On October 7th, 2023 when the Simchas Torah War broke out, it became very clear that Hashem had decreed it, and called upon every Jew with a mission. When Hamas took down the wall between us and our fellow Yidden, and between us and Hashem, we realized we have the opportunity to come closer to Hashem more than ever before. As is evident in the name of the enemy we are fighting, Yishmael, Hashem is waiting for us to call out to Him. When we do, the response is “Yishma Kel” - He will answer.
Our response is Hakol Kol Yaakov. Our most powerful weapon is our voice. Raising up our voice in Tefillah and increasing our Torah learning. It is with this ammunition that we have won every war in the past. It will be with this ammunition that we will win once again!
Over 300,000 of Klal Yisroel have sacrificed their normal lives and left their families to join the physical army including Chayalim, Paramedics, Doctors, and Zaka members.
Even though we are not fighting on the physical frontlines, we are all responsible to fight on the spiritual frontlines.
That is how HaKol Kol Yaakov was born. The goal is to join our fellow soldiers in fighting the war specifically with extra Torah learning and Tefillah. It is an initiative of Lev Vnefesh which is sponsored by Lakewood’s software development company, Bitbean, and web design company, NextBracket.
This initiative gives us the opportunity to commit to 5 extra minutes of Torah learning or Tefillah each day, and matches us up to a soldier on the front lines!
Together, we join the army of Hashem, and increase Zechusim and protection for our loved ones in Eretz Yisroel, along with all of us here in America.
was a renowned educator in Philadelphia whose life mission was to maximize every moment in pursuit of אמת and coming closer to Hashem.
Born in the Bronx in 1939, he developed a deep interest in physics and math and received a PhD. in 1969 in theoretical physics. This deep knowledge base of the harmonic design of the world became the catalyst for countless lectures and presentations on the Science of Torah. Dr. Simon was gifted with the incredible ability to make the most complex ideas understandable and was able to inspire many with his clear and methodical teachings.
From the early 1980’s and onward, his voice and enthusiasm in learning became a hallmark fixture of the Ahavas Torah Beis Medrash in Philadelphia. Indeed, he spent much of his free time, during school breaks, and summer vacations steeped in Limud HaTorah.
In 2006, he began to learn עמוד יומי as a “doable” venture and gateway to finish Shas. When the Rosh Chaburah was absent, he was the substitute Ma’agid Shiur and would methodically prepare and give over the Amud with impeccable clarity.
While he suffered a sudden stroke in 2017, and was unable to participate in the daily Chaburah, the inspiration he infused remained a driving force for the remaining 2 ½ years of the cycle. On ד' טבת תש"פ, December 31, 2019, on the eve of what would have been his Siyum HaShas, Dr. Simon was Niftar, as he was summoned back to the כסא הכבוד to have front row seats at the grandest Siyum Hashas event in שמים. In fact, his Chaburah in Philadelphia made the Siyum HaShas by his home during the Shivah.
הקול קול יעקב is a Lev V’Nefesh initiative that further encourages the usage of “those extra minutes” to utilize them for Torah and Tefillah, one extra minute at a time.