Shuvu Banim International - Rabbi Eliezer Berland

Like last year, also this year, the Youth Group gathering was held under the guidance of Moreinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit”a. The gathering was organized in order to strengthen the pure young men of the “Shuvu Banim” community to merit to distance themselves from the whole “Greek culture” which is washing over the entire generation, driving them into the abyss of technological devices which endanger the Jewish soul.

This year’s theme was “Choosing the Tzaddik [lit. Voting for צ],” under the guidance and direction of Moreinu HaRav shlit”a. The young men were asked to choose to enter the [path of] the Tzaddik and to once again sign, like last year, on the obligation to distance themselves from dangerous technology, from non-kosher music players to the most dangerous of treif devices. Or, God forbid, to choose sin [voting for ח], and to fall into the schemes of the Accuser to corrupt and bring about the downfall of the pure young men of this generation. In honor of the gathering, the Youth Group published a newsletter, “Bechartanu – You have chosen us,” containing explanations and comprehensive articles about the entire subject of choosing a good and happy life. It included a special Q&A from Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, which, God willing, will be published in the coming days. Also this year, the gathering drew close to 1,000 holy and pure young men from the “Havurat Bnei HaNeurim – Youth Group” of our holy community. At 8:00 PM, the doors of the Karl Netter Auditorium in the Eretz Chefetz neighborhood of Jerusalem opened. Hundreds upon hundreds of young men from Chasidei Breslov Shuvu Banim gathered at the entrance to the hall, the crowds gradually entering to the sound of the orchestra. After some time, one of the well-known speakers of the Chareidi community ascended the stage in order to strengthen the young men to be like the Hasmoneans (Maccabees), to merit to guard the pure flask of oil, and to completely distance themselves from all the plagues of technology which were forbidden by Moreinu HaRav shlit”a, along with all the great Rabbis of Israel. At 10:45 PM, with heartfelt melodies playing, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a entered the auditorium. For several minutes, he sat immersed in holy books, and then joined together with the youth with the heartfelt songs of Chanukah in the Breslov melodies that touch and penetrate the depths of the heart and melt away the coldness of the Greek culture with the fiery flame of Chanukah. A hush fell over the hall as Moreinu HaRav shlit”a began his holy address to the hundreds of young men, delivering words that emerged from the heart of the world and penetrated the heart of each young man, however he may be. Over the course of the shiur, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a repeatedly cried out from his heart over the countless victims which the destructive technology has claimed. More than once, the Rav shlit”a raised his voice, shaking the hearts of the young men. Excerpts from his holy words:

“Today the Greek culture is the smartphones, the iPhones, and Xiaomi.”

“You don’t need to see pictures of the Rav on iPhone. This is all nonsense.”

“A music player that isn’t kosher is exactly like an iPhone.”

“Even Elisha ben Avuya heard a Greek song and became a heretic. He didn’t have the Xiaomi or the internet. Today, these are abominations that have never been before.”

**“The Hasmoneans ruled for 180 years and succeeded in subduing Greece, but not the culture of Greece, which, in our generation, is the internet.”**

Of course, Moreinu HaRav shlit”a didn’t skip over giving chizzuk in learning Gemara. In his holy way in his shiurim, he integrated dozens of books, none of which were open before him. The second half of the shiur focused on what is written in Likutey Halachot – Hilchot Matanah 5:1, about Channah the prophetess, that in the merit of her prayer that was 800 years before the Chanukah miracle, the Maccabees defeated the Greeks. After a fiery shiur lasting over an hour (1:03), Moreinu HaRav shlit”a returned to his holy home. The young men remained seated in their places, meriting to see a special presentation prepared with great effort. The presentation included the group leaders who merited entering the inner sanctum a number of weeks of ago to hear and receive guidance and advice from Moreinu HaRav shlit”a about how to distance oneself from these impure devices: True knowledge requires the truth of Torah. At the end of the presentation, the young men participated in a “clicker” program, bringing many smiles to their faces. The gathering only concluded at 3:00 AM in the morning, as the young men, now strengthened and invigorated, rushed to the forest to cry out and plead before Hashem to save them from the evil tide of Greek culture, which threatens to drown every pure and clean Jewish soul in the abominations of the internet.