Community Magazine March 2009

אברה להכוונת יהדות I הארגון AS D 30 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Lost & T he flyers are a bright yellow. They can be found all over our com- munity, in stores, café’s, eater- ies, salons, and anywhere that independent young people frequent. These are the places where they hang out, where they go to get away from it all and try to reinvent themselves in the mirror of a confusing world. These are a part of our youth, dis- enfranchised and misplaced, out on the streets, distant and yet at the same time, so close to the Judaism we know as home. The flyers read, “Shabbat Dinner for Yisraelim- Religious People Not Allowed”. Then they come, a whole lot of them, hundreds of young men and women. All different types show up, some come with piercings in their ears, lips, noses, eyebrows and tongues. Some have their hair dyed in an assortment of colors, while there are those with Mohawks, pony tails, and shaved heads. Then there are others in search of a spiritual compass. They pack themselves in, cramping into a small synagogue on East 3rd Street between Avenues U and V called Beth El. Soon the place will be filled with the singing of Shalom Alechem. Some smile, and others, overcome by emotion, will shed a tear. This program is specifically for people like them. No one gawks and no one stares. Here they are given a chance. It is Friday night, the Sabbath is settling in, and their souls are kindled. It is easy to feel lost in the grandiose scheme of life. It is easy to lose our sense of individuality and to feel unimportant. This especially holds true for those who are young and are so vulnerable to the influ- ences of the world. They fool themselves into believing that in some way they are advancing, while not knowing the direction in which they are headed. They become misguided and their spirituality, whatever they may have had, is lost as they are drowned in the sea of Western culture. Seizing an Opportunity The Talmud (Chagigah 12b) states, “Woe to the people who see but do not realize what they are seeing”. This article is about someone’s realization of what he was see- ing. It is about a program that is the lifeline being used to bring back lost souls. This is where they, their children, the future of Judaism and the Jewish people can be saved. At the helm of this venture is a seemingly ordinary man accomplishing something extraordinary. If you saw him, you would likely pass him by without notice. His dress is casual and he appears no different from anyone else. You would never know that his lineage is from a long line of distinguished rabbis. You would never discern that he grew up in Bnei Brak, Israel, one of the most religious communities in the world. You would not have the slightest idea of the holiness that emanates from him. He has a heart that only knows how to give, and eyes that simply see what it means to be created in the image of Hashem. This is Asher Ben Tov, a truly special soul residing in our midst. Many young Israelis travel to the Far East upon completing military service and then proceed to New York, with no fam- ily and little knowledge about Judaism. Two years ago, Asher Ben Tov saw the Then Found Asher Ben Tov RON FINKELSTEIN