Israeli rabbinical and political leaders joined hundreds of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries from the former Soviet Union to celebrate the Federation of Jewish Communities’ 20 years of strengthening Jewish communities after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
The event’s governmental delegation included Information and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, Deputy Education Minister Eliezer Moses, and Knesset members Danny Danon, Avraham Michaeli and Yisrael Eichler. Joining Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar and Israeli Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger at the celebration were Rabbi Binyamin Klein, a former member of the secretariat of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory; Rabbi Yehuda Yaroslavksy, secretary of the Chabad Rabbinical Court in Israel; Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich, chief rabbi of the Western Wall; Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad-Lubavitch, and Rabbi Gershon Mendel Gorelick, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Milan.
“They used to say that every place there is a Jew, there is Chabad,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the Tel Aviv celebration. “Today, I am able to report that there is Chabad, and [if] Jews are not yet there, they will arrive!”
Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar, left, was seated with Israeli Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger, Shas Party chairman Eli Yishai, and philanthropist Lev Leviev, president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Former Soviet Union.
Jewish community supporters from across the former Soviet Union that participated in the conference came up to the stage to receive awards for their service.
Israelis mixed with Russian nationals at the festive event.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seated between Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar and FJC president Lev Leviev, saluted Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries in Russian-speaking countries for “heroically turning on the light” after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
In his address, the Israeli prime minister said that the work of rebuilding and strengthening Jewish communities throughout the former Soviet Union was vital to the worldwide Jewish people.
Philanthropist Lev Leviev, who serves as president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Former Soviet Union, noted that the celebration occurred on the 12th day of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, which marks the anniversary of the release of the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory, from a Soviet prison.
Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar has presided over the activities of the Federation of Jewish Communities since 1991.
Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice chairman of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of Chabad-Lubavitch, travels the world in support of emissaries in communities large and small.
Israeli Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger also addressed the gathering.
Start a Discussion