On Wednesday night, October 30, Emet Outreach mentors for TorahConnect met at the Emet Outreach office in Hillcrest for a beautiful orientation meeting. Emet Outreach recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. It was founded in Queens and is co-directed by Rabbi Mordechai Kraft and Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg.
Rabbi Rutenberg shared that most Emet programs take place on college campuses or in local shuls. Emet Outreach sponsors around 25 programs per week.
A unique aspect of this organization is that it’s involved with students before they marry and then continues to be involved in their lives as they build a Jewish family. So, the community setting makes it unique. He shared how the Emet Outreach center has hosted many sheva brachos for Emet students. “We strive to have a big organization that offers personal attention.” He explained that this is what TorahConnect is all about. He expressed appreciation for all the mentors.
Next, he shared how now is a great time to speak about kiruv, with the parshiyos of Avraham coming up. The Chumash speaks about the souls that Avraham “made in Charan.” The main trait of Avraham is chesed. He and Sarah had an open tent. His mission was to bring Hashem to the world. The idea of seeing Hashem in a person is connected to chesed. When Avraham saw a person, he saw that person’s potential. He saw the G-dliness in him.
Rabbi Rutenberg taught that chesed comes from a place of connection. He shared a teaching from the sefer Chovos HaL’vavos (Duties of the Heart), the shaar Ahavas Hashem. The sefer states that even if a person reaches the highest level of working on himself and also in serving Hashem, that still isn’t close to the level of someone who helps a person come to Hashem or who straightens out a rasha.
Rabbi Rutenberg pointed out that the Chovos HaL’vavos is teaching that even if someone reaches the highest level of connection and love for Hashem, he doesn’t come close to someone who is involved in kiruv – bringing someone who is far away back to the way of Torah u’mitzvos. Additionally, he says, those who bring people back to Hashem accrue all of the merits of those people, as well.
There is one line in B’reishis that Onkelos explains in a more detailed way than his usual way of translating. The pasuk says that “the blood of your brother cries out from the ground.” Future generations will not be born because of your actions. Rabbi Rutenberg said this connects to kiruv.
Avraham was involved in bringing people close to Hashem, so he was chosen to be a forefather. It’s interesting that this is in shaar Ahavas Hashem. Rabbi Rutenberg concluded that kiruv is the best way to perform love of Hashem.
Rav Pam once taught an analogy about kiruv. Imagine that your child is lost in an amusement park, and someone brings him back to you. How much love you would feel for that person! When someone brings a Jew back to Hashem, how much love that Hashem must feel for that person who did that.
Hashem says about Avraham that he loved Him and he desired to bring others close to Hashem, which is a testament to his love for Hashem.
Rabbi Rutenberg shared some meaningful stories of students he worked with and how one small act could really turn things around for that person.
A student recently shared that he became observant through Emet and, now, 17 members of his family became observant.
He then shared some important ideas. Kiruv and chinuch are not separate. They are two concentric circles. Most chinuch is kiruv, and most kiruv is chinuch.
Students need to know that we are always asking questions and that we have rebbeim to ask. A person needs to have a rabbi to ask. It’s interesting that the word for a great tzadik is a talmid chacham, because even the greatest person is always looking to learn from others, so he remains a talmid (student).
Sara Reiss, an educator at TAG, shared how important it is to try to understand where the other person is coming from. She shared that she has the perspective that she is teaching girls and trying to connect to them. Always ask Hashem for help before you begin learning.
The community is so grateful for all the amazing Emet Outreach programs and beautiful achievements. Hashem should bless them with continued success.
By Susie Garber
