The Rebbe of Gur departed for the United States yesterday on a special mission to lead an emergency fundraising campaign aimed at rescuing Haredi educational institutions in Israel.
The Rebbe traveled aboard a private jet owned by billionaire Yoeli Landau and his business partner David Gefner. His visit comes at a time of mounting financial strain within the Torah world, as government funding for haredi schools has been drastically reduced, and no legislative solution is currently in sight for the status of full-time Torah learners.
Sources within the Gur Hasidic community report that the campaign’s ambitious goal is to secure enough funding to cover the next two years of operating costs for all Gur educational institutions.
Ahead of the trip, Rabbi Pinchas Abuchatzira met with the Rebbe and pledged substantial support for the campaign. During his visit, the Rebbe is expected to meet with numerous prominent business leaders and philanthropists across the U.S.
A highlight of the campaign will be a central fundraising dinner, which will be attended by billionaire Shlomo Werdiger, chairman of Agudath Israel of America.
The Gur community hopes the campaign will provide critical relief and help ensure the continuity of its educational institutions in the face of the growing uncertainty brought on by wartime spending cuts and sanctions regarding the haredi draft law.