When Hagaon Harav Yisrael Meir Ha’Kohen of Radin, the saintly author of such works as “Chafetz Chaim” and “Mishnah Berura”, was about ninety years old, he called for a gathering of all rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva in the vicinity of Vilna, Grodno, and Sobalk on the third of Sivan, 5690 (1930), to discuss ways to maintain the Torah institutions in these places in terms of material needs and to discuss ways to disseminate Torah to European Jewish youth. This was due to the fact that, unfortunately, the influence of the Maskilim (products of the Enlightenment Movement) in those days caused many Jewish children to be educated in ways that were very contrary to the Torah’s perspective and outlook. Indeed, much of European Jewry, including Russian and Polish Jewry, had taken a tremendous downward spiral spiritually, and unfortunately, many left religion altogether.

The entire audience, comprised of rabbis and respected members…