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On a recent Motzai Shabbat - Saturday Night - in New York, one of the country's most important Roshei Yeshivah, HaRav Malkiel Kotler of Lakewood Yeshiva in New Jersey, was having a meeting with some supporters. At one point he turned to them and said something to the effect of, "Have you heard about the tremendous things happening in Eugene, Oregon?" He told them about the Hachnasat Sefer Torah and other details about our growing community.
Early on the Friday morning of the HST weekend, Leon Goldenberg and I were interviewed on New York's Jewish radio program JM (Jewish music) in the AM, hosted by Nachum Segal. Thousands of Jewish NY'ers again heard about the story of The Halachic Minyan.
On the Tuesday morning following the HST, Mr. Goldenberg addressed his son' Yeshivah. The topic: The Halachic Minyan of Eugene, Oregon.
The HST celebration will be written up, b"h in a number of national Jewish publications. Jews around the country, in cities large and small, will be inspired by what has happened here. Jews in small towns will b"h renew their efforts to revive traditional Judaism. Jews of the bigger cities will b"h make commitments to help them as our friends back east have so blessed us.
And all this has come to be simply because of what you do. You come to shul on Shabbos. You attend classes and give Divrei Torah. You join others at their homes on Shabbos afternoon, and open your homes to friends and strangers alike. You support each other. You support the shul. You send Purim packages to your friends. You make a L'Chayim at Kiddush. And in so doing you have created a tremendous, unbelievable Kiddush HaShem.
What is most overwhelming, perhaps, is the heartwarming local support that we received. That Rabbi Yitzchak and so many members of Temple Beth Israel joined us, and sang and danced with us, spoke volumes about the growth of the broad Eugene Jewish community.
It was truly a pleasure to share our Simcha with our brothers and sisters across the street. Who would have thought, back in the summer of 1994, that we would be holding a class and a concert at TBI? Who would have imagined then that in 2 1/2 years scores of Jews - TBI'ers and Minyanairres alike - would come together at the Minyan and celebrate the installation of a Sefer Torah?! That this happened is powerful testimony to the impact that we have made on the local scene and to the increasing spirit of openness that has developed.
We can view our accomplishments with pride and look confidently ahead to an exciting and promising future.
Rabbi Efraim Davidson
