Last week, 200 teenagers from across Europe participated in an uplifting trip in Israel. The trip was organized by the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, which has organized similar annual trips for boys and girls to strengthen their connection to Judaism and their roots. The highlight of the program was the bar mitzvah ceremony held near the Kotel for dozens of boys who had not yet celebrated their bar mitzvah.

 

The European Bar Mitzvah trip for the year 5785 concluded with an uplifting and moving ceremony where all the boys were called up to the Torah at the Kotel, followed by a celebration in Zedekiah’s Cave.

 

The trip – which normally takes place annually but was postponed last year due to the war – began with a tour of Teveriah and Tzfat. Participating teenagers were accompanied by rabbis and leaders of Jewish communities from France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Poland, Montenegro, and Uganda.

 

For most, this was their first time in Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular. The trip aimed to connect participants to the people of Israel and strengthen their Jewish identity and affiliation with the Jewish people. It was a magnificent and moving sight to see the bar mitzvah boys putting on tefillin near the Kotel and tucking their heartfelt wishes into the Wall’s stones. One of the boys summarized the journey: “I never knew there were so many Jews in the world.”

 

The large group was welcomed at the Kotel by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Kotel and Holy Sites, and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation management.

 

The main celebration took place in Zedekiah’s Cave, where the group was welcomed by Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Kalman Bar, who was very moved to meet them, as well as Rabbi Meir Porush, Minister of Jerusalem and Israeli Tradition, who, along with his ministry’s staff, helped make the journey successful. Also participating in the bar mitzvah ceremony were Mr. Amichai Shikli, Minister of Diaspora Affairs, and Jerusalem Mayor Mr. Moshe Leon, who sang “Shabechi Yerushalayim” with the children and offered them heartfelt blessings.

 

The highlight of the evening was a special encounter between the participants and Mr. Danny Miran, father of hostage Omri Miran, from whom a sign of life was recently received. Mr. Danny Miran was very moved to see teenagers from all over Europe and shared the story of his son Omri’s kidnapping. He asked all the teenagers to unite in prayer for his son’s release, emphasizing that through unity and mutual responsibility, we will defeat our enemies. He also mentioned that he was among those who liberated the Kotel in 1967 and how emotional it was for him to see children from Europe at the Kotel.

 

Rabbi Arie Goldberg, CEO of the RCE, noted that “despite the war and difficulties with flights from Europe, we made every effort to conduct the journey, as in these times, when anti-Semitism is raising its head, this is the definitive answer to strengthen Jewish identity everywhere.”

 

In the moving thank-you notes and summaries sent by rabbis from various communities, the words of Mati and Chaya Louis from Baku, Azerbaijan, stood out: “I have known Rabbi Arie for many years, but what I experienced this week left me speechless. We are certain that this experience will leave a deep impression on the children’s hearts, influence their Jewish future, and bring them much closer. The parents, who were updated throughout the journey, haven’t stopped thanking and admiring the organizers.”

 

Rabbi Levi Hefer from Düsseldorf, Germany, concluded: “This is not the first time we’ve participated in this journey, but we still do not take it for granted, and it inspires admiration each time anew. The fact that so much money, time, thought, and effort are invested in teenagers from Europe is special and moving. Where else is there a Jewish organization in the world that takes on such a project and covers all the costs, while all you need to do is join? This is amazing holy work!”

 

Rabbi Moshe Raskin from Uganda agreed with Rabbi Louis’s words and added, “The greatness of the joy and spiritual elevation we experienced in the last week cannot be described; everything was part of the experience. It was heartening to see the new friendships formed between the children. Children who don’t say a word found friends they could relate to and opened up. The inspiration that the RCE gives us pushes us to leave our respective places and join the experience each time anew. There is no doubt that the Rebbe’s blessing accompanies us, and his blessing is boundless for all the initiators, organizers, and participants, ad bli dai!  Wishing all a happy Purim and good news!” concluded Rabbi Raskin.

 

All the rabbis and community leaders warmly thanked the management of the European Rabbinical Centre, led by Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin and CEO Rabbi Arie Goldberg, along with Deputy CEO Rabbi Yosef Bainhaker, Rabbi Avraham Aba Turetzki, Secretary of the European Rabbinical Council, the office staff, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Israeli Tradition, and the Masa Yehudi organization, which successfully produced the trip. They also thanked the EJDF organization, in addition to the Meromim Foundation – with the assistance of Rabbi Benzion Lipsker, Tzvaim Productions for the beautifully produced bar mitzvah celebration, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation and its CEO Mr. Soli Eliav and team, and Rosenbaum Strategy and Public Relations office who were in charge of this uplifting tour for bar mitzvah youth from across Europe.