was always a trademark ofHungarian Jews — complete loy-alty to and reverence for the Rav.This remains a characteristic ofdescendants of Hungarian Jews,
and it is still palpable among theJews of Hungary today, despitetheir distance from Yiddishkeit.”
Efforts on a Host of FrontsRav Keleti helps his students
each step of the way. For example,he sees to it that those with someconnection to the community geta 50-percent discount at thekosher grocery store.
“This gets them used to buyingthere, and if they come once amonth, they’ll eventually stopbuying at other stores entirely,”he says.
Every so often, Rav Keleti takeshis community on a Shabbaton,which they spend as guests of anestablished Jewish kehillah. Thenthere’s Hamaayan, a monthlypublication that Rav Keleti pub-lishes with the help of others fromthe community. Hamaayan focus-es on Hungary’s majestic Jewishpast, talks about the chagim, anddescribes local activities that wereheld or which are planned.Hundreds of copies are readthroughout Budapest, and ques-tionnaires show much positivefeedback.
The fruits of his manifoldefforts can be seen right now in
Elul, when dozens of youths fromHungary are learning in yeshivosin Yerushalayim.
While Rav Keleti is not the typeto draw attention to himself,many within his community seewhat he’s done as beyond therealm of the natural. GedoleiYisrael, particularly those origi-nally from Hungary, urge him tocontinue.
The Bostoner Rebbe, shlita,spoke before the community, asdid the Makova Rav, shlita, whoeven held an emotionally chargedtisch for Rav Keleti’s students.
Far away from his family, evenfurther from his friends andtalmidim — not to mention hisRosh Yeshivah with whom he usedto speak regularly — the picturesof grandchildren that fill RavKeleti’s room do not cure thehomesickness. The plastic bags offood he brings from his wife’skitchen — his sole source of foodin Hungary — are unable toimpart the taste of home, whichbegs the question: Where do youfind the strength for all this?
Rav Keleti sighs. “It’s certainly not easy. There
are hard times, but there are alsogood times; many of them. But
besides that, I ask, how can I leavehere? In less than a generation,90,000 Jews will be lost to theirpeople without a trace. How can Iwatch this happen and do nothingabout it?
“Sometimes I feel like HaravMichoel Ber Weissmandl, whowitnessed the Holocaust andcried out bitterly, but his cry wasnot heard. I’m here watching theJewish community sink into
oblivion, and if I’m able to trans-mit to them this message, Ishouldn’t do so?”
The answer comes in the formof Gabor, Dennis and many otherswho received the message thatultimately brought them home.
To Contact Rav Keletti inHungary please call 00-367-032-042-77 or in Israel 054-8427386or email: [email protected]
Harav Keleti making havdalah after a Shabbaton.
Gabor speaking at pesichah Kehillah members listening to the Rav's words
The Makova Rav conducting a tisch for Rav Keleti’s kehillah in Budapest. Engaging the community in simchah shel mitzvah.
Rav Keleti after delivering a shiur on the sugya of chatichah naaseis neveilah.
Slowly and with patience is Rav Keleti’s proven formula to the soul of histalmidim.
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