Page 8 - HaMizrachi 1 Chicago Edition

Greetings from

Israel’s Leaders

Chief Rabbi David Lau
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Of Israel

My Heart is in the East redemption – “And I will take you to Me Because we kept these ideas
was pleased to hear that World as a people, and I will be a God to you.” alive, we have been privileged to
Mizrachi is producing a new pub- witness Am Yisrael’s revival, the
I lication in English for the benefit We are God’s people. return to Zion and the establish-
of Jewish communities around the world . ment of the State of Israel.
After cementing our unbreakable con-
This first issue is appearing in honor nection to God and to Torah, the fifth I commend World Mizrachi for its
of Israel's 70th Yom HaAtzmaut. expression of redemption could be dediction to these values and for
A few weeks later, we will be celebrating fulfilled: “I will bring you to the Land, disseminating them among Jewish
Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), regarding which I raised My hand to communities worldwide. There
and then Shavuot. give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, is nothing more important than
and I will give it to you as a heritage; I connecting the Jewish people to
These dates represent the essence of the am the Lord.” each other, to our homeland, and to
Jewish nation. Because our story – of a Torat Yisrael.
people returning to its homeland after We are to live in God’s Land .
thousands of years of Exile – would not And with the dream of returning to
have been possible without two crucial Praying and yearning for Zion and Eretz Yisrael being fulfilled in our
conditions. Jerusalem have always been part of a days, I wish you all Chag Atzmaut
Jew’s daily life, whatever the circum- Sameach (Happy Independence Day)!
First, our acceptance of Torat Yisrael at stances. Even the Mizrachi Move-
Mount Sinai. ment’s name was and is a constant
reference to this dream – “I am in the
This acceptance was also an acknowl- west, yet my heart is in the Mizrach –
edgement of the fourth expression of the east (Eretz Yisrael).”

Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef
Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel
Living in Israel
Around the World those who dwell in the Holy Land: granted the promise of long life as well
as all the blessings promised to one
“That your days may be multiplied,
n my visits to different Jewish and the days of your children, upon living in Israel.
communities around the the Land which God swore unto your
O world, I am always warmed to fathers to give them” (Deuteronomy A synagogue is not only meant for
see the tremendous spirit and love for 11:21). prayer. Each and every Jew should
Israel. Everyone is party to it – young, set aside time for learning Torah,
old, religious and less religious. Of course The Babylonian Talmud in Tractate particularly practical laws such as those
not everyone is able to achieve the great Megillah teaches us that there are of Shabbat and family purity, either in
aspiration, and simply leave their lives places outside of Israel which have classes at synagogue or with a family
and immediately make Aliyah. Despite the same holiness as the Holy Land: member. This is so important because
that, even while living in Melbourne, synagogues and Batei Midrash the future of the Jewish world lies in the
Los Angeles or Paris one can still merit (houses of learning) anywhere in hands of every single Jew.
the segulot (unique qualities) of the the Jewish world, and they too will
Holy Land. be moved to Israel when the Final My best wishes and blessings to World
Redemption arrives. Mizrachi for this publication and for
It is well known that Israel has many spreading the Torah of Eretz Yisrael in
segulot. Twice a day in the Shema we So, when you sit in your synagogue communities around the world.
read the promise of long life made to in New York or London, you too are