Less than a week after Gedolei Yisrael from across the spectrum issued a call for Klal Yisrael to gather in tefillah in light of recent government moves to draft yeshivah bachurim into the army, an unprecedented number of shomrei Torah turned out at the entrance of Yerushalayim to heed their call. The crowd was estimated at well over 700,000.
Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlita.R-L: The Gerrer Rebbe, shlita, and the Boyaner Rebbe, shlita.Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita.L-R: Harav Yaakov Meir Shechter, shlita; the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, shlita.Harav Eliyahu Abba Shaul, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Lezion.Harav Berel Povarsky, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Ponevezh.The Belzer Rebbe, shlita.Hagaon Harav Shmuel Auerbach , shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Maalos haTorah (C).Hagaon Harav Gershon Edelstein, shlita.The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Eretz Yisrael, shlita.The Sanz-Klausenburger Rebbe of Eretz Yisrael, shlita.Harav Aryeh Finkel, shlita, Rosh Yeshivah Mir, Brachfeld.L-R: The Rishon Letzion, Harav Yitzchak Yosef; Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, Harav Yitzchak Meir Lau; Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, Harav Dovid Lau.Some of the crowd stands behind signs that say, ‘The Torah Is Our Life.’
