120 Bnei Mitzvah boys from across Europe arrived last Thursday last week to lay tefillin at the Western Wall plaza in collaboration with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, headed by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places. Next to the “European Rabbinical Center”.
The “Boys and Girls Mitzvah” campaign is intended to introduce the boys to the Land of Israel, about which they learned and heard in the various frameworks operated by the “European Rabbinical Center” (rce) Together with the “Association of Jewish Organizations in Europe” (COME). This is the 13th time the trip has taken place after two years in which it could not be held because of the corona virus.
The boys came from the countries of Hungary, France, Estonia, Spain, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, some of them from families who know nothing about Judaism. They visited a long line of sites around the country and experienced the Land of Israel at their feet. In addition to tours and attractions, educational-social activities were also held there.
The staff of the European Rabbinical Center in the Morasha Division, led by the Vice President of the European Rabbinical Center, Rabbi Yossi Beinhaker, work among Jewish communities and especially small communities in Europe in order to strengthen Jewish identity for children and adolescents who do not feel Shabbat or weekdays like Jews. Because they do not live in a Jewish environment, the flagship project is a journey that summarizes the study of Jewish topics.
The boys were accompanied by rabbis from the Jewish communities in their cities of origin. Throughout the visit, a language-speaking guide was attached to each group. The trip plan was designed to strengthen the boys’ connection to the Land of Israel, and was built in such a way that throughout the trip there is a great emphasis on what the boys can take from the experience for the rest of their adult lives.
Among the rabbis of the congregations who participated and accompanied the journey were the shluchim Rabbi Shneur Trebnik, rabbi of a hall in Germany, Rabbi Asher Feit and Rabbi Levy Greenberg of the rabbis of Budapest, Rabbi David Liberzon of the rabbis of Barcelona, Rabbi Levi Hefer of the Düsseldorf rabbis, Rabbi Shlomo Gurevitz of the rabbis of Kan, Rabbi Avraham Cohen of the rabbis of Holland. Yechiel Michal Pikarski of the Estonian rabbis.
The incident at the Temple Mount was a moment the boys eagerly awaited. The night before the event, the instructors were surprised to see that the children had difficulty falling asleep even though they had many experiences. When asked, the children explained that they were stressed.
Immediately after a light breakfast, the boys went out to the Western Wall plaza. Before entering the Western Wall plaza, musicians waited for them and greeted them with the melodies of the month of Adar and Purim. Immediately afterwards, canopies were spread out and the boys and girls marched, in complete separation, to the Western Wall plaza. The excitement was visible on their faces. The musicians accompanied them to the Western Wall plaza, where they said goodbye with blowing trumpets that shook several capillaries in their hearts.
The girls in the group went to pray with the help of women and the boys entered the Western Wall plaza where each of them was given a pair of tefillin, a tallit and a special arrangement donated by businessman Rami Levy. Immediately after wrapping themselves in a tallit and putting on tefillin with the help of the counselors and rabbis of the congregations, the rabbi stood up Avraham Abba Toretzky, Secretary of the Council of European Rabbis and read aloud the verses of Shema Yisrael. Afterwards, the children prayed the Rosh Chodesh prayer, heard the reading of the Torah and were moved when a huge tallit was spread over their heads during the Birkat Cohanim. There were some who had difficulty speaking for long minutes. “It’s a spiritual experience that we’ll take with us for life,” they later said.
On Thursday evening, a bar / bat mitzvah celebration was held in collaboration with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, with the participation of rabbis and public figures, including the Rabbi Yaakov David Shmahel, Dayan of the Antiquities Community in Antwerp and member of the Council of the European Rabbinical Center, Rabbi Jeremiah Cohen Member of the Presidency of the “European Rabbinical Center”, Rabbi Samuel Rabinovich Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places, Rabbi Eleazar Simcha Weiss Member of the Chief Rabbinical Council, Rabbi Moshe Ben Dahan Rabbi of Madrid, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Glukhovsky Rabbi of the Chabad community in Rehovot. MK Rabbi Isaac Pindros, Rabbi Jacob Halperin The Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Rabbi Avitan financing Rabbi of the “Rami Levy” network, Governor R. Mordechai (Moti) Sonnenfeld Founder of the Danieli Foundation, which accompanies the center’s activities throughout the year, the governor and businessman Rami Levi And other public figures.
During the celebration, an extensive knowledge quiz was held on the concepts of Judaism and Torah, and through a pantomime performance, various events from the Torah were staged. At the end of the quiz in which they demonstrated great knowledge, the winners received valuable prizes.
The event was moderated by Rabbi Ephraim Kamisser, who noted the great assistance provided by Nati Isaac, Director General of the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, Yaakov Hagoel, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Acting Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Rabbi Eliyahu Eidelkop, Director of the European Jewish Development Fund and Minister Shalom Jerby, director of the JNF’s Education Division. Singer R. Simcha Friedman and husband R. Leibl’e Lipsker were entrusted with the dancing and joy.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Rabbinical Center and the Association of Jewish Organizations in Europe, said upon the return of the boys to their countries of origin that the trip is an essential part of the European Rabbinical Center’s activity.
Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg, director general of the European Rabbinical Center, excitedly noted the special Shabbat that the boys did in Jerusalem. For many of them, it was the first Shabbat they kept from entering and exiting. “, He said, adding:” This is a journey with many costs and a heavy responsibility. However, as soon as the corona restrictions were eased a little, we responded to the request of many rabbis from all over Europe who wanted to bring boys from different countries and cities to participate in the powerful journey. “
Rabbi Yossi Beinhaker, Vice President of the European Rabbinical Center, said: “This is a journey of great logistical complexity, in which every detail must be calculated in advance. By the grace of God, everything passed in peace. “When we said goodbye to the boys, who thanked us very much, I told them that all the effort was worth it to see them waiting for the next time they could visit Eretz Israel.”
A company commissioned the production of the event Colors Productions
