Speech
Keynote Address at the Inaugural North American Orthodox Jewish Leadership Conference (1993)
The most Jewish way to begin this historic conference is, appropriately, with “thanksgiving” – to the Almighty שהחיינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה. Now, that is an interesting ברכה. Two of the three verbs are self-explanatory: שהחיינו, He let us live, despite all persecutions and material obstacles. והגיענו, He allowed us to reach this day, overcoming all cultural, spiritual, and psychological pressures on us. But most interesting is the middle verb: וקימנו, usually translated as "He let us exist." But if we already say that He let us live and reach, why is it necessary to add "exist?" It has been suggested that the word is a halakhic term. וקימנו comes from קיום, and in the Halakha the word for affirmation or authentication of a שטר or document is called קיום שטרות, whereby witnesses testify to the authenticity of the signatures on a document. Hence, וקימנו means, "He has justified and authenticated our approach, our mission, our דרך.* For the last 50 or more years, savants and sages, sociologists and social philosophers and community "machers," have predicted the imminent demise of Orthodox Judaism and the disappearance of Orthodox Jews as a significant part of the North American Jewish community. But we are to say, "We are here!" By the grace of the Almighty, וקימנו, He has, through history, vindicated our essential outlook, and so we are very much alive if beset by problems, very much vigorous if more than a bit contentious. And what greater reason to thank Him than for legitimating who and what we are. And, indeed, it is appropriate to ask two questions, to which I intend to address myself this evening: First, who are we – we who have convened and are participating in this conference? And second, what do we want and why have we gathered here at this juncture of our history? Who are we? First, we are Jews; and we are joined by a common history and common national and ethnic experiences to all other Jews, as partners in what the Rav זצ"ל has called the ברית גורל, t…
