Several weeks a new, groundbreaking project of the Barkai Center was launched in partnership with the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA): sister communities and a rabbinic exchange between communities in North America and the State of Israel.
Six rabbis from North America came to Jerusalem for a two-day conference with six Barkai rabbis. The discussions at the conference revolved around common issues and challenges that rabbis in both countries face. The rabbis also dealt with many of the differences between the communities in Israel and the communities in North America and most importantly how the two groups can learn from each other and to implement projects in their communities. On the Shabbat following the conference, each North American rabbi visited a different one of the Israeli rabbis’ communities and served as scholar in residence, offering drashot and shiurim throughout shabbat. Each of the communities and all of the rabbis greatly enjoyed and benefitted from the experience and are considering ways to continue and strengthen the connection between the communities and rabbis. In May the Israeli rabbis will travel to the US to participate in the annual convention of the RCA. On the shabbat following, the Israeli rabbis will visit the communities of their American counterparts and will serve as scholars in residence in return. The long-term goal of the project is to deepen the connections between diaspora Jews and those living in Israel. Rabbi Shaanan Gelman of Kehillat Chovevei Zion in Skokie, Il was the guest of Rabbi Motti Simpson at Kehillat Shevet Binyamin in Givat Ze’ev. Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich of Congregation Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem in Montreal was the guest of Rabbi Yehuda Mann at Kehilat Kipodan Ashkenazi in Modiin. Rabbi Chaim Strauchler of Shaarei Shomayim in Toronto was the guest of Rabbi Moshe Shilat in Chatzor HaGelilit. Rabbi Michael Davies of Congregation Dor Tikvah in Charleston, South Carolina was the guest of Rabbi Yuval Mittelman at Beit Knesset Hamerkazi Yeshurun in Gedera. Rabbi Tuvia Brander of the Young Israel of West Hartford was the guest of Rabbi Yoni Lavi at Kehilat Tzeirei Hadar Ganim in Petach Tikvah and Rabbi Zev Goldberg of the Young Israel of Fort Lee was the guest of Rabbi Ziv Abramowitz at Kehillat Mishkan Sara in Dimona
View English translation of the Shviee Newspaper's
Hebrew article about the project