A delegation of the administration of the RCE visited Italy’s Jewish communities, with the objective of strengthening and reinforcing Jewish life in that country. The delegation included Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg, the RCE’s deputy director; Rabbi Avraham Abba Turetzky, who heads the RCE’s division for verifying Jewish identity and conversions; and Rabbi Yosef Beinhaker, the RCE’s project manager. Harav Avraham Yosef, Chief Rabbi of Holon and member of the Rabbinical Council of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, also participated.

The five-day tour began in Rome, where the delegation was greeted by Rome’s Chief Rabbi Shmuel Di Segni and other rabbis of the various Jewish congregations. In the course of that visit the rabbis raised many issues that they had found difficult to address, among them the scourge of assimilation. They also discussed halachic questions, to which Harav Avraham Yosef gave clear, thorough responses.

The delegation visited the Great Synagogue, as well as the Beit Shalom shul and the Beit El shul, where they were met by a large crowd of Rome’s Jews. During their stay they also visited the Jewish day school, where Harav Yosef responded with his special charm to the questions posed to him by the children and youth, who were anxious to hear authoritative Torah answers. They also visited the local Chabad center, which is under the direction of Rabbi Menachem Lazar.

Following their visit to Rome, the delegation traveled to Livorno, the city that gained fame as a center for printing Hebrew books. There they were met by the city’s rabbi, Rabbi Yair Didi. Rabbi Didi has shown selfless devotion to the Livorno community, serving as its Rav, shochet and Torah instructor. The delegation’s visit sparked great excitement in Livorno’s Jewish community. Hundreds of people streamed toward the shul to hear the speeches of the visiting Rabbanim from Eretz Yisrael, while they enjoyed a special Rosh Chodesh meal.

During their visit to Livorno the delegation visited the city’s ancient cemetery, where many Rabbanim and poskim are buried. These Rabbanim came to Livorno hundreds of years ago to use the first printing press to print their famous collections of responsa, and they remained in the city for the rest of their lives. Today this cemetery is undergoing major renovations, and Harav Avraham Yosef was asked to rule on many halachic issues that have arisen as a result.

After that, there was a public recitation of Tefillat Hashalah, which is customarily recited on Erev Rosh Chodesh, on behalf of the generation’s youth, imploring Hashem to inspire them to remain faithful Jews. Many of Livorno’s Jews participated in this tefillah, which was recited in the cemetery. Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg was honored with leading the prayer.

From Livorno the RCE delegation traveled to Milan, where there are a number of shuls and Jewish schools. During the two days they spent in Milan the delegation visited the Jewish institutions and met with all the city’s Rabbanim, under the leadership of Milan’s Chief Rabbi Alfonso Arbib.

During their stay in Milan the delegation gave special attention to their visit to the community’s Jewish schools, as well as to the Bais Rivka school, which is under the direction of Rabbi Avraham Hazan, one of Milan’s Rabbanim and a member of the Council of European Rabbis, and Rabbi Yigal Hazan. The delegation also visited the Bais Chana seminary, under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Sheikevitz and Rabbi Sender Wilschanski, two of Milan’s distinguished rabbis.

In every city the delegation visited, Rabbi AvrahamYosef delivered shiurim in Torah and halachah, and he responded to many halachic queries.

The Rabbanim and community leaders in Italy expressed their deepest appreciation to the administration of the RCE, under the directorship of Rabbi Menachem Margolin and Rabbi Aryeh Goldberg, for this important, inspiring visit. They expressed their strong desire to continue the special connection with the delegation, which was formed during this visit, and to host other visits in the future to strengthen and inspire the Rabbanim, the communities, and the younger generation.