Moroccan Jewry
Celebrates A Double Yovel
The
Jewish community of Morocco marked 50 years of the Rebbe’s
leadership at a festive celebration in Casablanca. Many of the
speakers noted that fifty years had also passed since the Rebbe
began his work in Morocco. This began before the Rebbe officially
accepted the nesius, when he sent the first shluchim to
establish the school system throughout the country.
The event took place on the 16th of Shvat in
a large tent, which was erected especially for the occasion. The
celebration was organized by mosdos Chabad of Morocco,
directed by Rabbi and Mrs. Shalom Eidelman.
Over 1,000 men, women and children
participated in the grand event, as well as all the rabbanim
of Moroccan communities. You could see how each participant really
felt a part of the event, because everybody there had a personal
connection to the Rebbe. Either they learned in his mosdos
or they received directives and brachos from the nasi
ha’dor.
The event was chaired by Dr. Gavriel
Elharrar, one of the students in the kollel, who, after
brief words of introduction, called upon Rabbi Aharon Monsonago,
chief rabbi of Morocco, to say a few words. The chief rabbi
pointed out that the event was close to Chamisha Asar B’Shvat,
the new year for fruit trees, as now, after fifty years, we can
really appreciate the fruits of the Rebbe’s labors.
Following him, the president of the Jewish
community, Mr. Bordoga, spoke about memories of his childhood when
he lived in Maknes. His father was serving as head of that
community at the time the Rebbe sent the first shaliach,
Rabbi Michoel Lipsker, a’h, to open the first branch of
Lubavitch in Morocco.
A guest speaker from Montreal, a graduate of
the Chabad mosdos of Morocco, Rabbi Refael Dovid Banun,
spoke. Today he is a member of the beis din of Montreal.
Other rabbanim were called upon, all of them graduates of Chabad
mosdos in Morocco. They all spoke about thanking Hashem for
endowing us with the wondrous leadership of the Rebbe. Indeed, the
Rebbe saved Moroccan Jewry by means of the shluchim he sent
there, and who continue their work there.
Other graduates who serve in distinguished
rabbinic positions spoke. Among them was Rabbi Avrohom Dahan, a rav
in Casablanca, who was a shepherd when he applied to the Chabad
yeshiva. Thanks to the chinuch he received and the
talents he is blessed with, he grew in Torah knowledge and
Chassidus until he reached the position he enjoys today.
Others included in the program, were Rabbis
Yaakov Dreshman of Tangiers, Dovid Haddad of Agadir, and Yosef
Yisroel and Chanania Milul of Casablanca.
Closing words were given by Rabbi Eidelman,
who emphasized that the Rebbe continues to lead us today as
before, as evidenced by the countless miracles we see daily. He
concluded with the certainty that such a gathering of unity and hiskashrus
will surely speed the final revelation, immediately now.