TorahMates Together: An Evening of Unity - Adults Program

good evening thank you so much for joining my name is Harry foster I am so honored so honored and delighted to be here with you tonight yes we are together we are together we're very very much apart but we're together we're very much together he name is Uma know him behold it is so good and so sweet cheves I'm him Gallo card when brothers and sisters get together it is said over in from the ZOA that that says a beautiful beautiful concept he nee and he reads it as follows he named mightor for my name behold it is so good it is so sweet Chevis at him when brothers get together when brothers and sisters get together for any kind of good cause when brothers and sisters get together for something so then gallo cod also the yucca the epitome of x are the epitome of one which is God in heaven is the one he's also their God so to speak also comes and joins a gathering when brothers and sisters get together so at a time like this when we're so much the world looks at it as we're so apart we're distance and everybody's in their own corner and everybody's away true physically we have to be separated unfortunately for right now that's the way that's the way God wants it that's the way it has to be for right now hopefully it's not for much longer hopefully very very soon we'll be able to get together but we find a way to get together even though we're apart and we get together for a good cause we get together for a course to learn tire and to bring light into the world so therefore no question that God y'all had the one and only the one and only God Himself is here tonight to joining joining this endeavor and it's our hope it's our prayer that this hour of learning with our tournaments put in made such a tremendous tremendous noise I made such a tremendous impact in Treme I'm up in heaven and hopefully hopefully we should see an end to to the world situation hopefully very soon on that note we're going to hear in a few minutes we're going to hear some words of inspiration from our our spiritual leader rabbi Mintz but before we do that perhaps we were going to get together and together we're going to say one Parekh of the hilum one chapter in psalms and we're gonna read feel free I'm gonna pause after each sentence for just a moment to give you a chance to repeat for those who would like to repeat after me or feel free to say it along together with me and we're going to read Parekh cough lammott that's chapter 130 in to hilum and we pray for our brothers and sisters all over the world that this should be for a reefer they should have a speedy recovery for those for those who are ill and for the many that are out of work and in need of financial assistance in this in this desperate times everything everything should come together and all good things should come into place very very soon shear amyloids me mama came colossi I don't know a shimmer because the heat pianos Nahor cashew parties Lakota con una hora he never knew his dish more yo I don't know Amy young boy he costly for Lamont evil [Music] and now it's an honor and a pleasure always to introduce the founder and leader of our family of the earth family rabbi hiyya Mintz who's always there for us every step of the way to give us the spiritual guidance that that we need and specifically in times like this we turn to our rabbis and our leaders so rabbi Mintz with all respect and honor that that they deserve we asked rabbi means to please give us some words of inspiration for for this time what a special day this day go down go down in Jewish history the men used to come second day of year I have 780 the thousands of men women and children for one hour study Tyrel diligently thousands all over the world getting together the termites that's a very special day the Jewish calendar second day of ear we are looking for ways and means to try to talk God into removing this terrible plague we'll call it that's going around the world and causing such havoc as such paying to so many people we try all different means and ways of course we try in the physical way and these in a way that through modern technology to doctors but we know the bottom line is that it's up to God he has to stop it it's up to us so I did to itself to speak to stop it what could be a better way happen that the study of Torah taurah is the magic which created the Jewish people and keeps the two people's with people going through all problems so I'll be able decrees through all service and problems that we go through taro is what is the real medicine and that's what happened today that so many thousands of our Jewish brethren men women and children dedicated this hour to study Torah our rabbis tell us a person who does not feel well a headache sore throat stomach ache is all body is hurting what is the answer yosik bottarga he should study Torah the Torah is a cure for a person's problems physical problems how does that work why is it so studying Tara opening a book how does that affect our body opening a book of Torah which is spiritual our body's physical how can that help us then ourselves but every Jewish Studies Torah it can help anybody in the world how does that work because Torah is God's principles Torah is God's Word his ideas Tyra and God are inseparable so we're gonna consummate me so basically Lucado we say Shem the Torah and the Jews people are old one where there is Torah there is God there's God this total that means that anytime we do studies Torah wherever it might be in the world he's bringing God close to himself into the whole world and we're God is found all blessings have found God is the source of all blessings of all goodness of all health of all financial success God is the source of all type of blessing in the world so therefore when we study Torah which is God's idea and principles he's there he's inseparable with his turret there's God and therefore when the two studies Torah he's being got close to the creation to this world and with that comes along all blessings blessings to keep people who are healthy to stay healthy people who hospital not healthy to become healthy this is the power of Torah fantastic power of Torah we see people rushing Hadsell the people ambulance is going to save lives all of us when we study Torah we are at other people we're saving lives because we're bringing down that Shems blessing to the world and that is really what is the bottom line which is going to save the Jewish people and any problem that they might go through has to show them including this particular problem that we're going through right now and all of you that put aside this hour of studying Torah tonight today you brought down to the world a fantastic amount of Sheva brachot to the world and no doubt there's no doubt whatsoever many people are benefiting from that study that was done today thousands of people studying Torah it makes it tremendously effect in heaven from which comes down the chef abraca from the bounty of blessings that Shem gives to the world you can be a failure at sell a person everybody study Torah whether it's today or do we learn tonight or tomorrow you are a tell the person because you were bringing down chef a broker maybe you know hear the sirens bursting out with noise but in heaven they hear it and the future will be someday a God will exposes and show us what we did what we accomplished will hear the sirens and the future what happened at the time in our lives and our lifetime when we put our talents and the power and energy into studying Torah of bringing blessings to the world we have to think to ourselves that just like now we did such a noble act of studying Torah we have to keep it going he got a physic god you shot in the arm studying Torah for this hour that we all participated in and now let's take that and keep it going maybe add a little bit more and and the year for the for this safety of all our Jewish brothers and sisters and children that are at risk all over the world maybe add a little bit more time to bring down this Sheva brachot to bring down this great power of blessing from our Shemp through the Torah studying Torah let's try to get other people involved let's try to get other people there gets termites people and their families really mediate families people in our aunts uncles grandparents grandchildren neighbors friends every person who studies Torah brings down this great chef a broth of this great blessing from Hashem samarium and it's not without any doubt it's having a big effect on this whole situation that we're in it's bringing up to a higher level of kedusha of holiness and rahman and mercy and and and Hashem kindness to the world when we study Torah we have to realize what a great honor and privilege it is for us she woke up and making blessing everyday in the tertiary book I wonder Cole I mean some truck shows us from all the nations no Celeste her us he gave us his Torah he did not give it any other nation only to the Jewish people because we have descendants I promise come the Ark of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Sarah Rebecca and Leah and Rachel our forefathers and foremothers prayed to write the matrix of the Jewish people and there's clothes and their greatness since we're their offspring of Shem gave us the Torah we said before the time as God's principles as God Himself simply scepter inseparable from the Torah and he gave us his great honor and privilege to study Torah we sit down so in Tarot we have to realize what are we doing we're studying God's Torah God is so close to us every word of tur that we say nobody what we're learning whether it's Gamora whether it's Mishnah is whether it turns him except a written Torah and so it's a love base anybody who even can't even read Hebrew and is learning the algebra is gimel dalet ever every out letter of the Torah is so holy every time we learn the Aleph if we see what's happening Shema him in heaven the big tunnel and everything's happening so man when the first says word one light of the Torah he's learning the a love base if the child is learning it or even adults learning it the angels in heaven are swelling or full of fear and awe from the Jewish people studying the Torah because this is how shams Torah is that shims knowledge every letter in it that's 22 letters in the allenburys have special conducive specially holiness special significance every letters has own great significance of its own so nobody should take well whether I don't know the time I don't whatever I know I never studied before and I just have to start from the beginning makes a difference where you start from it's me friend from the other place like I'm saying every connection the studying of Torah is the greatest Mitzvah that we have in the 613 laws of the tournament Torah is the most outstanding one the greatest one why because we're connecting session person as an Aleph a base he's connected to Hashem he's bringing us come down to the world he's bringing out blessings to the whole world and God because of the great love for us like we say today I'm a robber I'm telling someone came oh he's great love to us in the Jewish people and toward forefathers that's why he gave us the Torah but we got it no other nation that will gather we have to appreciate realize it not taken for granted named is great honor and for the privilege of studying Torah and being able to get the effects of Tonga to bring into our lives and lives of all our Jewish people the wild lives of the whole world whole world all benefits from Jews learning Torah whether Jewish or not Jewish even the non-jews have been it from it and if it's my boss saying because it was close to the Brio John's bringing as close to the world that he created once he's close he's the source of all blessing so let's keep up the good work everybody keep our torah made strong try to add on a little bit trying other people to participate and keep praying that Julie Turner and Philip learning tournament and protest sharing these are too mighty objects that's going to stop the problem that we're living through and I shall pray to Him he should have mothers at mercy upon us and relish of this terrible plague that's circling us going around the world and all those that are healthy should say healthy and all those who were not healthy should become wealthy that Shems should show his love to the whole world that he has the Jewish people and bring a speedy redemption machine here in Bangor Maine Oh Maine thank you so much for every mince as always in the time of need as individuals perhaps we each have our tour mate that we can lean on and and and talk to but as a group there is nobody nobody better than our leader amendments and me thank you so much for for those words definitely very very uplifting so that's a reminder elements mentioned to increase tour mates perhaps there's somebody on here now that doesn't have a tour mate regularly or perhaps you know somebody that that would be interested in the tornado you don't even know that you'll be interested it may may be worth just offering it to them you don't you don't know you may be giving them life itself suggests that certainly suggests it tour mates that org is the place to go if the phone easier it's 1 877 Torah 1 2 3 Taurus pelty o r8h and then the numbers 1 2 3 that's the place to go to sign up for tournaments if you haven't yet done so or you know somebody that I haven't done do them a favor this is the probably the best gift that you can give somebody is get them signed up with the tournament and I'll prove it because we're gonna hear some words from a couple of tour mates some people that are our current tour mates have been learning for some time and have been involved in tournaments for a little bit and we're gonna get to hear their perspective so we'll get to hear firsthand and sometimes it's not just hearing even for those of us who are tour mates hearing somebody else's perspective may give us us if if nothing else it'll definitely be a source of inspiration so it's definitely it's definitely worth it's definitely worth the time so we're gonna start off with dr. Greenberg good evening dr. Greenberg my instant actor Vivek has been a total mate for for some time now uh you should be unmuted doc can you come here you okay I'm okay okay terrific welcome this really your background is certainly very impressive you know and I mean the physical background I'm sure your family background to the background behind you I don't know if somebody painted that or that reveal but either way it's certainly very impressive thank you I'm in my office so that's great I'm jealous a doctor with an office like that so you've already inspired me and you haven't even said anything yet okay so let's hear your history Thomas how long have you been at Army so it's probably going on about must be about 10 11 years we actually start in a very interesting way our youngest son was a lifeguard at the zone and he got through his first summer and he came back and he told us that his amazing place and you need tour mates and we found that both of those things were correct it's an amazing place and we did our mates so both my wife and I have had tour mates now for again around 10 years I guess or nine years and if I can interrupt me just a moment just clarify something so it doesn't get confusing there are two tour mate programs and what dr. Greenberg is talking about is where his son was in at the zone for those who are not familiar the zone is over summer camp both as a campus both for boys its campus for girls with a full full summer and hopefully hopefully God willing this summer - hopefully this this Demick will end in time and hopefully hopefully we'll be running we certainly are planning that way and in camp every every child in camp is paired up with a staff member and they have their own their own little tour mates and uh perhaps in a junior version but they own that they aren't they each each zodiac as they're called each camper gets their own tour mate and that lasts not just in the summer that goes throughout the year dr. McGee remember your son hogging the phone once a week for a half hour that's what it was he was on the phone with his tour mate and for the adult program it's a separate program but it's the same the same same concept well our son's turn eight was in California so it was they also had to coordinate times as well so mine and my wife's were a little bit closer so it was a little bit easier but but he he definitely our son definitely inspired us and we've been very inspired by the different tour mates that I had that I've had over the years I have two right now and they both are awesome they've they have amazing questions we have the opportunity to discuss things and more importantly I think that where as importantly we've developed a real relationship that transcends just our once-a-week learning we have shared each other simcoe's we've gone they've joined us here in Lakewood in our home for Shabbos for Yom Tov and it's been a very very very special thing so that I really feel that we've gained it tremendously from the terminates program and of course our learning and we've learned different things over the course of the years but it's always there always engaging and amazing questions and I just enjoy learning with them tremendously so it's it's been it's been a big inspiration for me Wow so there definitely are some positives to it fine what would you say just just being being honest and realistic what do you find is the biggest obstacle that you have to overcome to to keep the learning going that's a good question I guess the we all have different things that come up in our lives and so it's sometimes challenging to keep the exact same time every week fortunately I think the people I've been learning with have been pretty flexible and I'm because of my schedule I'm actually able to be flexible myself so we've been able to work things out but the challenge is ideally I think it's best to have a specific time of week that you do it every week but things come up and you know we all have kids and things things happen that sort of get in the way of a regular schedule but we've been able to work it out and the important thing I think is just being sure that we're doing it every single week without fail sometimes we've actually done it more than once a week we've put in some extra time but I think that's probably the biggest challenge once you've already established a relationship with it are mate beautiful beautiful any words of wisdom that you can say to somebody who has not yet joined us at our mate what would you tell them so I think that this program is it's an it's an amazing program and I think that I would I would suggest that people give it a try I I haven't spoken to anybody who hasn't found it to be something that's been valuable to them they've always learned something they've developed relationships and I what I would say is at least give it a try and I think you'll like it but I think you have to jump in first they the coordinators the tourmate coordinators make it very easy to set something up you heard earlier how you can try to connect up with with aura with at our mates program and I would suggest that not only those on the call who haven't tried it yet to try it but even more so get other people to try it as well because I think there's lots of people out there who could benefit from the trend is program beautiful dr. Greenberg I really appreciate your time thank you so much man if any of your children are still looking for a summer program I'm not sure if there are positions that it's so available for lifeguards in camp but who knows we're getting close to grandchildren so your face definitely doesn't show it so all right okay we're going to move on to another tour mate see if we can find him Yona Tommy yeah the only time that you there the only time uh-oh no time is coming in the owner has got to get hooked up all the way from where is it Fort Lauderdale where are you now you gotta unmute yourself myself here you go okay yeah okay your honor you did the only time we watched your video well now he's good oh you're on there we go look at that I don't know why you're not the only one I see there's a lot of story people here know I'm not shy you're not shy when I see a lot of videos I wrote I couldn't figure either sue it's my first time you do something my children do it every day you know learning online oh wow yeah we're getting used to this new reality yes all right you said there's a lot of technology you can use run from your children yes trust me they know a lot more than you them all right okay you have time yes how long have you been at our maid I believe it's been two years right now two years already two years I think Abby is every is hearing it so you can jump in if you want but I think it's I think it's been two years yeah me mean Abby it starts from school so my wife started the first program and then she told me you should try it so I did well I got thanked it with my metal rosenberger and he connected me with an amazing and amazing person Abby great coordinators just so people understand what we're talking about is just one person there are many people in our number of people in the office in the office that coordinate there are men that coordinate or mates for men and there are women that coordinate our mates for women I think those those perhaps will feel a little shy and you know I'm not sure I don't know what this rabbi is gonna set me up with don't worry about the rabbi because if you're a woman you're gonna be talking to the Rebbetzin and not the rabbit okay so give us an idea what are you learning with youth army so we're learning myself it well you know we're doing my second birthday we're doing the bet now we finished I left our hotel look now we're doing my second powerful base oh wow yeah the Gemara Oh the kymaro oh wow yeah they gave re the whole come on right here okay so we're doing guys look at that tournaments get so sophisticated tournaments those from from the olive bed I'm from the learning to Hebrew the Hebrew alphabet all the way until tomorrow and then beyond you community that's fantastic it's been amazing and amazing a journey you know I mean I'd be like we're very connected we talk all the time we love each other this guy's amazing I can't say anything bad about him and the whole the whole experience with the hora he's been amazing as well I got my brother involved he I think he started like maybe a month ago or so it Aurra how beautiful so yeah you're going around recruiting look at that yeah okay I know it's a physic you know the closer you get to a shame you know more créditos how big it's fantastic how big is the Jewish community out there in Fort Lauderdale very big tournament oh no nominee over my tour mates I think it's time to find out yeah cuz connect I don't know I don't know that there are enough nobody I know it might community yeah I'm pretty sure your honor talking I work to do start recruiting that's it by the end but the end of this week we want at least five more peers at our mates that's not the show okay so you find in the morning no no not her no it's amazing if any questions that have we exchanged everything to me and it's being good doing good you know did you get other than your brother anybody else in your immediate family got signed up with hermit no it's my brother his wife me and my wife software I mean every time do we in the community and we talk and we ask people some of them do have tour like some of them are connected to aura to tour mates yeah okay well being out there in Florida other than tournaments have you been involved in any of programs into the campus the campus no okay are your children of camp a um that good my oldest is at eight close getting close very close I'm not sure exactly what the very very close yeah eight nine I may be old enough that a boy or girl no my horses a girl and then I have two other boys yeah very nice yeah very very nice what would you say was the initial obstacle that made it the MiG that was the hardest thing to get over in order to get started I didn't really have an obstacle to be answer to your country I wanted it I wanted to make it happen and and that's it the the most difficult thing is you know keeping up with time it's a time of sadness that time I guess so if anybody else out there is listening you know anybody else who's part of this program now who's saying to themselves you know tour mates I really love to do it I did it once we did it for a little while but then things fell through and I got busy and my tour mate got busy and it just you know it just fizzled out what I'm hearing now is it's never it's never to wait really get started start start start again today I'm hiking back I expect you on a time that after we've finished tomorrow the the tournament coordinators I can have the phone's ringing off the hook I don't know how am i working from the office how many am i working from home I don't even know but I'm sure the phones are gonna be ringing off the hook and hopefully we can get some of those old Atari mates back yeah why not listen when there's well this power you know UK there's you can make the time half an hour 45 minutes you can make it you just gotta work it out you know here once you do the first two weeks you're you're in it and it once you're in it it's amazing fantastic the only thing I have one more challenging question and if you don't feel comfortable answering this you can say it's okay it's just between me and you you can say let's get this one that's okay okay can you describe if any any kind of change that learning with the time I made made on your life in general not just other than the fact that you're learning you wanted to learn and you sign up at our making your learning that's beautiful you can describe the change it has made your life in any other way that would be fantastic wait give me more of a heads-up you know I don't I don't get Mara with him beautiful along tomorrow in the synagogue is all the time I learn more and other stuff you know but I don't get Mara so it's getting me closer to learning so you feel like you see the guy yeah okay so that's that's definitely a boost that's a boost that's a tremendous boost the self esteem tremendous boost and every time we learn I learned something you know you know all right okay but yeah how do and just the religious practice is in general if you notice the difference yeah you find that it spills over that once once we're learning Torah a steadily it did you know all everything else falls into place yeah our prayers become a little bit better it becomes easier to pray it becomes easier to do mitzvahs because we're more connected to God have you felt that at all exactly of course of course fantastic you're on a time a tremendous source of inspiration we wish you the best looking healthy boy crush em and they don't okay betting your family is okay through this crisis hopefully you're looking to stay that stay that way and keep on learning and make our drought amen thank you so much and next we're going to hear from Yonatan story mate is Yonatan storm right here right let's let everybody see how are you I'm just able just a me yes do you know what our rabbis teach us that a first will is his honor however you want to be called that's the honor maybe a bee instead come all the way from from Milwaukee real quick can I just give a shout-out to my aunt's who I saw on here quiz contest her Terkel town I saw her scrolling through always looking for my table Russa nice did not know she was a tour mate but I'm very proud well just because she's on here could be she's not and if she's not then what a shout-out is tanta it's time to get a tournament somebody out there is waiting to learn with you one thing about my name starting with an a she always calls me so next time she calls me I'll make sure she has a tour me she stop there you go she starts in alphabetical order she goes she goes she goes down to contact was an alphabetical order and you always thought that you were a favor favorite nephew then I am also okay maybe it's just alphabetical order alright so you've been learning with the owner town for two years he says around two years yeah bark which I'm tonight we finished the six pack of office omega see you tonight yes beautiful finished it fantastic have you been at home ad format or words you're learning with the owner time as I was before but it wasn't it was time for changed that happens and then render metal called me he set us up and it's been a match made in heaven as they say fantastic what do you find the benefits of learning with the time a time I mean we got to meet your new town and he's a wonderful guy and you know anybody with him to say those things they happen to be true about him but I did not say those pale but I gained a deeper insight and learning when I learn with him I understand more the Gemara what it's saying I have to prepare so I'm able to get a deeper insight instead of just skimming through fantastic teaching somebody tour of what I'm hearing a be saying teaching somebody toga is not is not is not giving charity it's not we're it's not it's not like giving away something that well even charity I'm not losing so that was not that was not a good example I think that back giving giving away I rabbits compared teaching Torah to a candle if one has a with candle and then you take an unlit candle and light it from the candle it doesn't take away fire from the end from the original candle even though now a second candle was lit it doesn't take away from the from the initial fire as a matter of fact by Torah they'd be saying that it's even greater because the one who's teaching toga gets to learn it better while he's teaching I mean what you don't with the owner turn that interest gain of a Bruce I getting a little brother I mean in another family level beautiful beautiful some some call it a friend and a bee calls it a family member he is truly that if tour mates was made just for us it was worth it it wasn't for us it's buried for thousands of people I got Baruchel after telling my wife how much I love my covers out Grady is she joined bar Christian she now has a brew so she learns with fantastic maybe do you have an idea how many how many partnerships there are now how many people are learning now with a cover so with the term eight just under the auspices of restore image I'm gonna say not enough because until every Jewish person is doing it it's not gonna be in the right that's true ten thousand oh we're getting there we're getting there it's not up to ten thousand yet but I believe it's about individuals we're roughly about about two and a half thousand partnerships that work to do yes we got lots of work to do so for anybody anybody who missed it before its tour mates with an S tour mates org I'm gonna put it on the chat for everybody tour mates org or 1 877 tour one two or three for those who didn't sign up what would be your sales pitch his nose pitch to to get everybody wants to sign up it changes your life it is a life changer it changes your life for the better everybody is saying so far so far everybody was saying that their hardest thing about learning with autonomy was the timing yes barca chef he's busy with work I'm busy with work with the kids at home now it's getting a little more difficult and when we miss a week or two we get a call from Ethel what's going on which is good we love methyl ethyl Rosenberg is amazing but then we once we connect again it's like just getting a recharge getting plugged in getting your battery filled and then you want to go again and again and again and and it just gives you feeis it gives you like to keep going beautiful and for the record she has four tour mates my head so who has full tournament my hand for tournaments uh-huh you just found that out while we were talking yes oh my goodness maybe we should put it on here too which would you want to come on I can ask her I don't want to put it on the spot think it was hurt yeah that was her who texted me should we put her on the spot you know more better she lives in Chicago I can't know anything so I'm not gonna put her on if I can't find them anyway thank you thank you a B and thank you Jonathan thank you dr. Greenberg and of course and of course thank you as always thank you to every mins for for everything yes I'm sorry if you can find her all right well we'll take a look [Music] thank you so much everybody for joining it's been a tremendous inspiration and the concept tonight of getting everybody together and and learning for one hour and and making this this tremendous impact even though we physically can't feel it it certainly makes an impact in heaven hopefully we should accomplish two things number one we should accomplish for for the current situation that we're in and and it should it should make the difference to God in heaven and and we should see I'll see our way out of this and then make very very very quickly and hopefully this will be a tremendous boost to the learning of all of us we all need a little bit of his look a little bit of inspiration a little bit of a push every now and then but now now that we got this push this should be the push going forward to to learn properly and hopefully we should that learning should spill over to the rest of our observance in mitzvahs and bring us closer to God thank you everybody for joining have a wonderful day [Music]