ABOUT US
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
The Dream
It was sometime before Succos in 1992 that two of our founders began to
discuss their mutual dream to create a Makom Tefilah (a place of worship)
that would also be a center of Torah study and Kiruv (Jewish outreach). They
were driven by their yearning to infuse more spirituality and a new energy into
their davening (prayer) and learning, and they were confident that others in the
Woodmere community shared this desire. To some, this might have been an
"impossible dream". In addition to the fact that no congregation or facility yet
existed, let alone the funds to pay for them, they knew that a Rav, a spiritual
leader and Talmid Chacham (learned Torah scholar) was absolutely essential
if their plan was to succeed. They believed, however, that they knew just the
right person for the task - an inspired and inspiring young Rav, named Moshe
Weinberger.
The Seeds That Had Already Been Planted
Little did Aish Kodesh Institute's founders know that the seeds of their success
had already been planted a few years earlier by a most remarkable man - truly
a messenger of the Almighty - in a most remarkable meeting. This man was
Rav Shlomo Freifeld zt"l, the charismatic and extraordinary Rosh Yeshiva
(head of academy) of Yeshiva Sho'or Yashuv. The fateful meeting took place
during one of Rav Weinberger's visits to be mevaker the choleh (visit the sick).
Rav Shlomo, now in the final stages of his grave illness, mustered up the
strength to say to his young visitor, "Go to Woodmere, Woodmere needs you."
While Rav Weinberger often reflected on this unusual but impassioned
instruction, he was at a loss to know how to comply. Part of him knew precisely
what needed to be done, but how, and when, and exactly where? He had no
immediate answers.
Back to Top
Rav Weinberger Meets His Founding Congregants
The first meeting between Rav Weinberger and the founders confirmed to
them that Rav was, indeed, the young Torah leader who could make their
dream a reality. In a word, they were enchanted. Rav Weinberger, in turn, knew
that the time had come for Rav Shlomo's vision to be fulfilled. There was no
question in his mind that the Divine Shadchan (matchmaker) had engineered
this union. The new congregation had two members, no place to meet and no
name but, baruch Hashem, it did have a Rav!
On December 4, 1992 (Shabbos Parshas Vayetzei) the founders and a few
individuals who responded warmly to the description of plans for the new
congregation, met for Shabbos davening (prayers) at their temporary home at
Woodmere Academy.
The Name
Rav Weinberger chose the name Aish Kodesh to honor the memory of the
holy Rebbe of Piazeczna, Harav Kalonymous Kalman Shapiro, zt"l, who wrote
the inspirational sefer, "Aish Kodesh" during his all too brief tenure as the
Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto. Shortly before he was murdered by the Nazis
and the Ghetto was liquidated, the Rebbe buried his writings beneath the
Ghetto's ruins with the hopeful plea that, after the war, the manuscript be taken
to Eretz Yisrael. Congregation Aish Kodesh exists, therefore, to carry on the
work of a generation whose lives were extinguished, but whose holy flame will
never die.
Rav Weinberger's First Defining Words
Between Kaballas Shabbos (prayer to welcome Shabbos) and Maariv (the
evening service), on Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei, Rav Weinberger rose to
address his new congregation for the first time. His unforgettable words were:
"It is the natural tendency of a Jewish soul to yearn to cling to Hashem. Life,
however, places many obstacles in our paths. Our task will be to remove these
obstacles one by one. In doing so we will be emulating Yakov Avinu (Jacob,
our forefather) who (in this week's Torah reading) removed the stone from the
be'er (well). You should know that the word be'er, in Chassidus, is very
significant. Its letters correspond to the roshei teivos (initial letters) of
"B'yodcho A-fkid R-uchi" - "In Hashem's hand I will entrust my soul." May
Hashem help us remove all of the obstacles so that our souls can grow closer
to Him."
These words define the raison d'être of Aish Kodesh Institute and the thrust of
its activities under the passionate leadership of its Rav.
© copyright 2006
<<BACK TO TOP>>
