Chief Rabbi Visits Chicago

This week the Chief Sephardic Rabbi Harav Shlomo Amar was in Chicago to dedicate the new Sephardic Center under the auspices of Chicago Sephardic Rabbi Daniel Raccah.

The Chief Rabbi took three hours from his schedule to visit a few of the Chabad Mosdos and have a special meeting with the 25 of the Shluchim in Illlinois.

The first stop was at Lubavitch Girls High School where Harav Amar addressed the girls. He was introduced by Rabbi Baruch Hertz, dean of the school. In his remarks Harav Amar spoke of the Mesiros Nefesh of the shluchim and especially his fond remembrances of Rabbi Shlomo Matusof.

After the talk the principal of the school, Mrs. Esther Rochel Moscowitz, introduced three Matusof girls from Madison, WI who are students of the school. The Chief Rabbi was visibly moved to see grandchildren of his teacher in Morroco who are now on Shlichus themselves in America.

Next stop was the Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago. The Chief Rabbi was greeted by the all the talmidim and the Hanhola, first with remarks from the Dean Rabbi Moshe Binyomin Perlstein and then from the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Eli Nosson Silberberg.

Rav Amar then gave a shiur on the Har Habayis and the Kosel and concluded with a brocha to the students that they live up to their mission of being exemplary ambassadors of The Rebbe.

From there the Chief Rabbi and his entourage went to the regional headquarters of Chabad in Illinois where he was greeted by some 25 Shluchim from throughout the Metropolitan Chicago area. Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, Head Shliach in Illinois, introduced each one of the Shluchim to the Chief Rabbi and then the formal Kabolos Ponim began. Rabbi Menachem Slavaticki, Shliach for Dovrei Ivrit in Illinois, served as the MC. He began with words of welcome and an overview of the extensive activities and Mosdos of Chabad in Illinois.

He then introduced Rabbi Yitzchok Wolf, Dean of Cheder Lubavitch, who gave over a Dvar Torah outlining the purpose of Shlichus. Next Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz spoke of a brocha that he received from the Rebbe and then presented the Chief Rabbi with a copy of Kovetz Bikur Chicago of the Previous Rebbe.

Rabbi Baruch Epstein, Rabbi of Cong. Bais Menachem then told a story exemplifying the power of Shlichus. He was followed by Rabbi Meir Chai Benhiyoun, Shliach in Downtown Chicago, who shared the fact that he and the Chief Rabbi were both from the same town and attended the same school in Morroco.

Finally, the Chief Rabbi spoke. He thanked the Shluchim for their warm welcome and told of his memories from Chabad in Morroco and then in honor of the Kovetz told a profound story of the Previous Rebbe. He concluded his talk with a Brochah to the Shluchim that they continue to fulfill their Shlichus in its fullest measure.

As the Chief Rabbi left, his assistant said that without a doubt the visit of Chief Rabbi Amar with Chabad was a highlight of his Chicago trip.