After two years of in-depth halachic studies with the Lemaan Yilmedu Institute, dozens of community rabbis and shluchim from around the world visited Israel to participate in a unique seminar focused on practical rabbinical training and halachic challenges from the field.
The goal of the seminar was to deepen the rabbis’ understanding of real-life halachic issues and to strengthen their leadership and outreach efforts within their respective communities across the globe.
Participants were: Rabbi Yisrael Maal, Israel CEO of Lemaan Yilmedu, Rabbi Yonatan Chimi (Israel), and Rabbi Moshe Pizem (Israel) – organizers of the seminar, Rabbi Chaim Pruss (Israel) who taught the Rabbis over the past two years, Rabbi Binyamin Preminger (Israel), Rabbi Yitzchak Wirt (Israel), Rabbi Mendy Klapman (Israel), Rabbi Yehonatan Dinovich (Israel), Rabbi Eliyah Dahan (Israel), Rabbi Avraham Gad’j (Russia), Rabbi Menachem Mendel Markowitz (Russia), Rabbi Avraham Zaks (Russia), Rabbi Yaakim Yagudaev (Russia), Rabbi David Shapira (Russia), Rabbi Meir Raff (South Africa), Rabbi Shmuel Katzman (Holland), Rabbi Yeshayahu Diskind (England), Rabbi Yonah Chaski (France), Rabbi Levi Tzarfati (France), Rabbi Mordechai Suichar (France), Rabbi David Shmuel (France), Rabbi Moshe Haddad (Italy), Rabbi Noam Cohen (USA), Rabbi Alexander Gurvitz (France), Rabbi Pinchas Althaus (Israel), Rabbi Chizkiyahu Samin (Israel), Rabbi Eliezer Brod (Israel), Rabbi Yariv Klein (Panama), Rabbi Mendy Grumach (Sri Lanka), Rabbi Roni Arad (Sri Lanka) and Rabbi Moti Weisberg (Russia).
Throughout the seminar, the rabbis met with Israel’s Chief Rabbis — Rabbi Kalman Meir Bar (Ashkenazi) and Rabbi David Yosef (Sephardi), who warmly encouraged them and expressed great appreciation for their sacred mission in the Diaspora.
They also held meetings with senior public officials, including Israeli President Mr. Isaac Herzog, National Security Minister MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister Amichai Chikli, and MK Moshe Saada. These meetings offered a platform for the rabbis to share their daily challenges and community work, and to receive inspiration and support from Israeli leadership.
As part of the program, the rabbis went on professional tours, visiting food production plants, dairy facilities, and mikvaos. These hands-on experiences provided practical halachic knowledge in areas such as kashrus, purity, Shabbos observance, and more — tools that will assist them in their ongoing rabbinic service abroad.
The seminar concluded with a festive and dignified graduation ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Jerusalem, where the rabbis received official ordination certificates signed by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
The participants left the seminar uplifted, inspired, and empowered — with both strengthened halachic knowledge and practical tools to enhance their sacred mission in their respective communities around the world.
