Agudah convention 2013 Thursday night plenary session recap- Photos and videos

The 91st Agudah convention got underway, the Thursday night sessions focused on Chinuch.There were other concurrent sessions following the plenary session on various topics and issues. A special kumzitz with Eitan Katz took place with Thursday night cholent attended by the young leadership members. Click HERE for a report on the Motzei Shabbos keynote session- recap
Click HERE for pictures and photo of Thursday night session video shown at convention.

Rav Mattisyahu Solomon at the 2013 Agudah convention 

Hamodia convention report click  HERE (only reports part of Rav Benders speech)
Rav Elya Brudny- Video of speech HERE
Opened with the convention theme" chanoch lnaar ensuring the future". He said there is no quick fix to ensure the future, but if we strengthen ourselves  and uplift ourselves, our children will see that and continue in our ways. Today we have a nisayon of bechirah  he said over from Rav Hutner zatzal that the kefirah of this dor will be in bechirah. People think there isn't more i can do and we seem to just stay were we are, not looking to gow in ruchniyus and elevate ourselves. If we dont make the effort, our children will say the same thing why should we strive if their parents don't put in the extra effort. We must work on ourselves to be mechazek in our kvias itim latorah, let us have a uplifting shabbos meal with a dvar torah and zemiros. lets take interest when our child shares a vort from their rebbe or morah. Lets take the opportunity to speak to our children and remind them were they come from how yiddishkeit was in previous generations.

If we elevate ourselves and live a life of bemitzvosav chofetz meod we will be zoche to ensure the future for our children and and zoche to bnei banim harei hem kebanim.

Rav Yaakov Bender- Video of speech HERE

 people are worried whats going to be with my child, lets look at the positive it can be done all we need is a little warmth, a little caring, and a smile. A talmid becomes a talmid chochom not by seeing a rebbe a talmid chochom but by seeing a caring rebbe a talmid chochom. Its not that hard, said rabbi Bender, just show your children that you care. However, the example must be set at home. Every father and mother are nesiim  leaders our kids are watching us. kids today are running to yeshiva they want to learn they have a cheshek. unlike in our generation when we would put the thermometer on the radiator hoping to get off and go back home.You can say no to your children as long as you do it with a little caring and warmth. Our job is to understand that its our achrayus to be there for our children. 

 lamenting those who Talk about a Gadol Hador

 Rav Bender then went on to lament those who are talking against the gadol hador Rav Shteinman shlita. We are in a matzav were everybody has a deah there is abaya and rava and than me. There is a tremendous amount of bittul gong around and its trickelling down to us. Let us be mekabel to make our homes with kedusha vetahara and we will be zoche that all the gedolim will lead us to EY bimeherah beyameinu amen.

 Rav Mattisyahu Solomon- watch Video of speech HERE

The pasuk says chanoch lnaar al pi darko gam ki yazkin lo yassur mimenu,educate a child according to his own style with which he will accept what you tell him so even when hes older, lo yasur mimenu. You want him to be a mechunach his whole life and strive for higher steps in  life that he would continue doing it for the rest of his life. Chinuch is an investment in a child. One of the yesodos we have to understand is  there is bechirah. Today's generation are confronted with great nisyonos and temptations Bechirah tells us how to teach our children to say no. A child hears the father has a ratzon and he overcame it that's what chinuch is- to teach a child how to confront an issue and say no.

Rav Lazer Yehuda Finkel gives a shiur at the yarchei kallah

The mashgiach than stressed how we are influenced in the way we speak. children have to hear us talking in a ruchniyusdiker language. The nisayon in chinuch today is labeled "all my friends"  when parents want to live a principled life and expect their children to follow in their ways kids always complain and counter with- but all my friends do this and have this. If we give in to them said the mashgiach we are not showing love, parents are worried said the mashgiach, they see what happens to other children who have gone astray and give in to whatever the child wants. The answer is to teach them how to say no, if we can explain that to our children in their own language that will be the best chinuch. Ubacarta bachaim lmaan tichyeh ata vezaracha, the results of using bechirah correctly we will be zoche to lmaan tichyeh. 

Hornsteipler Rebbe Rav Mordechai Twersky

Eitan Katz kumzitz