2008 Woodie Awards
Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi Visits YU
Yoni Kaufman
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, graced Yeshiva with his presence this past Monday, October 15. The Chief Rabbi spent the day touring and speaking at both the Wilf and Beren campuses.
Rabbi Amar arrived early Monday morning and was received by Yeshiva University President Richard M. Joel, Vice President of University Life Hillel Davis, RIETS-MYP Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Meir Goldvicht and Rabbi Hershel Schachter, CJF Dean Rabbi Kenneth Brander, RIETS Dean Rabbi Charlop and other University and community leaders.
Rabbi Amar, a resident of Casablanca, Morocco through age fourteen, was appointed the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of the state of Israel in 2003, where he works alongside his Ashkenazi counterpart, Rabbi Yona Metzger. In addition, Rabbi Amar works closely with the former Chief Sephardic Rabbi, Rav Ovadia Yosef, the current spiritual leader of the political party Shas.
His first speaking engagement of the day was at the Yeshiva University High School for Boys, where he was introduced by Rabbi Mark Gotlieb.
After that, Rabbi Amar headed to the main Beit Midrash. The room was filled to capacity by students eagerly awaiting his arrival. After introductory remarks by Rabbi Charlop, the chief rabbi delivered his shiur on shmitta.
According to Rabbi Amar, shmitta is a hot button issue in Israel, especially since it occurs this year. In the early settlement of Israel, when the question of shmitta became relevant again, Rabbi Elchanan Spector made a psak halakha that if a non-Jewish person owns the land than Jews can still profit from it. Hence many Israeli farmers would sell their land to a non -Jew and the issue would be avoided altogether. However, the Hazon-Ish opposed this as do most of the Hareidi community currently living in Israel.
Rabbi Amar delivered an interesting lecture about an intriguing topic and it was clear that the many students who had chosen to fill the Beit Midrash long before he arrived truly enjoyed the speech.
According to Rabbi Brander, the Chief Rabbi was very excited to visit YU. "He had a limited understanding of Yeshiva University. The idea of a university whose cores are Yeshiva and Torah study is an enigma in Israel. For Rav Amar to interact with Yeshiva and have a wonderful dialogue with roshei yeshiva and community leaders was a very special opportunity for both. His understanding of YU will be forever changed," said Rabbi Brander.
Rabbi Brander added that "as a Torah institution and the premier Jewish institution in North American, we need to be welcoming to gedolei ha-Torah. It was a wonderful opportunity for all."
After his shiur, Rabbi Amar had lunch in the President's suite followed by an informal meeting with several Wilf Campus student leaders.
Afterwards, Rabbi Amar's group prayed Minha in the Shenk Shul with members of YU's Sephardic community. From there the Chief Rabbi headed downtown to the Beren Campus to deliver a Shiur to the women at SCW.
Rabbi Amar arrived early Monday morning and was received by Yeshiva University President Richard M. Joel, Vice President of University Life Hillel Davis, RIETS-MYP Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Meir Goldvicht and Rabbi Hershel Schachter, CJF Dean Rabbi Kenneth Brander, RIETS Dean Rabbi Charlop and other University and community leaders.
Rabbi Amar, a resident of Casablanca, Morocco through age fourteen, was appointed the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of the state of Israel in 2003, where he works alongside his Ashkenazi counterpart, Rabbi Yona Metzger. In addition, Rabbi Amar works closely with the former Chief Sephardic Rabbi, Rav Ovadia Yosef, the current spiritual leader of the political party Shas.
His first speaking engagement of the day was at the Yeshiva University High School for Boys, where he was introduced by Rabbi Mark Gotlieb.
After that, Rabbi Amar headed to the main Beit Midrash. The room was filled to capacity by students eagerly awaiting his arrival. After introductory remarks by Rabbi Charlop, the chief rabbi delivered his shiur on shmitta.
According to Rabbi Amar, shmitta is a hot button issue in Israel, especially since it occurs this year. In the early settlement of Israel, when the question of shmitta became relevant again, Rabbi Elchanan Spector made a psak halakha that if a non-Jewish person owns the land than Jews can still profit from it. Hence many Israeli farmers would sell their land to a non -Jew and the issue would be avoided altogether. However, the Hazon-Ish opposed this as do most of the Hareidi community currently living in Israel.
Rabbi Amar delivered an interesting lecture about an intriguing topic and it was clear that the many students who had chosen to fill the Beit Midrash long before he arrived truly enjoyed the speech.
According to Rabbi Brander, the Chief Rabbi was very excited to visit YU. "He had a limited understanding of Yeshiva University. The idea of a university whose cores are Yeshiva and Torah study is an enigma in Israel. For Rav Amar to interact with Yeshiva and have a wonderful dialogue with roshei yeshiva and community leaders was a very special opportunity for both. His understanding of YU will be forever changed," said Rabbi Brander.
Rabbi Brander added that "as a Torah institution and the premier Jewish institution in North American, we need to be welcoming to gedolei ha-Torah. It was a wonderful opportunity for all."
After his shiur, Rabbi Amar had lunch in the President's suite followed by an informal meeting with several Wilf Campus student leaders.
Afterwards, Rabbi Amar's group prayed Minha in the Shenk Shul with members of YU's Sephardic community. From there the Chief Rabbi headed downtown to the Beren Campus to deliver a Shiur to the women at SCW.