The Rosh Yeshiva and the Camp Nageela Bequest
A rosh yeshiva helps JEP's Rabbi Dovid Shenker win a bequest, and gift after gift to his own yeshiva arrives first, matching JEP's money almost to the dollar.
Rabbi Dovid Shenker, CEO of JEP of Long Island, approached a local rosh yeshiva for help in a delicate situation. There was a large bequest that JEP was hoping to receive, but some objectors were tying it up. Rabbi Shenker was hoping that the rosh yeshiva would be able to eloquently explain to all those concerned about the great work that JEP does to guarantee Jewish continuity. Further, he would impress upon them that an organization like JEP is crucial to ensure that Jewish youth are aware of their rich heritage and the nation they are part of.
The rosh yeshiva readily agreed to assist but was curious how much JEP actually stood to receive. Rabbi Shenker explained that if everything went well, the bequest could possibly be as much as $100,000.
Rabbi Shenker made an appointment to meet with the attorney handling the estate at his office in Manhattan. Later that day, the rosh yeshiva received a phone call. An excited acquaintance happily related that, baruch Hashem, he just completed a profitable business transaction and will be sending the yeshiva a donation of $100,000. When the rosh yeshiva met with Rabbi Shenker, he told him that he believed that his yeshiva received a $100,000 donation because he agreed to help JEP in its quest for a $100,000 endowment. He cited as proof the Chazal cited above, “Someone who prays for his friend for assistance and he needs that very same thing, he will be answered first—techilah.” The rosh yeshiva explained that this statement of Chazal is not limited to tefillah. In any area where someone helps an individual and requires the very same assistance, Hashem will help him out first. The rosh yeshiva said, “I agreed to help your organization attain financial assistance, so Hashem helped out my yeshiva as well. Further, I am confident that our meeting today will be successful. Chazal said, ‘He will be answered techilah.’ Techilah means first in a series, not first and only first. Since Hashem has already helped me first, He will surely help you second.”