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More than 1,000 Roshei and Menaheli Kollelim from across Eretz Yisrael gathered in Kfar Saba for a historic Adopt-a-Kollel convention. The nine-hour gathering was devoted to tefillah, chizuk, hadrachah and strengthening the partnership between kollelim in Eretz Yisrael and their sponsor kehillos in Chutz La’aretz.

The convention comes at an exceptionally difficult time for the olam haTorah. Government cuts have severely affected kollelim and avreichim, while the declining value of the dollar against the shekel has reduced the support arriving from abroad. Despite these pressures, tens of thousands of yungeleit continue learning with extraordinary hasmadah and mesiras nefesh.

The gathering was graced by HaGaon Rav Dov Landau Shlit”a, HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Shlit”a, HaGaon Rav Yitzchak Soloveitchik Shlit”a, HaGaon Rav Yehoshua Dovid Torchin Shlit”a, HaGaon Rav Yaakov Hillel Shlit”a, HaGaon Rav Gamliel Rabinowitz Shlit”a, HaGaon Rav Shimon Galei Shlit”a, and HaGaon Rav Elimelech Biderman Shlit”a.

The Gedolim expressed profound admiration and hakaras hatov to the Roshei Kollelim and avreichim carrying the ol haTorah. Rav Dov Landau Shlit”a emphasized the extraordinary zechus of sustaining Torah and the importance of kehillos abroad partnering with kollelim. Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Shlit”a spoke of the tremendous kevod Shamayim created when a kehillah assumes responsibility for a kollel.

Throughout the convention, it was stressed that an Adopt-a-Kollel partnership is far more than a financial arrangement. A partner kehillah becomes a genuine shutaf in its kollel’s Torah, while receiving a living connection to Toras Eretz Yisrael.

Rav Moshe Yosef Scheinerman of Kollel Bnei Yeshivos of Flatbush expressed the impact of this relationship simply: “We get so much more than we give!”

Participants received practical guidance for deepening these relationships, while Roshei Kollelim without partner communities met with Adopt-a-Kollel coordinators to begin forming new partnerships.

Above all, the gedolim delivered an urgent message: At a time when so much more is being demanded of our yungeleit, Klal Yisrael must rise to the moment and do more for them.

In response, Adopt-a-Kollel, which has established more than 560 partnerships, is preparing a special Yom Tov campaign to bring desperately needed relief to the avreichim and their families, showing them that their partners recognize their sacrifices and stand beside them.

The limud hatorah of Eretz Yisrael is being upheld with extraordinary mesiras nefesh. Now it is our turn to do more.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has warned that government funding for Chareidi educational institutions will be conditioned on compliance with state-mandated core curriculum requirements, prompting a sharp response from MK Moshe Gafni, who demanded that secular schools be required to teach the 613 mitzvos if the state intends to dictate what Chareidi children must learn.

Baharav-Miara submitted the state’s response to the Supreme Court today in a case dealing with government funding for Chareidi educational networks. The response made clear that funding will not continue without stricter oversight to ensure that institutions are teaching the required curriculum and meeting the government’s core educational standards.

In presenting the state’s position, the Attorney General cited Education Ministry findings that allegedly identified substantial shortcomings in compliance by Chareidi schools.

“Ministry of Education data indicate significant gaps in the networks’ institutions meeting their obligation to teach the full core curriculum, as well as failures in the ability to monitor compliance with these obligations and enforce them”.

Based on those findings, the state said that funding provided to the institutions under the “all children in Israel” framework will no longer be transferred automatically. Instead, continued government support through the program will depend upon individual institutions fulfilling their obligations regarding core studies.

The tougher conditions are slated to begin during the current school year. Among other requirements, institutions will be expected to teach the entire state-prescribed core curriculum, employ appropriately trained teachers, participate fully in government measurement and evaluation programs, cooperate with state monitoring and enforcement procedures, and fulfill all mandated reporting requirements.

Gafni blasted the Attorney General’s position, arguing that the government should not dictate the educational priorities of the Chareidi community while continuing to fund secular schools whose curricula do not include fundamental Torah teachings.

“If she decides what Chareidi students should study, I demand that all Israeli children study the 613 commandments; otherwise, they should not receive funding.”

{Matzav.com}