Under the direction of HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, thousands of cheder students from the Ateres Shlomo network, led by HaRav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, gathered Monday morning outside Prison 10 to protest the arrest of Yeshiva Bochur Ariel Shamai.
Beginning at 9:00 a.m., organized buses brought children from Ateres Shlomo schools across the country to the prison where the young bochur is being held.
During the event, HaRav Sorotzkin addressed criticism surrounding the “hostage campaign” theme used to raise awareness of the case. “Some people complained that we used the imagery of the hostages,” he said. “But let me make one thing clear — the hostages are not only yours, they are ours, maybe even more ours than yours. Gedolei Yisroel and bnei Torah couldn’t sleep on their beds while the hostages were in captivity. We cared, we davened, and we learned for them. Don’t think you are the only guardians of their memory. The great miracles we saw — those who came out alive — were in the merit of the “kol kol Yaakov”, the voice of Torah learning.”
He added, “We have no desire, chas v’shalom, to hurt anyone. Everyone is beloved and precious to us. But understand — to separate us from Torah is to take away our oxygen. Torah is our life, our lifeline.”
HaRav Sorotzkin then read aloud a letter written by Ariel Shamai from his prison cell to his friends in yeshiva.
At the prison gates, thousands of children joined their rabbeim in emotional tefillos, reciting Tehillim and Selichos. Many wore hats bearing Shamai’s photo and a call for his release — part of a campaign echoing the hostage release efforts that have stirred wide public debate.
The rally concluded with a moving Kabbolas Ol Malchus Shomayim led by the young students.
In a letter sent to parents by Ateres Shlomo leadership the night before, it was written:
“By the instruction of Maran Rosh HaYeshiva HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a, thousands of students from our Talmudei Torah, from grade three and up, will travel on Monday, Parshas Lech Lecha, to a prayer and protest gathering outside the prison where our yeshiva’s dear talmid Ariel Shamai is being held.”
Parents were informed that buses would depart at 9:30 a.m. and return around 1:00 p.m., with food and drinks provided for all participants.
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11 Responses
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Look how much they care for one of their own. But you don’t see members of the Supreme Court or the Israeli evil attorney general ever attending the funeral of a Soldier or visiting the injured. They do visit terrorists though
R. Sorotzkin said that the hostages were released from the dungeons of Hamas because of the Torah learned by Charedim. If he truly believes that, then the merit of Torah learning should also free the draft dodgers from military prison. Why is there a need to go out and protest as well?
So disgusting to compare the “suffering” of our hostages who were kept in beautiful hotels in beachside Gaza, fed 3 glatt kosher meals a day, living a life of luxury for 2 years in the presence of our beautiful anti zionist brothers to the absolute misery and torture of our bochrim languishing in an israeli prison for a full 20 days……
That’s a lot of Greta Thunbergs!! Don’t use kids for political purposes.
While I certainly wish the Zionist memshala would leave us alone and free our bochurim, this is clearly offensive to many people out there. A good rule of thumb is that if you have to explain why your not offending someone then mistama you are How would the hostages feel about seeing this
Like what gain is there in getting the fry Israelis more angry with us….
Great move. But why only when one of his own got arrested, if it’s really an attack on the Torah (and it sure is), then you should’ve been out there for the sefaradim as well (like the peleg, who would happily go out for any ben torah, even if he would never think of voting for them).
It is said that before the Redemption the hatred for rabbis will be at an all-time high and people will treat the Torah like dirt. I guess that means the good stuff is coming soon but those evil speakers won’t be a part of it
This is vile, disgusting and offensive. We should demand that unzerer oilam speak up loudly and clearly that using the yellow images of the hostages in Gaza is unnecessary and wrong. This type of protest will only lead more people away from Torah Umitzvos. Using kids as props smacks of brainwashing.
Veshama Haemes:
By your “logic”, Mashiach should also have come by now and all sick healed, too, etc.
True Conservative:
It’s for prayer, not political, purposes.
Zalmy Rothenberg:
We are witnessing Zionist shmad. Gadol haMachtio min haHorgo. There is nothing for which to apologize. Every civilized country allows Jews to live as Jews and doesn’t try to forcibly convert them to a different religion. But the wicked Zionists, in their “Jewish” “State”, are attempting to force all the Jews into their army whose main and overarching purpose is to convert Jews into Zionists.
rebEmes: Let us hope and pray you are right about that.
Crazy:
Please go to A7 or something; you’ll enjoy their Zionism. But definitely drop the “kanoiy” from your name, as that usage is a disgrace.