CHAZAQ's Torah Talks #102 Rabbi Yeruchim Silber - Torah & Politics

[Music] foreign politics and uh interesting topic and before we jump to tonight's topic the rabbit give a little background about yourself and the great work you're involved with okay so I was growing a group in Brooklyn oh yes Brooklyn New York yeah um my father was a um a tremendous unfortunately did not live long but there was a book written about it just a few years ago called blazing the trail his name was silver and many things that I've done a sentence today as a result of things he pioneered he was the Monopoly she Vista Parkway which I attended and he was also a chairman in the 1940s of pure High good as Israel so aguda is really you know in our blood so I I did you know I I went to she was the Parkway and then there to show the number I lived there as Israel I under nadishimas and for the last 30 years or so I've been involved in basically really since I left most of my career been involved in I guess Cloud work collection work whether a little bit in government a little bit for I worked at some yeshivas I worked out for a little bit I worked at one point try to work with all these shivas by just helping to raise money I was a uh with their uh so that with fundraising and more the last 20 years I've been involved more directly in government advocacy committee relations and trying to to Really strengthen and build that what we can our community so that's what I've been doing so the list I could have thrilled out the last six years yes and we're at the New York government relations amazing amazing I see first 10 bucks a lot of great work that the rabbi does I've had the exclude the Merit to go uh whether go to the Israel on a mission uh more than once to open or the rest attempts to Albany we've done I believe Washington yeah we've uh I even had this foot to Mayor to go to Heritage row I wasn't I wasn't that one but yes and they do great work and I think it's important that the world knows about it and uh people always ask me how is it that Torah and politics connected seems so far apart and uh here you see Rabbi is going on these missions and uh you know everything is throughout the biggest rabbis about generation encouraging this and involved with this so if you could try to shed some light on this important topic so obviously Torah is is the there's nothing it's the essence of the world the world's created I mean with this is our world's our library everything we do is Guided by the top 100 but in order for us to live as Torah Jews we need to be involved and I can read your letter in front of me emotion feisty wrote this letter in 1984 he said the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights have allowed us the freedom to practice our religion with ADD interference and to live in safety which is true America is not perfect nothing's perfect but by and large we can live as Torah Jews in America we have a right to keep Shabbos we have other things we have we have rights we can live our life we have shoes no one's telling us Noah's closing our world usually that I won't get into that but generally when we fight those yeah but we have it right but so so we have to write to as to use the to live as plural Jews to use the political system it goes back two thousand years was a goes back to the time of the gamer there's so many stores in the Gomorrah of tamlayam which is the sages of the talmud trips to Rome yeah and interesting enough the Talma tells us that um there's a partial of Torah Passion by islaf which is the when yaakov was coming back I met up with asaph right I don't if it was going to attack him and Jacob did a number of steps whether it's of course praying uh sending gifts which is Robert said it's something we have to say gifts and obviously and being ready for conflict um the the talmist says that whenever the rabbis went to Rome to intercede on behalf of the Jewish community that would study that partial and one Rabbi said if he didn't study it properly he was not successful he knew because the Torah is a guy Taurus a guide everything in those world is Guided by the Torah the Torah gives a guide when yaakov had to deal with ASAP that was a guide of how we work with how we get to see how we do stop mothers is a 2000 year old concept of going back to the time of the talmud so August Israel is really um you know today we started 100 just over 100 years ago I was gonna ask I mean I'm sorry was that always on the mission was that always I I will say a good show started over almost 111 years ago in 1912 in Europe it was started by Israel including and others the biggest Russia she was academic of that time and they felt the classical had to be had to be together United a good is is togetherness and Rosh Hashanah Christchurch United income in combating and dealing with the issues of our time the way issues then that time 110 years ago their issues today that was about it then and the first the the um one of the first ones that was always introduced to other things were introduced so good was very active um in the in the world Agoda in Europe at the time before World War II which is obviously decimated um during the Holocaust in America in 1922 their group of young men in the Lower East Side ideas to young men not famous not famous young men who heard this organization in Europe and decide hey let's do something over here something similar I believe it started as Syria with the us but eventually emerged with the larger algorithm movement um a good it came to its own during the War years with the legendary uh Mike tress Oliver Shalom who was uh was so acting about at Salah and the work has been written up in many places um the tremendous work that I could have did then in helping bring people just last week someone showed me a wedding and summer show me recently a clipping from the old modern Journal that was the old Yiddish paper The Morning Journal and then there's a thank you ad from satin America thanking Mike tress for the old song was brought to America my trust magoda was was able to get the visa to bring the sub brother to this Shores to Maryland and so many others so many others someone also showed me a video clip of the Murray current spoke about how night dress how they satmer khasid find the job sure and uh he he had the job and then the individual the employer told Mike chess you could stop paying for the individual because he's a good employee and I'll start paying him yeah sure sure Amazing Stories such inspiration it began then it continued through it who was the next president in the early 1960s testified in Congress he was the first probably the first person ever to go in front of a congress I believe Byron Cutler just went over with him I wanted to testify and the first time testify about ant shebus so a Bashar was really the guy that I say the their Bashar biography is like a textbook for those of us it's really a textbook that had to do that let us how to deal with government how to how to make sure our asks and and so really there's a tremendous history and many years ago someone when it just came out I don't remember how long ago the book came out but uh uh quite a few individuals actually handed me the book absolutely was amazing so yeah there is or the rich history of the Atlantis and because Israel today um our headquarters of Manhattan but we have an office in Washington and we have about a dozen so offices around the country covering uh the majority of States over 30 states around the country we have offices um and we have just in New Jersey and in Maryland and Florida Illinois and Colorado and California I missed somebody but it's a a launching Ohio we get a lot of phone calls coming in yeah many times he's the erect the director regional directors I think they're called yes yes they they're good very many hours over here and uh Hashem they've been very helpful with cases that we've had for community members in Savannah members to uh you know working on Shabbat and you know issues with certain schools or or cases of even prison that they've been very very helpful with just recently I had a story of something came to me with a person of a different state was found up unfortunately sound not alive and I had to call to my colleagues to help they for contact with the medical examiners that happens often so we WE Network very often and we have that Network that we we um the all of us the work together with each other as colleagues and as networks um to help one another so it's really it's a tremendous group of people I don't arrest all the names because you know them all but and it uh because I missed one of them but it's a tremendous cover and these are all they're all superstars this is more of a relatively a new thing within the group that you have these regional directors and differences yes yes yes and all them are Rabbi we're all within the last 20 years Rabbi is a very very yes every one of them very very in Spanish so the question is is being being politically active I guess we use that term is it for everyone is it only for certain you know key influencers or rabbis or or Community leaders or is the average person that that's listening to this uh Torah talk to this podcast is is it for them after hearing what what what we should find something said in a hearing how it helps so much so it's for everyone it's actually for everyone on different levels you can go to Albany or Washington or city hall or or whatever state you're in go to your state house certainly you can go along um I'm always looking for company I've been there all the time besides that we do have a number of days here we bring group Subs that's certainly the the biggest involvement you could meet your legislator your local left that people don't realize but I'll start even in beginner levels well I'll go back to be registered we'll go backwards yeah or backwards um you know I often tell people and I'll talk about voting soon but how important is to vote yeah and you find that the presidential election everyone pulls 60 70 and a local election you know vote most people don't see the president you can't go knock on the door you don't get to see the parade you just don't you know obviously um but your local election your local elected officiency you can see all the time you see him on the street in his office at events you see them you connect with them and people don't realize it's the local ones have more info more of what's interesting are they uh I'm getting a traffic light getting a zoning I'll tell you a quick story we know Senator Schumer Senator Chuck Schumer is the majority leader of the United States Senate um he started out as an assembly band okay we were at an event about a year ago sitting there my friend Josh Nobel was there plaid is those Jewish Jewish yes and he was taught me he said Josh remember I got you the traffic right in front of Mary Yeshiva 40 years ago he remembered that he got a traffic light then when Mary Shiva there was a street that was unsafe and then he was the local assemblyman and he remembered 40 years later a fifth more than 40 years how he got a traffic light for the Nuri Yeshiva so we don't realize how much people they remember how it affects people on a local level so a local people it's very important so you go to Albany you get to see them you could talk to them can you beat the governor also Governors are easy to meet the presidents uh I mean a local Senator you could be the governor the standard is just come together that's right they're all there uh you you can uh um obviously that's a that's a way you could call send an email uh I've heard someone tell me that if I if I get 40 emails I'll I'll let the first one said I will tell you if they get 50 emails on a certain issue they're going to pay attention yes for sure they'll pay attention if a person has to feel involved call the office make your presence known and more than anything vote vote every single person can be about if you can't uh a year ago I will talk about this kind of thing soon I guess a year ago when the State education department the regions put out regulations that would have hurt our yeshivas have been super responded 350 000 people responded and you were involved that was their involvement they got involved they took five minutes very big difference it said an email thread a letter five minutes ten minutes less than about and it made a difference well we hope we don't but it makes a difference because people get it's our style is that that's their the god Hashem decides but we have to do our part in this world 100 I had an elected official drive me once for one event to another and he was uh showing me you see this park I was involved with the interview and you see this show that is just about you see this the traffic light they appreciate like the the rabbi was saying when the community members come and show concern and they want to make a difference and it's important for them also and uh like they're having to get involved to reach out to to do the minimum is registering and voting and then there's obviously plus plus right and the voting at the same letter of Rabbi says a fundamental principle I read again of Judaism is appreciation is recognizing benefits afforded us and giving expression to our appreciation therefore it is incumbent upon each Jewish citizen to participate in the democratic system which guards the freedoms we enjoy the most fundamental responsibility income without each individual is to register and to vote don't question about it I was in government I speak people in government the ones that vote other people that count those are the people that are important that shows that we are a community we mean something we're important then they'll they'll take notice it's it's and I cannot stress it enough and and the more local the more important because let's be real you know presidential election that's very important that I'm not downgrading it it's very important people should vote and the President says the direction for the nation of foreign policy that's all that but you know the person on the street on Main Street uh the president's not good old the person I made to be voted for him it's just too many people but the local elected official hello uh May 3 Ninjas this quarter how many votes came out of this election District yeah definitely they will see that about yeah and that community and that Community is for a traffic light hey you know something they all voted they're about to come out of both I bet I bet they come to the traffic like because if not they won't fall for me next time 100 you're gonna touch upon the situation and uh in in our country in the city what's what's happening over there uh how can we have helped by khalisto so we know that is really what what what what guys is it is Jewish Education just for the record it would upstairs where we're sitting right now the second floor is our Yeshiva placement division I've been there I've seen it two pairings the importance of a Jewish Education thank you Hashem over 1500 kids have transferred from public schools she was an amazing thing and uh yeah so it's all about I'll say two things I'll start with a with a with um it's tour talk so yeah in Ocean right is that it was an ancient idol worship it's hard to understand but a child but spot will take a child to the priest and walk him through fire that was a ancient idol worship Taurus says walk through fire purus says Hashem right the issue I'll put my my face whatever means that person Rashi explains that nicely I'll take my time whatever God as a word as we understand is doing will take her from his time and concentrate on punishing that person why that why that simple as medicines there are the most sensible morality there are sins of idol worship why is that one sin the Torah so strictly God says I'll take what stop what I'm doing and deal with this person so I saw Birmingham the Blessed member of the Mir Yeshiva says a beautiful foot he says a person sins he sins I'll get punished for it that's bad enough you bring it you got your child involved and he said in Giddish yeah he says that's the worst thing is that Hashem will take all his time Hashem will make sure do nothing else take that you don't mess you don't fool around with education you don't be a child you want you want to serve Idols that's bad enough you you bring your child in power that that Hashem will God will be on top of that and so I just today I was that I'm this neighborhood I was doing voter registration in schools and I tell the schools look I said what's the purpose of a school yeah you learn and you learn today studies you learn whether it's from a sugar of course there are Taurus studies and the second part learn mathematics in English every school has their own curriculum but it's really one purpose of a school more than anything else the purpose of a school is all the subjects are means to an end it means to an end the purpose of a school is to develop students prepare them for success in life that's the purpose and that's why schooling has and every school does differently some schools will concentrate more on this more on that subjects you learn in school yeah you learn how to write good learn how to read you need that in life but basically you prepare them for Life how is she this at our hundreds of thousands of kids that have gone through yeshivas in the last 75 areas since the since after the Holocaust prepare them for life I mean a graduate we're prepared for Life a minute remember trigonometry from high school but I I do know that um my we get we we taught has handled us Jews we taught proper ethics we're told how to conduct themselves and the results are we have communities that are happy that of our most successful thriving crime is very low just a borrow pack which is like the largest Jewish Community just recently had a study the lowest crime in the city the lowest crime rate lowest crime that lowest drug is the entire city but for instance was very proud of that he obviously represents it but it should be because um and why because if she was produced people they put those people and they produced people that are ready for life so we can't have someone interfere with our cynic with our education since the beginning of bureaucrats the politicians tell us how to how to enter the kids we do a good job I just saw uh an article just the other day of a I don't want to mention the name but certainly a um was involved in the picket official I'm not elected official but someone who was about and they they said that uh they they some of us who's talking about public schools and they said these people that advocacy private schools or private schools like us are starving our Public Schools starving our public excuse me you know New York state would of course to educate what child New York State and public schools thirty six thousand dollars the latest figure of 36 yeah over 30 000 Styles per student the entertain a child what are we getting for that well very I'll read this course of law Math course of Love listen I'm not here I I support Public Schools I have no problem with the football but they should be good because but telling us how to write our schools everybody else was we're doing a good job so this is the most important battle going on right now the independence of our film that's ongoing it's going on the last seven or eight years and it continues that's ongoing at klystro people never give up the right to educate our kids the way we decide where our principles our educational boards decide how to do it not how bureaucrats are so not how many hours how many courses we know we we've done we've been successful we produce successful graduates and we'll continue doing that way and that's how we that's why it's so important the battle of the education is such a crucial thing for us and for the average person again how do they get involved by this by making should be registered making sure going out to vote and being vocal last year 350 000 people or so raised their voices I mean because they know the importance of how the importance of of the Finish oh wait perfect no we're not perfect that and and but by and large we've had tremendous success whether it's whether it's yeshiv or not whatever whatever type it is so being politically active and sober what would you say a story or an incident something that sticks out that gave you a lot of Pride whether it's really yes situation whether it's in here whether it's a person in prison whether it's regards to violations anything sticks out maybe Electronics yeah I don't know if they stick side I I will say one thing about it I gotta open it I'm proud of it and everybody knows you there and I wear my little good opinion on my lapel I put it on my airplane my little lapel Pinot I'm very proud of it I once had in a meeting with an elected official and he said inappropriate word I'm not saying who was is that important or was it something inappropriate Rabbi I'm sorry I shouldn't take the lord's name of vain I've heard about holy mailings I'm not a holy man but I think that for us and the sunbusters your the local settlement here is a great person he probably was Senator Felder a few others uh in the state and um someone Ari Brown uh where probably was a yamaka um and uh in the city here and maybe a few others and it's incumbent upon us to make a kidish Hashem we have to be held to the highest standards we are out to Iris then we want to be able we we we bring it upon us we want to be held to higher standards I think being there um representing I'm not as an individual maybe I'll take a picture with a politician but I'm the representing dozens of people that's important for us to represent ourselves right and to know we're on display and to know that we're presenting cholesterol and to make a connection to sanctify God's name I think more than anything um that's we try to convey or out that we try to convey that and we're very proud of our community we have nothing to hide we're proud of our community we're proud of our children we're proud about schools we're proud of our groups like this do some great work and there's nowhere where you see I've heard um just the other day after a story the other day about our group um I had someone who's very you know not really it's not really doesn't live in New York listen out of state and the person um couldn't get his car started second got his car spotted yeah it's amazing we figured I was still we accomplished throughout everything we do well it's javem or at Sola or Tom Clash all the other great organizations every single one of them do such great things for every organization um somebody once said everything the city has we have a corresponding organization that have an EMS we have about sold that but please we have a showroom so on and so on they have a triple A we have a Javier and it this is what could you this is what yeshiva's teach us the Yeshiva the the world of kindness It's All About we're absent what kind of people we have to be um pre-war rights that in leftover managers no I'm not talking about I I um I'm very proud to carry the same name I feel myself I almost feel myself because I was as student of this by reading his work so we have to be a pipe because I've seen we have to apply to give to others that's why we're here we're here only forgive the others when we say that means we have to feel not just say feel we're there to give we hear this world to give to others but I have to the word is which means love how do you love a person to give by giving to others the more we give to others the more we have the everywhere comes over so inspiring so important timely messages uh I know that there is primaries coming up and this Torah talk of this podcast is on for all times so people could hear and take the message to Heart about being registered going had to vote they see it makes a difference for qualities of the Jewish people just recently in Far Rockaway not far one vote what was it a few votes difference 15 votes and it took votes and weeks it took weeks to determine the winner with absentee ballots and and going on curing belts and going to court your votes count and you know something cool but the best person you feel best and if you don't like candidates write something and don't like it don't just go on a shop go in there because they don't know who you go if they do a thing about and go in and make that collection have your voice get involved write a letter send an email make a phone call go to Albany it all makes a difference we show we're an evolved Community our community gets benefits and and we get this Medina said this uh this country that's so good to us will allow us to live and Thrive as proper Torah juice to be as good the Google is for a final message but I feel like the final message was going out the milk registering being involved that is really the final message that's that is the normal bigger message of that whether it's uh this year in primary or next year will be a bigger election but stay involved I keep involved that and and that's this little big message and that amazing Chicago for everything you do for Claudia Israel kazak we really really appreciated until the Google accounts we want to thank all of our amazing uh listeners we want to thank all the podcasts that are holding this platform of Torah talks Torah talks uh touring time daily giving a dollar day goes a very far away thank you to them Robbie not telling mayor the whole team over here at sazak I appreciate all your great work guys and uh keep in mind everyone right now is prime time it's the most important time to reach out to kazak and let us know if you have any family members friends neighbors that are interested in Yeshiva education before the September school years when it's very very busy uh well all their ends will guide them throughout the process we've had tremendous see how to destroying success in this process if whatever reason it doesn't work out with the Yeshiva placement we have after school programs Sunday school programs teens Edition program get involved make a difference and of course uh suggestions for future tour talks are always welcome please send it our way to infant khazak.org info at cjzaq.org tour talks Tuesday nights 8 30 PM Eastern Standard Time with special guest once again thank you Robbie silver thank you