The journey of Gedolei Yisrael on the Keren Olam HaTorah fundraising mission began in Zurich, Switzerland, late Monday morning when the delegation of Gedolei Yisrael landed, including HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galay, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe, HaGaon HaRav Avraham Salim, and HaGaon HaRav Baruch Soloveitchik.

 The events opened with a seudah at the home of the Sternbuch family, with the participation of the city’s ba’alei tzedaka. Personal meetings were then held with dozens of wealthy ba’alei tzedaka. Towards the evening, another dinner was held at the home of the Alpert family, and afterward, a large atzeres chizzuk was held, with the participation of thousands of residents of the city and the surrounding communities.  

The delegation is scheduled to continue the trip in Geneva, but HaRav Landau cut short his visit and flew back to Israel due to a mild cold.

His family members said, “After consulting with a doctor, it was decided that because of the cold weather, the Rosh Yeshivah will not continue the trip to Geneva as planned and will instead fly directly back to Israel.”

“The Rosh Yeshivah’s condition is excellent, Baruch Hashem, and he asked the members of the delegation who are continuing to Geneva to convey his bracha to the donors, the Jews of Geneva, and to the Jewish kehillos of France who participated in the chizzuk gatherings.”

The Rosh Yeshiva flew to Switzerland on Sunday for his third consecutive mission on behalf of the Keren Olam HaTorah, in a trip scheduled to last about a day and a half, during which the Rosh Yeshiva was to attend a series of atzeros and gatherings in Zurich and Geneva.

A highlight of the atzeres in Zurich was when Hagaon HaRav Shimon Galay burst into song and, together with the thousands of participants, sang “שערי שמים פתח.” Participants described the atzeres as a tremendous Kiddush Hashem and a moment of rare unity among the Jews of Zurich.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)