Chicago played host to a historic visit by a large delegation of Gedolei Yisroel, who arrived to rally support for Keren Olam HaTorah and the yeshivos and kollelim of Eretz Yisroel. Among the delegation were Harav Dovid Cohen shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron; Harav Malkiel Kotler shlit”a and Harav Yisroel Neuman shlit”a, Roshei Yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoha; and Harav Yosef Harari-Raful shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Ateret Torah.

The day began with a private luncheon at the home of R’ Chaim Rajchenbach, where Harav Malkiel Kotler and R’ Reuven Wolf delivered divrei chizuk, emphasizing the gravity of the funding crisis facing the olam hatorah in Eretz Yisroel. The delegation then continued to the offices of R’ Abe Gutnicki, where Harav Dovid Cohen addressed a group of tomchei torah, underscoring the critical responsibility of American Jewry to stand shoulder to shoulder with their brethren in Eretz Yisroel.

Later, at the offices of R’ Yossi Meystel, attendees were addressed by Harav Yisroel Neuman and Harav Nosson Muller, who both highlighted the eternal partnership between Torah supporters and lomdei Torah.

The centerpiece of the day was a community-wide asifa at Kehillas Chodorov, where Harav Nochum Binder shlit”a of K’hal Hampshire Heights in Lakewood shared a poignant recollection from Rav Shneur Kotler zt”l, who decades earlier had described Chicago as “rosh v’rishon” in supporting Torah. He noted that Chicago’s mesirus nefesh for Torah dates back to the years between the two World Wars and that today, once again, Klal Yisroel looks to Chicago to take the lead in sustaining Torah in its hour of need.

Rav Binder further remarked on the remarkable mesirus nefesh of the Gedolim themselves — Harav Yosef Harari-Raful shlit”a, who despite his advanced age and frailty made the arduous trip, and Harav Yisroel Neuman shlit”a, known for rarely leaving the walls of the bais medrash. Their commitment, he said, “mechayev all of us” — obligating every member of Klal Yisroel to join in the mission of upholding Torah in Eretz Yisroel.