(PHOTO LINK AT END OF ARTICLE) The poignant convention theme of this year’s Agudas Yisroel national convention– “Ve’emunoscho Baleilos: Maintaining Simchas Hachayim and Emunah in Challenging Times” – will be addressed at the gathering’s Thursday evening plenary session, which will be open to the public.

The theme – particularly timely in light of political, social and economic challenges facing Klal Yisroel, and the attendant strains and stresses –will be addressed by Rabbi Yissochar Frand, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Baltimore; and Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum, Rav, Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, Queens.

Opening the session will be Rabbi Yosef Harari Raful, Rosh Hayeshiva, Yeshiva Ateret Torah, who will offer greetings from the Nesius.  A message to the gathering will also be delivered by Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger, Agudas Yisroel’s chairman of the board.  The session will be chaired by convention co-chairman, Tzvi Rosen, of Lakewood

Late Thursday night, after the plenary session, a presentation on “How to Teach the True Torah Perspective on Emunah to the ‘NYF’ (the NotYet Frum) as well as the ‘FFH’ (the Frum From Habit)” will feature Rabbi Ben-Tzion Shaeffer, founder, “The Shmuz”; and Rabbi Chanan (Antony) Gordon, of Los Angeles, who will serve as chairman.

This year’s convention will be graced by the presence and words of the Boyaner Rebbe, the convention’s special guest from Eretz Yisroel.  The Rebbe’s zaide, the previous Boyaner Rebbe, zt”l, was one of the key members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and a regular participant in Agudas Yisroel conventions decades ago; the current Rebbe will be continuing in that masores avos through his participation in this year’s convention.  The Rebbe will conduct a tish on Leil Shabbos at the convention, and also address the Motzoei Shabbos Keynote Melaveh Malka.

The Melaveh Malka will be a bittersweet time, as it will serve as a seudas preida in honor of and tribute to Agudath Israel’s leader Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, who is planning to retire at year’s end (much to the sadness of Agudas Yisroel’s appreciative staff) – and, after an address from Rabbi Bloom, the inaugural address of his successor, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel (the cheer to counter the sadness).

The Melaveh Malka will also include a siyum Mishnayos l’zeicher nishmas Rabbi Boruch Borchardt z”l, Agudas Yisroel’s indefatigable executive director for over fifty years, whose activities on behalf of Agudath Israel over those decades were many and varied; in many ways he was the glue that kept Agudas Yisroel together and his loss is still keenly felt by all who knew and loved him.

Greetings from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah will be extended by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Levin, Rosh HaYeshiva, Telshe Yeshiva, Chicago; and then an address will be delivered by the Rosh Agudas Yisroel: Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe.

The session will also be greeted by someone well known and appreciated by all who care about Agudas Yisroel: Jacob (Yaty) Weinreb, who will serve as this year’s convention chairman.

The convention, the organization’s 86th, will be held at the Stamford Hilton in Stamford, Connecticut, from Thursday through Sunday, November 27 -30.

PHOTO LINK:  Click HERE for photos taken at last years convention.

(YWN Desk – NYC)