KIRUV CAFE - The Meeting Place for Project Inspire
A resource for inspiration, support, training and ideas for everyone doing kiruv
Project Inspire Conference Truly Inspires!
It was an amazing weekend! The inaugural Project Inspire Conference in Stamford, CT, was a sold out massive success in every way. Everyone in attendance was truly inspired. Rather than trying to describe it myself, here are excerpts from what two of the participants recently wrote. The first is from Rabbi Avraham Goldhar, Director of the Jewish Literacy Institute and creator of the Crash Course in Torah. The second is from Rebbetzin Lori Palatnik, famous video blogger and teacher.
This past Shabbos, I experienced a giant. Not a sleeping one, but one that was awake, getting up and about to make a massive difference.
Everybody who attended the Project Inspire Convention this Shabbos knows what I'm referring to. It was a marvel to experience, behold and be a part of.
...there were 750 attendees, with over 200 on a waiting list.
But it's much more than that.
When we got to the hotel, the lobby was teeming with frum yidden from Boro Park, Lakewood, Monsey, the Five Towns, Toronto, Cleveland, Passaic, and Flatbush. It looked like a cross between an Aguda Convention and a Rebbe's
tisch. I saw Bubby's and Zaidy's, shtreimlich and daf yomi types that you'd see
in a Beis Midrash in Flatbush or Boro Park or the Five Towns. And most
importantly there was a sense of excitement that was palpable. It felt like a
kibbutz galyus for the cause of kiruv. The different limbs of the giant were
being assembled.
So what actually happened?
First of all the Project Inspire team assembled an all star lineup. Rabbi Leff and Paysach Krohn were the dynamic duo. They couldn't hit the kiruv theme harder, more eloquently and with better humor. People were mesmerized and
moved. Yaakov Solomon was the first class MC that we all know and have
experienced. But he was completely new to so many and he led them all expertly
on the journey. Yerachmiel, Motty, Mordechai Becher, Lori Palatnik each had a
following. Everybody was continuously being touched by their Torah, their fresh
perspective, their challenging approaches, and their depth of experience. It
was a type of Torah that they've never or rarely experienced, and yet it was
coming across loud and clear.
Then there were the superstar FFB's that have been touched, trained and guided by Project Inspire. These people spoke about how life changing the kiruv training seminars have been and how they've been focused on caring for their
unaffiliated brethren. Each one shared fascinating stories and anecdotes about
their foray into kiruv which inevitably result in remarkable success and
heartwarming stories. From the travelling chasidim to the Monsey Vaad that set
up a Pesach Seder Table outside the Mega Kosher Supermarket, explaining
choreses, the seder, etc. A Mrs. Krongold in Toronto has organized 100 women to
commit making meals for any Jewish woman gives birth in the city, so they can
experience the same community care that we've all grown accustomed to. I told
Yitz Greenman today that the same way FFB's love hearing BT tell their stories,
we love hearing FFB's tell their kiruv stories.
And then there was the Rosh HaYeshiva. While we all lamented that he couldn't see what we were witnessing, we all felt his presence. It was his dream come true and his neshama was surely dancing with the myriads of tzaddikim and
malachim who've been waiting for this moment.
His presence was truly felt throughout. Project Inspire had a special tribute film. He was mentioned in almost every keynote and lecture, and there was a real hunger from the attendees to learn more about the Rosh HaYeshiva and
his vision. Stuart Hytman gave a beautiful presentation, and shared with the
olam, that starting Aish HaTorah was the Rosh HaYeshiva's plan B. It was his
runner up plan to change the world. It was a necessity because he couldn't wake
up the sleeping giant, so let him build the army from baalei teshuva. But we all
know how much he wanted the frum olam to get on board. I wish you all could have
seen the types of yidden that were there, because you wouldn't have seen "the
frum olam get on board".
My favorite moment, and there were many exciting highlights, came on Shabbos afternoon. Attendees were organized into their communities and met to discuss how they can team up to impact their community. As our meeting ended, I
walked by the conference room with the sign, Boro Park Women's Meeting. It was
packed with heimishe women, caring about clal Yisroel, and coming up with ideas
to make a difference. It will probably take ten kiruv organizations to match the
impact these women are going to have on klal yisroel and kiruv rechokim.
...The Project Inspire team was awesome. Full of humility and hakaros tov to the Ribbono Shel Olam. Chaim Sampson, Matt Trop, Simcha Barnett, Yossie Friedman, Yisroel Weinberg, and the other staff were truly spectacular. They
went for it, and the Ribbono Shel Olam took them very far indeed. They stayed on
message and it was clear to all, that this is an organization that is going to
continue to facilitate a revolution that is going to change the face of Klal
Yisroel.
They woke up the giant, it's eyes are open, it's getting out of bed, and soon the whole body will follow.
The Rosh HaYeshiva's dream is coming true, and as you can tell from the way I've been writing, that I'm still feeling the after effects of living in that dream.
Thank you Project Inspire for a remarkable Shabbos, and for believing in the Rosh HaYeshiva's dream.
Avraham
If you are not involved yet with Project Inspire, what are you waiting for? Email me and I'll put you in touch. You can still get in on the ground floor! Do it now!
Aharon
Hello Everybody,
This past Shabbos, I experienced a giant. Not a sleeping one, but one that was awake, getting up and about to make a massive difference.
Everybody who attended the Project Inspire Convention this Shabbos knows what I'm referring to. It was a marvel to experience, behold and be a part of.
...there were 750 attendees, with over 200 on a waiting list.
But it's much more than that.
When we got to the hotel, the lobby was teeming with frum yidden from Boro Park, Lakewood, Monsey, the Five Towns, Toronto, Cleveland, Passaic, and Flatbush. It looked like a cross between an Aguda Convention and a Rebbe's
tisch. I saw Bubby's and Zaidy's, shtreimlich and daf yomi types that you'd see
in a Beis Midrash in Flatbush or Boro Park or the Five Towns. And most
importantly there was a sense of excitement that was palpable. It felt like a
kibbutz galyus for the cause of kiruv. The different limbs of the giant were
being assembled.
So what actually happened?
First of all the Project Inspire team assembled an all star lineup. Rabbi Leff and Paysach Krohn were the dynamic duo. They couldn't hit the kiruv theme harder, more eloquently and with better humor. People were mesmerized and
moved. Yaakov Solomon was the first class MC that we all know and have
experienced. But he was completely new to so many and he led them all expertly
on the journey. Yerachmiel, Motty, Mordechai Becher, Lori Palatnik each had a
following. Everybody was continuously being touched by their Torah, their fresh
perspective, their challenging approaches, and their depth of experience. It
was a type of Torah that they've never or rarely experienced, and yet it was
coming across loud and clear.
Then there were the superstar FFB's that have been touched, trained and guided by Project Inspire. These people spoke about how life changing the kiruv training seminars have been and how they've been focused on caring for their
unaffiliated brethren. Each one shared fascinating stories and anecdotes about
their foray into kiruv which inevitably result in remarkable success and
heartwarming stories. From the travelling chasidim to the Monsey Vaad that set
up a Pesach Seder Table outside the Mega Kosher Supermarket, explaining
choreses, the seder, etc. A Mrs. Krongold in Toronto has organized 100 women to
commit making meals for any Jewish woman gives birth in the city, so they can
experience the same community care that we've all grown accustomed to. I told
Yitz Greenman today that the same way FFB's love hearing BT tell their stories,
we love hearing FFB's tell their kiruv stories.
And then there was the Rosh HaYeshiva. While we all lamented that he couldn't see what we were witnessing, we all felt his presence. It was his dream come true and his neshama was surely dancing with the myriads of tzaddikim and
malachim who've been waiting for this moment.
His presence was truly felt throughout. Project Inspire had a special tribute film. He was mentioned in almost every keynote and lecture, and there was a real hunger from the attendees to learn more about the Rosh HaYeshiva and
his vision. Stuart Hytman gave a beautiful presentation, and shared with the
olam, that starting Aish HaTorah was the Rosh HaYeshiva's plan B. It was his
runner up plan to change the world. It was a necessity because he couldn't wake
up the sleeping giant, so let him build the army from baalei teshuva. But we all
know how much he wanted the frum olam to get on board. I wish you all could have
seen the types of yidden that were there, because you wouldn't have seen "the
frum olam get on board".
My favorite moment, and there were many exciting highlights, came on Shabbos afternoon. Attendees were organized into their communities and met to discuss how they can team up to impact their community. As our meeting ended, I
walked by the conference room with the sign, Boro Park Women's Meeting. It was
packed with heimishe women, caring about clal Yisroel, and coming up with ideas
to make a difference. It will probably take ten kiruv organizations to match the
impact these women are going to have on klal yisroel and kiruv rechokim.
...The Project Inspire team was awesome. Full of humility and hakaros tov to the Ribbono Shel Olam. Chaim Sampson, Matt Trop, Simcha Barnett, Yossie Friedman, Yisroel Weinberg, and the other staff were truly spectacular. They
went for it, and the Ribbono Shel Olam took them very far indeed. They stayed on
message and it was clear to all, that this is an organization that is going to
continue to facilitate a revolution that is going to change the face of Klal
Yisroel.
They woke up the giant, it's eyes are open, it's getting out of bed, and soon the whole body will follow.
The Rosh HaYeshiva's dream is coming true, and as you can tell from the way I've been writing, that I'm still feeling the after effects of living in that dream.
Thank you Project Inspire for a remarkable Shabbos, and for believing in the Rosh HaYeshiva's dream.
Avraham
Lori Palatnik:
I have just returned from something that can only be described as historic-- the first Project Inspire Conference in Stamford, Connecticut. I will try and give you a sense of what it was like, but
there is no way I could truly capture what just
happened...
There were close to 800 adults there (they were hoping to maybe get 250); they had to close registration two weeks ago. Every type of frum Jew was present-- a myriad of chassidim, litvaks, overwhelmingly FFB, from every major
frum community-- from Flatbush to Boro Park, Monsey, The Five Towns, Toronto,
Cleveland, Baltimore, Manhattan and more.......all gathered together with one
common goal: to be inspired in order to inspire their fellow Jew.
The achdus was palpable, barriers were down (don't worry, the mechitza was up, even in the
classes), and they were literally spellbound, drinking in the genius and message
of the Rosh HaYehsiva ztz"l. They heard Rov Zev Leff, Rabbi Pesach Krohn, Rabbi
Mordechia Becher, and more, plus the super stars of Aish HaTorah, including
Rabbis Motty Berger, Yaakov Solamon and Yirachmiel Milstein. The classes were
packed, and many times participants gave public testimony (often with strong
Yiddish accents) as to the active kiruv that they are doing, and how it has not
only changed their fellow Jew, but changed themselves, their families and
communities.
A huge yasher koach to Rabbis Samspon and Tropp and their incredible team that pulled off this "miraculous mirage" that turned out to be very real after all. Frum people on fire for kiruv. It was a zechus just to witness it.
Lori
If you are not involved yet with Project Inspire, what are you waiting for? Email me and I'll put you in touch. You can still get in on the ground floor! Do it now!
Aharon
Views: 4
Tags: Conference, Inspire, Project
Comment
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Comment by Yossie Friedman on July 21, 2010 at 10:52am -
Here is a link to all the multimedia from this amazing convention that you describe. Thank you Reb Aharon. http://www.kiruv.com/PIconvention/review/photogallery.asp
The Top Ten Benefits of Doing Kiruv (Source: "Putting Out the Fire," by Aharon Ungar)
1) Working with somebody who is learning from the beginning causes you to examine your own performance of mitzvos.
2) Kiruv reignites your connection with Hashem.
3) Kiruv enhances your appreciation for the Torah community.
4) By bringing Hashem's lost children home to Him, you earn Divine gratitude.
5) Kiruv builds a constant, ongoing source of merit for Olam Haba.
6) Kiruv causes you to focus on spiritual issues you may never have contemplated.
7) You will have an opportunity to relearn many things you have forgotten.
8) You will have the incomparable feeling and spiritual benefit of saving someone's life.
9) Kiruv fulfills four halachic imperatives.
10) You can attain all these benefits within the context of your present life and schedule.
2) Kiruv reignites your connection with Hashem.
3) Kiruv enhances your appreciation for the Torah community.
4) By bringing Hashem's lost children home to Him, you earn Divine gratitude.
5) Kiruv builds a constant, ongoing source of merit for Olam Haba.
6) Kiruv causes you to focus on spiritual issues you may never have contemplated.
7) You will have an opportunity to relearn many things you have forgotten.
8) You will have the incomparable feeling and spiritual benefit of saving someone's life.
9) Kiruv fulfills four halachic imperatives.
10) You can attain all these benefits within the context of your present life and schedule.
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© 2012 Created by Rabbi Aharon Ungar.
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