Rabbi Lazar Visits Ancient Shiloh
As part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the Binyamin Regional Council and the Jewish community in Moscow, Russia, dozens of Russian Jews visited ancient Shiloh on Thursday.
The visit, a first for the Moscow community, was led by Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar.
Binyamin Regional Council Head Yisrael Katz met the group and took them on a tour of ancient Shiloh, explaining the city’s history and showing the group local vineyards and exhibits of the Tabernacle.
The highlight of the visit was an emotional prayer session at the site of the Tabernacle (Mishkan) itself. Rabbi Lazar said Chana’s prayer (taken from Samuel 1, 2:1-9) for the success of all Jews, together with a special blessing for Russia’s Jews.
Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich (United Right), Environmental Protection Minister Ze’ev Elkin (Likud), and Jerusalem Councilman Rabbi Yaakov Halperin attended as well, together with many media personalities.
“The message of the city of the Tabernacle, where our fathers began Jewish heritage, reaches all parts of the world, where it is known that a visit to the Holy Land must include a visit to the place where the first Tabernacle stood and Chana prayed for children – and received them,” Yisrael Gantz said. “We will continue to strengthen and glorify our history in this beautiful part of Israel, which we merited to settle. And may we soon see the building of Jerusalem.
