You just never know who you’re going to bump into in Israel! Our community group bumped into the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar (yes, he is also Chana’s cousin) who was accompanying President Vladimir Putin to the Western Wall. And boy, did he have a story to tell:
President Putin arrived at the Wall at 2am, after a long meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Upon his arrival, an elderly Jew called out to him in Russian: ‘President Putin, pray for the Temple to be rebuilt!’. Putin responded instantly: ‘that’s why I’m here!’.
After spending a few moments in silent devotion at the Western Wall, Putin turned to leave. He sought out the Russian Jew, Gavriel Mordechayev, who had called out to him a few minutes prior. As he approached, Mordechayev told him that when King Solomon had built the Temple here, he had asked G-d to accept the prayers of all the Nations at this site. Putin, moved, asked him how he was managing in Israel. Mordechayev replied that in Russia he was denied a Jewish education. Forced into a public school under Stalin, his only connection to his Jewish roots was the little matza they had on Passover. His mother always told him that she dreamed of him becoming a rabbi, but alas, he had no idea what a rabbi was or looked like! When he was able to leave Russia, he ultimately fulfilled his mothers dream and became a rabbi in Jerusalem.
Putin replied that he was raised by parents he worked until late each night and he would spend a lot of time with his Jewish friend and his family. There he learned about Shabbos and became their ‘Shabbos goy’ (a gentile who helps the Jews on Shabbat)!
With this, they parted ways amicably, wishing each other well.
Last week in Shul, a man walked in for the first time. No different to any other guest, we honored Yaakov with an Aliyah. As we called him to the Torah, the man had absolutely no idea what we wanted him to do! When I told him to place his tallis over the Torah, he looked at me puzzled, asking what a tallis was! Unmistakably Jewish, but amazingly ignorant of his faith, I asked the man where he was born. When he answered Kursk (near Siberia), I realized that miracle that was unfolding in our Shul.....
Yaakov, like Mordechaiyev, was denied his Jewish education when he too was forced into a public school under Stalin. The Bar Mitzvah that he was robbed of, in his youth, by Stalin and the communists, was now given to him, today, at Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens. As we proceeded to sing a lively 'Siman Tov U'mazal Tov', Yaakov, 76 years old, began to cry like a child as he came to realize that he was now celebrating his own Bar Mitzvah, through being called to the Torah for the first time in his life!
The egg on our Seder Plates represents the Jewish People’s resilience. The more you cook an egg, the better it gets; the more pressure the Jews are under, the better they turn out.
Not even Stalin and the USSR was able to deny Reb Yaakov a bar Mitzvah, even if it was 63 years later! What a privilage it was for our community to be able to give Reb Yaakov what Stalin stole from him.
Despite the intense animosity that savages bear against us, in Burgas, Bulgaria or the Munich Olympics 40 years ago exactly, we know that we will prevail, as long as we never ever forget who we are!
Wishing you a Shabbat brimming with Jewish pride and identity,
Rabbi Dovid and Chana Vigler
ב"ה
Bobbe wrote...