Hamburg Elects New Chief Rabbi
After being without a chief rabbi for three years, the city state of Hamburg formally elected Chabad’s Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky to the position Monday evening.
“This is a historic moment for Hamburg. For more than three years we’ve been without a chief rabbi,” said Roy Naor, a member of the Board of Directors of the city’s Jewish community in a conversation with lubavitch.com shortly after the election results were announced. “Today constitutes a new beginning for the Jews of this city.”
In his role as Chabad representative, Rabbi Bistritzky has been serving Hamburg’s Jewish population of about 8000 for the last eight years. But the new position will help him enrich Jewish life there immeasurably, he said.
Speaking by phone with lubavitch.com from his home as well-wishers poured in to congratulate him, Rabbi Bistritzky said the election “confirms that the Jewish community recognizes and appreciates the work and dedication of Chabad.”
Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany with densely population urban areas, is one of only three city states in Germany. Hamburg, Altona and Wandsbek formed a great Jewish religious and cultural center from the 17th century until the Holocaust.
Among the great rabbis who served there were the famed 18th century talmudist, Rabbi Yacov Emden, and his rival, the kabbalist, Rabbi Yonasan Eybschutz.
In 1933, Hamburg had a Jewish population of about 20,000. About half perished during the Holocaust, the rest were dispersed and by 1947 the city counted only 1,268 Jews.
brother from the hood
mazal tov to the BISTIRTSKI FAMILY AND TO THE GRANDFATHER
REB LEIB AND HIS WIFE, ,MUCH CHASIDASHA NACES
THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A MENTION OF THE FATHER HARVA HACHOSID ,
REB LEVIK ZACER LEVROCHA,
I AM SURE HE IS SMILEING IN GAN EDAN
aq
A Chief Rabbi over 1000 Jews…how does that work?
AA
To aq: the number is 8000, as it says earlier in the article. (1000 – or rather, 1268 – were the number of Jews there shortly after the Holocaust.)
So yes, a community of 8000 can use a chief rabbi.
Hevel
“Chief Rabbi”? Only Rabbi!
The last “Chief Rabbi” of Hamburg was R’ Yoseph Hirsh Carlebach zt”l, certainly also worth mentioning.
Reminds me of this song:
jewishsonglyrics.blogspot.com/2007/09/from-770.html
Congratulations, and mazal tov!
chaim pinchas finkel
almost all 8000 remaining are completely assimilated and are questionably Jewish at all…