A Hadar Hatorah
weekend reunion is an interesting phenomenon, if you think about it. For
myself, the full-time learning experience of yesteryear was so long ago,
so remote… but it was still my grounding, my foundation being set in
place. And as important as all that is, how far have so many of us drifted
from our anchor?
But wait a
minute, you say. Adrift? Why is that adrift? Whether we have moved out of
the community or stayed right here in Crown Heights, we sank our roots, we
raised our families, or made new friends, we settled into our new
surroundings and set up shop, in one way or another. We learned, we grew,
we developed. What's wrong with that? Nothing. But now we are being
invited back to our "home", our spiritual womb. And in making
our preparations to return, whether a 2,000 mile journey or a walk up a
few blocks, we are confronted with, "what does Hadar Hatorah still
mean to me?"
We found new
communities, we attached ourselves to our local shliach, we drowned trying
to meet our kids tuition expenses and many of us, in one way or another,
neglected our old yeshivah. You see, for all of us, on one level or
another, we each face a very personal, and possibly uncomfortable
confrontation in honestly evaluating our connection to our old mosad.
But let me tell
you some very good news about the school. For the past few years, or more,
there have been a steady stream of young, bright, energetic, devoted
bochurim (yes, something like we were once, and hey, maybe like some of us
still are!) that are thriving and blossoming under the outstanding
tutelage of the fine rabbeim that are teaching them today.
I am looking
forward to the pleasure of seeing you all again, and with G-d's help,
spending one great weekend with you all very shortly.
