UK Chief Rabbi leads rabbinical mission to Israel
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5/19/2014
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This week, the Chief
Rabbi took a group of 50 Rabbis on one of the largest ever Rabbinic missions to
Israel from the UK. the trip was designed to equip the Rabbis with the means to
inspire their communities to build deep ties and an enduring relationship with
Israel.
The participants had the opportunity to see first-hand and gain a better
appreciation of the political, social, economic and religious reality within
which Israel survives and thrives. They looked at narratives of faith,
political narratives, narratives of a society in flux and narratives of social
change.
Chief Rabbi Mirvis said, "The inextricable link between the Jewish People
and the Land of Israel is clear for all to see. It dates back not only to God's
covenant with Abraham but, according to our tradition, to the creation of the
world."
The Chief Rabbi continued, "In his opening commentary to the Torah, Rashi
brings a Rabbinic tradition stating that the reason the Torah commences with
details of creation is to emphasize that as creator of the world, it is in
God's gift to determine which lands belong to which people. In this context,
Israel is the eternal home and God-given land of the Jewish People."
Through this visit, the Rabbis gained a better understanding of the
complexities of the current situation in Israel.
The trip presented an opportunity for the Rabbis to develop and grow. They have
returned to their communities to enjoy sharing with congregants and the wider
British Jewish community reflections on what was a memorable and enlightening
experience.
In a letter to the participants prior to the trip, Ambassador Daniel Taub
wrote, "As Israel's Ambassador, I believe that this trip is
extraordinarily important. As leaders of the Jewish Community, you not only are
the first point of call for individuals who have questions about Israel and its
region in these complex times, but you are also for many a model of what it
means to have a deep and meaningful relationship with the land and people of
Israel."
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