Veteran Works With Foreigners

Rabbi Yaacov Spitezki, who served as shliach on campus in Brussels for over 25 years, has relocated to Israel. He is working intensively with foreign Jewish students studying in Israel, organizing courses and shabbatons at university campuses across the country, in collaboration with local shluchim.

He works in French at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the leadership of its shliach, Rabbi Yossi Ebert. He is also very active at the Bar Ilan University.

Three weeks ago Rabbi Spitezki participated in the Annual Congress of Foreign Students which took place at the Bakhar Center in Jerusalem.

Last week he was invited by Rabbi Zalman Landau, the shliach at Netanya University to speak to students at an event.

Rabbi Spitezki utilizes his extensive experience in Jewish student life in offering novel programs and ideas to the thousands of foreign Jewish students, primarily English and French speaking students, who flock to Israel’s world-renowned premier academic institutions.

“Hundreds of students in Israel have enjoyed an array of classes and programs that enriched their Jewish experience. During my years in Brussels, I merited much blessings, guidance and advice from the Rebbe to serve Jewish student life, and continuing this work in Israel with foreign students here is a direct continuation of this work,” said Rabbi Spitezki.

Rabbi Spitezki also serves many of the academic faculty through the founding of the Shorashim Association, which brings together university professors in the study of Chassidic philosophy.

The Shorashim committee is currently preparing for publication a Review on Chassidic Philosophy.

Rabbi Spitezki is often called abroad for lectures and he is a regular contributor to the “Jerusalem Post” and “Plus Hebdo”.

His upcoming project is preparing, in collaboration with the Embassy of Belgium, a major conference in Jerusalem on the theme: “Moses and the Seven Principles of Universal Morality.”