By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Chagai Halevi, who had a wide influence on the Israeli Diamond Exchange both as an insider and a Chabad Shliach, tragically passed away over Shavuos – Friday, 6 Sivan 5783.
Rabbi Halevi followed his father’s footsteps in entering the diamond industry and learned the trade from diamond maker Y. Fruchter. He became an official member of the exchange in Ramat Gan in 1982.
Over the years, he has dealt with the production of large round stones. He also took up leadership positions in the exchange, such as Chairman of the General Culture Committee, Chairman of the Commemoration Committee, Board Member of the Diamond Museum and member of the arbitrator committee. Since 1997, he has served as a board member of the exchange.
In 1990, he brought the keys to his office to the Rebbe during ‘Sunday Dollars’ and received the Rebbe’s blessing to open the Chabad House of the Israeli Diamond Exchange located in Ramat Gan.
Rabbi Halevi has since founded the in-house shul, presented many classes on Torah and Chassidus, and organized large holiday events and high-profile lectures, among them the Rebbe’s Mazkir Rabbi Leibel Groner, Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, elected officials and business leaders.
In a way, Rabbi Halevi and his son Rabbi Omer Halevi have served as Judaism’s ambassadors to both the merchants and the visitors to the diamond exchange.
On Shavuos day, while leading davening in the shul that he founded, Rabbi Halevi suffered a cardiac arrest and shortly after passed away to the shock of all that knew and learned from him.
Baruch Dayan Haemes.
