Ran Huri

'Rabbis of all Israel' Conference: the Responsibilities and Obligations of the Rabbi towards the Entire Jewish Community.

When Rav Daniel Buskila was a young boy, Rav Ovadia Yosef visited the city where he lived, Los Angeles. Together with his father, he went to Rav Ovadia's lessons in the city. One evening his father was late from work, and his mother took Daniel to the lesson, which was held in a yeshiva. As they stood at the entrance to the hall, which was full of men and the tooting of parking cars, Rav Ovadia arrived and blessed them with peace. After he entered the hall, he suddenly stood behind Daniel and called him and his mother to enter. He asked a few people sitting down to make room for them, and looked at the mother. "Happy are the parents who raise their children according to the Torah," the rabbi said.

The years went by. Today Rabbi Daniel Buskila is the chair of the Sephardi Educational Center, which is a partner of 'Memizrach Shemesh - Kol Israel Haverim' Beit Midrash in promoting the moderate and inclusive Sephardi tradition among Jews in Israel and America. Together these groups operate Merhav, the Beit Midrash for Social Rabbinical Leadership. At the Beit Midrash, which has operated for 11 years, rabbis from all over Israel are trained as social leaders who use the social Jewish tradition in their rabbinical activities.

At the beginning of each year we arrange a conference around one of the themes which is central to the Beit Midrash. This year the subject was 'Rabbis of All Israel' - the responsibility and obligations of the rabbi towards the Jewish community at large. The conference was devoted to the memory of Rav Ovadia Yosef, who died a year ago, and was a model of responsibility for Israel. Dozens of graduates, rabbis and program participants, partners, friends and members of the general public came together at the Sephardic Education Center in the Old City of Jerusalem and heard words of Torah from spiritual leaders including Rav Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, Rav Ben Tzion Elgazi, heads of the program Rav Yitzhak Shuaki and Rav David Zano, and many more.

Rav Buskila told the above story as one personal example of Rav Ovadia's obligation to the public. He emphasized the inclusive approach of the Sephardi tradition, and how it finds expression in his work as a community rabbi in America. Rav Shuraki made similar remarks, and said that the role of the rabbanut is to unite and consolidate the community and the people, and to make sure that there isn't anyone who for any reason feels that s/he remains on the outside.

Moshe Shriki, head of the 'Memizrach Shemesh - Kol Israel Haverim' Beit Midrash, looked to the future. "The Jewish people want this thing, and we have to worry that in another ten years there will be in this room many people of different types. Everyone will see in this place a place that speaks to them."

The change that has been made by the Merhav program, which was established 12 years ago as a social project by Rav Yitzhak Shuraki, is recognized by the large numbers of people who want to participate. "There is a large and serious group of rabbis from all over Israel who understand that social issues are religious issues of the first order," said Kiah CEO, Dr. Yehuda Maimaran. "This great success testifies that this understanding is spreading."