“Call me in an hour” asks shaliach Chabad Rabbi David Edri in Bratislava Slovakia and Brno Czech, as Hebrew and another foreign language is heard in the background.

One hour later he said “Call in another two hours.”

The third time he answered and sounded like he was in a crowd, but agreed to speak.

“Are you in Israel?” I inquired

“I wish” he said “But, No, I’m in Brno Czech.”

I apologize and explain that I heard Hebrew spoken in the background, and it must be a mistake.

“No, it’s not a mistake” he says” The shlichut framework of my wife and I, involves Israelis and students in Bratislava Slovakia and in Brno Czech. Right now we are in the middle of an activity. “He says

Then he asked me to wait a minute “Hey Dor” he happily greets someone. “I’m talking to Israel”. He apologizes and we continue to discuss his schedule. I learn that he is active with hundreds of local or Israeli Jewish students on a daily basis. All this activity is in conjunction of the community Rabbi and head shaliach Rabbi Baruch Myers.

“We have been on shlichut in Bratislava for 5 years and in Brno for four years” He states. “Our goal is to work with the Jewish community in Slovakia (there are officially 3000 Jews in Slovakia today), and influence the Israelis and students learning medicine and veterinarians In Brno.”

That is quite a challenging responsibility for an Israeli young couple!

“Challenging” he agrees “But not impossible. My wife is a native here and speaks the local language. Three months after our marriage we already discussed shlichut. We decided on coming here as we knew that acclamation will be easier. At present we give lectures during the week, including children, youth, young and old. I lecture to men and my wife lectures to women. The topics are in Judaism, Chassidut, Parshah, ‘Ein Yaakov’, and many more subjects. We also arrange private meetings with people in the community. Baruch Hashem there isn’t a minute wasted.

Sounds like you work 24/7?

There are various types of groups in the community, who are interested in hearing classes, at different times. We try to make everyone happy and comply with their requests. Sometimes groups are joined so we can be more efficient. For example we host groups of Jews on Shabbos, and teach them Judaism at the same time.

How do you divide your time between Bratislava and Brno?

It is simple. Our main activities are in Bratislava. On Shabbos we work in Brno. There are times when we come to Brno in the middle of the week for a specific project. Even though they are in two separate countries they are close. The distance is a about an hour and a half.

The connection of both countries brought Rabbi Edri to the RCE conference on The Purity of the Jewish Home. “The topic” he said, kept rising time after time. The halakhot are many and complicated. We used to go to Vienna to ask for answers. During one of the RCE conventions I prepared a long list of questions to deal with. I received all the answers and learned a lot, plus, one of the Rabbis gave me his personal phone number so I can call him at any time of need. Only someone who is on shlichut can understand the magnitude of this deed.

I want to point out that there are many other shlichut issues that without the RCE’s assistance, we would feel lost. The conference in Berlin supplied many answers to my questions about Jewish identity, a very pressing issue. People are constantly coming over to us claiming that they are Jews. They want an Aliya to the Torah or want to participate in the shul prayers. Others ask that their son read the Torah for his Bar Mitzvah. How can I know for sure that they are Jews? The Berlin conference supplied us with professional “Tools” how to find out if they are Jews and prevent mistakes.

In general, the conferences incorporate Rabbis from all over the world. Many Topics are discussed that concern all of us and as a result, the young Rabbis get tremendous assistance from the experienced Rabbis, who widen the horizons of the younger generation and create new solutions to deal with problems otherwise unsolved. Sometimes I think that the problem I am dealing with is unique and then I find out that most Rabbis deal with this problem so together we figure out an answer. The conferences enrich us for the benefit of the Jewish communities at large and specifically Slovakia.

Magnificent History

Approximately 130,000 Jews resided in Slovakia before the Holocaust. Over 105 synagogues were spread out over Slovakia, though the Nazis and then Communists destroyed most of them. Recently, local activists strive to rejuvenate and preserve the synagogues with the aid of the government and private donors. The cemeteries are full of Jewish monuments proving evidence of families that were brutally cut off by the Nazis.

The synagogues in Slovakia existed in the big cities. The Rabbis ran the synagogues and on Shabbos and holidays the Jews congregated from nearby villages to pray. Cemeteries existed in every village, so today around 700 Jewish cemeteries can be found in Slovakia. Unfortunately they are neglected and dilapidated. Quite a lot of remains of Mikvahs, schools, public institutions and Holocaust monuments can be seen in Slovakia.

Bratislava, the capitol of Slovakia, lies 50 km. from Vienna, both banking on the Danube River. The city castle boasts its beauty in the ancient section of the city.

Testimonies of Jewish communal life go back to the 11th century. The Jewish quarter existed in the outskirts of the city, but parts of the neighborhood were ruined for the new bridge. A Jewish culture museum was built west of the highway connecting to the bridge at the foot of the castle on the street of the Jews, guarding religious articles and documents. The highlight of the Jewish sites is the monument memorial of the Chatam Sofer, located in the outskirts of the castle banking on the Danube River.

The Chatam Sofer was buried in the ancient Jewish cemetery. Most of the cemetery was relocated in 1943 due to the tunnel construction, but not his and 22 others. Only in 2002 their graves were exposed and rehabilitated, presenting an impressive structure, protecting the graves.

The local train station has the Chatam Sofer’s name. His monument and 22 other graves are part of an underground praying site, decorated with black granite. This is all a result of the highway built around the cemetery. The road parallel to the Danube River leads to the highway to Brno Czech, Vienna and Budapest and other Slovakian cities, which were populated with Jews until 1940. 24 sites, mostly synagogues and cemeteries, are included in “The path of Jewish heritage”. Very few are actually functioning as a house of prayer, others host culture activiteis and exhibitions, and  some are being rehabilitated.

The most ancient synagogue was established in 1803, in the village of Stupava, not far from Bratislava. It is known for the unique 4 columns in the center. The columns hold 9 domes. Under the middle dome is the podium.